GOODWOOD REVIVAL TO REMEMBER
Austin-only touring car battle, Anglo- German sports car rivalries and World Cup nostalgia in three petrol-heady days
me of the racing world’s biggest names going head to head in baby Austins, on-track tributes to the late Sir Jack Brabham and England’s World Cup victory and a new race for 1960s GT racers made this year’s Goodwood Revival unforgettable for its 150,000 visitors.
The highlight of the opening day was the new Kinrara Trophy competition for hardtop pre-1963 sports cars. The Revival’s period music was drowned out by the howl of Aston Martin DB4s, E-types and Ferrari 250 GTs during the hour-long dusk race, won by Joe Macari and Tom Kristensen in the 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB.
On Saturday a 28-car grid dedicated entirely to sports cars with BMW and Bristol straight sixes took part in the Revival’s flagship Lavant Cup race. In previous years this 20-minute battle has been dedicated to Jaguar D-types, Ford GT40s and Ferrari 250GTOs and the Anglo- German rivalry was just as spectacular, with the Frazer Nash entrants ultimately powering past the BMW 328s and AC Ace Bristols.
The patriotic theme continued away from the racing too, with showgoers being greeted by exuberant England fans marking half a century since the World Cup victory at Wembley and a parade of 1960s police cars, Routemaster buses and Ford Thames minibuses taking to the track for the football-themed celebrations. You could also wait for a ride home at the meticulously designed re-creation of a 1960s tube station integrated into BMW’s period correct showroom, and listen to Dusty Springfield’s latest hits at the Revival’s new listening booths.
But the undoubted highlight for classic fans was the twist on the familiar St Mary’s Trophy Race – rather than hosting the Cortina vs Mini battles Revival regulars are familiar with both races were given over to Austin A30s and A35s. While some of the drivers disputed how