Each year The Goodwood Members’ Meeting is the first major “classic” event to take place in the UK. It always has an eclectic selection of types and marques that span over 100 years of motoring history. The racing is invariably fast and furious, and highly entertaining. This year was no exception.
A big favourite is the S.F. Edge Trophy for “Edwardian Racing Cars and Aero-Engined Specials from the Early 20th Century”. They a very popular with the crowds – despite their relative slowness compared to more modern machinery. They certainly do not suffer from the accusation that all cars look the same that is often levelled at current race cars. Back then machines were not designed with the aid of computers, knowledge of aerodynamics and also had a total absence of safety features. They often relied on the simple principle of strapping the largest possible engine ( often originally designed to power aircraft ) into the lightest chassis with a minimum of bodywork. Despite the obvious danger, the courage and verve with which they are driven is a true testament to the fact that a small proportion of human beings are still totally fearless in this age of “health and safety”. Here is a small selection of the car in action.
Normally the event is for 2 and 4 wheeled machines. This year’s innovation was to introduce 3 wheelers, in the form of Motorcycle and Sidecar “Combinations”. The gymnastics of the sidecar “passengers” showing a huge level of physical athleticism and prowess along with a very high degree of bravery.
A one off race for a single type of car was the Ken Miles Cup for pre-1966 Ford Mustangs. The sight and sound of 30 Ford V8’s heading off the line is awe inspiring. Appropriately, amongst the drivers was Jim Farley, the current CEO of Ford Motor Company, driving the no7 car. It was not his first session at Goodwood, in the recent past he has also driven his own GT40.
Another highlight was a daily demonstration run by the “Can-Am” cars. The Canadian American Championship Cup was essentially a “No Rules” form of racing running that ran from 1966 to 1974. Starting with relatively conventional cars like the Lola T70 and McLaren M1A it became more inventive and outrageous as the years went by. There was limit on engine size, dimensions and aerodynamics. In the final two seasons Porches 917’s dominated in 1973 and Shadows in 1974. The former were famous for producing up to 1500 horsepower in qualifying trim and the latter for being more like 8 litre Go Karts . As with many good things the series was killed off by rising costs and the first fuel crisis.
Here is a further selection of photos from the other events:
Photos by Peter de Rousset-Hall
