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Inclusive rather than exclusive is always preferable in our book, which is why the old Brooklands mantra of ‘The right crowd, and no crowding’ has always grated. So when Goodwood adopted the conceit for its first Members’ Meeting since 1966, we were concerned. The right school tie might matter if you want a seat within the British Cabinet in Westminster, but should such class distinctions really have a place in motor racing in 2014, even at the preppy timewarp that is Goodwood?

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

The concept

On Saturday morning, Lord March addressed the purpose and theory behind the limitations imposed on the 72nd Members Meeting, which ran over the course of two glorious spring days last weekend. “We are here to celebrate those ‘grass roots’ meetings,” he said. “In a way it’s the ultimate luxury: it’s all about unlimited access and getting back to basics.”

The meeting, which was announced at the Revival last September, caused some disquiet when it became clear that only members of the Goodwood Road Racing Club would be eligible to buy tickets (the clue was in the title). GRRC members have always been vocal in their calls for more benefits, and in response here was a recreation of a race meeting all of their own. But when it came to it, too few were willing to shell out. Perhaps it was the £120 price for the weekend that turned them off.

The low uptake meant that tickets were opened up to non-members, albeit relatively late in the day. ‘Exclusive’ it remained. Although even roughly a quarter of the crowd that turns out for the Revival is still sizeable, especially compared to what we see at most UK race tracks for anything other than British Touring Car Championship or superbike meetings.

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

Make no mistake, Goodwood was busy at the weekend. It just wasn’t Revival busy – which was always the intention. And it was all the more pleasant as a result.

Lord March and his team eschewed all the corporate sponsorship and hospitality that has overrun the Revival in recent years, to keep to that “back to basics” ideal. It opened up areas that are usually off limits to spectators, while the banking was comfortable rather than crushed, even at the start/finish and Madgwick.

The Revival is a wonderful event, but it can be hard work. In contrast, this new meeting never was. Everyone appeared to feed off the relaxed and happy vibes, helped enormously by the lovely weather.

The power of Goodwood

On the track, the classes and entries echoed what we’ve become to take for granted at the Revival (which is hardly a criticism), although the addition of the Group 1 saloon race for cars of the 1970s and ’80s added a different, and welcome, flavour. The quality of the grid of ‘new’ Capris, Rovers and so on was astounding, proof of the power of Goodwood.

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

The action in both Saturday’s qualifying race and the 45-minute two-driver encounter on the Sunday – complete with smoky exhausts and rorty, blaring engine notes – was fantastic. Stuart Graham powering the Brut 33 Chevy Camaro to the head of the field was magical, even if his subsequent embarrassment of missing the pitstop window to hand over to team-mate Nigel Garrett cost them any hope of victory.

But if the suitably named Gerry Marshall Trophy was the signature event, it was the more familiar GT epic that offered the best race, at least the equal of anything else at a modern Goodwood meeting.

Titled the Moss Trophy, the grid wasn’t quite to TT Recreation standards, but still featured assorted Ferrari 250 GTs, Jaguar E-types and Aston Martin DB4GTs. It also included the Ferrari ‘Breadvan’ – that Goodwood staple – and the newly created Lotus 11 GT version that had been inspired by it in period. Twyman Racing finished the low-drag body just in time for Joe Twyman and Oliver Bryant to put in the performance of the weekend.

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

The two-driver hour-long Moss Trophy began in dusk on Saturday evening and ran into complete darkness. What a moody, dramatic spectacle that provided on the last day of winter.

The Ferrari ‘Breadvan’ set the initial pace, in the hugely capable hands of Rob Hall. But when his slower partner took over and Jackie Oliver’s bright yellow 250 GT suffered a puncture, Simon Hadfield came to the fore in Wolfgang Friedrichs’ Aston DB4GT – followed increasingly closely by Bryant in the quirky little Lotus.

On the straight(ish) bits, Hadfield’s extra power told – but in the corners the nimble Lotus would close in. As darkness fell, the chase intensified, Bryant nosing ahead through the second part of Lavant, only for Hadfield to reassert his lead on the run to Woodcote. They were almost as one at the flag, as the crowd cheered a race they didn’t want to end. But end it had to, not least because of the mother of all fireworks displays that was due to follow.

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

Highlights on Sunday included that Gerry Marshall Trophy, won by Chris Ward and Andrew Smith in a Rover, the opening Tony Gaze Trophy for production sports and GTs – thrown away by Max Girado in the dying minutes – and the Salvadori Cup for 1950s sports racers at the end of the day. Andrew Smith became the meeting’s only double winner in that one, but only after Gary Pearson’s late bid for victory ended on the grass.

Demonstrations for 1980s Formula 1 cars and a fabulous collection of Le Mans racers added new ingredients, but how incongruous they looked on a circuit we associate so much with pre-1966 machines. In truth, the demos didn’t live up to expectations, particularly the temperamental F1 cars that looked docile behind the Ferrari F40 pace cars.

The Group B Rally Sprint was also novel and welcome. But again the reality wasn’t quite as good as we’d imagined it. Still, kudos to Goodwood for giving it a go.

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

We also had reservations about drivers being segregated into public school ‘houses’, with captains Emanuele Pirro, Jochen Mass, Anthony Reid and Nicolas Minassian (supported by deputy Andy Priaulx). You could choose to take or leave the ‘welly wanging’, egg and spoon races and so on that went with this (we chose to leave it), but it was all good fun and added an extra family-friendly flavour. The Earls Court building being turned into the ‘Great Hall’ was a nice touch, too. It was like having lunch in Hogwarts, but without the Sorting Hat…

In essence, the 72nd Members’ Meeting once again showed that Goodwood is several steps – or more accurately a dozen giant leaps – ahead of any other race circuit in the world when it comes to entertainment. We had our quibbles, but that is all they were. Overall, it should be considered a stunning success.

And the important bit – the action on the track – made it in many ways the ultimate ‘clubbie’. Even if the ticket prices and race entry fees raised it a notch or five above true grass-roots levels.

race Goodwood: its not for everyone

So where does it go from here? We’d like more of the same next year, please – because it’s our new favourite meeting.

As for the ticketing, we have a suggestion: open it up to all-comers right from the start, but offer GRRC members huge discounts – or perhaps a free ticket with every purchase. And to maintain the charm without the crush, simply limit the number of tickets that go on sale. That part might be crucial because, after such a successful weekend, demand for the 73rd Members Meeting will be even greater.

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Share this page7 comments on Goodwood: it’s not for everyoneJames Owen, 31 March 2014 20:04

Completely agree with this review, as someone who has been to every Revival bar one and has raced at two, and whose father raced at Goodwood in period, I have to say that this is instantly our favourite Goodwood event, helped of course by the weather. The accessibility, the lack of crowds and the fact that there was stuff for the kids to do was great. Will happily hand over cash now for next year’s event, just hope they don’t have to change it too much to make the economics work.

Saturday evening entertainment was incredible, The Old Dirty Brasstards and the Granny Turismo entertainers stood out for us. Oh, and there was some great racing too!

Propjoe, 31 March 2014 20:32

Please open the tickets. It looks like a dream come true. A meeting with true motorsports fans.

Stuart Hickling, 31 March 2014 20:34

Damien,
I’m one of the “privileged” for whom you exhibit such disdain. My wife and I are members of the GRRC. We applied after our first Revival and had to wait for 3 years. Membership has considerably enhanced the 11 Revival meetings we have attended.
However, my old school tie is from a Comprehensive. My estate is Council, not Country. We make a modest living and the Revival is often our annual holiday, so I make no apology for wanting to enjoy it. We invest a considerable amount on our GRRC membership and don’t live close enough for many of the benefits, so ours are the voices that Lord March has responded to.
I’m clearly more Freddie Dixon than Earl Howe, so why am I defending “The right crowd, and no crowding”? Our pensioner parents have accompanied us to the Revival, I want to take my niece and nephews. I don’t see why my family shouldn’t enjoy clean toilets, sit down and eat without a rugby scrum, enjoy the racing without being subjected to constant streams of profanity. For the factor that your inner Class Warrior has overlooked is this; whilst wealth and status do not guarantee manners there is a certain degree of personal presentation which is required to achieve success. This decorum allows us to stand next to Ross Brawn in the paddock without accosting him, or next to a priceless historic car without having to tweet a selfie sitting on the bonnet.
Unlimited access is the luxury Lord March offers. You don’t get that from BTCC or F1. In return he asks us to invest in a GRRC badge, a small token that we understand the value of that luxury.

Rodriguez917, 31 March 2014 21:06

It’s a real shame this wasn’t open to the general public. I appreciate the history of having members meetings, but just because something was tradition 50 or 60 years ago doesn’t mean there is a place for it in the modern world. I was at Brand’s this weekend for the BTCC and it was packed, no doubt full of people who would’ve gone to Goodwood instead had they been given the opportunity. Goodwood should be careful not to alienate paying punters just because they aren’t members of the GRRC, especially as most of the punters come to the revival and FOS year after year.

PeteH, 31 March 2014 21:32

No more people please – it was just right as it was. One could pretty much choose to stand anywhere, including abeam the start/finish line if one got there 5 minutes before the off. A shame the ‘turbo-F1' cars couldn’t be let loose, and that a couple seemed more than a little temperamental, the ferrari and Renault (plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!) in particular.

P Beardmore, 31 March 2014 23:02

Great write up of a great weekend. Clearly needs some fine tuning but the ambition and effort was clearly there. Scrap the gimmicks (throwing the welle, house points, Harry Potter school dinners) refine the track action and sort out the ticketing (Members only clearly cant work). They were very lucky with the weather, a little later in the year may be less of a risk. I’ll be there in 2015

ian, 1 April 2014 05:49

Rodriguez917

Tickets were offered to those who regularly attend the other Goodwood motor sport events. Personally i thought it too expensive.