In a message dated 19/09/99 21:05:24 GMT Daylight Time,
Paul-Richardson@cyberware.co.uk writes:
<< Subj: Goodwood
Date: 19/09/99 21:05:24 GMT Daylight Time
From: Paul-Richardson@cyberware.co.uk (Paul Richardson)
Sender: owner-fot@autox.team.net
Reply-to: Paul-Richardson@cyberware.co.uk (Paul Richardson)
To:
Hi Gang
The racing at the Goodwood Festival today was truly magnificent. We had two
and three quarter hours of it on TV. The day was marred, however, by a very
nasty accident involving Sir Jack Brabham at about 4pm this afternoon in
the F1 race. The cameras caught the accident just as Sir Jack spun off the
circuit on a fast section (in an F1 Mclaren BRM). He went off and hit a
bank very hard backwards and spun violently several times back into the
middle of the circuit on the penultimate lap. The car was a write off and
the race was stopped. Although moving about in the car he was doubtless
very badly shaken. The transmission ended there and after summing up the
day the TV people said he had been taken by ambulance to the Medical unit
for treatment. Two cars were involved and it looked like a coming together
of some sort, but that was out of camera shot. Sir Jack, now 73, was
driving quite brilliantly until the shunt and was in fifth place showing
all the 'young uns' how it was done. There's been no bulletin on the early
evening news here so lets hope that no news is the best news and he was not
badly hurt.
Paul
>>
I was at the Goodwood Revival Meeting yesterday, (Saturday), with lister
Scott Barr, his wife Barbara, and sister Karen from Wisconsin, (they must be
back there by now).
We all had a truly magnificent day out.
I made the effort to dress up in period garb, and blended in fairly well with
hundreds of others!
We saw a few famous folk, including F1 driver David Coulthard and his very
lovely wife/girlfriend...and out on the race-circuit many others, including a
bike race where Barry Sheen came a very convincing first and poor Damon Hill,
came extremely last, although it was a wet race, and Damon is more of a F1
driver than a bike racer these days.
Murray Walker was commentating.
They all got big cheers and restrained British clapping.
There were many other races which we got to watch from the grandstand,
including one where Mark Knopfler lost a front RH wheel from his very lovely
Racing Aston Martin.
Damage appeared light, thank goodness!
There was a near miss when some idiot, decided to turn right into the pit
lane, and almost crossed in front of another car overtaking him on his
right...luckily he stopped in the nick of time!!! Some people should not be
out on the track!
However, on the whole, the racing was very exciting, with only a few scrapes
of wings and things!
The classic car park was exceedingly interesting with some beautiful cars to
drool over.
There were only a few Triumphs unfortunately, but I saw a couple of very nice
white TR3A's, a red and white Herald Saloon, a couple of Stags and a gorgeous
tuned TR4 in BRG., and of course my Vitesse Convertible...There may have been
more Triumphs though ?
The weather held out pretty well, with only a couple of showery bits and a
few gusts to reduce the temperature, but not enough to spoil the day.
We drove the 2.5 hours down there via scenic Sussex, with the hood firmly
down.
(Terrific sports those ladies in the back!), but we put it back up for the
1.5 hour dash home in the evening. Any drizzle was quickly forgotten during
our Champagne Picnic.
It is all quite different to the Goodwood Festival in June, but on the whole,
I think it worked out pretty well.
The only real mistake I think was restricting entry to the paddock to members
of the Goodwood Road Racing Club, (60 GBP/year, January-December), whereas
before it was open to everyone.
The best thing was that we didn't have to queue to get in for an hour,
possibly because I had a pre-arranged parking ticket for the classic parking
area.
There was also plenty of hot food and drink available, at reasonable prices
and with little or no standing in line!
And the cars, of course, it was like we had died and gone to heaven!!!
seven D-type Jaguars in a row, four or five BRM's the same number of
Maserati's and even more Ferrari's and countless Aston Martins and Bentleys
etc.
Lister Jaguars, Cooper Climaxes etc
There was simply too much to even list.
And, oh boy are BRM's ever loud when they hurtle down the pit straight ?
You had to be there!
Thank you to the Earl of March, for making your home available to us to
enjoy.
All the best
Léon
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