THE 74th GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING   The vehicle transporters are now loading-up the many priceless competition machines, the bunting is being cleared away, and t…

THE 74^th GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING

The vehicle transporters are now loading-up the many priceless competition machines, the bunting is being cleared away, and the waste is being recycled.  The 74^th edition of the sell-out and very memorable Goodwood Members Meeting is over for another year.

The 33,000 visitors on-site over the Members’ Meeting weekend were treated to some real edge-of-the-seat competition, with close wheel-to-wheel racing.

The live Members’ Meeting streaming feed proved especially popular too, with enthusiastic comments being posted from all around the world, including a couple who stayed awake for two consecutive nights to watch the qualifying and racing from their home in New Zealand. 

Along with the now-established Gerry Marshall Trophy race at the Members’ Meeting for 1970-82 Group 1 saloon cars, the 74^th Goodwood meeting introduced a number of new races and competition vehicles to the event. 

These included the S.F. Edge Trophy for Edwardian specials of a type that raced up until 1923, with Duncan Pittaway’s tiny 1921 GN Curtiss beating the giant 1923 Delage DH V12 of second-placed Mattias Sielecki. An astonishing one hundred year old Sunbeam ‘Indianapolis’ was driven to third by Julian Majzub.

The very first motorcycle race at a Goodwood Members’ Meeting – the Hailwood Trophy, for two-stroke 250cc and 350cc Grand Prix bikes that raced between 1970 – was won by Ian Simpson on a 1979 Yamaha TZ350E, with Richard Parker (1981 Spondon Yamaha TZG) taking second, and Dean Stimpson (Harris Yamaha TZG) third.

In Sunday’s close-fought Derek Bell Cup race for 1964-70 Formula 3 cars, Andrew Hibbard (1966 Brabham-Ford BT16) took the laurels, followed by Peter Thompson (1968 Brabham-Ford BT21) and Jim Blockley (1970 Chevron-Ford B17) on the podium.  James Cottingham won the Graham Hill Trophy for 1960-66 GT cars in a Shelby American Cobra Daytona coupe, chased by Andrew Smith in second in another Cobra Daytona, and Rob Hall in third in an AC Cobra.

William Nuthall took victory in the Parnell Cup for Grand Prix, Formula 2 and voiturette cars that raced up to 1953 in a 1953 Cooper-Bristol Mk 2, with Eddie McGuire taking second (1952 Cooper-Bristol Mk 1) and Marc Valverkens (1952 Gordini Type 16) third.  Ford Lotus Cortinas took a 1-2-3 in the Whitmore Cup race for sub 2-litre saloons, with Richard Meaden taking a comfortable victory over Mark Sumpter and John Young. 

The final race of the weekend was the Peter Collins Trophy for 1948-55 drum-braked sports cars, with Sam Hancock taking a decisive win in a 1953 Cunningham C4R over second placed Steve Boultbee-Brooks (1955 Aston Martin DB3S) with Richard Woolmer (1954 HWM-Cadillac) taking third.

The fastest racing lap of the weekend went to Frank Stippler in a 1965 Ford GT40 who clocked a lap time of 1 minute 21.607 seconds in the all-GT40 Alan Mann Trophy race. He was rewarded with a special watch from Members’ Meeting timing partner IWC Schaffhausen for his impressive achievement.

Adding to the fast-paced racing over the weekend was a series of high-speed, high-octane track demonstrations. One such demonstration featured 30 ground effect Formula 1 cars from the late 1970s and early 1980s, which provided a distinctive howling soundtrack. Guests also enjoyed the sight of Group 5 sports cars – including a record gathering of Ferrari 512s and Porsche 917s – plus some of the iconic Super Touring tin-top saloon racers from the halcyon days of BTCC.

The official timing partner of the Members’ Meeting - IWC Schaffhausen – also staged a very special celebration display of three significant Mercedes-Benz ‘Silver Arrows’ racer, with F1 legends Mika Hakkinen and Jochen Mass driving demonstrating laps in the W196s.

Away from the gripping track action, there was plenty of other activities, attractions and amusement for the Members’ Meeting visitors with a set of diverse and unusual participations for the Goodwood Road Racing Club members to try their hand at and earn points for their allotted House team.  These included driving scaled-down classic cars at the 74^th Auto Test, plus duck herding, archery, ferret racing, a tug of war, and many other activities. The points collected where added to the racing results of the team member drivers during the weekend, with the Methuen House ultimately victorious for the third year on the trot.

Lead by House Captain Anthony Reid, the legendary sports and touring car driver and Goodwood regular, Methuen scored an impressive total of 7,318 points at the 74^th meeting. Second placed Torbolton accumulated 5,834 points (with five-time Le Mans winner Emmanuelle Pirro as Captain), Aubigny was third with 5,809 points (Captained by BTCC Champion Andrew Jordan), and Darnley brought up the rear with 5,340 points (with F1 and sports car racer Jochen Mass as Captain).

Visitors to the sell-out Goodwood event were also able to peruse the retail areas, dine in the Great Hall and bid on vehicles at the dedicated Bonhams Members’ Meeting auction of important sports, competition and collectors cars.

Commenting on the 74^th Members Meeting, the Earl of March said “I am very proud that we managed to pull together one of the best selections of racing cars and bikes ever at Goodwood, and despite some challenging moments, the event was a great success.”

EDITORS’ NOTES:

Created by Goodwood owner, Lord March, to recreate the atmosphere and camaraderie of the original BARC Members’ Meetings held at Goodwood Motor Circuit in the 1950s and ‘60s, the Goodwood Members’ Meeting conjures up some of the most evocative sights and sounds from the golden era of motor racing.

The 2016 Members’ Meeting featured 12 races in total over the two days of the event. Three of the most iconic periods in motorsport history were also be celebrated with high-speed demonstration runs – the Super Touring cars of the 1990s, ground effect Formula 1 cars and Group 5 sports cars of the 1970s.

As well as the action on the famous Goodwood Motor Circuit, the Members’ Meeting featured a huge range of attractions for all the family off-track, including an exclusive event on Saturday evening and a wide variety of food and entertainment, live music and a fairground, on offer throughout.

For more information about the event, please visit: www.goodwood.com/74MM

(ENDS)

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