Glorious Goodwood – even if a little damp…
Yes – it gets bigger and better every year – and longer: many cars arrive on Wednesday, the camping/motorhome park  already looks full as the early comers vie for the best positions (ie not too near, but not too far, from showers & toilets – the latter voted a great improvement on previous years.) Many stalls are already set-up, and Ted Walker (Ferret Fotographics) takes his first orders. Thursday is a full – very full day – scrutineering, checking helmets, signing on, making sure you are ahead of the queue for the limited number of changing room lockers – and can be fraught, as Carlo Maria Del Conte found. Despite his International licence from the CSAI and an email from Goodwood confirming that no ASN letter would be required for him, the BARC quite simply told him that he would not be able to race! – a bit of a shock. Anyway, in the end, better humour prevailed and he, Stefano Rosina and other Italians were helped out by a combination of CSAI, Dale Wells (in his last few days with the BARC before retirement), and Jarrah Venables in the Goodwood Office, and had their heartbeats returned to normal. If it was not sunny, it was at least dry, and the cricket match reached its usual exciting climax, the Spitfires flew low over Goodwood House, seeming to all but touch the lawn, and we prepared – with Pimms and cakes – for Charles March to introduce the news that in March 2014, Goodwood would be hosting a GRRC Members Race Meeting over 2 days – some later cars to be included too.  The parallel publicity information sent to GRRC members talks of a race for Formula Junior, so we look forward to being involved.
From the rostrum, Clerk of the Course, John Felix, Presenter Simon Taylor and Driving Standards Appointee Win Percy, all emphasised that this was a showcase event, to win at all costs is not the object, and that one foolish move could bring the racing at Goodwood to a sudden end for all.
On Wednesday evening, Penny and Grant Wilson kindly hosted a small dinner party for some of our Antipodean or overseas friends, and would repeat this again on Thursday: Barbara Venables at the Gatehouse goes to huge trouble each Thursday evening of the Revival to light up her little garden with spare ribs, paella, Australian wine, and visiting celebrities – this year, we had Jan McLaren and Frank Zimmerman, with his son Alan [Frank used to work for Bruce in Can-Am back in 1968 & 1969], who had attended a special gathering at Goodwood Memorial to honour 50 years of Bruce McLaren Racing – several iconic McLaren cars were on display, and then that evening at 7pm, a moving ceremony took place with Tony Gaze’s family laying Tony’s ashes to rest there, with readings from his step daughter and granddaughter, for Diana, who predeceased him was of course Lex Davison’s widow. Claire Grieg (nee Davison), is a well known Australian FFord racer herself.  Duncan remembers a very interesting day with Tony and Diana spent visiting Ngambe on his sabbatical World Tour in 1990.
Add all these events to the evening at Goodwood House – also on Thursday! This year, with the skies clear, proceedings took place with canapés and champagne in the garden at the back of the House.
And now for the action on track! Formula Junior had gathered together a huge variety of cars and marques: it had unquestionably been a field that had posed the most difficulty to date over selection, for it would have been easy to invite 66 drum braked cars – all deserving – rather than the 30 that eventually graced the paddock stalls, now extended much deeper than in previous years into the ‘airfield’.  Robin Longdon led the restorations in his dark purple Lola Mk3 BRJ 31, which had eventually been rescued from incarceration in France and had involved countless hours of joy and frustrations in its resuscitation.  Other cars newly restored, were the Condor S III  R6 ex Peter Kumlin of Stuart Roach, smart in the same light blue as its sister S II; a complete Hibberd restoration of the unique Envoy Mk2 210 of Andrew Hayden, originally acquired by Rudolf Ernst from longtime owner Claus Myhr;  Rudolf himself in the PBA 2-DKW, restored by Tim Bishop, with much lightened body, and exhaust specially designed by Tim; the North Star FJ, raced here at Goodwood in period by A P Belcher, and prized from Martin Cowell’s long term ownership by period FJ driver Jeremy Bouckley; and De Sanctis 010 ex-Marco Antonucci of Pat Barford, beautifully presented, after work by David Abbott, and Dan Setford on the engine.
Rarely seen now were Aston Martin Chief Designer, Marek Reichman in his ex Clive Wilson T56 Cooper-BMC; Lorraine Gathercole in her Lotus 18, fully rebuilt after its first lap accident here three years ago in David’s hands; while Stefano Rosina’s Moretti Branca was repaired after its Nurburgring loss of wheel.  David Woodhouse had an enormous entourage to support the Dolphin, all in red and white matching uniforms – a retro period Coca Cola machine dispensed Coke bottles, although David hastened to assert that this was the full extent of their sponsorship – but for the future, who knows?  George and Philip Shackleton added more period flavour with a huge Lincoln limousine adorned with a large Dolphin Engineering logo and playing Beach Boys music.
More familiar runners were the two favourites, Chris Drake (Elva 300) having put in some eye watering times on the test day; and Andrew Wilkinson, with yet another body on the Lynx Mk3, parking up next to the NOTA 038 of Australian Philip Venables with Silverstone Classic’s own Nick Wigley at the helm.  A rare lrish car is of course the Crosslé 4F of Andrew Robertson, tended by father -in -law Derek Walker. Over from New Zealand came Noel and Sharon Woodford in their Gemini Mk3A, in Chequered Flag colours, Iain Rowley’s Delta Team were looking after James Owen’s Elva-BMC 200, recently resplendent in a fresh coat of paint, Charles Cook had the Envoy Mk1, and Lurani rival, John Delane, was a late addition to the pack, his Scirocco-BRM SP-1-63 having been sold to Tommaso Gelmini, taking the slot vacated by Bernard Brock, his Intermeccanica-Peugeot FJ being incomplete, but not far off now.
Over from Germany came Peter (with Suzanne) Knöfel in the ex-Mike Spence Emeryson and Dietrich (with Brigitta) Merkel and the Britannia – lined up next to Anthony Goddard’s Tojeiro, you could easily see the parentage.  Very excited to be here at Goodwood was longstanding Lurani competitor from Belgium, Luc Deneve (with Natalie) in his Lotus 18 in Rob Walker colours, while UK Champion Robert Barrie made up the 18 field.
The fully international field was completed by UK resident American Peter Fenichel (Cooper T56-BMC), Carlo Maria Del Conte, now recovered from illness, in his Wainer, and Vern Williamson’s Ausper T3, which had very kindly been offered to Duncan, but in the event, driven by Australian Kim Shearn, and tended by Dan Setford.  Kim and Marie are still only part way through their second European FJ season, and will be back in their more familiar Lotus 18 at Jerez.
Last but not least, two more Cooper-BMC stalwarts, Crispian Besley’s T56 in unfamiliar Cooper Car Co bodywork rather than its usual red livery; and airline owner Greg Thornton, the T52 having been completely rebuilt (again) by Tom Smith.  The unfortunate Richard Utley, period driver of the Caravelle MkI, had suffered an accident to the shoulder at the OPGP, reversing his JBS 500 into the bank, and at the last minute was not feeling able to take the Caravelle seat.  In the end, Caravelle Mk III pilot and 2004 winner James Hicks, rather than Callum McLeod or Sam Wilson, was in the cockpit.  James arriving only on Friday morning for a specially arranged personal briefing and sign on.
Lunchtime Friday, and all 30 cars lined up for practice, after the historic Tour de France bicycles had done their two laps.  Not surprisingly it was Chris Drake (Elva 300) well ahead of the field, with Andrew Wilkinson (Lynx Mk3) and John Delane (Lotus 18) behind.  Stuart Roach (Condor S III) had been running in on the early laps but put in a late flyer, and was briefly in 4th, but two hair-raising spins, one just after the chicane, curtailed further fast lappery, followed by a slow one into the pits with a bad misfire, but still 7th overall.  Other pit visitors had been Nick Wigley in the NOTA – one further lap, and a broken intermediate shaft brought proceedings to an end, but not before a 1m 38s and 13th place overall, a splendid showing after only a few laps in the summer in a curtailed session at Silverstone.
True to form the remainder of the top six were the regulars Andrew Robertson, Crispian Besley and Charles Cook, with special credit to Crispian in putting aside any concerns that a BMC engine and ERSA gearbox may be a disadvantage in these classes, James Owen’s Elva 200-BMC also being in the top 10.
Going round side by side for several laps – and both sounding really ‘on the cam’ were Andrew Hayden’s Envoy Mk2 and David Woodhouse’s beautiful black Dolphin, while creeping up the times was the remarkable Lola Mk3 of Robin Longdon – slowly at first, but a truly creditable lap of 1:37.055 put him also in the top 10 with Noel Woodford’s Gemini going well until another gearbox issue developed, sounding as though he was restricted to 4th gear by the end.
The PBA was circulating slowly but consistently, but not Greg Thornton who flew off deep into the middle of the corn field from which he failed to emerge, while Carlo del Conte seemed to be having some problems with the running of the motor, as did Stefano Rosina, who also pitted, and again after a further lap – a shame as the car, with Stefano, can be quite exciting.  Robert Barrie was another to make an early pit stop, well out of contention.
Happy as Larry all weekend was Luc Deneve – circulating without problems in his 18, while both Peter Knöfel and Dietrich Merkel had reliable and trouble free practice too.
The race was the final event on Saturday, scheduled to start at 17.35, and for once at Goodwood the race was on time; in fact early as it started at 17.27 !  The weather was dry but cloudy.  Non-starters were Marek Reichman’s Cooper T56 with a damaged piston and Stefano Rosina (Moretti-Branca) with a defective master brake cylinder.
At the flag (no lights at Goodwood), Wilkinson led Delane, Drake and Robertson through Madgwick. Behind however, there were some dramas on the grid: Besley lost time as the gearbox jumped out of first, but more dramatic was David Woodhouse waving both arms in the middle of the grid, 20 seconds before the start, but to no avail, the start had gone ahead, and he eventually got going in last place. It was very busy round the St Marys/Lavant section and Drake nearly tripped over Delane and lost some momentum, but at the conclusion of the lap he was second behind Wilkinson, followed by Delane, Robertson, Robin Longdon – after an excellent start – and the Envoys of Charles Cook and Andrew Hayden.  After two laps the first pair had opened a big gap on Delane, with another to Robertson. Practice times indicated that Drake should easily get ahead and cruise home, but at Goodwood easy wins are not “good form” and Chris duly played by the rules and harried the Lynx, getting by a couple of times around the back of the circuit but falling behind by the lap’s end.  But no mistaking, Chris and Andrew made a great race of it for the spectators, and Chris came near to losing it all on two occasions, the first with a wild slide in the chicane, whilst lapping, and the second when David Woodhouse spun the Dolphin.  Seeing these two racing down the straight, lapping backmarkers, one on each side, was the best of FJ racing!! On the tenth lap Chris finally moved ahead and pulled out over 9 seconds over the remaining three laps.
John Delane ran a lonely third, some 18 seconds behind the Lynx and 14 seconds ahead of fourth.  On the first lap, Stuart Roach’s Condor SIII was charging through, overtaking several cars, and was up to 4th at St Mary’s – sadly the transmission couldn’t take the strain, and he coasted into the pits at the end of the lap. There was a good scrap for 4th to 7th between Andrew Robertson, Charles Cook, Robin Longdon and Robert Barrie  from which Robin brilliantly emerged ahead in his newly restored Lola Mk3 despite a trip on the grass, but unfortunately the Lola motor went sick on the penultimate lap, drawing into the pits, gifting fourth to Cook. Robertson was fifth followed by Robert Barrie (Lotus 18). Crispian Besley (T56) was next, recovering well from the bad start, having been only 15th on the opening tour. New Zealander Noel Woodford (Gemini 3A) showed well to come home 8th, triumphant in a dice that involved Andrew Hayden (Envoy Mk2) and James Owen (Elva 200).
Poor Nick Wigley had a nasty accident during the Friday night Freddie March Trophy race, from which we are delighted to hear he is on the road to recovery and it was good to see last year’s winner Joe Colasacco take over the NOTA, and having started from the back of the grid, got up to 11th, albeit a lap down, although his best time was some 4 seconds slower than Nick’s in practice, but that may have been largely due to the conditions. One of the stars of the race (as well as the paddock) was David Woodhouse and his Dolphin. After being next-to-last on lap 1 he shot up the field to be 14th at mid-distance, then spun exiting the chicane, Chris Drake having his second “life” just managing to squeeze by on the outside, and still recovered to 13th.  Other spinners included Lorraine Gathercole (Lotus 18)  and Pat Barford (De Sanctis), who did a neat pirouette on the exit of Woodcote. It was gratifying to see the very smart North Star and Rudolf Ernst’s PBA make it to the finish. Not so fortunate was Greg Thornton, out with gearbox trouble after 7 laps.  Anthony Goddard had a problem with one of the four studs holding gearbox on to engine which had stripped (gearbox on Tojeiro is part of suspension, so potentially serious as you barrel into Madgwick, say, at 100+) and having experienced a “wobble”  and thought the worst - that gearbox had detached - pulled off when a commendable 12th. It transpired that there was nothing wrong with stud, and it would have probably held on, the “wobble” being due to copious oil on the track. Others not to make the finish were Michael Waller (engine), and a disappointed past winner James Hicks in Richard Utley’s Mk I Caravelle. 
Paul Dixon reported that this year's theme for the Revival Ball was Wild West, Cowboys and Indians.  On arrival by carriage, guests were ambushed by six Cowboys on well trained horses. (their day job was filming!)  Armed with a glass of Veuve Clicquot, they were treated to the stunning sunset aerial display by a Spitfire and a Mustang which finally closed up on the guests after landing, to be joined by the Cowboys on horseback between them, with the sun setting behind.  In addition two Goodwood staff in panto pony costumes flanked the horses at each end!
The 'Hoedown' timber barn was constructed to an amazing standard, passing through an Indian Village to get to our tables.  Delicious food and wine were in abundance.  The floor show at the end of the meal was an ambush between Cowboys and Indians on horseback followed by spectacular fireworks.
An excellent band kept Cowboy and Cowgirl boots tapping to the small hours.

    By the TT Retrospective on Sunday the weather had seriously deteriorated - but Formula Junior spirits were again raised at the final prizegiving.  Apart from the excitement of our 3 placemen, the Dolphin Team deservedly won the Team Award to much jubilation.

DCPR & Richard Page