The annual Goodwood Revival is as much an auralexperience as it is a visual one. Throughout the three days of the event at the historic Goodwood motor racing circuit, close to England’s south coast, there is the constant roar of engines: from the thump of the single cylinder 500cc Manx Norton race bikes; through the revving of the small capacity race cars such as Cooper-Nortons and Bond Triumphs competing in the Earl of March Trophy; to the larger capacity machinery in the production car races and on through the GT machines, prototype racers and Grand Prix cars before the aviation display takes over when the Supermarine Spitfires, Mustang P-40Cs and Hawker Hurricanes fly wingtip-to-wingtip above the race track.A walk around the pits as the race machinery is prepared brings the snarl of highly-tuned engines even closer and the experience is heightened by the smell of high octane fuel and burning oil after the cars and bikes have been pushed to the limit on the track. In fact, some of the drivers are prepared to go beyond the limit and the sound of body panels being hammered back into shape canbe heard as mechanics work furiously to get a car ready for the next track session.Moving away from the paddock and taking a walking along the Revival’s High Street captures the mood of the 1960s with the traditional rivalry of the Mods and Rockers recreated by a line-up of café racers outside the period-styled Tesco supermarket, while across the road the Mods sit astride their Lambretta and Vespa scooters outside the Caffe de Longi.
