Welcome to Festival of Speed Review - Saturday 4th July 2009

The track turns green
A stellar array of supercars kicked off Saturday’s action with an estimated £20 million worth of high-performance machines storming the hill. Festival visitors were granted an unparalleled opportunity to see and hear the latest in contemporary – and future – models. Hear unless the car in question was electric, the popular FoS-Tech class consisting of machines such as the highly-touted Tesla roadster, Ginetta’s latest battery-powered G50EZ coupé and RUF’s Porsche 911-based Greenster. In the same category was the extraordinary Lola World First F3 single-seater built using sustainable materials including polymerised carrot pulp for the steering wheel…

The supercharged Cropduster takes to the track

Diametrically opposed was the famous Volkswagen-Chevrolet Beetle, back in action after an extensive restoration. Beneath the familiar silhouette, this crowd pleaser consists largely of a Trojan Formula 5000 chassis, its American V8 proffering a suitably stirring soundtrack. Joining this extraordinary device in the Touring Cars from Around the World class was its period rival, the equally remarkable DAF-Oldsmobile 55 supersaloon, along with the Aston Martin RHAM1 ‘Petit Camion’. Most talked about car of the day, however, was undoubtedly the Stanton Special (aka The Cropduster). Built in 1953 by the Stanton brothers, and powered by a supercharged DeHavilland Gypsy Major aeroplane engine, this ear-drum abusing concoction broke the New Zealand Land Speed Record in 1958 after reaching a scarcely credible 173.8mph – along a narrow country lane.

Stewart is reunited with the Matra

There were no shortages of past masters in the Evolution of The F1 car class with Eddie Irvine taking to the hill aboard a Ferrari 312 T3 and triple Targa Florio winner Arturo Merzario in Lorenzo Prandini’s Ferrari 16C4/M2 while three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart was reunited with a Matra MS10 just in time for a light shower.  “The last times I drove this car it was a bit moist – and that was the 1968 German GP at the Nurburgring [which he won by more than four minutes],” the Scottish legend quipped. “[This car] was an amazing achievement. Matra was an amazing company and put things together so well. This car only did eight races and won five of them, I’m told.”

Loeb flings his Citroen

Generating plenty of new fans this weekend, American TV star Jesse James continued to amaze and astound aboard his off-road monster truck, sliding the 950bhp machine past the Qatar Airways enclosure before storming the Forrest Rally Stage. The motorcycle legend celebrated Independence Day in spectacular fashion and claimed he was “getting the hang of it” before admitting that he had practised the track prior to the event - in a hire car! First time Festival of Speed visitor, five-time World Rally champion Sébastien Loeb, was also on stellar form. Despite never having seen the course prior to his maiden run, he flung his Citroen C4 WRC with abandon and instantly established a benchmark time five time seconds faster than the next man despite opining that the course’s jump wasn’t high enough…

The legendary Eurofighter Typhoon takes to the Goodwood skies

Flying even higher was Flight Lieutenant Scott Loughran in the Eurofighter Typhoon although, by any palpable standard, he was incredibly low. Throttling back from the plane’s top speed of Mach 2, Loughran showcased the aircraft’s legendary agility with a sequence of breathtakingly swift changes of direction, and performed one flypast while upside down. His efforts raised the greatest cheer of the day, not that anyone could hear it for the searing boom from this extraordinary machine.

Red Bull's Webber does a donut!
Displaying an equal propensity for showmanship was Ferrari test driver Marc Gené who comprehensively flayed the rear tyres on his F2008. Not to be outdone, Toyota hotshoe Timo Glock gunned the TF108 off the line before slowing parallel to Goodwood House long enough to produce the smokiest burnout of the Festival thus far. “It’s nice to put on a nice show and produce some smoke,” said the world’s fastest former scaffolder. “It’s the least we can do for the fans. It’s just so great to see so many people here.” A sentiment shared by his Red Bull rival, Mark Webber. Articulate and quick with it, the Australian nonetheless has a hooligan side which he let this slip when he performed a perfectly executed ‘donut’ in his STR1 – before he arrived at the start line! “You have to give something to the fans,” he said. “It’s an amazing event so it’s important that we put on something special.”

Porsche attempt new Guiness World Record
Among the more improbable side attractions, Porsche embarked on its bid to establish a new Guinness World Record at Goodwood with 12 runners attempting to complete the longest ever distance completed on foot in 48 hours using treadmills. And stretching credulity, more muscle power was evident as a military team organised by BP Ultimate carried a car up Goodwood Hill on foot. And a lot more swiftly than ever seemed feasible, too. 

Bowled over by the Wild Cats!
Taking the road less travelled was the mighty Bowler Wildcat in the Activity Area, the off-road course adding another dimension to the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed. With unfeasibly dextrous suspension travel, and more horsepower than is strictly necessary, this British off-roader vied with the Porsche Cayenne’s off-piste antics on the Porsche Driving Experience for speedy four-by-four thrills.

Anniversaries Galore at Goodwood!
With significant anniversaries a central theme of this year’s event, Bugatti’s centenary was honoured on two fronts. The contemporary Volkswagen-funded cars were out in force on Goodwood Hill, assorted permeations of the mighty Veyron astounding with their accelerative force. The original marque was honoured in the Cartier Style et Luxe concours d’élégance with multiple coachbuilt icons matched only for artistry by the Dubbonet Xenia. Less exotic, but undoubtedly more accessible, the much-loved Mini’s Big 5-0 was also toasted with an array of well-known custom-built variations on the theme on display including Unipower, Ogle SX1000 and the Broadspeed GT.

But it was Audi which put on the biggest birthday bash. In addition to the towering sculpture outside Goodwood House, the Ingolstadt firm ushered in a roll-call of famous faces from Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason to former World Rally champions Allan Mikkola and Hannu Mikkola to exercise its fleet of historic Auto Unions and Quattro rally icons. Anyone who witnessed these cars in action is eternally grateful that it did.