Goodwood_ From the early years.

[khyndart in CA]

The Goodwood circuit is based around the Westhampnett Airfield which was used by Spitfire Squadrons during World War 2 during the Battle of Britain and included famous pilots such as Douglas Bader and Australian born Tony Gaze. Tony would often race on the roads around the airfield and after the war helped develop the present track using the runways and that meant the Lavant Straight has a kink in it due to the fact the wartime runway was laid out to not be in a straight line so the planes on the runway would be a more difficult target from any enemy air attack. Tony Gaze was a decorated fighter ace and he also drove well and came out to NZ in 1954 -1956 where he finished second to Stirling Moss at the NZGP at Ardmore. He later married Lex Davison's widow, Diana, and his 3 stepsons all became race drivers also. Without his input and enthusiasm and convincing landowner Freddie March, the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, to develop the property for racing there may never have been a Goodwood Circuit.
Tony Gaze was a talented driver and along with his friends, Lex Davison and Stan Jones even competed in the 1953 Monte Carlo Rally in this FX Holden.


Stirling Moss's description of driving the Goodwood Circuit.
Drive around Goodwood
with Stirling Moss
"Goodwood - Six main corners, a chicane, a couple of short straights - and every yard of it a challenge to driver and car. That's how I remember it during the twelve seasons I drove on the Sussex circuit. To the spectator it probably looks a simple open circuit with its fast sweeping bends and good visibility. But to the drivers in their low cars it is packed with testing tricks. Adverse cambers, double apexes on several corners, slight undulations in unexpected places, keep drivers busy and throw cars about without a moment's respite. If a car handles well here its road-holding qualities are proved to the hilt.

1. Madgwick
The first corner after the pits, Madgwick is a fast, sweeping nght-handler with a double apex. You are over on the left while braking down for the bend. Turn in fairly late and aim for the middle of the white curb on the first apex, clip it close, letting the car move out again to right-of-centre before coming back for the second apex. The car mustn't be allowed to run out too far after the first apex as there's a little hump (invisible to spectators) in the centre of the road that can flip the back up and set it down in a different place.

2. Fordwater
Full bore down the short straight before Fordwater moving over to left of track. This is such a fast bend that the car must be set up very early and the whole curve taken at around maximum speed. The last part of Fordwater has a slight dip through which the wind can funnel, and in a light car this can be dangerous (it can blow you right across the road) and must be watched carefully.

3. St. Mary's
St. Mary's is a sharpish left-hander but the term usually includes the nameless bend called "the right hander before St. Mary's". And the right-hander is not one to be ignored; this is the bend before which I ended my own motor racing career! It's a fast bend and the car must be tucked well into the inside and held there without allowing it to break away to the left. The way you take this right-hander governs the line through St. Mary's. Swinging quite late into the left-hander after holding the car in for the last half of the previous bend enter St. Mary's under power clipping the apex on the left then using the whole of the road's width as you leave the corner on another adverse camber.

4. Lavant
Another double apex bend this, and again the car must be positioned to negotiate the first part accurately so that the second apex is taken in such a way that allows the car to accelerate off with the minimum of time lag and wheel spin. You drive through under power close into the first apex moving out again to the middle of the track and taking the second less acute apex in one long smooth sweep. Because the car comes out of this bend at considerable speed you change up into the next gear immediately after the last apex.

5. Lavant Straight
Your car is on the left of the road on exit from Lavant Corner building up speed rapidly. Move over to the right to "iron out" the kink half way down Lavant Straight you pass the kink in top gear. You're approaching your fastest speed. Although the left-handed kink need not be taken razor close it is not wise to leave too much room - or you may find another car nipping through on your left!

6. Woodcote
Another bend with two apexes. Braking hard in the middle of the road the first apex is taken fairly wide and late. As some drivers used to say "You muddle your way through the first part of Woodcote and take the second apex close". As the car is pulled in hard to the white line on the last apex power is applied to get the backend round and the sweep takes you right over to the grass verge on the outside of the track in front of the first chicane stand. The more skillful drivers can save a little time at this corner by late braking but it takes courage and ability to do this!

7. The Chicane
A short burst of power takes the car down to the approach to the chicane still on the outside edge of the track. Brake to a fairly slow speed (it's better to enter the chicane slowly and be in a good position to leave quickly than vice versa) shaving the low wall on the right. Half way through the chicane many drivers turn on the power to swing the car round so that their exit is in more or less a straight line. The slightly sunken kerb on the right is used by others as a "tramline" to hold a back wheel on the right line for the exit. The car catapults out of the chicane under controlled power with the slide compensated by corrective steering, and is taken up through he gears as it passes the pits."

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(Ken Hyndman )