A Whimsical Goodwood Revival

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

It is the attention to detail that make the Revival so special. Not just getting the right cars and drivers together, or even the racing itself, which is always superb. It is the little things, like the massive display of Sicilian Oranges and Lemons complete with a donkey to make you feel like you are in Sicily; the one-man band strutting his stuff as you cross the bridge into the event site; all the signs written in Italian, the warning signs from the Targa Florio telling you how to behave, pasted along the tunnel under the track, in Italian of course; the pit garages decked out with period Italian advertising; the grass area to the left of the main entrance made to look like an outside Pizzeria; painting the buildings to resemble a Sicilian town.

Then, added to the overall effect, are the actors from the Goodwood Actors Guild performing various scenarios around the site. It truly is a magical, whimsical step back in time which I hope is reflected in the following pictures.

At 8am each morning us early birds were treated to the sights and sounds of three Spitfires gracing the air above what was once RAF Westhampnett for the ‘Dawn Patrol’. The trio being made up of two MK9s, MH434 flown by Paul Bonhomme and TA805 flown by Steve Jones, and a MKV EE602 flown by Nick Smith.

Do not try this at home. The Goodwood team channels their inner ‘White Helmets’ display team spirit. The Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team, famously known as the White Helmets, was a British Army stunt and precision riding group made up of serving soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals. We don’t know why the team has black helmets instead of white. Details, details.

Pulizia

Interloper

Francorchamps

Fine tuning

Ah yes, there’s the little bugger!

We’ll have it right in a minute.

Bang the drum slowly

Mathew Street in Liverpool

The Cave…why didn’t they use the name The Cavern?

Rockers

Piggyback

Monza in the paddock

Roger Bannister and friends

You want what?

Taking the Dolce Vita theme all the way back to Roman times, the entrance to the Rolex Driver Club. Not shown in the photo are the chariots and the Centurion on horseback.

Maserati 6CM?

Midnight oil

Midnight oil 2

Midnight oil 3: The Bonamy Grimes/Johnny Mowlam 1962 Jaguar E Type ‘E Gal,’ an E Type Jaguar powered by a 7.0 litre Ford Galaxie motor.

Fiat Abarth 850 Scorpione Coupe by Allemano

Little Grey Fergie tractors

1955 Lancia B24 Spider America next to the statue of Battle of Britain Fighter Pilot Douglas Bader, who was based at nearby RAF Tangmere and its satellite station RAF Westhampnett, now better known as the Goodwood Motor Circuit.