Goodwood Circuit
Encyclopedia
Goodwood Circuit is an historic venue for both two- and four-wheeled motorsport in the United Kingdom
. The 2.4 mile circuit is situated near Chichester
, West Sussex
, close to the south coast of England, on the estate of Goodwood House
, and completely encircles Chichester/Goodwood Airport
. This is the racing circuit dating from 1948, not to be confused with the separate hillclimb
course located at Goodwood House and first used in 1936.
airfield, which was constructed during World War II
as a relief airfield for RAF Tangmere
. The first race meeting took place on 18 September 1948, organised by the Junior Car Club
and sanctioned by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon
. The winner of the first race was P. de F. C. Pycroft, in his 2,664 c.c. Pycroft-Jaguar, at 66.42 m.p.h. Stirling Moss
won the 500cc race (later to become Formula 3), followed by Eric Brandon
and "Curly" Dryden, all in Coopers
.
Goodwood became famous for its nine-hour endurance races run in 1952, 1953 and 1955, and the Tourist Trophy
, run here 1958-1964. The cars that raced in those events can be seen recreating (in shorter form) the endurance races at the Goodwood Revival each year in the Sussex trophy and the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy (RAC TT).
Goodwood has, over the years, played host to many famous drivers: Mike Hawthorn
and Graham Hill
had their first single seat races there, Roger Penske
visited in 1963, and Jim Clark
and Jack Sears competed in 1964. The accident that ended Stirling Moss
's International career happened at St. Mary's Corner in 1962.
Donald Campbell
demonstrated his Bluebird CN7 Land Speed Record
car at Goodwood in July 1960 at its initial public launch, and again in July 1962, before being shipped to Australia—where it finally broke the record in 1964. The car was a 30 feet (9.1 m) Bristol Siddeley
turbine-powered 4500 hp streamliner, with a theoretical top speed of 450 to 500 mph (724.2 to 804.7 km/h). The laps of Goodwood were effectively at "tick-over" speed, because the car had only four degrees of steering lock, with a maximum of 100 mph (160.9 km/h) on the straight on one lap.
Goodwood saw its last race meeting for over 30 years in 1966, because the owners did not want to modify the track with chicane
s to control the increased speeds of modern racing cars. The last event was a club meeting organised by the British Automobile Racing Club
on July 2, 1966.
-founder Bruce McLaren
in a testing accident in 1970.
and Goodwood Revival
events.
is an annual hill climb, held in late June or early July not on the circuit, but in the nearby grounds of Goodwood House. It features historic and modern motor-racing vehicles. In 2010, the event had over 176,000 visitors over four days.
The Goodwood Revival
is a three-day festival held each September for the types of cars and motorcycles that would have competed during the circuit's original period, 1948–1966. Historic aircraft help to complete the vintage feel. In 2008, a crowd of 68,000 people showed up to the event on the main Sunday—9,000 more than in 2007. The track is now used for classic races, track days, and try-out days.
, a charity fundraising car rally to Mongolia
, moved its starting point from Hyde Park, London
to Goodwood. Entrants are on show to the public in the paddock before beginning the rally with a parade lap of the circuit.
Every year, the final of the Greenpower
challenge takes place at Goodwood. The Greenpower challenge is an electric vehicle endurance set for schools. There is also a corporate version of the race, featuring teams like Lola, Jaguar Land Rover
, Bentley Motors and Prodrive
.
The 'Breakfast Club' was introduced in March 2006. This is a semi regular free to enter, and open-to-all monthly gathering of drivers and riders who come to view each others cars, bikes etc. Each meeting is themed with striking examples of the days theme paraded on the start finish straight.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The 2.4 mile circuit is situated near Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, close to the south coast of England, on the estate of Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Goodwood House is a country house in West Sussex in southern England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Richmond. Several architects have contributed to the design of the house, including James Wyatt. It was the intention to build the house to a unique octagonal layout, but only three of the eight...
, and completely encircles Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Chichester/Goodwood Airport , normally referred to as Goodwood Airfield or Goodwood Aerodrome is located north northeast of Chichester, West Sussex, England....
. This is the racing circuit dating from 1948, not to be confused with the separate hillclimb
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
course located at Goodwood House and first used in 1936.
History 1948–1966
The racing circuit began life as the perimeter track of RAF WesthampnettRAF Westhampnett
Royal Air Force Station Westhampnett, more commonly known as RAF Westhampnett, was a Royal Air Force station, located in the village of Westhampnett near Chichester, in the English County of West Sussex....
airfield, which was constructed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a relief airfield for RAF Tangmere
RAF Tangmere
RAF Tangmere was a Royal Air Force station famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, located at Tangmere village about 3 miles east of Chichester in West Sussex, England. American RAF pilot Billy Fiske died at Tangmere and was the first American aviator to die during World War II...
. The first race meeting took place on 18 September 1948, organised by the Junior Car Club
British Automobile Racing Club
The British Automobile Racing Club is one of biggest organising clubs for auto racing in the United Kingdom.-History:The Cyclecar Club was formed in 1912, running races for the small and light motorbike powered vehicles at Brooklands as well as rallies and sporting trials. Among the founder...
and sanctioned by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon
Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond
Frederick Charles Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond, 9th Duke of Lennox, 4th Duke of Gordon was a British peer, engineer, racing driver and motor racing promoter....
. The winner of the first race was P. de F. C. Pycroft, in his 2,664 c.c. Pycroft-Jaguar, at 66.42 m.p.h. Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
won the 500cc race (later to become Formula 3), followed by Eric Brandon
Eric Brandon
Eric Brandon was a motor racing driver and businessman. He was closely associated with the Cooper Car Company, and was instrumental in the early development of the company....
and "Curly" Dryden, all in Coopers
Cooper Car Company
The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
.
Goodwood became famous for its nine-hour endurance races run in 1952, 1953 and 1955, and the Tourist Trophy
RAC Tourist Trophy
The International Tourist Trophy is an award given by the Royal Automobile Club and awarded semi-annually to the winners of a selected motor racing event each year in the United Kingdom. It was first awarded in 1905 and continues to be awarded to this day, making it the longest lasting trophy in...
, run here 1958-1964. The cars that raced in those events can be seen recreating (in shorter form) the endurance races at the Goodwood Revival each year in the Sussex trophy and the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy (RAC TT).
Goodwood Nine Hours
| Year | Drivers | Vehicle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Peter Collins Peter Collins (racing driver) Peter John Collins was a Formula One driver from England. He participated in 35 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952. He won 3 races, achieved 9 podiums, and scored a total of 47 championship points.... /Pat Griffith |
Aston Martin DB3 | Aug 16. |
| 1953 | Parnell/Thompson | Aston Martin | Aug 22. |
| 1955 | P. Walker/R.D.Poore Dennis Poore Roger Dennistoun "Dennis" Poore was a British entrepreneur, financier and sometime racing driver,. Poore used his personal weath to bankroll the founding, in 1950, of the motor racing journal Autosport. He himself was a keen motor sport participant, and competed in two Formula One World... |
Aston Martin DB3S | Aug 20. |
Goodwood has, over the years, played host to many famous drivers: Mike Hawthorn
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:...
and Graham Hill
Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
had their first single seat races there, Roger Penske
Roger Penske
Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
visited in 1963, and Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
and Jack Sears competed in 1964. The accident that ended Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
's International career happened at St. Mary's Corner in 1962.
Donald Campbell
Donald Campbell
Donald Malcolm Campbell, CBE was a British speed record breaker who broke eight world speed records in the 1950s and 1960s...
demonstrated his Bluebird CN7 Land Speed Record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
car at Goodwood in July 1960 at its initial public launch, and again in July 1962, before being shipped to Australia—where it finally broke the record in 1964. The car was a 30 feet (9.1 m) Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
turbine-powered 4500 hp streamliner, with a theoretical top speed of 450 to 500 mph (724.2 to 804.7 km/h). The laps of Goodwood were effectively at "tick-over" speed, because the car had only four degrees of steering lock, with a maximum of 100 mph (160.9 km/h) on the straight on one lap.
Goodwood saw its last race meeting for over 30 years in 1966, because the owners did not want to modify the track with chicane
Chicane
A chicane is an artificial feature creating extra turns in a road, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars to lower speeds.- Motor Racing :...
s to control the increased speeds of modern racing cars. The last event was a club meeting organised by the British Automobile Racing Club
British Automobile Racing Club
The British Automobile Racing Club is one of biggest organising clubs for auto racing in the United Kingdom.-History:The Cyclecar Club was formed in 1912, running races for the small and light motorbike powered vehicles at Brooklands as well as rallies and sporting trials. Among the founder...
on July 2, 1966.
Testing
The circuit claimed the life of McLarenMcLaren
McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
-founder Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
in a testing accident in 1970.
Events
Goodwood is noted for its annual Festival of SpeedGoodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as simply the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England.Typically held in late June or...
and Goodwood Revival
Goodwood Revival
The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September since 1998 for the types of road racing cars and motorcycle that would have competed during the circuit's original period—1948-1966. It is one of the world’s most popular motor race meetings and the only UK event which recreates the...
events.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of SpeedGoodwood Festival of Speed
The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as simply the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England.Typically held in late June or...
is an annual hill climb, held in late June or early July not on the circuit, but in the nearby grounds of Goodwood House. It features historic and modern motor-racing vehicles. In 2010, the event had over 176,000 visitors over four days.
Goodwood Revival
Following the success of the Festival of Speed hill climb, racing returned to the Goodwood circuit in 1998.The Goodwood Revival
Goodwood Revival
The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival held each September since 1998 for the types of road racing cars and motorcycle that would have competed during the circuit's original period—1948-1966. It is one of the world’s most popular motor race meetings and the only UK event which recreates the...
is a three-day festival held each September for the types of cars and motorcycles that would have competed during the circuit's original period, 1948–1966. Historic aircraft help to complete the vintage feel. In 2008, a crowd of 68,000 people showed up to the event on the main Sunday—9,000 more than in 2007. The track is now used for classic races, track days, and try-out days.
Other events
In 2009, the Mongol RallyMongol Rally
The Mongol Rally is a car rally that begins in Europe and ends in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. The principal launch is from Goodwood Circuit, United Kingdom, with subsidiary starting points in other European countries. It is described as the "greatest adventure in the world"...
, a charity fundraising car rally to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, moved its starting point from Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
to Goodwood. Entrants are on show to the public in the paddock before beginning the rally with a parade lap of the circuit.
Every year, the final of the Greenpower
Greenpower
Greenpower is the trading name of a British Charitable organization: The Greenpower Education Trust whose legal objective is to inspire more young people to become engineers by presenting the engineering industry as an interesting and relevant career choice which could help to solve problems ...
challenge takes place at Goodwood. The Greenpower challenge is an electric vehicle endurance set for schools. There is also a corporate version of the race, featuring teams like Lola, Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover is a British automotive company owned by Tata Motors of India. It develops, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Jaguar and Land Rover marques.-History:...
, Bentley Motors and Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
.
The 'Breakfast Club' was introduced in March 2006. This is a semi regular free to enter, and open-to-all monthly gathering of drivers and riders who come to view each others cars, bikes etc. Each meeting is themed with striking examples of the days theme paraded on the start finish straight.
See also
- Brighton Speed TrialsBrighton Speed TrialsThe Brighton Speed Trials, in full The Brighton National Speed Trials, is commonly held to be the oldest running motor race. The first race was held July 19–22, 1905 after Sir Harry Preston persuaded Brighton town council to tarmac the surface of the road adjacent to the beach between the Palace...
- British Automobile Racing ClubBritish Automobile Racing ClubThe British Automobile Racing Club is one of biggest organising clubs for auto racing in the United Kingdom.-History:The Cyclecar Club was formed in 1912, running races for the small and light motorbike powered vehicles at Brooklands as well as rallies and sporting trials. Among the founder...
- Firle Hill ClimbFirle Hill ClimbFirle Hill Climb is a defunct hillclimbing course near Lewes, East Sussex, England, sometimes referred to as Bo Peep Hill Climb."The event will consist of a timed climb of the metalled roadknown as Bo-Peep Hill, situated near the village of Selmeston, on...
- Gurston Down Motorsport HillclimbGurston Down Motorsport HillclimbThe Gurston Down Motorsport Hillclimb is a hillclimb in Broad Chalke, Wiltshire, England, organised by the South Western Centre of the British Automobile Racing Club. The first practice meeting was held on June 25, 1967, when Patsy Burt, driving a McLaren-Oldsmobile set a time of 39.90 sec...
- Lewes Speed TrialsLewes Speed TrialsThe Lewes Speed Trials were speed trials held on a defunct course in Lewes, Sussex, England, sometimes known as "The Motor Road."-History:The first meeting took place on July 27, 1924, on "a private road near Lewes", location unidentified. The event was organised by the Brighton & Hove Motor Cycle...
- Thruxton CircuitThruxton CircuitThruxton Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which is used to host a number of motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing....