As Sunday afternoon was bathed in glorious sunshine we decided to pop down to Goodwood House for the annual vehicle display and house open day. Plenty of people there with as many interesting cars in the car park as there were on the lawn. Food and drink were excellent and they even had live music.
A Sanyo-TWR liveried Group 1 Rover SD1 has arrived for some race preparation and a few other jobs prior to the GRRC’s 74th Members Meeting. The car has a new fuel tank to fit and an airbox to be fabricated to help the carburetor breathe. The car is due to take part in a Goodwood test session prior to it’s second Gerry Marshall Trophy race at Goodwood’s Members Meeting.
Just one week until the racing season kicks off with Goodwood’s 73rd Members Meeting, and if last years event is anything to go by I expect it will be superb. The group 1 cars really stole the show last year but there is a lot more to look forward to. This year we will be running four cars. Dave Griffiths in the Triumph TR4 and Ian Burford in the Sebring Sprite will be running in the Les Leston Cup for pre-66 production sports cars. Mike Haigh with the Ford Falcon and our very own Shaun Rainford in the Nash Metropolitan will be running in the Sopwith Cup for 1950’s saloon cars. So come down and cheer us on and if you spot us in the paddock feel free to come and say hello. #73MM
Last weekend we took the Metropolitan down to Goodwood to stretch it’s legs before the 73rd Members Meeting and for a small feature on the GRRC website. You can read the feature here.
Dave Griffith’s has received an invitation to the GRRC 73rd Members Meeting with his Triumph TR4. He will be competing for the Les Leston Trophy for 1960’s production sports cars. The TR4 is currently undergoing a winter refresh and will make its Goodwood debut with a new livery. Dave wants the car to look right as well as go fast.
This will be remembered as one of the best historic race meetings of recent years. Of course you wouldn’t expect anything less than the best from Goodwood and some of the success must be attributed to the weather but this event will be remembered for years to come. I heard many comment on the relaxed atmosphere as a breath of fresh air over the pomp and circumstance that is Goodwood Revival. The race of the weekend for us was so impressive in so many ways and somewhat unexpected. The Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1 saloons was loud and fast with some of the best race action we have ever seen on the circuit. The 15 minute race saw John Young in a Ford Capri starting from the pit lane and taking on the entire pack before a dramatic dice and heroic pass of Nick Swift’s Mini 1275 GT on the final lap to take 2nd place will not be forgotten. The Sears trophy went very well for all of our cars. Shaun in the MG1100 was hanging onto Gavin Watson in the Volvo 122S for most of the race exchanging gestures when side by side. Darren thoroughly enjoyed his time behind the wheel of his Mk1 Turner but retired the car in the late stages of the race when the temperature gauge went all the way around. I know we can’t wait till next year.
