My visit to Goodwood Revival 2003

[snakeeyes]

There are two Goodwood events each year--the Festival of Speed and the Revival meeting. The FOS, which was the subject of the TV show on Speed last weekend, is a "hill climb"-style event that goes up the driveway to the house of Lord Charles March (Goodwood's owner). It is an eclectic event with cars from the antique to the modern and everything in between, including motorcycles, rally cars, etc.

The other annual event is the Revival, which is held each year at the Goodwood motor circuit (also on the grounds of Lord March's estate). It is billed as a "Magical Step Back in Time", and fans entering the infield/paddock areas are required to dress in period costume. No cars newer than 1966, I believe, are allowed in that area of the track, as well. Actors dressed in period garb move through the crowd, performing skits. WWII Spitfires and Mustangs periodically scramble from the grass airstrip (Goodwood was originally a WWII fighter base, and what is now the racing track began as the surface roads around the landing strip), engage Me109 Messerschmitts in mock dogfights, and buzz the track. No racing car newer than 1966 (the last year Goodwood held "real" racing) is allowed. The cars are fantastic and are driven incredibly hard.

Speed Channel should be airing a program on this year's Revival event in the near future. Don't miss it--you'll be grinning when you see how hard they vintage race in Europe.

Goodwood's official website is www.goodwood.co.uk, by the way--

Bob