Great results at Goodwood  Report and images by Peter Baker. Click to view gallery 

IConditions were nigh on perfect for both days of the 72nd Goodwood Members’ Meeting over the weekend 29/30 March, the warm sunshine giving spectators an early taste of summer. And unlike the Revival, the absence of rank commercialism, overcrowding and ‘mickey mouse’ dressing-up was, at least in my view, more than welcome, confirming the genuine ‘Club’ atmosphere one normally associates with historic motorsport.

Team Retro-Speed currently numbers 806 members (you can join by going to our facebook page) and we were represented on track at this meeting by Andy Harrison (Mini-Cooper S), James Martin (Mini-Cooper S), Jeremy Cooke (Cooper-Climax T39 ‘Bobtail’), Marcus Mussa (McLaren M1B), Barrie Williams (Bond-Ford) and Chris Gawne (Lancia Aurelia). All qualified without problems, although because of his Saturday morning ‘live’ TV show, James missed his slot and had to start from the back of the grid.

At this point we should also mention friend of Retro-Speed magazine Simon Hadfield, who was looking very pleased with himself after winning the last race on Saturday evening, the 1-Hour Moss Trophy Race, sharing the well-known Aston Martin DB4GT with owner Wolfgang Friedrichs.

Twenty-eight cars lined up for the Sears Trophy on Sunday morning, with Nick Swift in the fastest of the Minis, on its familiar pole position, ahead of all three Lotus Cortinas and four Jaguars. Andy Harrison was down in 11th and James Martin way behind, alongside the Triumph 2000 of Richard Cross. With a distance of just 16 laps it was always going to be a tough race and at half distance Andy made contact with a close-running Norman Grimshaw, survived, and went on to finish a well-deserved 8th overall. James was not so lucky; after a storming drive up to 11th, a failed coil side-lined the chef. Nick Swift took the chequered flag, ahead of the Neil Brown Lotus by some 10 seconds.

Barrie Williams qualified fifth and finished 5th in the 25-minute Threlfall Cup, his Bond-Ford giving best to Will Mitcham/Ray Mallock (both U2-Ford Mk2) and Simon Goodliff/Chris Goodwin (both Lola-Ford MK2). Only 19 cars finished out of 28 starters.

After a so-so year in 2013 Marcus Mussa was on great form at Goodwood, his McLaren M1B positively flying. He finished 5th out of 27 in the Surtees Trophy, just behind the similar car of Chris Drake. Chris Goodwin took overall honours in yet another McLaren M1B. A fitting tribute to Bruce McLaren who died while testing at Goodwood in June 1970, he was just thirty-two.

Chris Gawne has been racing his Lancia Aurelia for more than twenty years and what the car lacks in outright speed is more than made up for by its excellent road-holding. He qualified 24th for the Tony Gaze Trophy but hard work in the office allowed him to move up six places before the end of the race, finishing 18th overall, just beating the blue Jowett Jupiter of Richard Gane. Overall winner Andy Shepherd drove the wheels off his AC Bristol to beat the Jaguar XK150 of Andrew Keith-Lucas and Chris Jolley (Aston Martin DB2/4).





That just leaves Jeremy Cooke who was entered in the last race of the meeting, the highly competitive Salvadori Cup. His Cooper-Climax, subjected to a rolling road session during the winter, now guarantees 150bhp, and with a chassis weighing in at less than 500 kilos the little blue and white ‘Bobtail’ has become a rocket ship. Maybe not a winner in this company, but fast enough to go sideways and put a smile on Jeremy’s face. Qualifying was dominated by Gary Pearson (Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly’), ‘Oly’ Bryant (Lotus Climax 15) and Andrew Smith (Lister-Climax ‘Knobbly’) with Darren Turner next up, fourth, in the beautiful Ferrari 246S Dino – all separated by less than a second. What’s more, Andy Wolfe (Lotus-Climax 15) was in fifth with Shaun Lynn (Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly) sixth. Considering the pace, it was surprising that only two cars retired, leaving Gary Pearson to make a rare mistake and let Andrew Smith through to win. Jeremy soldiered on, keeping out of trouble and finishing two seconds ahead of Wolfgang Friedrichs in his Aston Martin DBR1. It was a great race with which to finish a great weekend.