2023 - Goodwood Revival or Watkins Glen?

[jamesfjamesf]

Hi all...new guy here who stumbled across this great resource while googling for others' thoughts on Friday only at GW Revival. I'm from the US and will be in the UK in September and thought about hitting the Revival (first time), but in the days since contemplating that Saturday has sold out. Is Friday only worth it? I'm not interested in the people show or tightly packed crowds, just the cars.

Alternatively, I could go to Watkins Glen, which I last attended in ~1989, serendipitously brought in by the USGP banner while driving home from university.

My gut feeling is that Goodwood will have a better selection of unusual machines, but I'm very open to skipping the crowded madness and heading back over at a different time for a different event that might be less of a people zoo but still have a nice selection of old machines, if such an event exists.

thanks!
jim

[Mike Crow]

Friday is well worth a visit. There will be a wonderful collection of amazing cars. They look great in the paddock though that is where the crowds will be. They look even better driven hard on the circuit and you will see all of them practising during the day. There is usually one race to end the day.

Although the paddock and start / finish straight are jammed with people ( posers) if you walk or take the tractor ride out to Madgwick, Fordwater or St Marys you will have unforgettable views of historic cars driven hard and on the limit and plenty of space to wander. You will have a ball. In the past I have ignored the paddock and just spent the day out on the back of the circuit. You should go at least once!

[photohsr]

I have been to both, Watkins Glen every year (except covid) since 1984 and twice to the Goodwood revival. Go to Goodwood, Watkins Glen is not what you remember, modern Trans-Am are included, and and not the historic cars of the past

[GORDON STREETER]

Go to Goodwood if you can, you will not be disappointed !

[Plantagenet]

I have typically attended the Revival on the Friday as it is cheaper (!). But.....you get to see all the cars qualifying - unlike if you only attend the saturday or sunday....and now the Kinrara trophy is on the Friday evening you get to see one of the best races too. It's a fantastic event - I personally wouldn't attend every year like some, but I highly recommend it.

[Aysedasi]

Go to Goodwood and you can even pop over and say hello to me as I once again steward at the Lavant Infield Grandstand.......

[dwh43scale]

Watkins Glen ! On my bucket list along with a few other US tracks (but then I did most of the Revivals up to the pandemic)

[v jones]

As i am poor cant afford to go to the Revival is there a live stream?

[SSmith]

Originally Posted by v jones

As i am poor cant afford to go to the Revival is there a live stream?

Yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxohhpX2kfM

[Gerard C]

Yes. Starts 8 Sept at 9:50 AM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxohhpX2kfM

[Gerard C]

Sorry, lost one minute! Better twice?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by v jones

As i am poor cant afford to go to the Revival is there a live stream?

Then volunteer as a steward like me.... This will be my third year at the Revival as a grandstand steward. I've now reached a point where I can ask for where I want to be. I'm at Lavant Infield - a very quiet little grandstand involving very little work for the stewards - and there will be at least 3-4 of us. There is also a paddock area there for some of the cars doing demonstrations. So we get to see quite a few great cars right from where we're stewarding as they go onto the track and then come back in again. I do all three mornings, getting there in time for the spitfires and hurricanes display, watch the morning practice and racing (while stewarding!) and knock off at 1.30 pm, have my lunch (provided) and then have the rest of the afternoon to myself to wander and watch as I please. All for the cost of just the petrol to get there.

[v jones]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Then volunteer as a steward like me.... This will be my third year at the Revival as a grandstand steward. I've now reached a point where I can ask for where I want to be. I'm at Lavant Infield - a very quiet little grandstand involving very little work for the stewards - and there will be at least 3-4 of us. There is also a paddock area there for some of the cars doing demonstrations. So we get to see quite a few great cars right from where we're stewarding as they go onto the track and then come back in again. I do all three mornings, getting there in time for the spitfires and hurricanes display, watch the morning practice and racing (while stewarding!) and knock off at 1.30 pm, have my lunch (provided) and then have the rest of the afternoon to myself to wander and watch as I please. All for the cost of just the petrol to get there.

Suberb offer, if you pay for my hip op. ill join you as soon as i can. Your take volunteering is brilliant, enjoy

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Then volunteer as a steward like me....

Did much the same myself for 4 years as a charity volunteer shaking a can for a few hours
Entry list here : https://www.goodwood.com/globalasset...RHRGFCVIFJxZkQ

[SSmith]

The entry this year contains some great drivers and cars, and in lots of races its hard to predict a winner.

The Lavant Cup grid must be the smallest Revival grid since the D-type/XKSS race in 2014? Despite that, some very quick drivers in some very nice machinery. It's been suggested that it could very easily be one of the last times we see genuine 250 GTOs, 250 LMs, and 330 GTOs racing. The GRRC seem to think it may be one of the last racing appearances for the Breadvan as well.

Wishing the best of luck to all TenTenthers competing, working, and marshalling/stewarding at Revival this weekend.

[Mike Harte]

Watched some of the coverage of yesterdays proceedings and was a little disappointed with the way it happened.

Firstly, I appreciate that I am not paying for watching, however I didn't expect adverts to happen during the middle of either qualifying or the race at the end of the day. And I assume that the commentators were unaware that the adverts were starting because it often happened in the middle of a sentence. I know that they probably actually showed all of the race, but there were at least two breaks and with ten minutes to go, the coverage was over a lap behind the live timing.

My other little quibble is that 3 or4 times at least, the picture became blurred for minutes at a time.

But, I am still grateful that it is made available.

[Mike Crow]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Watched some of the coverage of yesterdays proceedings and was a little disappointed with the way it happened.

Firstly, I appreciate that I am not paying for watching, however I didn't expect adverts to happen during the middle of either qualifying or the race at the end of the day. And I assume that the commentators were unaware that the adverts were starting because it often happened in the middle of a sentence. I know that they probably actually showed all of the race, but there were at least two breaks and with ten minutes to go, the coverage was over a lap behind the live timing.

My other little quibble is that 3 or4 times at least, the picture became blurred for minutes at a time.

But, I am still grateful that it is made available.

I thought the quality of the broadcast exceptional, especially some of the on board stuff. The race into the dark made wonderful viewing with a wonderful car winning in the end. There was some stunning driving in the practices with Chris Ward in the Jaguar Mk1 mesmerising. The event might be an overpriced pastiche but the cars and the racing remain astonishing.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Mike Crow

I thought the quality of the broadcast exceptional, especially some of the on board stuff. The race into the dark made wonderful viewing with a wonderful car winning in the end. There was some stunning driving in the practices with Chris Ward in the Jaguar Mk1 mesmerising. The event might be an overpriced pastiche but the cars and the racing remain astonishing.

Totally agree, I've been lucky enough to attend the Revival on many occasions but watching the live stream this year and the camera work has been superb, I know it's ridiculously expensive but there is no other event which comes near from my point of view. As a race fan I've become pretty disenchanted with all the parades and other paraphernalia over the years but it's somewhat interesting seeing the event from another perspective since I normally make a bee line for Fordwater/St Marys and stay there.

[brands]

No adverts during the action on the big screens on Friday.
Ben Edwards and Alice Powell gave a fresh sound to the commentary although they lacked some knowledge of historic/classic racing cars. They also swapped commentators around which was good.
The system of entry from the north car park via the "across the road" was farcicial at 7.30am and seems got worse in the next couple of hours.
The special Goodwood "traffic management" in the morning was the same as ever, but had a good getaway post the Freddie March race.

The cars and the commintment of the pro drivers was fantastic, as always.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by justracing

Totally agree, I've been lucky enough to attend the Revival on many occasions but watching the live stream this year and the camera work has been superb, I know it's ridiculously expensive but there is no other event which comes near from my point of view. As a race fan I've become pretty disenchanted with all the parades and other paraphernalia over the years but it's somewhat interesting seeing the event from another perspective since I normally make a bee line for Fordwater/St Marys and stay there.

I've done two of my three days of stewarding on a grandstand, one more early start to go tomorrow. Although I've not stayed long after my shifts, I've thoroughly enjoyed it. We've been busy as the Lavant Infield stand is just about the only one that remains full in shade all morning and it was really very hot today. But standing for 6-7 hours is taking it's toll on my ageing legs hence the early departure! Today was worth it just to watch Button and Johnson going at it hammer and tongs!

The entry from the car park was very quiet for me today, but it was 6.45 am when I arrived.... Having spent the best part of 45 minutes queuing to get my car in yesterday, it was a breeze this morning. If only I could say the same for traffic at all points on every route I tried between Southampton and the New Forest on the way home, which was diabolical.

[Aysedasi]

Three days done. Most enjoyable.

There really is no love for the Revival here, is there?

[v jones]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Three days done. Most enjoyable.

There really is no love for the Revival here, is there?

Whats not to like? Some excellent close racing at a excellent circuit that does not have the charisma of multiple Tesco car parks.

[chunterer]

Enjoyed the racing as always but I think half of the commentary line up had really gone backwards.
Poor Ben Edwards! Bruce can be a bit overbearing, but having to put up with a hospital radio DJ and a shouty,inane state the bleedin obvious former 'driver' really grates.

[coppice]

I watched the livestream and it was terrific. I had no problem with the commentators at all- it is a hard job and they did it well. The commentary isn't targeted at anoraks like me and the fact the odd error is made doesn't concern me in the least . I can think of nominally more expert commentators who induce catatonia in non hard core enthusiasts .

Fabulous cars on one of my favourite circuits. I usually attend the Members' Meeting but cannot does next year so looks like I better start saving up for the 2024 Revival...

[chunterer]

Ben Edwards is great, Bruce very enthusiastic but Jacques and Powell continue to be awful. It's cringeworthy at times.