The Goowood Tourist Trophy was a three-hour endurance race for World Championship sports cars, and later for GT cars. This race evolved from the Nine Hours race, and was one of the showpiece occasions of the Goodwood season.
At the Goodwood Revival, this is the main race on Sunday afternoon: a one-hour, two-driver challenge for closed-cockpit GT cars (1960-1964), featuring some of the most famous names and cars in motor sport. Drivers competed in such finery as Ferrari 250GT SWBs, 250GTOs and 330LMBs, Jaguar E-type Lightweights and Low-Drag cars, AC Cobras, Aston Martin DB4GT Zagatos and the famous Project 212.
Bobby Rahal and Adrian Newey claimed a brilliant win in the one-hour RAC TT Celebration mini-enduro aboard the latter’s Jaguar ‘Lightweight’ E-type. In the early stages, it was Le Mans veteran Jean-Marc Gounon who led the way with Rahal rarely more than a car’s length behind. Goodwood regular Emanuele Pirro gradually dropped back in third place aboard a Ferrari 330 LMB with Rick Hall keeping a watching brief in fourth in an AC Cobra.
Just 0.6 seconds covered the leading pair at the 20-minute mark, although Rahal brilliantly sliced inside of Gounon on the entry into Fordwater soon thereafter, both drivers continuing to battle until the 38th minute when Hardman took over from Gounon. A lap later Rahal pitted to hand over to Newey who emerged trackside just as Hardman blasted by to lead into Madgwick. Five laps later and the car was pit-bound one again, this time for good. Newey assumed the lead while Pirro’s team-mate Bobby Verdon-Roe chased him down, taking as much as three seconds a lap out of the Red Bull F1 designer. But Newey raised his pace to take a popular win. Third place went to Hall and team-mate Andy Wolfe.
Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy Celebration Results (41 laps)
1. Rahal/Newey, Jaguar E-Type Lightweight
2. Verdon-Roe/Pirro, Ferrari 330 LMB
3. Rob Hall, AC Cobra
4. Bell/Lindsay, Jaguar E-Type Lightweight ‘Low Drag’ Coupe
5. Rouse/Monteverde, Jaguar E-Type
Fastest Lap: Markey/Gene Jaguar E-Type at 1:23.016 (104.07 mph)
Click for complete results: RAC Tourist Trophy Race Results
Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy Celebration Photo Gallery
Front row includes Ferrari 330 LMB, Ferrari 250 GTO/64 and Jaguar E-type Lightweight
Ferrari 250 GT SWB 'Breadvan', AC Cobra and Jaguar E-type Lightweight
Derek Bell - Jaguar E-Type Lightweight 'Low-Drag' Coupe leads bevy of E-Types
Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione, Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato and Ferrari 330 LMB
Gounon/Hardman Ferrari 250 GTO/64 led until mechanical difficulties forced them aside; photo credit: Peter Brown
Bell/Lindsay Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Low Drag Coupe finished fourth overall; photo credit: Peter Brown
Ulrich/Redman - Ferrari 250 GT SWB; photo credit: Peter Brown
Friedrichs/Clark Aston Martin Project 212
Jardine/Osborn Ferrari 250 GT Lusso tried to stay ahead of an Aston Martin DB4GT
Devis/Fitzpatrick - Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione ; photo credit: Peter Brown
Gaye/Schuppan - Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione; photo credit: Peter Brown
Verdon-Roe/Pirro finished second in the Ferrari 330 LMB; photo credit: Peter Brown
Beecroft/Dron Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato
Gounon/Hardman Ferrari 250 GTO/64
[Source: Goodwood Revival; photo credit: Peter Brown]
This very race is the Super Bowl of vintage racing. The very best cars and drivers in the world racing to the fullest abilities. Epic!
I’d be a nervous wreck trying to drive quickly and avoid other racers 10 million dollar cars. However if could somehow drink a magic potion that would take away my apprehension and allow me to drive with greater control and extra energy.