The 81st Goodwood Members’ Meeting is a springtime showcase of historic racing cars and motorcycles at one of Great Britain’s most famous circuits, but Day 1 of the event saw the show stolen by vehicles from across the Atlantic.
The first of two Can-Am demo runs took place on Saturday, showcasing some of the most fearsome prototype racing machines to grace motorsport.
The demonstration celebrated 50 years of the original Canadian-American Challenge Cup, or Can-Am, which ran from 1966 to 1974, featuring monstrous, wide-bodied, low-slung, maximum-power machines with wild aero and little to say regarding safety features.
Over 20 Can-Am machines were on display at Goodwood Motor Circuit, providing an earth-shattering chorus of V8 which turned every head of the keen Members’ Meeting Crowd.
Kirt Bennett is the owner of the 1973 Shadow-Chevrolet DN2 on display at Goodwood, driven by 1976 Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion James Hunt in period and by Bennett himself during the demonstration run.
Bennett told Motorsport Week why Can-Am was having such an impact at the Members’ Meeting.
“The acceleration is so impressive,” Bennett said. “The noise is so impressive. There’s very few eras in racing that have that combination. In this type of car, you can physically see how fast it accelerates. That’s what’s exciting. The noise and the way they designed the cars. The aerodynamics and the wings. They’re just such a good-looking car. It’s fun to watch.”
Mr. Le Mans, Tom Kristensen spoke to Motorsport Week mere moments after jumping out of a 1974 Shadow DN4B Can-Am beast and he was glowing in his praise of the machine, run by Era Motorsport for this event, saying “I can imagine they had such a heck of a good time back in Can-Am back in the day, they’re such ferocious cars.”
Still, Can-Am wasn’t the only glorious demonstration taking place on Saturday at the Goodwood Motor Circuit with an iconic duo of F1 machines getting a run out on track.
First to hit the circuit out of the F1 contingent was Niki Lauda’s McLaren-TAG MP4/2B, driven by Chris Goodwin in celebration of Lauda, who would’ve been 75 this year had the great man still been with us.
The 850 BHP turbo F1 icon is the very car in which the Austrian took his final win of 25 at Zandvoort in 1985.
Hot on the heels of Lauda’s McLaren icon was perhaps one of the most beautiful F1 cars of all time, the 1989 Ferrari 640.
The 3.5 litre screaming V12 icon was the first F1 car to feature a semi-automatic flappy paddle gearbox and F1 legend Gerhard Berger got back behind the wheel of his trusty steed to wow fans at Goodwood with the scarlet red car’s unmistakable soundtrack.
Still, the Members’ Meeting isn’t just about demonstration runs, but frantic historic racing.
Saturday offered a trio of races late in the afternoon to close the day’s running starting with Race 1 of the Hailwood trophy, where 250cc and 350cc Grand Prix and Formula 750 motorcycles that raced in period during the 1970s and early ’80s swept around the Goodwood Circuit.
The short race was interrupted by a Red Flag when a ride spun out at the final chicane, spreading oil out onto the track.
However, the stoppage paved the way for an entrhalling three-way fight for victory, decided in a photo finish to the chequered flag on the last lap of the race and rider Phil Atkinson proudly took the spoils aboard his Yamaha TZ350 machine.
From two wheels to four and a trip further back in time came the second race of Saturday afternoon, namely the S.F. Edge Trophy, featuring spectacular Edwardian racing cars all built prior to 1920.
A century later, Julian Majzub took his 1916 Sunbeam ‘Indianapolis’ to victory in the first of two five lap sprints for the vintage racing behemoths of the S.F. Edge Trophy.
Concluding Saturday’s action was in the truest sense, an action-packed Gordon Spice Trophy race.
The Gordon Spice Trophy is a 45-minute race contested with a pro-am driver lineup in each car who must swap over during the intermediary pit-stop window.
The cars partaking in the race are superstars themselves, sharing the limelight with the driving talent behind the wheel which included legends of today and yesteryear from the worlds of Touring and Sportscars.
Races like British Touring Car Champion Tom Ingram, IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti and three-time World Touring Car Chamption Andy Prixaulx battled in Group 1 Saloon Cars raced from 1970 to 1982.
That meant, Ford Mustangs, Rover SD1s and Chevrolet Camaros racing wheel-to-wheel with Triumph Dolomites, Ford Escorts and mighty Mini 1275 GTs.
It was advantage V8s however and four-time BTCC Champion Ash Sutton crossed the chequered flag first in the impressive #15 Ford Mustang Boss 302 machine after a swift pit-stop was executed mid race with co-driver Craig Davies, allowing Sutton to cruise to victory in the second stint.
Sutton finished ahead of the #17 Ford Mustang Boss 302 of Timo Berhard and Fred Shepherd with Gordon Shedden ensuring that he and co-driver Jack Young rounded out the podium in the #7 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 car after executing some punchy maouvers on Franchitti in Priaulx in two other Camaros.
Sunday means its time for it all to happen again with Can-Am and F1 machines ready to delight in demos and more racing action for fans to savour.
