Goodwood Festival Invite Query

[josvandeperre]

What does it take to get to be the nominated driver for one of the invited vehicles at the Festival of Speed ? Not the overalls/license/helmet aspect but the actual taking part etc - presumably some entrants of invited cars seek to defray some of their costs

[Slippy Diff]

Originally Posted by josvandeperre

What does it take to get to be the nominated driver for one of the invited vehicles at the Festival of Speed ? Not the overalls/license/helmet aspect but the actual taking part etc - presumably some entrants of invited cars seek to defray some of their costs

You have to be in the clique.

[terence]

As a general rule,the car idealy will have heaps of history,likewise the nominated driver,if its someone like{for arguments sake}Simon Taylor/Mossy,those drivers make NO contribution whatsoever.

[Peter Mallett]

Festival of Speed or Revival?

[zac510]

He's talking about being an invited driver not an invited car!

[Peter Mallett]

I know.

[josvandeperre]

Originally Posted by josvandeperre

Festival of Speed

[john ruston]

Festival of Greed/Phoneywood-Aim one is know the correct people then any car will do(look at rubbish in pre war race or known as Bens mates race).Second keep your nose clean and do what they tell you,win if you are allowed to.Sell the drive thu the back door to some sad person or put one of their nominated drivers in the car.It will be at your cost and if their nominated driver bends it you still pay.If you want to sell a car its a good idea to get an entry as it increases the cars value.Its a money making scheme and the best of luck to them but it is not that great as a circuit and as dangerous as it was in 66 when people could not wait to get to Thruxton.I remember it well and that last F2 race.No I am not a fan but understand its attraction to other people but it is not the great saviour of historic racing in UK,Its not a patch on the old Silverstone Festival before BRDC messed it up.Perhaps that meeting can make a comeback along with the Oldtimers at the Ring.The Le Mans Classic is now the foremost historic event and if there is one event to attend or take part in thats it.
I await other peoples thoughts with interest!

[Peter Mallett]

Jos,

The Festival of Speed is the hillclimb and it usually remains the bastion of the professionals and owner drivers. The Revival is the circuit race where (as John points out) you can be invited to drive a car. Hence my confusion.

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Festival of Greed/Phoneywood-Aim one is know the correct people then any car will do(look at rubbish in pre war race or known as Bens mates race).Second keep your nose clean and do what they tell you,win if you are allowed to.Sell the drive thu the back door to some sad person or put one of their nominated drivers in the car.It will be at your cost and if their nominated driver bends it you still pay.If you want to sell a car its a good idea to get an entry as it increases the cars value.Its a money making scheme and the best of luck to them but it is not that great as a circuit and as dangerous as it was in 66 when people could not wait to get to Thruxton.I remember it well and that last F2 race.No I am not a fan but understand its attraction to other people but it is not the great saviour of historic racing in UK,Its not a patch on the old Silverstone Festival before BRDC messed it up.Perhaps that meeting can make a comeback along with the Oldtimers at the Ring.The Le Mans Classic is now the foremost historic event and if there is one event to attend or take part in thats it.
I await other peoples thoughts with interest!

Do I detect just a teensy weeny bit of cynisism there Mr Ruston ?

I like it as a circuit as its difficult to drive quickly due to the fear factor as much as anything, therefore its a challenge, its also local for me which makes a big difference. and being a Sussex Lad I find the setting and ambience most pleasant.

However I believe this thread is referringto the FoS not the revival, that will no doubt rear its discussion head in a month or so!

[terence]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Festival of Greed/Phoneywood-Aim one is know the correct people then any car will do(look at rubbish in pre war race or known as Bens mates race).Second keep your nose clean and do what they tell you,win if you are allowed to.Sell the drive thu the back door to some sad person or put one of their nominated drivers in the car.It will be at your cost and if their nominated driver bends it you still pay.If you want to sell a car its a good idea to get an entry as it increases the cars value.Its a money making scheme and the best of luck to them but it is not that great as a circuit and as dangerous as it was in 66 when people could not wait to get to Thruxton.I remember it well and that last F2 race.No I am not a fan but understand its attraction to other people but it is not the great saviour of historic racing in UK,Its not a patch on the old Silverstone Festival before BRDC messed it up.Perhaps that meeting can make a comeback along with the Oldtimers at the Ring.The Le Mans Classic is now the foremost historic event and if there is one event to attend or take part in thats it.
I await other peoples thoughts with interest!

Pass that man a beer,one hundred percent correct John,you stand around for the whole weekend,which seems never ending,sorry to any fans but there ARE other events on the European calender that are far more fun.

[john ruston]

Not a tiny bit but a lot!
The original idea was Robert Brooks,who is very clever,with his mate Charlie March.Its a totally profit run operation which is a reasonable thing to do and based on the assumption that they buy the entrants for the weekend with a free entry and a good party.As long as you the owner ,driver etc are prepared to do whatever the organisers want you to do its a fine weekend but it is dangerous,drivers are there who should not be on the track,and many do not respect others whilst on the track as its not their pound notes being spent.This goes for both weekends not just the Sept event.The speech that his Lordship made last year saying it was the greatest historic event on earth was just plain B/S as presumably he missed Classic Le Mans by organising his garden party the same weekend.Lets hope they do not clash next year as even I understand there are people who would like to do both

[terence]

Wonder if Charlie actually goes to any other meeting,s?

[john ruston]

Goodwood Race Week-but that's for nags,very good ones.Remember him being in a works 328 with I think Mr Mass in 98 ,a car one number behind us and being disinterested.As I thing Mr Mass is a proper bloke I fail to understand his disinterest as a more interesting weekend it would be difficult to better,and for free.Think its about time I stop on this matter as I cannot think of another reason to use the word interest or lack of.

[Mulsanne Bleu]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Not a tiny bit but a lot!
The original idea was Robert Brooks,who is very clever,with his mate Charlie March.Its a totally profit run operation which is a reasonable thing to do and based on the assumption that they buy the entrants for the weekend with a free entry and a good party.As long as you the owner ,driver etc are prepared to do whatever the organisers want you to do its a fine weekend but it is dangerous,drivers are there who should not be on the track,and many do not respect others whilst on the track as its not their pound notes being spent.This goes for both weekends not just the Sept event.The speech that his Lordship made last year saying it was the greatest historic event on earth was just plain B/S as presumably he missed Classic Le Mans by organising his garden party the same weekend.Lets hope they do not clash next year as even I understand there are people who would like to do both

Just thinking, don't anybody think the one positive thing about the event is, he saved Goodwood House from being part of the National Trust, would any aristocrats want that to happen to their house

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by WLLRNNN

Just thinking, don't anybody think the one positive thing about the event is, he saved Goodwood House from being part of the National Trust, would any aristocrats want that to happen to their house

Can't comment about the aristocrat bit, but he's done his family proud

I can only bow down to the guy for not shooting the miserable old farts who complain about noise, its not as if the circuit hasn't been there very long

Living next door to one of the oldest, and THE oldest commercial airport in the world, one is used to the 'goings on of local folk' . . . .if you don't like it . . . Naaarrff Ooorrfff elsewhere!

[lifeof]

I generally agree with John Ruston. Some drivers who should not be on a race track, cars that are not necesarilly what they seem and a race being stopped last year to allow plane to land !!!!! I became dis-allusioned with the event having enjoyed the first two - there are better historic meetings available.
The hillclimb is a joke - I recall the British Hillclimb Champion being invited one year and, I am told, he was advised not to go too fast as it might show up the well-known drivers. At the Shelsley Walsh Centenary it was said, publically, by a very well-known driver that 'Goodwood is a good show but this is the real thing'
Having said that they do entertain many people but not anymore, probably, the enthusiast.

[Peter Mallett]

Gawd, this is a shift in opinions! What with the CC thread declaring Top Hat boring and this one telling us that Goodwood is a sham, I'm almost ready to slit my wrists!

In reality all events are manipulated, even the Spa 6hrs.

I recall an Aston beating a Ferrari GTO at one of the Coys meetings. It was clear to me and others, that the Aston driver was 'gifted' the win possibly because he'd just finished restoring the GTO behind him which was being driven by its obviously grateful owner.

Are we witnessing a backlash here?

Food for thought.

[zefarelly]

Everyone knows the FoS is a Show, not competitive sport, which is why it does nothing for me, but I wouldn't agree the Revival is anything less than a very showy race meeting, certainly the bit I follow are very competitively fought

I know what you mean though Peter . .We're all doomed!!!!

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by lifeof

I generally agree with John Ruston. Some drivers who should not be on a race track, cars that are not necesarilly what they seem and a race being stopped last year to allow plane to land !!!!! I became dis-allusioned with the event having enjoyed the first two - there are better historic meetings available.
The hillclimb is a joke - I recall the British Hillclimb Champion being invited one year and, I am told, he was advised not to go too fast as it might show up the well-known drivers. At the Shelsley Walsh Centenary it was said, publically, by a very well-known driver that 'Goodwood is a good show but this is the real thing'
Having said that they do entertain many people but not anymore, probably, the enthusiast.

1) I know where John R is coming from and why. However, it is but one view. It doesn't make it an accurate reflection from every person's angle, and certainly not that of a spectating enthusiast. It's all very well saying that it is all about money and that there are better historic meetings to go to abroad, but then is that not, too, also about money, at a different level, that you need to get to them? Some of us don't have either the time or money to do that. Financial privilege exists at different levels. It's just that Goodwood sits at the top of that particular pile.
2) In the UK, Coys used to pretty well match up to the Revival (or maybe it was the other way round since it preceded it) and hopefully, the Classic will grow into that stature. The Brands Superprix is an excellent meeting, but neither Silverstone or Brands allow the spectator such a clear and close view of the racing as Goodwood.
3) The Festival of Speed is indeed a show and demonstration. It would only be a 'joke' as a hillclimb if it set itself up seriously to be one. The 'well known driver' was only stating the obvious. I agree with Zef; I rarely go because it is just a show. The Revival however, is more than just a show.
4) The Revival does accept/invite some dubious cars, but setting them aside, it still has more cars with great histories than most of the historic race meetings. And I have so far never seen anywhere else, the number of great front engined GT cars that make up the grid for the feature race, the TT Revival, or the amazing array of 'historic' racing drivers that make up many of the grids.
5) I think that after viewing motor racing for over 40 years, and now go to more meeting than ever, I can claim to be a genuine enthusiast. I don't care that there are a load of Hooray Henry's or families having their annual motorsport day out, as long as they don't deny me the pleasure of watching the racing (and they DO race). I do have issues with Goodwood (previously expressed on earlier threads) and I agree that stopping a race for an aircraft to land was pretty abysmal but the Revival is still a 'must see' for me. I am grateful to Lord March, whatever his motives are/were (and I'm sure there were several, not simply money) for reopening a circuit which I had thought was lost to us. We should do well to remember that.

[simon drabble]

in respect to stopping a race for the "emergency landing" of a plane - I think you will find that was a legal requirement rather than Goodwood doing it out of choice.
I have competed at only one Goodwood with diabolical results - fuel pump failure on the green flag lap! However I would rate it as one of my most enjoyable weekends racing and the hospitality and show put on by the prganizers I think is incredible.
The circuit is a fast and dangerous one and all that is said to the drivers is - be aware of that and dont overdrive. All they are saying is written in the rules of Gentlemen Drivers, HSCC etc.. i.e. if you bang doors you wont be invited back.
I think the environment he has created has enabled us to witness some extrememly rare cars in action and as from last year they are clamping down on hotrods.
Silverstone Classic, Spa 6 Hour and Brands Super Prix are all superb meetings but Goodwood is Goodwood. My parents used to go in late fifties and early sixties and tell me it was special then, so lets not slag it off - why not enjoy it for what it is?

[rogerwills]

For me it is still near or at the top of my wish list - an invitation to drive at the Revival. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but it ticks all the boxes for me!

[terence]

Heres hoping you get you,r wish Roger,when that happens ,perhaps you could let us know you,r views after?

[rogerwills]

Fingers crossed!

[esper]

Originally Posted by rogerwills

For me it is still near or at the top of my wish list - an invitation to drive at the Revival. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but it ticks all the boxes for me!

And for me. to count the assets to this moment only my racetruck realy has an aspect of Goodwood. (allthough a genuine TVR grantura is rare these days)