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The Arrival
Goodwood – 2006 Festival of Speed
I was able to secure photographer credentials for Carole and me to the Goodwood Festival of Speed with the very kind help of Jeff Allison, the editor of Prancing Horse, the Ferrari Club magazine, and Janet Bradley, the Press Credential Officer at Goodwood.
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(Click images for larger view)
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Lord March (left)
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Goodwood House
with sculpture
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Stirling Moss
Mercedes W196
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A "Hill" of an Experience
Goodwood – 2006 Festival of Speed
Entering the parking lot was very much the same as entering the Monterey Historics, except for all the grass; sorry, Mr. Earle. Green grass and tree-covered rolling hills make for a very pastoral scene.
 They cut off ticket sales at 150,000 for the weekend and it seemed that all the people were there on Saturday. I tried to get to Damon Hill, the 1996 F-1 champion, to show him some pictures I have of his father at Riverside. The crush of people, most being young female types, was incredible. It was a walking forest of bodies, not all that bad at times though, but I could not catch his eye.
Later, I decided to stop by the pits where the F-1 Lotus 49 that he was to drive up the hill was parked. I showed a couple of people who were with the car some of my pictures of Graham Hill and all of a sudden a stylish older woman almost ripped my book from my hands as she exclaimed, "I wonder who she was?" She was referring to a picture I have of Graham Hill with his arms wrapped tightly around a statuesque starlet. I explained the story of the picture to her, and I was greatly surprised when she identified herself as Bette Hill, Graham's widow. She said this was just one of the burdens of being the wife of an F-1 champion. I thought it best to drop the subject and just blend back into the crowd. Graham and Damon are the only father and son to become F-1 World Champions.
 Dan Gurney's Formula 1 Car circa 1960's
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A Petty Experience
Goodwood – 2006 Festival of Speed
 Besides taking some fun pictures of Evi and Dan Gurney on a Vitality motor scooter at Goodwood, meeting a "King" in England proved to be a genuine experience.
 We had a Ferrari escort Saturday from a gentleman staying at our inn, but he only attended Saturday's event. We arrived at Goodwood a little late on Sunday, and we missed the Richard Petty news conference at the press headquarters. Fortunately, he was still being interviewed on a balcony.
With Carole womaning (like manning) the camera and me with a Sharpie pen in one hand and a 16 x 20 picture of Richie Ginther in a 4.1 Ferrari at Riverside in the other, we positioned ourselves to pounce on the "King" for an autograph and a few words. (This is the same tactic we used to meet and get an autograph of Bill Warner, the founder of the Amelia Island Concours, which lead to him asking us to display the photographs at "Chrysler Presents the Great Photographers" at the Concours in 2005. But I digress.)
 When Mr. Petty finished with the interview, we were the first of a small group of people to get an audience with him. I asked him if he would sign the picture for me. He took the picture from me and said. "That's Riverside," then pointed to the top, "there's turn six. The sporty car guys then came down this way," pointing to the area between six and seven. "Us stockers came around the top then down that long straight away." Not bad for not seeing that track in over 45 years.
 We talked a little about Goodwood. Carole was busy taking many pictures. As he then started to walk away he put his arm around my shoulder and thanked me for showing him the picture and for the memories it just brought back. He didn't get very far as the numbers of people were now growing. He stayed and signed whatever was asked of him.
OK, he's not a sports car or F-1 guy, but he is a genuine legend who really appreciates his fans. Anyone who can win 200 races is doing something right. He has me as a big fan. He really seems to enjoy this type of event. We talked to one of the Dodge people, who were taking care of him there, and he said that was a big problem, getting him from place to place on time.
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The Good, The Bad and The Pringle
Goodwood – 2006 Festival of Speed
 From prior festivals I remember seeing fantastic car displays in front of Goodwood House. I was excited to see what would be created for the 14th Festival. Wow! A gigantic "Flying Pringle" - as the locals called it. What says automobiles more than a pringle with a hole in it??? Sorry your Lordship, but I didn't get it. Many others that I talked to also did not get it.
The pringle aside, Goodwood was everything I expected. Really too much to see on one weekend. I missed getting such greats as Damon Hill, Jackie Icks, Nigel Mansell, John Surtees, Stirling Moss, and so many others, to sign my Ginther photograph.
So many great cars to see, many of which I had seen already at the Monterey Historics (great work, Steve). Someone should publish a pamphlet on how to see Goodwood. By the time you figure out where you should be and when you should be there, it's time to be somewhere else.
Still, regardless of how much time was spent going back and forth and how much time was spent waiting for things to happen, we will always have Goodwood. (Apologies to Casablanca.)
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Dan Gurney & Allen Kuhn
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Jack Brabham & Allen Kuhn
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Apparently they took me up on the pamphlet idea.
(OK, maybe they already thought of this - see link below.)
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Goodwood Festival of Speed 2007 –
'Spark of Genius – Breaking Records, Pushing Boundaries'
Goodwood, England
June 22 – 24, 2007
The theme of this year’s Festival of Speed – to be held over the weekend of 22-24 June this year – is 'Spark of Genius – Breaking Records, Pushing Boundaries', celebrating the glory of the individual racers and engineering visionaries that took risks and made sacrifices in their quest for victory.
Learn more about Goodwood Festival of Speed 2007
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For those more interested in the classic sportscars, Goodwood offers:
Goodwood Revival
Goodwood, England
August 31 – September 2, 2007
The Goodwood Revival is the world's most popular motor race meeting and the only event of its kind to be staged in the romantic time capsule of the Fifties and Sixties. As well as recreating the golden era of motor sport, the Revival offers exceptional wheel-to-wheel racing around a classic circuit, untouched by the modern world.
The nostalgic appeal of the world's most authentic historic motor race meeting, the Goodwood Revival, is set to reach new heights for 2007 with an additional aeronautical attraction that recalls the style and excitement of flying as it used to be. For the 2007 Goodwood Revival, the 'Freddie March Spirit of Aviation' is planned to be the first of a world-class annual 'concours d'elegance' for historic aircraft, built up to 1966, the same cut-off year as all motor vehicles permitted on site at the Motor Circuit during the hugely popular three-day Goodwood Revival meeting.
Learn more at the Goodwood Revival website
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