Canadian success at Goodwood - and what a race!

[Adam Lipcsey]

I just saw this on TV on Speed, gotta be seen again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBy2VjRSxQ0

[Doug Stark]

Good find Adam! Great racing. Terrible colour on the Ferrari 250! Lime green? Yuk. Not hard to understand how/why Bruce died at this track when you see the barriers. (and these have been upgraded since the earthen bank era). I also wouldn't have the marshals standing as a 'group' in an unprotected impact area.

[Adam Lipcsey]

Actual TV recording below, not just a single camera position. Much better for watching the dicing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT3lyLf50RE&feature=related

One thing I noticed is how much more risk - not just in this class but all classes - drivers dare taking at Goodwood. Seems they are ratcheting up every year. A disaster will eventually make them think harder. For now it is joie de vivre.

[Doug Stark]

One thing I noticed is how much more risk - not just in this class but all classes - drivers dare taking at Goodwood. Seems they are ratcheting up every year. A disaster will eventually make them think harder. For now it is joie de vivre.

Thing is; the cars haven't been made safer of course, because it would alter them. Have they gone slower? Nope - the tire compounds produce less sliding (some what!) but staggeringly more grip which equals a higher entry / exit speeds. The top end is probably the same to some degree but the cornering speeds are higher then back in the day.

If you watched the top class at the Rennsport reunion this year on Speed - what you didn't hear at the time of broadcast (that we read later) is that Brian Redmond approached his chief rival in another 917 and told him he could win the race! Questioned after the event he told people that he was concerned that people (rich enthusiasts) did not appreciate the danger of these cars and the improvement in performance (tires). As a driver who raced these cars when they were new and understood the results of an 'off' (foot forward of the axles - heavy engine behind you) Brian said that this was the first time ever - that he told another driver he wouldn't fight him for the win. Turns out he won anyway when Canepa spun off!

The problem isn't with today's vintage race car drivers who raced these cars back when they were new - it's with the 30-40 year old wealthy collectors who decide to race them. Because of the worth of these 917's (usually over a million+) only the 1%'s can afford them. The good thing is that they can afford to rebuild them to a very top level. The bad news is that they grew up with a higher level of safety and survivor statics yet are sitting in cars that defies all that. The only element that can have an affect is 'self control'. As seen with Redmond, he has experience and history on his side. When these drivers are gone and can no longer walk over to another driver on the grid and impart some wisdom or mentor another newbie in the paddock is when we could be in trouble.

[Adam Lipcsey]

There is another element.
More and more current professional drivers are signed up to race this particular event. They are not there to baby the cars. It's almost like horse racing now.
The trackside safety barriers and the runoff areas are not getting any bigger. There are some newly paved runoffs, but the barriers are not far enough out. Goodwood also wants to retain period appearance. How can the latest barrier technology be made look period? There is a predicament.

[Doug Stark]

Well they put in a chicane a few years back but it seems they put it in to slow down the cars only along the pit straight before pit in. It's still a very fast circuit even with the chicane.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Goodwood_track_map.svg/621px-Goodwood_track_map.svg.png

[Dr.Smooth]

Good find Adam! I haven't seen any coverage of Goodwood since Speed was dropped from my local cable.