Goodwood Revival wrap-up

The Goodwood Festival of Speed draws about 150,000 spectators each year, but that tally was all but matched this year by the retro-laced Goodwood Revival, which achieved a record crowd of 148,000 attendees.

To quickly recap, the Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September at Goodwood Circuit (since 1998) for the types of road-going and racing cars and motorcycles that would have competed during the circuit’s original period—1948–1966.

The festival acts as a showcase for wheel-to-wheel racing around a classic circuit, untouched by the modern world, and relives the glory days of Goodwood, which ranked alongside Silverstone as Britain’s leading racing venue throughout its active years.

Between 1948 and 1966, Goodwood hosted contemporary racing of all varieties, including Formula One, the famous Goodwood Nine Hours race and the celebrated Tourist Trophy sports car race.

As is the tradition for the Revival, the vast majority of attendees came dressed in their finest 1940s, 50s and 60s fashions, with tweed jackets and pleated skirts abounding in the mixed early autumn sunshine, showers and rain.

Highlights at this year’s event included the first-ever all-Ford GT40 race (to chalk up the iconic racer’s 50th birthday), the 70thanniversary of the Dambusters raid and a tribute to the sublimely gifted Jim Clark.

On the track, there was a daily parade of cars, drivers, family and famous admirers associated with the distinguished racing career of Scottish ace Clark on the 50th anniversary of his first Grand Prix world championship, with an emotional homage by Lord March to arguably one of the greatest drivers to date. 

The Jim Clark Trust also used this special occasion to announce a substantial investment in the funding of a new Jim Clark museum, set to open in 2018.

The 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raid was marked by a moving speech by Lord March, supported by period videos, plus the attendance of surviving Dambusters 617 Squadron air man, Flight Lieutenant George ‘Johnny’ Johnson, and bouncing bomb inventor Sir Barnes Wallis’ daughter, Mary Stopes-Roe.

Long-term Goodwood supporter Bonhams had a record Revival historic motor vehicle auction valued at £14.5 million ($24.7 million), including the ex-Tazio Nuvolari 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo C 8C-35 ‘50013’ at over $10 million , a record for the marque.

The 50th anniversary since the genesis of the iconic mid-engined Ford GT40 endurance racer saw a parade of over 40 genuine examples of the model, many housed in a 1960s Le Mans-style pit when not in use. 

The Whitsun Trophy race was dedicated exclusively to GT40s; the first time such a race has ever been held, with Red Bull F1 designer Adrian Newey and former Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack prevailing in an exciting 45-minute race.

The jewel in the Revival’s racing crown – the annual RAC Tourist Trophy Celebration race –saw Simon Hadfield seemingly coming out of nowhere to ultimately take the chequered flag (with driving partner Wolfgang Friedrichs) in the Aston Martin Project 212, an appropriate first for Aston Martin in its centenary year.

Other racing highlights included the thrilling St Mary’s Trophy for 1960s saloon cars, with ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen taking victory in the giant Ford Galaxie 500 in the first race on Saturday, and Bill Shephard crossing the finishing line first (also in a Galaxie) on Sunday. However, the Alfa Romeo 1600 GTA of Stippler and Furiani ultimately claimed the laurels on aggregate.

More photos form the 2013 Goodwood Revival

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