Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day Two (Part 1)
October 18, 2021
Much like the day before, the team at Bridge Classic Cars arrived early at Goodwood. The sun had barely crested the horizon by the time
October 18, 2021
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day One (Part 3)
October 18, 2021
Between our times on the stand, each of us would venture out into the paddocks and to various points on the circuit to soak up
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day One (Part 2)
October 18, 2021
As the sun gained some strength and the air grew warmer, the paddocks also grew in size and commotion. The further you delved into the
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day One (Part 1)
October 18, 2021
After we had built up the stand it was time to get some rest before the first day of the 2021 Goodwood Members Meeting. We
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day Two (Part 1)
October 18, 2021
Much like the day before, the team at Bridge Classic Cars arrived early at Goodwood.
The sun had barely crested the horizon by the time the stand was open. The sun managed to break over one side of the circuit to illuminate the far paddocks. The pre-war cars took full advantage of the bright, amber glow of an autumn morning.
But, there was much more of a spectacle happening right in front of our stand. The off-road wonders were being prepared for the final sessions of the Super Stages that morning. These dirt based heroes of yesteryear prepared to go head to head against the clock one last time. Some though would end up paying a price in the pursuit of victory.
Lurking just at the top of the hill through the main tunnel at Goodwood, lay a group of beasts that only the mention of their name is enough to inspire fear to anyone wanting to challenge them and awe in the hearts of those who follow them.
The legend that is the Ford GT40. Known the world over for their dominance in period as endurance racers, Goodwood is probably their 2nd most famous home as here, they truly do own the circuit. This years Members Meeting saw 2 handfuls of these low, sleek and elegant heavy-hitters pound the tarmac in search of prey during the Gurney Cup.
To see one of these icons is a speechless moment but to see several being worked on and dismantled in various stages was more than any true petrolhead could have wished for. Every component perfectly on display for the world to see. Then, it was time for them to all hit the track and find out, who truly was in charge.
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day One (Part 3)
October 18, 2021
Between our times on the stand, each of us would venture out into the paddocks and to various points on the circuit to soak up as much as we could. Not only of the light evening drizzle, but of this wonderful event.
As the evening light grew dimmer, the paddocks once more played host to the ushering crowds. The magic hour held up to its name. The low light shone brightly on the historic cars giving them even more of a glow in the eyes of the feverish fans.
Everything imaginable was within arms reach. These priceless works of automotive art with very little supervision. But, with the machines comes healthy respect.
The still of that evening was soon to be broken.
A race track in the evening is a strange beast. The air around it grows still but the general calm is broken by the sounds of competition. This was the 2nd chance for the big V8 cars. The American monsters took the early autumn in the English countryside by the scruff of the neck.
As these vast machines would take a corner, you couldn’t help but feel sorry for the brakes. Straining and screaming for mercy but only to be drowned out by the combined cubic acres of the howling engines.
The track by this point was now dry after the earlier showers in the day. With this, the cars could now entirely stretch their legs… Lap after lap, the iron gladiators would attack the same sequence of corners but with growing confidence and vigour. Even from standing at one point, you could see each of the cars getting quicker. You could feel the lap times tumbling and you could hear the cars straining to beat the marshalls’ stopwatch.
It could only be Goodwood.
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day One (Part 2)
October 18, 2021
As the sun gained some strength and the air grew warmer, the paddocks also grew in size and commotion. The further you delved into the rows of priceless vintage racing machinery, the more there was to find.
Nestled away against the back row were a fine selection from our neighbours over at Historika, with a long bonnet 911 race car in nearly every conceivable colour. But, when you looked around. My word were there sights to behold.
The copper E Type lay dormant in the misty morning air. Its numbers emblazoned on its handmade, vast bonnet the only giveaway that this big cat was unlike the others in the car park. It’s other stablemates shared its single-mindedness. A plethora of vintage racing machines like the TVR, Morgans, a C2 Corvette and one of the most beautiful cars to have ever been created. The Ferrari 275GTB.
Mere hours later, they would all be at war just meters from where they now slept.
It couldn’t possibly be an outdoor British event without the heavens well and truly opening. The rain was torrential. No square inch of tarmac from Fordwater, St Marys and the chicane was safe. The perfect time to send out the V8s…
As the Americans invaded the English countryside, the rain began to fall lighter. Giant puddles had appeared in every braking zone, every apex and every opportunity for speed. However, this didn’t stop the iron leviathans. The 7-litre Galaxies barely noticed the slick and twitchy track. A healthy offering of torque and opposite lock allowed them to slide gracefully through the chicane and out towards the start/finish line. Eager to join in were the smaller Mustangs and Falcons as well as the lone gold Studabaker which brought the fight to the Blue Oval.
Whilst this ballet of power and noise played out for its baying crowd, the circuit began to dry. The cars would find the grip just at the wrong moments only to be followed by a greasy patch or an inconveniently placed puddle to spit them towards the slick, sodden grass and the wall beyond.
Some met their fate in that practice session. Others would have their hopes built that morning..
Goodwood Members Meeting 2021 – Day One (Part 1)
October 18, 2021
After we had built up the stand it was time to get some rest before the first day of the 2021 Goodwood Members Meeting.
We were up before dawn and on-site before the first members had even come through the gates. What surrounded us, was pure motoring heaven. The first group of icons we found were not destined for life on the tarmac. This selection of rally cars was absolutely mind-blowing. From the Peter Solberg 2003 Impreza WRC all the way to the Mk2 Escort driven by the master that was Ari Vatanen.
However, things hadn’t even begun yet…
The morning was cold and the dampness hung in the air. The clouds threatened the morning’s proceedings with their presence alone. As the movements of people ebbed and flowed through the tunnels under the main straight, the excitement built. The stillness of a mid-October morning was broken by the opera that could only come from a herd of classic touring cars.
We had stumbled into the staging for the Gerry Marshall Trophy. This was a practice session before the afternoons qualifying for these Group1 Touring Cars. To be eligible, they must have been raced between 1970 and 1982 with full FIA period history.
A varied stable of classic racers lined up along the leafed road. Before being allowed out to appropriately stretch their legs. The ground shook with the war cries of the 8 cylinder Opels and Mustangs while the buzz of the 4 cylinder cars finished off this symphony of speed.
Find out more about the first day at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting on our next blog post!
