[Broadclystboy]

An attempt to respond to a number of earlier threads

On the down side:-

The Revival and Members Meetings are expensive – even more so if you need to travel from afar and book accommodation. Then again at the MM you get to rub shoulders and chat to motor sport legends like Ross Brawn, Jochen Mass, Andy Wallace, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Emanuele Pirro, etc and access is all areas. And costs are on a par I presume with the price of a seat for a 90 minute event at Old Trafford (if you can get one), - I’m not sure if you also get a chance to chat to Wayne Rooney at half time.

The Revival is crowded and veers towards a fancy dress party at times (but you are not obliged to dress up and everybody seems to enjoy the motor sport)

The MM is a real gamble with the weather. I too froze my nether regions off last year, but am coming prepared this year. I attended the F1 race back in April 1965. I wore a non-waterproof anorak, jeans and baseball boots (remember them?) which alas did not keep out the sleet and snow. Strangely I never see this authentic attire at the Revival.

On the plus side:-

The Revival and Members Meetings are world-wide renowned events – check out the glowing reports in the US publication Vintage Motor Sport. They attract enthusiasts from all over the world. A few years back there was a couple from Tasmania staying at my favourite local B & B (not telling where) who had the Revival on their must-do bucket list. They were not disappointed.

Unlike the majority of tracks where historic racing takes place, enjoyment is not spoiled by having to peer through wire fencing or across large run-off areas. Watching the experts wrestling Shelby Cobras, V8 saloons and Group 7 sports cars through ‘No Name’ before and then through St Marys is awesome. And for the MM you get the chance for grid walks.

And for those of a certain age, the opportunity to see pre-war Mercedes and Auto Unions, Shelby Daytona Coupes, races solely for Cobras, D-types etc, and this year Porsche 917s, Ferrari 512s, Lola T70 Mk 3s as well as the 1955 Silver Arrows is priceless.

I have recently been to historic race meetings at Laguna Seca and Sears Point. These were really enjoyable, a somewhat different set of cars and atmosphere (and the weather was warm) but everyone I spoke to viewed the Goodwood events as being the pinnacle of historic racing.

Finally I went to the Brands Hatch Formula Ford Festival last October – for the first time in 20 years. Yes, spectator entry costs were ridiculously cheap, the (small) crowd enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and there was some close racing. And the Sunday weather was great. But the cars all looked the same, and the spectator fencing (which I fully understand the need for) was obtrusive.

Hopefully we will never get blasé about the amount of historic racing choice we can enjoy. At the end of the day of course you pays yer money and you takes yer choice