Goodwood Revival
Well, here goes....last time I started to bleet on about the Goodwood Revival motor racing meeting, in September...and I can't hold back any longer...I've been going every year for the last decade, during which time it's grown into one of the most prestigious and THE most nostalgic of all the retro-events presently on the British calender. Last year, amongst the many tributes, was a race dedicated to E-Type Jags, celebrating their 50th...and this year will be the Cobra's turn. I am a huge fan of both these icons, and never warmed in the same fashion to their German counterparts.......However, respect has to be earned and the German automotive industry does command a lot of that... This year sees the gathering of some of the MOST wonderful racing machines ever devised...the Silver Arrows...Mercedes and Auto Union racers from 1932-1939...During this period they trounced everything in sight, being developed to produce in excess of 600bhp.... power-outputs not matched in F1 until the 1980's. These machines were last seen together pounding the Yugoslav GP circuit in 1939, the day after WW2 started. Since then they've been lovingly mothballed and only let out to play on special occasions.And Goodwood is one such occasion and i believe the first time they set foot on English soil since Donnington in the '30s. This will be an incredible sight to behold, if you're a petrol-head of any age...These machines could exceed 200mph when your Grandad was taking Mum nervously on holiday at 25mph.Goodwood generally, for those who have not seen the light, is a re-creation of days-gone-by...nothing there, not even the vending machines will be post-1964. The event includes races between cars of many different eras, and flypasts, (12 Spitfires last year!....another coup...), military bands and the biggest pre-'64 fashion show in the world....the public!... The spirit of the whole event is amazing...To see grids of historic racers valued in excess of £100 million, racing, seriosly racing...not playing games..is not to be missed.And even the pre-64 visitors' carpark is the biggest classic car show you ever saw.....worth a visit even if you don't enter the Revival event...EVERY conceivable classic car you could imagine...all polished and sparkling in the sun...Don't turn up on the day....you won't get in...it's sold-out long before.
Again...Thanks to 'The Thatch'
(this is fast becoming his own section of the site)