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Goodwood Road Racing Company Preview Day

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Mercedes Benz CLK GTR
Pirro.com

10.06.2010, 20:37:05 cet

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London, 5 April 2001

New Venue
Happy Birthday!
Small But Select
”It’s Raining Again”
2001 Anniversaries to be Commemorated


New Venue
Due to the problems of movement in some parts of the countryside, brought about by the foot-and-mouth outbreak, the traditional press gathering for the Goodwood meetings preview was transferred from the traditional Goodwood House venue, to central London. The new location was the Sir Christopher Wren designed Royal Hospital in Chelsea, which was founded by King Charles II in 1682 as a retreat for regular army veterans. Because of the logistics of moving racing cars around the streets of the capital on a normal business day, there were far fewer cars than normal, and those that there were, apart from the ”hemi under glass” Plymouth dragster, were notionally street legal!

Happy Birthday!
As the weather forecast was poor, with rain clouds approaching fast, the Earl of March only gave a short introductory speech over coffee, as he wanted the demonstration runs in the hospital grounds by the dragster and Carl Fogerty on his Ducatti motorcycle to take place. Unfortunately the dragster completed just one ear splitting run before the heavens opened, fortunately foresight prevailed, and umbrellas were readily at hand. During the introductory speech the Earl of March welcomed many motor racing personalities, with a special welcome for Sir Jack Brabham on the occasion of his 75th birthday. A large chocolate cake was brought in, and jazz musician Jools Holland together with Jason Kay of the band Jamiroquai, led the attendees in a rousing rendition of ”Happy Birthday”.

Small But Select
Although the range of cars was limited there was an interesting selection on display, including  a trio of Ferrari models, a 268 SP, chassis # 0798, a 330 LM berlinetta, chassis # 4725SA, and a 365 GTB/4C, chassis # 15681. There were also a 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3,  McLaren F1 GTR road car,  Ford GT 40, the unique Lister-Jaguar Costin coupe, lightweight Jaguar ”E” Type, Renault 5 Maxi Turbo, Ford Focus rally car, and a road version of the Mercedes Benz CLK GTR amongst the assembly, together with a display of Ducatti motorcycles.

”It’s Raining Again”
Despite a brief lull in the rain squalls, the skies opened with a vengeance as the party moved from the hospital grounds, to the luncheon reception at the Bluebird Club in the Kings Road. London Routemaster buses, including an open top version for the masochists, provided suitable period transport, each followed by a convoy of cars. It was quite surreal to see a small snake of fire breathing sports racing cars threading their way through the heavy London traffic. The group following my bus (the open top one) included the 330 LM berlinetta and GT 40, their open exhausts bouncing beautiful tunes off the walls of the buildings.

2001 Anniversaries to be Commemorated
Once ensconsed in the welcoming private dining rooms of the Bluebird Club, wet apparel was laid to one side, and the ”wet” went within courtesy of Veuve Clicquot! The Earl of March announced the plans for this year’s Festival of Speed to be held between 6 – 8 July, and the Revival Meeting scheduled for 14 – 16 September. Some of the major anniversaries to be celebrated at the Festival of Speed will be, 100 Years of Mercedes Benz, 100 Years of Ford Motorsport, 90 Years of the Indianapolis 500, 90 Years of the Monte Carlo Rally, 50 Years since Ferrari won its first F1 Championship race, 40 Years of Brabham and 75 Years of Jack Brabham, the list goes on. It promises to be up to the standard, or even  surpassing the eight Festivals held so far. For the Revival meeting there will be some exciting new races, although the immensely popular one hour TT Celebration Race will again be the highlight of the weekend.

Keith Bluemel

330 LM berlinetta, s/n 4725SA
Mercedes Benz CLK GTR
Ford GT 40
McLaren F1 GTR road car
1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 s/n 50007 Tony Smith (GB)
330 LM berlinetta, s/n 4725SA
The Earl of March and Jochen Maas
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