Goodwood Revival 2010: Monster Photo Gallery from Graham Dalley
Dear reader, having seen the various articles on the 2010 Goodwood Revival I have decided to show more than just the on track action. There was on much more going on in the air and on the ground. I know it’s not strictly motorsport however, but this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain so I’ve included several photos of Goodwood’s tribute to “the few”.
Editors note: Because the gallery is so huge, scroll to the bottom to see all the photos.
As you pass through the gates of Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit, something special happens, you find yourself being whisked back in time, its almost a tangible sensation, you can pick any era you want, from the Halcyon days of the second world war, when the place was known as ‘RAF West Hampnett’ satellite station to RAF Tangmere, just a few miles down the road, and Spitfires and Hurricanes were resident. Or you can step forward to the days of the circuits heyday between 1948 ish to the early 60’s when the dashing fighter pilots of Churchill’s ‘Few’ had vacated the old airfield and Freddie March converted the perimeter road into a race track and held some of the most spectacular and prestigious race meetings of the time, along the way immortalising names like Madgewick, lavant and Fordwater into motor racing folk lore. The track has to be treated with respect, one of the fastest in the country it could be a very unforgiving place, Bruce McLaren lost his life here testing one of his Can Am cars and Sir Stirling Moss ended his competitive racing career with ‘that’ crash.
The track as it stands today, apart from some nods to modern safety has essentially remained unchanged since those days.
For the old hands it’s like stepping back in time as they are reunited with there old cars and the years seem to just fall away as they thunder off down the pit lane. To the new generation, this place leaves them wide eyed and hungry for more of the adrenaline fueled excitement that only this track can deliver.
Modern health and safety would never allow it but I’d love to see what a current generation F1 car could do if driven in anger, for a lap time around the sweeps and curves of this magnificent circuit.
I’ll start with the ‘few’. 70 years ago this year Britain, still reeling from the fall of France was under siege. The full force of the Luftwaffe was loosed on Britain, with all the stood in its way being, nine squadrons of Hawker Hurricane’s and five squadrons of Supermarine Spitfire’s. History records the grim details of the battle. By the end of September the Luftwaffe was in tatters, the brave pilots of the RAF’s, Fighter command had vanquished the mightiest air arm of the time and the Hurricane and the Spitfire had etched there names in history. Goodwood, RAF west Hampnett as it was formerly known, was right in the middle of it. Four Spitfires two Hurricanes a North American P51D Mustang and a Grumman Bearcat formed the display flight each performing both solo and in formation over the circuit at various times across all three days. Saturday and Sunday saw the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight display with the flights Spitfire MkII, one of the oldest Spitfire airframes still flying, and the ‘last of many’ the final Hurricane to roll off the production lines, using Goodwood as there base on Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday saw a parade of veterans stationed at the airfield during the battle in the form of a nine Jeep drive along the main straight followed by a Hurricane and a Spitfire taxi-ing behind. Lord March and Canon Lionel Webber paid tribute to those who will stay for ever young, having made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of the country. The Royal Horse Artillery fired a salute to their memory as the BBMF over flew the track, to close an emotionally charged tribute.
Present this year was the Australian fighter Ace, Tony Gaze DFC and 2 bars. The former fighter pilot is credited with 12.5 aerial victories and was stationed at West Hampnett from December 1940 to August 1941 with 610 Squadron. Gaze is the man credited with seeding the idea to Freddie March, of turning the disused airfield’s perimeter road as a race track, an inspired move.
Friday was the official practice day so I took the time to have a good look round at some of the other attractions on offer. The Earles Court Motor show, showcased both ancient and modern. A mouth-watering selection of classic GT’s taking centre stage and Nissan, Maserati, BMW, Jaguar and Rolls Royce exhibiting both new and old.
Another eye-catching exhibition took the form of the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation, a sort of Style et Luxe for aircraft. Star of the show was undoubtedly, Born Again Aviation’s recreation of the Sikorsky S38 ‘Osa’s Ark’ a faithful replica of American naturalists/ film makers/ photographers/ adventurers, of the 1930’s Martin and Osa Johnson’s zebra stripped ‘flying Yacht’ fresh from its Atlantic crossing and European tour.
Saturday, and the on track action opened with a parade of Police cars followed by Mod’s and Rockers along with military motorcycles and some Brooklands specials. This was followed by a very lucky chap who won a three lap ride in a D type Jaguar, driven by Sir Stirling Moss, the gent clearly looked like he was enjoying it.
This years festival celebrated John Surtees career, with a selection of both cars and bikes ‘Big John’ raced and owned taking to the track, John taking the wheel of his 1964 F1 championship winning 158 Ferrari.
Its sixty years since Reg Parnell drove a supercharged V16 BRM P15 Mk1 to the marques maiden victory at Goodwood by beating Prince B Bira’s Maserati in the 1950 Woodcote cup Formula Libre race, the very car now owned by the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, the car was also raced to victory in France by JM Fangio, and I’ve been lucky enough to sit in it while on display at Beaulieu. To mark the anniversary 31 iconic BRM racing cars were present many taking to the track for some demonstration laps, British racing Legends Tony Brooks and Jackie Stewart were on hand driving a Type 25 and a P261 respectively.
Another track parade was titled ‘Special Deliveries’ It Celebrated all things commercial, show casing a variety of delivery vehicles the oldest being a 1919 electric delivery van which Harrods used, the youngest being a 1966 Oldsmobile hearse!!
The Racing proper was kicked off with the Goodwood Trophy, a 20 minute thrash for pre 1950 Grand Prix cars, Voiturettes and ‘racing specials’. The Race was won by Mark Gillies driving a 1934 ERA A-Type R3A, followed home by Matt Grist’s Alfa Romeo Tipo B also of 1934 vintage; third home being the Maserati 6CM piloted by Frank Stippler.
Second of the days eight races was a good one, The Chichester Cup for drum braked, rear engined, Formula Junior cars from between 1958 and 1962. A battle royal ensued from the drop of the Union Jack to its conclusion 20 minutes and 12 laps later between Benn Simms in the ex- Phoebe Rolt Elva Ford 200 and Sir John Chisholm driving his ex- Mike Parkes Gemini Mk3. Chisholm got the drop at the start and was first into Madgwick closely followed by Simms and the Lola Mk3 of Hans-Jorgen Krag. Fast starting Desire Wilson’s race was short lived as her Nota Ford burst a radiator pipe forcing her to pull over on the exit of Madgwick. The Coolant deposited caused problems in the following laps causing several cars to spin and take wayward lines through the bend. Simms and Chisholm were locked together for the entire race, Simms taking the win after passing Chisholm on lap 4, that said Simms had to work for the well deserved victory as Chisholm kept him honest throughout. Third some way back was UK series Champion Chris Drake in his Elva Ford 300.
Race 3 and 11 for the ‘leather clad lunatics’, the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy for Motorcycles raced between 1951 and 1954, gave the crowd two great races. With Steve Bain partnered by BSB ace Steve Brogan winning on a Manx Norton. The story of the races has to be that of Jeremy McWilliams, who had crashed badly prior to the event and could barely walk unaided carrying various injuries including three broken ribs, however the tough Ulsterman starting from the back of the field battled through to the seventh by the end of the second tour and into the lead before handing over the Manx Norton to partner Duncan Fitchett, who couldn’t get the bike to work as well finishing an impressive but distant second in race one. Race two saw McWilliams and Fitchett win after a fine battle with Wayne Gardener’s BSA Goldstar.
Race 4, the St Mary’s trophy race part one (The Celebrity leg) for production based saloon cars raced between 1950 and 1959. The huge grid featured a host of stars, Martin Brundle, Desire Wilson, Tiff Needell, Arturo Merzario, Andy Rouse, Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams, Brian Redman, Paul Radisich, Dickie Attwood, Tony Jardine, Tom Kristensen, Rauno Aaltonen, Derek Bell, Patrick Watts, Jim Richards and Anthony Reid to name a few, all took the start. Revival debutant, 8 time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, got the jump into Madgwick in his beige! Austin A95 Westminster, closely followed by Ex-Peugeot BTCC campaigner Patrick Watts in the suitably Yellow and blue liveried Volvo Amazon 122S with ‘Whizzo’ Williams Ford Zephyr MkII and Tiff Needell in a Jaguar Mk VII fighting over third. Martin Brundle hustled the tiny Austin A35 into fifth ahead of Stuart Graham and Tony Dron in Jaguar MkI and MkVII respectively. As the race developed Kristensen and Watts raced away from the pack Brundle who had lost out to the Jaguars fought back, taking the little Austin by the scruff of the neck, and repassing Graham’s MkI and then a couple of laps later Dron’s Mk VII before charging after the leaders. He Elbowed past Tiff at Madgwick, repeating the move on Watts and then setting off after the Westminster. Kristensen and Brundle have shared a track before and the ensuing battle was a joy to watch but unfortunately short lived. Brundle who to use a ‘brundle-ism’ had been stellar through Madgwick lap after lap reeled in the beige machine and tried to repeat his passing move on Kristensen to have the door closed firmly a couple of times.
Eventually Brundle got a good tow down the main straight and popped out of the slipstream just before the braking point, sliding down the inside of Kristensen the pair entered Madgwick with the Westminster slightly ahead, Tom took his normal line and the two cars came together. The impact was barely noticeable to Dane, who commented after the race that to his car the clash was like a ‘gnat bite’. For Brundle, his spirited drive in the little powder blue A35, was, over the impact puncturing his passenger side front tyre and ending his race on the spot. Kristensen went on to win the race after being passed by Watts Volvo which retired later on Graham’s Jag was second with Tiff Needell third. Part two of the race on Sunday saw the Mighty Jaguar MkI of Grant Williams (Derek Bell drove in part one) put on a glorious display of sideways driving take the win followed home by Richard Butterfield (Stuart Grahams partner) with the Austin A35 of Richard Postins/ David Hobbs third. The overall victory going to Bell/Williams Jaguar. The Jaguar of Graham/Butterfield second and Kristensen/Naismith’s Westminster third.
Race 5, the Whitsun Trophy for Sports-Racing prototypes raced between 1963 and 1966 was won by Andrew Smith in a Lola T70 Spyder, followed home by the eponymous New Zealander, Roger Wills in his ‘modified’ McLaren Chevy M1B, with historic racing Stalwart Martin Stretton in another T70 Spyder picking up the final podium spot.
Race 6, the Madgwick Cup, saw another giant field, this time of sports-racing cars raced between 1955 and 1960 take the starters flag the Lotus 15 of Joe Twyman and Roger Wills hit the front and stay there winning by a massive 42 seconds over the Lotus 15 of Ewen and Jamie McIntyre second, the Cooper T49 Monaco of Clubb/Stretton coming home third. The talking point of this race was of Sir Stirling Moss who won the 500cc race on the circuits inaugural meeting back in 1948. Sir Stirling qualified his OSCA while celebrating his 81st birthday on Friday and raced it with Ian Nuttall on Saturday.
Race 7 was a twenty minute blast for inter-continental and Formula One cars raced from 1954 to 1961. The race was won by Silverstone Classic promoter Nick Wigley driving his Cooper T51 Climax. The win coming despite dropping to fifth on the opening lap after having to take avoiding action as Ian Ashley’s LDS Alfa Romeo spun at Madgwick. Wigley regrouped and set about a spirited drive back to the front, passing Rod Jolley, Cooper T45, Whizzo Williams Cooper T51 and Enrico Spaggiari’s lowline T53. With two and a bit laps left he mugged Roger Wills in another Cooper T51 with a banzai pass into Woodcote holding off the /new Zealander for the final two tours winning by just 0.259s Spaggiari was third for an all Cooper podium.
Race 8 the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, was a 25 minute race emulating the spirit of the Nine hour races of the early 50’s. Some rare and beautiful machinery came out to play for the last race of the day. Darren McWhirter triumphed with his Lagonda V12 Le Mans, Nick Wigley saw the podium again, this time the runners up step beating Nigel Webb’s Jaguar C type.
Sunday morning came with the prediction of rain at some point during the day, however the forecast precipitation held off although there was a definite chill in the air through out the day. Racing kicked off at 10 am with the Fordwater Trophy, for endurance sports and GT cars circa 1960-66. Nick Swift took the honours in his Mini Dart a unique Dizzy addicott built GT based on a Mini van originally built in 1964 this was its first race. Shaun Rainford in the Lenham GT three seconds down the road and Gordon Elwell’s Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite rounding out the top three.
Race 10 the Richmond Trophy was a real treat for students of Formula One (including me!) thirty front engined F1 cars from1948 to 1960 lined up for the start of the 25 minute mini Grand Prix. The chequered flag fell after 17 laps and first to see it was rather fittingly a BRM. None other than the ex-Jo Bonnier 1959 Dutch GP winning Type 25 driven by Gary Pearson, which added kudos to the BRM celebration theme of the weekend.
Race 14, the ‘feature race’ of the day was the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration was a one hour, two driver race for closed cockpit GT cars from 1960-64, in the spirit of the RAC TT races held at Goodwood in the sixties. Back in the day Ferrari’s dominated, A Ferrari again sat proudly in the winners circle, and what a Ferrari too. The car a Ferrari 250 GTO, owned now by Sir Anthony Bamford, is the very car that won back in 1963 in the hands of Graham hill. This time Peter Hardman and Jean-Marc Gounon drove it. TT debutants Ollie Bryant and Nicholas Minassian brought home there fantastic sounding AC Cobra in second, with Justin Law and Anthony Reid in the one of a kind Lister Jaguar Coupe grabbing third from Rob Hall and Aussie touring car Legend Jim Richards Cobra who crossed the line forth fifth fell to the Ferrari 250 GTO of Martin Brundle and Mark Hales. Sixth to finish was the first of the Jaguars, the E Type lightweight of Emanuele Pirro and Shaun Lynn.
The Penultimate race of the weekend, race 15 the Glover Trophy was another for aficionados of Formula One, the sixties 1.5 litre F1 and Tasman series cars took to the sweeps and undulations of Goodwood and what a beautiful sight it was too. Dickie Attwood was at his best in the Historic Team BRM owned, 1965 2 litre Tasman spec BRM P261, coming from 16th place to take the lead with three laps to go from another legend Frank Syntner driving his Lotus-Climax 24, third was Andy Middlehurst, in Classic team Lotus’ Lotus-Climax 25.
The Final race was the Sussex Trophy for Championship sports racing cars raced between 1955 and 1960. At the start Jamie McIntyre seared the rear tyres of his Lister Chevrolet with a monumental burnout of the line allowing Bobby Verdon-Roe to grab a short lived lead in the beautiful Le Mans and TT winning Aston Martin DBR1, the Scot soon took the lead and disappeared leaving in his wake a fantastic race long scrap for the remaining podium spots between Verdon-Roe, Gary Pearson in his Lister Jaguar and the Ferrari 246S Dino of driven with great gusto by Tom Kristensen. McIntyre won by some eleven seconds, B V-R come home second with Kristensen giving best to Pearson who took a fine third place.
And there friends you have it the 2010 Goodwood revival meeting closed its gates until next year.
If you don’t get to any other event next year you have to come to Goodwood for the revival or indeed the Festival of Speed, preferably both! Its money well spent.
Motorsportretro.com would like to congratulate all involved with the Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed for a job truly well done.
Next up the HSCC ‘finals’ meeting, Silverstone 9th of October 2010.
