GOODWOOD POLE A FAMILY FIRST

Starting last October’s Goodwood Speedweek Gerry Marshall Trophy Sunday sprint race from pole, with his father’s autograph scripted on his Vauxhall Firenza’s bonnet, was a ‘gulp’ moment for Gregor Marshall. It was not preordained – the reversed grid was ordered by Friday evening’s double-driver contest – but its poignance was not lost on historians.

Marshall Sr raced there once in the circuit’s contemporary era, on 19 March 1966. The 24year-old salesman started employer Martin Lilley’s Barnet Motor Company Lotus Elan third in the 68th Members’ Meeting’s GT race. It wilted after five laps. Thirty-three years later Gerry notched his only Goodwood victory, driving a Lotus Cortina in the 1999 Revival’s St Mary’s Trophy.

“Despite a fluid leak and a transponder malfunction when I was out, practice was encouraging,” says Gregor. “Matt [Neal] hadn’t tested but qualified 28th. His feedback was clear: ‘It needs more power, better brakes and was too soft’. I started Friday’s race on new rear tyres but was given a black-and-orange flag for leaking fuel. We’d overfilled the tank. After a check, Matt jumped in and we finished 20th – last of the classified runners who had covered 95% distance.

“Before Sunday’s race the engine wouldn’t start. Flat battery. After a push I caught up and tried to compose myself. I was swamped as the flag fell when I changed from first to fourth gear, was scraped at Madgwick, then understeered off into St Mary’s, where Stirling Moss crashed in 1962. Probably a combination of cold tyres and oil, but after 50 anxious metres on the grass I regained the track to see a Mini [Jason Brooks’s] spinning on its roof. I went off to avoid it, but red flags brought a second chance.

“Having a TV camera and microphone thrust through the window on the grid during the clear-up brought greater pressure. I hope the interview came over OK… The restart was much better, but the quicker cars were always coming through. My goal was a top-25 finish, so 18th – lapping 0.8s away from Matt’s Friday best of 1m38.573s – exceeded expectations.

“Hopefully I’ll be better prepared for this year’s GMT, with lower ride height and stiffer springs.”