Eddie Jordan, namesake leader and owner of the Jordan F1 racing team, has died.
A family statement on Thursday read:
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Eddie Jordan OBE, the ex-Formula 1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur.
“He passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town in the early hours of 20 March 2025.”
He will be missed
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/story/full_page_image/21st-january-2025-page-5_4f2607de/content.html
Well done to the police and keep up the good work.
They talk about Glorious Goodwood, but when they say that typically it’s the horse racing that they mean.
However, yesterday could equaly be described as Glorious Goodwood. The sun was shining, we were at the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit as spectators for one of the Revival Weekend Test Days. We were surrounded by the sounds of hundreds, probably thousands, of horsepower. And instead of the smell of horse sweat and manure the smell of tyre smoke and racing fuel permeated the air.
Jon, my son-in-law, and I were here for the day. We really had no idea what to expect as this is not a public event. The Test Days are open, free of charge, to Goodwood Road Racing Club members. Much of the circuit is a construction site as the preparations proceed for the Revival weekend.
There were cars on the track but no schedule of events. No racing per se but tell that to a racing driver who is trying wring every last ounce of performance out of his car.
So, we arrived on circuit at around 09:45 and as there were cars already out on track we headed via the tunnel to the pit lane area where we could get an overview of the track.
We were just in time for the end of a session as we could see the red flag out and cars were being directed into the paddock area.
As we could see that cars were queuing in the pit lane for the next session we went for a closer look.
The beauty of days like these test days is that you can get up close with the cars, the drivers and their support teams.
Also, behind the pit lane area are the paddocks where the cars are prepared before heading out onto the track. This are will be filled to capacity over the revival weekend but for our visit there were only a few cars in residence.
From the paddock we headed across to the other side of the track to get a different perspective on the action.
By way of a change we were treated to a few open wheeled racers.
As this was only a test day we had been prewarned that there could be interruptions to proceedings, that certain areas of the circuit may be out of bounds due to construction activities.
And so it was that the track was shut down while a crane was brought out to lift some framework for one of the stands. Though this didn’t stop all activity as the next two pictures show. The lead car, with the hatch open, had a video film camerman sitting in the back, filming the following cars.
Once the cranework was completed the track was reopened and we were back to the action.
These remaining photos were taken from either opposite to the pit exit or from above the pit lane buildings.
Well I hope I didn’t bore you to death with this post and all my snaps. If you got this far, thanks for sticking with me.
The thing that always amazes me is that the owners of these cars, worth millions of pounds, allow them to be raced. And believe me the drivers don’t hold back.
Last Sunday, 4th August, I visited the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit for the last Breakfast Club of 2024. I was there with my son-in-law Jon.
The Breakfast Club meetings are held on a Sunday morning and are free to attend.
All the vehicles on display are privately owned and driven or ridden to the event.
They are their owners’ pride and joy, the results of many hours of restoration and care.
And, in many cases, the expenditure of many thousands of pounds well beyond the resale value of the vehicle.
Each Breakfast Club has a theme, and this time was no different. Classic Sunday was for cars and bikes that were registered before 1st January 1984.
According to the news letter I received a few days ago, this breakfast club attracted over a thousand vehicles.
Suffice to say, Jon and I only managed to view maybe two-thirds of the vehicles on display in the time available to us. The gates opened to the public at 08:00 and we had arrived about thirty minutes after. The event closed at noon. We would have needed another couple of hours to view the remaining exhibits.
This time, breakfast club visitors were treated musical entertainment in the form of the Chichester City Band
Jaguar Kougar ? Seems like a bit of cross breeding going on here. And there certainly is with the Kougar being a “kit” car of sorts.
The Citroen DS was possibly the most beautiful car of its era and certainly its aerodynamic design and innovative suspension came the closest to the 50’s imagined transport of the future.
This is a classic example of a Rat Rod of which there were several on display. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder.
There were a number of Corvettes on display. Most of the more usual Stingray style, unlike this example.
The 2CV was introduced to help motorise the large number of farmers still using horses and carts in 1930s France. In addition, it had been designed to cross a freshly ploughed field with a basket full of eggs on the passenger’s seat without breaking them, because of the great lack of paved roads in France at the time.
Somehow I don’t think this bright orange example would meet that criteria.
This pretty rod is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Rat Rod above.
Beautiful, with so much chrome to catch the eye. So, so stylish.
I suspect that the front of this car would fail so many of the modern day safety rules and regulations. Style has been sacrificed for safety.
Yet another beautiful car. Pretty sure I had some pressed steel clockwork cars that looked like this VW.
Precursor to the James Bond classic DB5
Classic american muscle car. Who can forget that ultimate movie car chase with Steve McQueen in Bullitt. Apparently the real “Bullitt” Mustang sold for $3.74 million.
More muscle …
I remember the NSU from teens. To me they looked similar from the front and back.
Another “rat” or is it a work in progress ?
Triumphs are one of my favourite sports car marques. Love the shape and style of the TR4 although the predecessor TR3 has, in my opinion, the better shape.
My preference would be for the Lotus with its superior handling. However my height and bulk would probably prevent me from getting into the Lotus or, more likely, make my exit look like a comedy routine. So it looks like I’m stuck with the yank tank.
Austin Healey 100, so named due to its ability to reach a speed of 100 mph.
Nicknamed Mavis.
Mavis claims to be a wolf in sheeps clothing due to the higher power unit fitted which has been “breathed on”. She claims to look like a tortoise, run like a hare and roar like a lion.
This MGB is another wolf in sheeps clothing. When I asked how he managed to get that lump into the car his reply was that he used some very big shoe-horns and a few cans of WD-40.
Who knew that the manufacturers of the ubiquitous 3-wheeler manufactured such great looking cars.
The Sabre 4 had a 1,703 cc engine
The Sabre 6 had a 2,553 cc engine.
Well I hope you enjoyed browsing my photos from Classi Sunday. As I said previously there were over a thousand cars on display and I have only scratched the surface with these pictures.
Jon and I played a little game between ourselves when we arrived. Jon said, “I wonder how may E-Types we will see” So we started counting.
We stopped at 27.
Till next time. The next breakfast club will be in May of 2025.
Per my recent post, on Sunday, 14th April, I had the great pleasure of attending the annual Members Meeting, held at the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit.
This was the 81st Members Meeting. It’s amazing to think that this annual event has been going for so long.
Thankfully, the weather was kind, dry with some sunshine throughout the day, although the temperatures did drop later in the afternoon.
But hey, this post isn’t about the weather. Let’s get on to the main event. It’s all about historic cars, some of which are over one hundred years old, being raced around the Goodwood circuit.
So here are some photos of some fabulous cars, oh and motorcycles.
Getting us started is a fairly modern vehicle by Goodwood standards ….
This was just one of an array of Alpines lined up to greet us as we arrived.
Close by there was this fine display of monster Bentleys.
On arrival we were just in time for the first race.
Here we are on the grid but no sign of the cars.
These guys were all lining up to compete in the Parnell Cup, a twenty minute race for Grand Prix, Formula 2 and Voiturette cars. These cars are of a type that raced between 1935 and 1953.
Next up was the Derek Bell Cup. a twenty minute race for 1-litre Formula 3 cars that raced between 1964 and 1970.
Yes, all lined up ready for the off. Unfortunately the race start was delayed for a few minutes.
Unfortunately, due to a racing incident the race was red flagged, an ambulance was deployed and all the remaining competitors had to return to the grid for the eventual race restart.
For a totally different form of racing we move on to the Sidecar Shootout. Racing sidecars was a first for Goodwood. The shootout featured eight of the quickest pairings from the Sidecar World Championships.
The riders, or is it drivers, and their passengers have to be truly insane. One of the competitor vehicles was clocked at 144 mph.
Between each racing event, the McLaren cars would come out to play.
Presumably checking that the circuit was clear of any debris prior to the next event.
Which in this case was the Surtees Trophy. The Trophy race is for unlimited sports racing prototypes that raced between 1960 and 1966. The race duration was twenty minutes.
First the formation lap …..
And then they were off.
Charging into the first corner.
Here are a few detail shots …..
As we headed into the afternoon it was time for a Mustang or two, or thirty. Yep, thirty Ford Mustangs headed out onto the grid for the Ken Miles Cup. This forty-five minute race was for first generation Ford Mustangs that raced up to 1966.
Unfortunately, due to a racing incident, the safety car had to be deployed and the track cleared before racing could continue.
And then we were racing again …..
Sadly, this guy didn’t get to the finish line …..
But the Members Meeting isn’t all about racing. Some of the events are demonstration runs. On this occasion there was a real treat in store for motorsport fans, Can-Am. The Can-Am series introduced some of the wildest, most extreme race cars of all time.
Following the Can-Am demo we were treated to a real vintage display. Part 2 of the S.F. Edge Trophy. A five lap race for Edwardian racing cars, and Aero-Engined Specials, from the early 20th Century. Here are a few of my snaps …..
And now, back to the future. Here we have a Gordon Murray Automotive T.33 “Mule” supercar
Travelling back in time, just a little, we were treated to a demonstration of Niki Lauda’s McLaren MP4/2B……
And then as time was marching on, at around 17:00, we had the final of the Sidecar Shootout.
Finally, as we were getting ready to leave the circuit for the day, there was much activity on the grid as Goodwood prepared for the Peter Collins Trophy, a twenty minute race for sports racing cars of a type that would have raced between 1948 and 1955.
We didn’t actually see this race get underway as we were heading to the car park, but all in all we had a fabulous day. Once again Goodwood put on a spectacular event.
Thank you to Goodwood
Thank you to all the competitors and demonstration drivers.
Thank you to all the owners who allow these fabulous machines to driven as they were intended.
I’m of an age that I remember some of these vehicles racing, watching them on a Saturday afternoon, in black and white, on the BBC. Certainly I can’t get enough of them and all being well, I will definitely be back for the 82nd Members Meeting in 2025.
Yesterday, along with my son-in-law and grandson, I spent a fabulous day at the Goodwood Road Racing Club, 81st Members Meet.
The weather was kind, remained dry, and we even had a little sunshine.
This is just a taster of some photos. These taken on my phone.
Most of my shots were taken on my Canon 7D camera and are yet to be offloaded onto my laptop.
So, stay tuned. Be prepared to be bored. There will be a full post in the next couple of days.
Here in the UK, once a vehicle is three years old, it has to be submitted for a annual MOT test.
My vehicle, a Mazda CX5, which I have had since 2013, was due its MOT at the end of this month.
It was booked into the testing station today.
Brilliant news, it passed the examination. That’s eight consecutive years with no work to be carried out.
Great work.
It’s good to see that our local bobbies are getting tough with the hoons. Can we have more of the same, but in the Horndean / Waterlooville area
Over two days of a preplanned operation, the police spotted 66 vehicles speeding, which gives a sense of the scale of the problem.
One of those vehicles was doing 86 mph in a 40 zone.
More positive news …
It just to show that the British Bobby is as tenacious as his Canadian counterpart. He will always get his man.
Brilliant.
The police now have the powers but they seem to be discretionary.
It is illegal to use these things on public roads. Surely, there should be no discretion. Confiscation and scrappage should be automatic.
However, this is a step in the right direction.
WrAnTz 