Goodwood Revival 2012

The Revival was upon us again….

So a few years ago I got to sit in a Jaguar XJ13 whilst talking to Norman Dewis – and that was a Revival meeting that is hardly ever to be topped… but this year came close. (See that 2009 write up HERE).

Over the years more and more people have decided to don period clothes and dress for the occasion that is one of, if not the world leading classic motor sports events. Last year we didn’t dress up, and that was the year that we felt more out of place for not dressing up, than if we had dressed up…. So this year we went in style…

Chris went in a military style, as did Alex, and I went as a 30’s racing driver.

As usual, the entire day was fantastic – that’s pretty much standard for the Revival, but this time we were invited as guests, so got a little closer to the action, sounds and smells of the racetrack.

It was astounding. Driver changes and pit stops within arms reach! Cars worth hundreds of thousands, even millions, of pounds, were racing as if it was 1960 all over again.

We’re not talking sedate demonstration laps – We are talking foot to the floor, spinning out on corners and sharing paintwork style racing…. Exactly what these cars were designed to do. When you see a Ferrari GTO rub up alongside an Aston Martin, or a £10 million Maserati spin off and slam into a tyre wall, then you know these drivers are in it to win, and not to show off the looks of these often unique historic cars.

What was the value of all the cars there over the weekend? I’d hate to think! Even a parade of classic Ferrari GTO’s must have topped 10’s of millions!!!

GTO’s are surely a pricey car…. but then I saw this line up…

The most expensive car total value on the track at one time must belong to the German ‘Silver Arrows‘…. The original German bad boys of motor racing.

The pre-WW2 silver Mercedes and Auto Union ballistic racing cars that dominated the sport… V16 engines, rear mounted, meticulously built with typical German detail and precision. Even now, these cars are a marvel of engineering. Just looking into the engine bay you can’t believe that these are 1930’s racers!

Not just cars though – The track was filled with vintage motorbikes, tearing around on the ragged edge of their limits… and beyond! Vincent, Norton, Rudge, BMW, Ariel, Honda… so many types – and the noise was all enveloping!

For a motorsport enthusiast or just for a fun day out to see all the events and sideshows, Goodwood Revival really is second to none. For me, one of the highlights was the pit stop that was that arms reach away….

I say ‘one‘ of the highlights, because as I walked around after the racing had ended, I saw a Tojeiro chassis Jaguar D-Type. Much like today, many racing cars used to be custom built to suit certain specifications.

Quite often a standard car was modified to suit a particular need, and Tojeiro used to work with Jaguars to produce some top racers of the day. Trojeiro’s work eventually lead to the monster Shelby Cobra, so he has a pretty substantial claim in the racing car hall of fame.

7 GNO : Year of Manufacture 1956 : Date of First Registration 19 04 1956

Anyway, several Trojeiro models were racing, and after the day of racing ended I went to have a closer look. One of the best looking (in my opinion) was the first Trojeiro, based on the D-Type Jaguar (which was a stunning car in its own rights, and one of my all time favourites). Luckily enough, 7GNO was at Goodwood on this Revival Sunday…

…and…

Well…. If you don’t ask….

There are MANY more photos and films HERE!!!

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Goodwood Revival – The other bits…

This year we didn’t see much of the racing. We spent most of our time taking in the static cars and aircraft, the shops and stalls… and the fun fair.

Alex (5) wanted to go on the rides. He started small and moved up to the Dodgems with me…. and then a family ride on a violent Waltzer! Alex is very keen to go on a roller-coaster, so I figured a few smaller rides would see how he coped.

I thought the Waltzer would be too much for him, but he watched from the side and still wanted a go. He loved it….. so it’s roller-coasters next year!

As in my previous post, the SPITFIRES stole the day…. Not a lot could contend, even though the event had plenty to offer.

Anyway… here are a few photo’s… (with more in full size HERE)

There are plenty more photos – in FULL SIZE… OVER HERE on FLICKR

Lord March’s ‘Big Wing’

Goodwood Revival time again….

The annual event that I go to because I enjoy it (obviously), and because I use the Revival Spitfire display as a time to reflect on, and remember my Dad.

Once more, lots of fearless drivers in priceless historic cars doing their best to give the insurance companies heart attacks…

… yet this year all of the racing, side shows, fashions and paddocks full of historic cars, all of everything… was overshadowed (for me) by a chance encounter.

I saw a couple of Spitfires parked along the airfield, so I took a stroll to get closer and grab a photo…. but as I drew closer I saw another Spitfire… and another, and a couple more…and another … and two more… and another couple….

I had never seen so many Spitfires in a line up. Not even static ones on permanent display, let alone airworthy ones!

Then I noticed each had a pilot in, awaiting a clearing in the weather (it was hoofing it down with rain)…

And then…. one by one… the engines rumbled in to life…. a bell was rung… engine revs picked up and ten Spitfires scrambled…

As the final one took off the crowd applauded!

We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. This was a momentous occasion… Ten Spitfires flying together… TEN!!!

I admit I had a lump in my throat and had to hold a tear back…. and I was not in the minority.

My Dad would have loved this a Hell of a lot.

Scramble!

Fly Past.

 

There are more Goodwood pictures to follow, but really THIS was the be all and end all of the day for me.

 

Goodwood Revival 2010

Yes! It’s that time of year again!

Ever since my father died I have made the Revival the event to remember him by (mainly due to the warbird air displays, but also due to the feel of the event – like a step back in time to ‘proper’ racing cars and drivers…).

Alex loves the Revival too – after all it has lots of cars & bikes to see – both static and racing, interesting sideshows and a vintage funfair.

This years photo’s from our visit: GOODWOOD 2010

We went on the Friday as his school had teacher training, and Friday is generally quieter due to people being at work/school. Less people means you can get closer to everything – even if the big races aren’t on. The cars still go on the track and give it everything they have to qualify, so the excitement of seeing multimillion pound historic rare racing cars being raced as they were designed to do is still fully there.

C-Type holds off the Ferrari

This year we met up with friends (Phil and Martin Stenning). After buying my tickets I was offered a pair of courtesy tickets from my mother in law (timing!), but as I knew Phil was about to depart on Irish adventures, I figured it would be a great thing to give him and his Dad the tickets for a day out and to catch up with the both of them – great chaps.

The weather was superb, the racing was great (plenty of spills and thrills), the air displays were low and tightly performed, the paddock areas had a great selection of the rarest racing cars around… and this all lead to a fantastic canvas with a most wonderful ‘automobilic’ soundtrack!

Besides the cars and general auto related experience, Alex had fun on the ferris wheel…. although Chris didn’t… Good job she had a brave 4 and a half year old to hang on to…

I love my little lad! From the top of a ferris wheel (he’d never been on one until today) he spots a tiny yellow spec in the distance… “Look Daddy! An old Fiat 500!”…. Shortly followed by him picking out a few Jaguars for me!

In the weeks leading up to the Revival I had been having a brief email conversation with Chris Barrie (yes… that Chris Barrie, but he is much more than a guy with a tinfoil H stuck to his forehead). I had seen him on a motoring show on TV – Fifth Gear – he was given the chance to drive an original Jaguar D-Type racer, and that triggered me into looking for his contact details to just say how much I enjoyed the footage (some people can drive an exotic car and just kill the pleasure – but I felt the thrills from this presentation).

Anyway, we got to email chatting about Jaguars and the great event that is Goodwood and Alex’s love of cars. Chris said he has a tuned XK120 he was hoping to take down to Goodwood, so I was looking forward to that.

As it happens he couldn’t take the XK120 as it was still undergoing work… and I found this out because as I walked around Goodwood I ended up bumping into him  (pointed out by Phil!). It was a bit of a bugger that it was in the motorcycle enclosure with the loudest damned Vincent racer warming up in the background, as it made it hard to have a conversation – but Chris was a thoroughly great guy and said to keep in touch (this may have been out of politeness – but even if it was just politeness, it shows him as a polite guy!).

Photo thanks to Phil

Before you ask, NO… I did not mention Massive Speed, Brittas Empire, Red Dwarf, Tomb Raider etc…. I’m sure he gets enough of that – I’ve always liked people into engineering/history and that’s what I was interested in (even though his TV/Film stuff is actually very good). He didn’t ask me about my work, so I wasn’t about to ask him about his!

Put it this way – Loads of people have “done” TV and movies…. but not many people (a handful) had driven the 1955 D-Type Le Mans winner…. the car driven by Mike Hawthorn. That’s what interested me – and the fact Chris really likes his cars.

It’d be a pleasure to meet up with him at some point to talk cars and engineering – and to see his XK120…. ahhh…. the 120…

If you read this Chris, it was a real honour to meet a man who has driven in Mike Hawthorns D-Type (you are the second person I have met who has done this – I met Norman Dewis last year… what a guy!) – and I hope you get the XK on the road again soon!

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Goodwood Revival 2009 Sights and Sounds

Goodwood Revival 2009 was a bit special for me –  SEE HERE

I managed to grab a few movie clips whilst I was there. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them – but in all honesty, you really need to be there… so hopefully I’ll see you at the Goodwood Revival 2010…

Mac Better Blues – Goodwood Breakfast Club

I wanted to do something for my Father in Laws Birthday, and to thank him (from Alex) for a great day out at a Goodwood Breakfast Club. As you may all know, little Alex (3yrs old) knows his cars…. and I mean REALLY knows his cars…. Ferraris, Jaguars, Pagini, Lamborghini…… Gumperts, Bently, Astons etc…. he has an uncanny ability at recognition! So, as a treat, and to see Ian (FiL) we went to a Goodwood Breakfast Club (PICS). Admittedly my father in Law was working (as he is Senior Track Steward & Site Supervisor at the Goodwood Circuit), but he managed to share some time (and bacon sarnies) with us!

What did I do then….. well….

I rate the Mac pretty highly – It’s an easy machine to use (far easier than a PC…. and yet performs much better).

My Macbook came with a program called “Garage Band” which is a music writing/edit suite. It’s fantastic! It allows me to take any of my music and turn it into ring tones (with a sample length does not breach copyright).

It has inbuilt samples along with a huge array of instruments for original compositions… you can even plug in your own real instruments and vocals…… but the first thing I played with was the samples. They can be cut, re-arranged and mixed to make some pretty good stuff…. I’ve had a few people convinced it was a real recording, and not some computerised mix up I had produced!

Anyway… Here’s the first track I wrote – mixing and cutting/splicing the Apple supplied samples. To make it a bit more interesting, I made it into a photo slide show of Alex at Goodwood for my Father in Laws birthday. Happy Birthday!

Watch below or CLICK HERE!

Supercar Breakfast

There are many regular events at Goodwood… not just the annual Revival or Festival of Speed. There are club days, race days, fly ins, all sorts… and one of those days that occurs regularly throughout the year is the Breakfast Club… a Sunday morning jam packed with high end sports cars and supercars…

As I still had a hire car due to the Fiesta issue (See here) I decided to take Alex down to Goodwood to see his Granddad (My Father in law) at work on the race circuit.

Luckily it tied in with one of The Breakfast Club events…

As we drove closer our little Fiesta hire car was surrounded by top marque sports cars. Alex was getting giddy with excitement as he called out all of the names!

We parked up at Granddads house and then walked up to the track. I saw from a distance what I thought was a Jaguar XJ220 in Rothmans colours. Alex meanwhile had spotted a Pagini Zonda which I could not see…. until we got a lot closer to the Rothmans Jaguar…. which wasn’t a Rothmans Jaguar… it was the Zonda – It was the paint scheme that threw me, but not Alex!

All photo’s can be seen HERE or just click on the photo’s:

Tuned Pagini Zonda... as if it needed it!

After the Pagini Zonda the cars kept rolling in… and each one was named correctly by the 3yr old petrol head! He was uncanny – and he was surprising some others that over heard him!

Ferrari and Stingray

Almost embarrassing were the two times when Alex corrected some adults as to what certain cars were! Luckily being 3 he can get away with it by being cute!

Lambo Diablo!

Lord March showed up in… not his superb Aston Martin Vantage, but his “Rat Rod”…. A car a little bit different to the super sleek supercar from Alex’s birthday!

Lord March's Rat Rod

After walking around the cars we caught up with Granddad Ian in his office…the hub of the race circuit… The pit lane office… Alex had a whale of a time watching all the cars roll by with me and his Granddad. He was having such a great day!

It looked like we had turned up at just the right time, as Bacon Rolls showed up, so we ate a snack in the pit office – Granddad shared his bacon roll with Alex, and Alex shared his sausages with Granddad!

Alex looking at the Alonso and Granddad photo

After a while we let Granddad get on with his work. We went off to look at yet more cars. Alex surprised me again when he pointed out a GT40 and looked into the engine bay intently…. ran his hands over a few parts and then looked at me and said “V8 daddy…. V8 Ford….”

V8 Daddy... V8 Ford

Alex may have liked the V8 Ford, but I was taken aback by the beauty of this Jaguar E-Type (pointed out, once more, by Alex)… The V12 in this gorgeous machine looked like new – even the little petrol head said it was “Pretty engine” … he wasn’t wrong… he has a good eye!

V12 beats V8...

Back in the pit land Graddad got Alex a ride around the circuit on the Tractor – bus that tours the circuit. Once more I was told about the cars tht Alex could see – and in between naming cars he was saying “Thank you Daddy.. Thank you Granddad..” Such a sweet well behaved grease monkey!

Touring the Circuit

At the end of the afternoon Alex was tired out. He slept well in the car all the way home – very happy and content. He really loves seeing his Granddad – and the cars just add to that. He never says “We are going to see race cars and Granddad” – it’s always “We’re going to see Granddad! Granddad and cars!”

It’s times like these that the hard times we are going through are made fully worthwhile. I may be driving my wife’s purple 1997 Ford Fiesta, I may never own a sports car, but maybe I can get Alex on the path to a better future.

I wonder what he dreamed about on the way home… he had a huge smile on his face…. a Mini in one hand and a Lamborghini in the other….and his toy puppy on his lap……

Alfa Romeo 8C

Stunning E-Type

Countach - 80's Italian Muscle

There were even ballon flights, though we didn't go on one

Polished Lambo Murciélago Perfection

Ferrari Daytona - A proper race version

Happy Alex and Granddad

Dustin Hoffman caught at Goodwood

2008 – the sun was out and the atmosphere of the Goodwood Revival 2008 was buzzing. It is a fantastic step back in time.

Vintage racing cars worth more than money roared around the track with little hesitation as to the cost of a crash – these cars were made for racing, and that’s what the owners still do.

I saw an original GT40 come a cropper one year – but things like that happen. The owner had just got it up together and had spent hundreds of thousands on it….and then BANG, CRASH…. never mind. Apparently he said that he’ll put it together and race it again – it was designed to do that and not sit in a museum gathering dust. Good sport.

This next photo shows just what can happen to your original classic race car… The driver was okay, and you can gaurantee that he’ll be back with his Cobra once it is repaired. It’s all part of racing, and these owners and drivers understand it.

Cobra courtesy of Richebets (Flickr). Click image to see his pictures

It wasn’t just racing though – it’s the whole event – like a step back to a heady nostalgic mix of the 30’s through to the 70’s (and a few extras thrown in). People dress up in the period clothes of choice and even the shops and stalls have that vintage feel to them. There are air displays from WW2 fighters and bombers – all sorts. It isn’t just cars – it’s a whole event just being there.

Now then, I post this blog entry several months after the event simply because of something – or rather someone – that I noticed in the background of a photo I took of Alex….

Now it probably isn’t the great Dustin Hoffman, but by crikey the resemblance is uncanny!!!