We finished our 2004 Revival review with the line "Can’t wait till 2005". Well, this year’s event has been and gone and you know what? I’m not half looking forward to 2006...
Using the same broad format as 2004 (practice on Friday, races on Saturday and Sunday with a two-part saloon race on both days), Goodwood Events have just tweaked and tuned the concept to once again make it the world’s premier historic race meeting.
Highlight of the weekend without doubt was the first part of the St Mary’s Trophy, the saloon car race that this year was for the ‘younger’ cars such as American Galaxies and Falcons. A feature of the Revival of course is that Lord March and the Goodwood team entice big-name drivers either from the past or today’s modern formulae. Saturday’s heat was for ‘professionals’, while the ‘owners’ got their chance the day after. Wow-wee - what a race! Sir John Whitmore (on pole) was re-united with his Alan Mann Ford Mustang notchback, while surrounding him were a plethora of similar V8s driven by ace international drivers of the past (including Jackie Oliver, John Fitzpatrick, Derek Bell, Tony Dron, Bobby Rahal, Alan Jones) as well as a couple of modern F1 pilots, Jordan’s Narain Karthikeyan driving a Lotus Cortina, and Red Bull Racing’s Vitantonio Liuzzi in a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda. Whitmore led for most of the way before an off-circuit foray cost him a few places, letting Jackie Oliver - 1963 Ford Galaxie - into first place, a position he just about kept to the end.
But the fourteen laps saw second to sixth paces disputed with such ferocity - but few damaged panels - that this was one of the best races your author has ever seen. The youngsters from today’s F1 were utterly fantastic, and the St Mary’s Trophy itself was presented in memory of the late Gerry Marshall to Karthikeyan, while Liuzzi driving the Barracuda (stuck in 4th gear it transpired afterwards) took every corner in a massive slide and would think nothing of going two-abreast with a Galaxie flat-out through Fordwater curve. As we said last time, it was as if the clock had been turned back and we were once again seeing ‘the greats’ in works-prepared cars. Combining the two days’ results saw the 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint of Jones/Voyazides winning, with the 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 (Oliver/Lynn) second and the 1965 Ford Mustang of Whitmore/Mann third.
The Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration, described by Goodwood as "the jewel in the Revival’s crown", had yet another stellar grid that included a couple of Ferrari GTOs, together with the usual SWBs, lightweight E-Types, Astons, Cobras and Corvettes. In fact this year’s race had more than its usual quota of V8s, and many of them driven by French drivers (including Patrick Tambay, Henri Pescarolo and Nicolas Minassian). And of course the grid was also peppered with well-known personalities such as Gerhard Berger, Jochen Mass, Marc Surer, Rene Arnoux, Stirling Moss et al. Bernie Carl’s grey ex-Coombs 1962 Lightweight E-Type ‘4 WPD’ was the winner, its driver pairing of Dario Franchitti/Emmanuelle Pirro finishing just 2.2 seconds ahead of the 1963 ‘Lowdrag’ Jaguar of Berger/Lindsay. The - imaginary - Classic Driver award for that race going once again to John Young in the red and white Corvette, while Jackie Oliver/Peter Thornton put in a superb performance to finish 7th overall (ahead of the GTOs) in their Aston Martin DB4GT, and this (plus his other efforts) won Oliver the Rolex Driver of the Day award.
Sam Hancock on his way to FTD and vistory in the Whitsun Trophy |
The start of the Sussex Trophy - Tony lights 'em up |
Other races of note were the Whitsun Trophy, where Sam Hancock, driving Sir Anthony Bamford’s 1965 Ford GT40 not only won, but set fastest time of the day, and the Sussex Trophy where pole-sitter (and multiple winner) Tony Dron could not quite do it again, finishing third behind Gary Pearson’s winning Lister Jaguar, and Peter Hardman in the Sporting & Historic Cars 1959 Le Mans-winning Aston Martin DBR1. Fastest lap to Dron though, whose 1:27.585 was less than 4 seconds off Hancock’s FTD (with about another 300 bhp...)
Apart from the racing there were the usual magnificently-attired spectators (110,000 this year, another record), the wonderful air shows from 1940s ‘planes that included Spitfires, Mustangs, and a P-47 Thunderbolt, as well as a re-creation of a 1919 Vickers Vimy, the aeroplane that crossed the Atlantic flown by Alcock and Brown. It must have taken a long time...
Bonhams held their customary auction on the Friday (and you can read a separate review on Classic Driver) while the EXPO shopping area - now inside the circuit - was very busy, with plenty for all to see. The on-track action also included a tribute to Sir Jackie Stewart, as well as a parade to commemorate 50 years of the Chrysler 300 series cars of the ‘50s - complete with models showing the fashions of the time.
Leaving the circuit on Saturday, spectators were treated to the wonderful sight of a British ‘Harvest Moon’ burning gold in the sky, a backdrop for a Spitfire and Mustang performing the final aerobatic display of the day as prelude to that night’s famous party for competitors.
With the day’s action still fresh in the mind, it doesn’t get much better than that.
For more information on 2005 Events at Goodwood, and to check on details for 2006, please visit www.goodwood.co.uk.
The TT - Jackie Oliver laps a Ferrari 250GT SWB |
Laurel & Hardy think Johhny Herbert needs glasses... |
The TT - Peter Brock's Corvette on the tail of an Aston Martin Zagato |
Freddie March Memorial Trophy - Ecurie Ecosse C-Type Jaguar |
Tiff Needell's E-Type in the TT |
Sir Jackie Stewart in an F1 BRM |
Peter Hardman hanging it out in the DBR1 |
St Mary's Trophy - Alfa GTA and Mini |
The collecting area for the Goodwood Trophy |
Sussex Trophy - Ferrari Dino 246S and Maserati 300S |
Results -
Rolex Driver of the Day:
JACKIE OLIVER
Goodwood Supporters’ Association Spirit of Goodwood Trophy:
TOM & DARREN McWHIRTER
Best Presented Team:
DICK SKIPWORTH
Fastest Lap of the Meeting:
SAM HANCOCK - FORD GT40 - 1:23.720
Fastest Lap by a Lady Driver:
DESIRÉ WILSON - AC Cobra Le Mans Coupe - 1:29.289
The St Mary’s Trophy is presented in memory of the late Gerry Marshall:
NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN
Goodwood Trophy
1 - 1936 - ERA B-type RSB 'Remus' - Ludovic LINDSAY - 1:33.459
2 - 1934 - ERA A-type R3A - Mark GILLIES - 1:33.550
3 - 1952 - Connaught A-type - Barrie WILLIAMS - 1:33.134
Chichester Cup
1 - 1962 - Lotus-Ford 22 - Edwin JOWSEY - 1:26.896
2 - 1961 - Lotus-Ford 20 - Gavin PICKERING - 1:27.907
3 - 1963 - Merlyn-Ford Mk5 - Denis WELCH - 1:28.354
Whitsun Trophy
1 - 1965 - Ford GT40 - Sam HANCOCK - 1:23.720
2 -1965 - Lola-Chevrolet T70 Spyder - Colin BLOWER - 1:24.633
3 - 1965 - Ford GT40 - Shaun LYNN - 1:26.352
Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Race 3 (First Race)
1 - 1962 - Manx Norton 500 - Wayne GARDNER - 1:31.548
2 - 1961 - Manx Norton 500 - James WHITHAM - 1:32.245
3 - 1961 - Manx Norton 500 - Duncan FITCHETT - 1:31.800
Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Race 9 (Second Race)
1 - 1961 - Manx Norton 500 - Duncan FITCHETT - 1:30.590
2 - 1961 - Manx Norton 500 - James WHITHAM - 1:30.128
3 - 1960 - Manx Norton 500 - Chas MORTIMER - 1:32.360
Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy - Final Aggregate Result
1 - 1961 - Manx Norton 500 - Duncan FITCHETT - 1:30.590
2 - 1961 - Manx Norton 500 - James WHITHAM - 1:30.128
3 - 1960 - Manx Norton 500 - Chas MORTIMER - 1:32.360
St. Mary’s Trophy (Part 1)
1 - 1963 - Ford Galaxie 500 - Jackie OLIVER - 1:33.439
2 - 1963 - Ford Galaxie 500 - John FITZPATRICK - 1:33.965
3 - 1965 - Ford Mustang - John WHITMORE - 1:33.174
St. Mary’s Trophy (Part 2)
1 - 1963 - Ford Falcon Sprint - Leo VOYAZIDES - 1:32.761
2 - 1964 - Ford Falcon Sprint - R OLDWORTH - 1:34.336
3 - 1963 - Ford Galaxie 500 - Shaun LYNN - 1:34.198
St. Mary’s Trophy - Final Aggregate Result
1 - 1963 - Ford Falcon Sprint - Jones/Voyazides - 1:32.761
2 - 1963 - Ford Galaxie 500 - Oliver/Lynn - 1:33.439
3 - 1965 - Ford Mustang - Whitmore/Mann - 1:33.174
Brooklands Trophy
1 - 1934 - Riley Dixon Special - Duncan RICKETTS - 1:38.829
2 - 1934 - Alfa Romeo Tipo B monoposto - Thomas BSCHER - 1:38.691
3 - 1934 - Alfa Romeo Tipo B monoposto - Tony SMITH - 1:43.744
Freddie March Memorial Trophy
1 - 1954 - HWM Jaguar - Michael STEELE - 1:34.134
2 - 1953 - Jaguar C-type - Gary PEARSON - 1:35.132
3 - 1954 - Lagonda V12 Le Mans - Darren McWHIRTER - 1:35.036
Fordwater Trophy
1 - 1959 - Austin Healey 3000 Mk1 - Chris CLARKSON - 1:35.596
2 - 1956 - Morgan Plus 4 - Rick BOURNE - 1:35.552
3 - 1963 - MG B - Joe BAMFORD - 1:36.355
Richmond & Gordon Trophies
Gordon:
1 - 1960 - Lotus-Climax 18 - Michael SCHRYVER - 1:25.354
Richmond:
1 - 1959 - Lotus-Climax 16 - Jo FOLCH-RUSINOL - 1:26.620
The Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration
1 - 1962 - Jaguar E-type lightweight - Franchitti/Pirro - 1:28.592
2 - 1963 - Jaguar E-type lightweight lowdrag - Berger/Lindsay - 1:28.739
3 - 1964 - AC Cobra - Minassian/Tambay - 1:29.416
Glover Trophy
1 - 1963 - Cooper-Climax T66 - Sid HOOLE - 1:27.665
2 - 1962 - Lotus-BRM 24 - Phil HARRIS - 1:28.256
3 - 1962 - Lola-Climax Mk4 - John CLARK - 1:28.112
Sussex Trophy
1 - 1958 - Lister-Jaguar 'Knobbly' - Gary PEARSON - 1:27.633
2 - 1957 - Aston Martin DBR1 - Peter HARDMAN - 1:27.702
3 - 1960 - Ferrari 246S Dino - Tony DRON - 1:27.585
Words - Steve Wakefield. Photos - Roger Dixon - all strictly copyright
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