The “History of Heroes” theme at the 2002 Goodwood Festival of Speed did indeed bring out many true heroic figures and machines from the history of motosport – however difficult it might have been at times to spot them as a reported 138,000 spectators visited over the weekend. While there is no doubt Goodwood does a fantastic job of attracting the great and the good, the growing emphasis on modern Formula One cars is not to everyone’s liking and some of the historic competitors will think twice about having the noses of their 1960s cars stood on while someone tries to get a view of Ralf or Jenson. At one point on Saturday, the mob of autograph seekers knocked down several people in the rush to get Ralf Schumacher’s autograph, which he ironically wouldn’t give anyway.
Out on the Goodwood hill, there was plenty of action as New Zealander Rod Millen set fastest time of the wekend in his Pikes Peak Toyota Turbo Celica, a full 10 seconds quicker than Hannu Mikkola could manage in the Audi Quattro. Martin Stretton in the Tyrrell 6-wheel P34 was close to Millen as was Marc Surer’s F2 March-BMW.
Honda provided one of the most impressive displays of the weekend with motorbikes and cars from the Honda Collection Hall in Motegi. The Hondas were the source of much of the noise and excitement, especially when former two- and four-wheel World Champion John Surtees revved up the 12-cylinder engine of the Honda RA300 Grand Prix car of 1967/68. Surtees recalled the circumstances of 1967 when the RA273 was over-weight and not competitive. Surtees used his connections with Lola and after very delicate negotiations, Mr. Honda agreed to the building of the RA300…known as the ‘Hondola’ which promptly won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Surtees drove both the RA300 and the 1968 GP car, the RA301 as did American Danny Sullivan. Satoru Nakajima appeared in a Lotus 100T from 1988, and numerous championship-winning Honda motorcycles wowed the crowds.
Among the other star drivers to appear were Jackie Stewart in John Delane’s Tyrrell 002, part of the tribute to Ken Tyrrell; Desire Wilson; Emerson Fittipaldi; Clay Regazzoni; Rene Arnoux; Ricardo Patrese; former French F2, F1 and sports car pilot Jean-Pierre Jaussaud; Sirs Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss; Phil Hill; Vic Elford; Jacky Ickx; Tony Brooks; and Junior Johnson.
Submitted by Ed McDonough
