The Goodwood Revival is one of the most important vintage motoring events in the world, it takes place each year usually in early September at the historic Goodwood Circuit in southern England near the coastal town of Chichester.
The Goodwood Circuit
The Goodwood Circuit started life as the RAF Westhampnett airfield, built during WWII. The motor racing circuit was actually the perimeter track around the airfield, which was likely used for some cheeky amateur racing during the war, but it became an official race track in 1948.
During its heyday the circuit was best-known for its annual Glover Trophy (non-championship) Formula 1 race, as well as the Goodwood Nine Hours sports car endurance races, and the Tourist Trophy sports car race.
The last race was held at the Goodwood Circuit on the 2nd of July 1966 before it was mothballed, as the owners didn’t want to modify the track with chicanes and other changes to accommodate increasingly fast sports cars.
In 1998 the Goodwood Circuit was resurrected as the home of the Goodwood Revival and the Goodwood Members Meeting, each held annually.
The Goodwood Revival
The Revival weekend is chock-a-block with vintage car racing interspersed with motorcycle racing, and WWII-era fighter aircraft flyovers.
The vintage racing isn’t just for display, the cars are pushed to their absolute limits by professional and talented amateur drivers. Accidents do happen, and at the 2017 running of the Goodwood Revival a Ferrari 250 GTO worth over $50,000,000 USD hit the wall.
That said, the on-track action is only half the story. The entire circuit and it’s immediate surrounds becomes one of the biggest costume parties in the world – with tens of thousands of attendees almost all wearing ’40s, ’50s and ’60s outfits.
The grounds of the circuit are decked out to be fully period correct, and even the rubbish truck, service vehicles, food stalls, and the entertainment dates back to the ’50s.
After spending a weekend at the Revival it’s a strange feeling to return to normalcy, and you’ll be left with an unshakeable sensation that you somehow went back in time for a weekend to the golden age of classic motor racing.
Visit the official Goodwood Revival website here.
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