Recently, the Goodwood Festival of Speed became the latest in an increasingly long-line of motoring events to be postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, an announcement that came just a few weeks after the circuit’s 78th Member’s Meeting, originally scheduled for 28-29 March, was also pushed back*.
That Lord March’s annual concourse has understandably been booted from its original July slot has even thrown up question marks over the Goodwood Revival, the historic meeting dedicated to racing machinery dated from 1948 to 1966 and staged in period theme, preparations for which are still on-going for its “tentative” 11-13 September calendar slot.
How best to get your Goodwood fix during this barren period? On-board footage is always a good place to start, and if you haven’t seen Sam Tordoff’s recovery drive from last to 2nd aboard a Porsche 356, Kenny Brack famously wrestling a Ford GT40, or pretty much any Lotus 24 on-board, then there’s plenty to keep you busy in the interim. You could also check out our own recollections from last year’s Goodwood Revival [cough] shameless plug HERE [cough].
But with miniature recreations de rigueur during lockdown – just ask Dominic Fraser – Goodwood member Mark Saunders has found an entirely different approach. He’s made his very own scale model of the Goodwood Motor Circuit, using his expanding collection of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars.
“I have been collecting Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars for a long time and have seen many of these vehicles at Goodwood events over the years,” Mark explained to Goodwood Road and Racing. “So, I thought a good way to display them would be to create a model of part of the Motor Circuit.”
In true Revival tradition, Mark’s restorative work is a passion project in his spare time (he’s still working full-time as the head gardener at Fittleworth House in West Sussex, UK, during lockdown) and doesn’t lack detail. Using video footage and “thousands of photos [he has] for reference,” plus his own first-hand knowledge, Mark’s work goes far beyond ‘just’ the 3.809km Goodwood Circuit itself: “it’s taken me two months to create the layout of the pits, part of the pit straight, the paddock and the tow-road.”
None of which would be complete without some of motorsport’s biggest names. Take a look at the paddock for instance and you’ll find a Ford GT40 standing door handle-to-door handle with fellow Le Mans legends like the ‘psychedelic’ Porsche 917K and the ‘08’ Mazda 787b that finished 6th in 1991 (the sister #002 won), as well as a Momo-livery Porsche 935. Unsurprisingly, there’s more to come, regardless of when the FOS and the Revival return for 2020.
“It’s not to actual scale – the cars are 1/64th scale – so there’s been a bit of best-guessing the detail. I’ve just built the Jackie Stewart Pavilion and lapboard using card and parts from the model shop. I’m so glad I went to the model shop before lockdown to get what I needed as I’ve only ever made Spitfires before.
“Recently, Hot Wheels have produced a model of the lightweight E-type Jaguar. exactly like the car we see racing at the Goodwood Revival, along with an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA and the IWC Mercedes 300SL Gullwing, all of which will definitely be on display in the paddock!
“When it’s all finished it will take pride of place in my study!”
*Images courtesy of Mark Saunders, and our thanks to Goodwood Road & Racing. We’d also like to thank Jack B, who drew our attention to a mistake in the opening paragraph.
