Records tumble at Goodwood Revival

Sir Sterling Moss

Record historic race-car values, a record attendance and record lap times were all the hallmarks of an outstanding Goodwood Revival this year. The fifteenth such event has taken host the Earl of March’s concept to a new high that consolidates its position as the greatest event of its kind in the world.

A record 146,000 visitors enjoyed an exhilarating Revival with its usual mix of enthralling racing, wide ranging entertainment and live theatre. On the famous West Sussex race track itself, a variety of pre-1967 race cars from 700 cc to over 7 liters, formed the centre-piece of an outstanding spectacle that is all the more authentic given the elegance of the Goodwood Motor Circuit’s period setting.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Paul and Jackie Stewart

Highlights of the weekend included the Freddie March Memorial Trophy won by a Jaguar C-Type; the 90-minute race lasting well into the twilight on Friday evening, evoking memories of the traditional Nine hour endurance race that used to run in the circuit’s heyday. The Mercedes Benz and Auto Union Silver Arrows demonstration was a rare opportunity to witness these extraordinary machines in action with the likes of Rolex Testimone Sir Jackie Stewart at the helm. The Shelby Cup paid a fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Shelby Cobra, and to racing legend and Les 24 Heures du Mans winner Carroll Shelby himself, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

Another American sporting icon, Dan Gurney was happily present to witness Goodwood pay homage to his achievements, and mark the 50th anniversary of his first Formula One victory with a parade of his most famous rides, driven by other racing aces, such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss and John Surtees. During a short film about his career prepared by the Revival organizers, Gurney was described as “Quite simply one of Goodwood’s coolest characters", someone who had endured “over many years as one of our greatest racing drivers, as team chief, as man motivator, conceptual engineer, frontier technologist and world recognized motor racing icon".

	Imagination is part of what has created a weekend like this, but putting it together with reality the way it is done here … is beyond belief.
Dan Gurney

In turn, Gurney praised Goodwood, saying: “Imagination is part of what has created a weekend like this, but putting it together with reality the way it is done here … is beyond belief. A magical look back in time with the voluntary participation of so many enthusiastic fans; I doubt if it’s possible to trigger it in a better way."

Enthusiasm, passion and tradition are abundant traits at the Goodwood Revival. One driver added adventurousness and determination to this
list of characteristics.

ROLEX DRIVER OF THE MEETING AWARD

Goodwood’s traditional Prize Giving on Sunday evening on the start/finish line of the pit straight also appeared to break records, with a huge crowd of public, drivers and their teams present to hear the Earl of March sum up the three day event and to call the top three from each of the 16 Revival races up to accept their trophies on the roof of the Race Control.

The last – but by no means the least – of these, was the winner of the coveted Rolex Driver of the Meeting Award. There was an audible gasp as the Earl of March announced the winner: Max Werner who managed to emerge victorious in the twenty minute Brooklands Trophy race despite never having driven the car on a race track before.

Werner’s achievement was all the more remarkable because in tune with the style of the historic Revival, he chose to drive his race car from his home in Germany to Goodwood. The 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza car, owned by his father for more than 30 years, proved to be a match not only for Mercedes, Maseratis and Aston Martins on the track, but also for the often rain-soaked seven hour journey from Germany.

Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza from 1933

Max Werner is a classic car racer of some experience back home, but this was his first venture on the Goodwood track and he did extremely well. On receiving his award, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date just from Rolex UK Managing Director Richard de Leyser, just as the sun started to set on the beautiful Goodwood landscape Werner exclaimed: “I am thrilled. I only managed to qualify third
and had a difficult moment on the last lap, so to have won
and now this award, it is really fantastic."

PAST ROLEX DRIVER OF THE MEETING AWARD WINNERS

2011: Sam Wilson, British
2010: Nick Wigley, British
2009: Frank Stippler, German
2008: Peter Hardman, British
2007: Jean-Marc Gounon, French
2006: Gary Pearson, British
2005: Jackie Oliver, British
2004: Rae Davis, British

The criteria for the Award: a panel of judges who see all the racing over the weekend, decide the winner in a group chaired by the Earl of March: “We take into account how a driver has driven, how entertaining they have been, how sensible they have been, but it’s the driver who has delivered the best package because obviously they need to drive hard, but also to drive safely. The winner will have been spectacular, but will also have pleased the crowd."