For more than 30 years, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has existed as something far beyond a traditional automotive event. Set at the Goodwood House in West Sussex, it has become a yearly experience for enthusiasts, where pre-war racers, legendary Formula 1 race cars, modern hypercars, and the icons who built motorsport history all share the same piece of asphalt. What began in 1993 as a simple hill climb has grown into one of the world’s greatest celebrations of car culture, attracting more than 200,000 visitors each year. Now, that tradition is preparing to expand from the grounds of Goodwood for the first time, making its way across the Atlantic.
The next chapter will begin in Fall 2028, when the newly established Goodwood Road Racing Club of America hosts its inaugural event at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California. Opened in 1953, Willow Springs holds its own place in American racing history, serving as a proving ground for generations of drivers, engineers, and cars. With its sweeping corners, desert landscape, and deep connection to motorsport’s golden era, the venue is both fitting and a natural extension of Goodwood’s philosophy.
"I am delighted to be launching the Goodwood Road Racing Club of America. For almost 30 years, the GRRC has been at the heart of everything we do at Goodwood—a wonderfully diverse community brought together by a shared passion for cars and motorsport of every genre. Bringing that spirit to the United States is not only a defining moment for us, but one we believe will resonate across the wider car culture world." - The Duke of Richmond
The connection between Goodwood and American motorsport runs deeper than geography. It traces back to the golden age of racing in the 1950s and 1960s, when American drivers and machines helped shape the sport’s global identity, many of whom later became part of the Goodwood story. To help represent this new chapter, three legends of the racing world, Jackie Stewart, Mario Andretti, and Richard Petty, will serve as founding members of the GRRC of America and the spirit of the event.
Many details surrounding the event are still being kept behind the curtain, but the vision is already clear: create a place where history, competition, and community come together. Membership applications for the Goodwood Road Racing Club of America will open in January 2027, giving enthusiasts their first opportunity to join the movement ahead of its debut. For those who have dreamed of experiencing Goodwood’s magic firsthand, the countdown to California has officially begun.
Source: Goodwood Road Racing Club of America
