Photography by Jayson Fong
Now in its third year since the revival of the Member’s Meeting name, this past weekend was packed full of racing and high speed demonstrations from some of the rarest and coveted classic cars in the world—all dicing on the Goodwood Circuit. With grids full of cars spanning the entire length of the last century and beyond, the 74th Member’s Meeting started the year’s historic racing season in style.
As is customary, the weekend featured a rich variety of ’50/60s Saloon cars, GT, and prototype sports cars paying homage to the early meetings here; watching Jaguar E-Types powersliding alongside Shelby Daytonas, Mini Coopers rubbing shoulders with Cortinas, and Lola T70s thundering past the chicane continues to be intoxicating.
However, alongside the regulars were a host of memorable races. The standouts being the SF Edge Trophy, featuring a grid of ridiculous vintage race cars with an average age of 100, a 29-car grid of MK1 GT40s, marking fifty years of the big-budget Ferrari killer, and wild Group 1 touring cars who also came out looking to trade paint. For the first time, motorcycles in the Hailwood Trophy also took part in the on-track action, a sight more commonly seen at the Revival in September.
“Wow” was the most used word over the weekend, probably because of the host of high speed demonstrations from cars that, on paper, made a seemingly endless list. The favourite demo largely a topic of debate, they featured a little something for everyone from all different eras of motorsport. Whether it was the incredibly vibrant Group 5 racers like the legendary Porsche 917Ks and Ferrari 512s stealing the show in bursts of violent acceleration, the sleek ground-effect Formula 1 cars sticking it to the tarmac, the Silver Arrows and Mika Hakkinen in the Mercedes W196 or more recent BTCC “Super Touring” heroes—no matter what the answer was, there was guarantee that everyone was being treated.
Off the track, the entertainment continued on Saturday night for the traditional night out at the circuit. With some incredible shows, rides, and a stunning choreographed fireworks musical, Lord March and the team at Goodwood once again proved that they could put on a show.
Though the weather was largely chilly for the weekend, Goodwood was successful in warming spectators’ hearts by bringing together some truly incredible machinery from all ages. As always, racing incidents altered the atmosphere at times, but with most in high spirits, the 74th Goodwood Member’s Meeting was as enjoyable as ever.
I always struggle to see how the next meeting will better the last, but my hopes are now held high for next year and I look forward to the 75th meeting to bring in the new season in 2017.
