Goodwood Revival Driving Experience?

[geeman237]

Anyone with any experience first hand or otherwise on this? I'd love to have the opportunity to drive a race prepared classic on a track. Anyone know if there are any similar alternatives? I have no interest in modern car, supercars etc. I have taken my own classics on track days like Castle Combe and a couple in the US, but this looks like the 'next level' experience.

https://www.goodwood.com/experiences/driving/reviv...

[No ideas for a name]

geeman237 said:

Anyone with any experience first hand or otherwise on this? I'd love to have the opportunity to drive a race prepared classic on a track. Anyone know if there are any similar alternatives? I have no interest in modern car, supercars etc. I have taken my own classics on track days like Castle Combe and a couple in the US, but this looks like the 'next level' experience.

https://www.goodwood.com/experiences/driving/reviv...

I did the experience with Mithril racing... but they are not there any more.
I get the impression they were pushed out so that Goodwood could run their own thing.

Based on the Mithril guys, it was fantastic.Three laps in each of three cars. Lotus Cortina, Aston Matrin DB5 and E-type.
9 laps might not seem much, but fairly tiring if you haven't been on track before.
For me, it needed to be Goodwood track that I got to drive on.
By the time I was on to the E-type, I was allowed or rather pushed to overtake the others on the track.
From outside, I think it looked slow (compared to watching proper drivers at the revival).. from inside it was plenty fast enough.
Mithril didn't have any of the 'extras' that the current Goodwood offering has - lunch, playing you some music etc. but I didn't want any of that.
Instructors were good and pushed you to go faster and explained the lines to take.

So, the current offering might be different. Certainly looks quite expensive.

[lowdrag]

Up until this year the JDC ran a track day at Goodwood on Mayday each year since the early nineties, but gradually the number of participants dropped until they were obliged to invite the Austin Healeys to join in and later anyone who wanted to have a go. Not only that but the annual Prescott Hill Climb was also dropped and moved to Shelsley Walsh. It also depends on the noise level of your car. CKL run a few limited number events at Goodwood each year where the decibel level is not the standard 95db. Those are well worth doing.

[tapkaJohnD]

You want to drive at Goodwood Revival? They are very sniffy!

I race the last racing Triumph Vitesse in the UK. I asked if I might enter the St.Mary's Cup, for post 1960 cars (Vitesse introduced 1962, although mine is from 1970) and they said no, with no explanation.

Good luck!
John

[No ideas for a name]

tapkaJohnD said:

You want to drive at Goodwood Revival? They are very sniffy!

I race the last racing Triumph Vitesse in the UK. I asked if I might enter the St.Mary's Cup, for post 1960 cars (Vitesse introduced 1962, although mine is from 1970) and they said no, with no explanation.

Good luck!
John

I think you misread the question...
The OP was asking about the linked 'driving experience' which is called "Goodwood Revival Racing Experience"
I think!

[a8hex]

lowdrag said:

Up until this year the JDC ran a track day at Goodwood on Mayday each year since the early nineties, but gradually the number of participants dropped until they were obliged to invite the Austin Healeys to join in and later anyone who wanted to have a go. Not only that but the annual Prescott Hill Climb was also dropped and moved to Shelsley Walsh. It also depends on the noise level of your car. CKL run a few limited number events at Goodwood each year where the decibel level is not the standard 95db. Those are well worth doing.

CKL also used to organise track days for Philip Porter's XK & E Type clubs. When I first went they had separate days but numbers reduced and they ended up just doing a combined one. It didn't seem to take too long before there weren't enough members looking to take their pride & joys out on the track and CKL would have to open those days up to some of their wider customers to fill things. It's been quite few years now since I last attended one of their own track days, they were always a lot of fun and well organised but there seemed to be fewer classics attending and you'd find you were sharing the track with modern BMWs and Astons and I think once a Porsche Carrera GT, although perhaps some might argue that was a classic . I don't know what's happened more recently but seem that fewer classic owners wanted to chuck them around a track. Pity, I know I sorely miss tracking mine.

[lowdrag]

A successful CKL track day at Goodwood. That is the lowdrag, 49 FXN behind dodging tyres.

[tapkaJohnD]

No ideas for a name said:

I think you misread the question...
The OP was asking about the linked 'driving experience' which is called "Goodwood Revival Racing Experience"
I think!

Ah! So! Then, geeman, Google for "Classic car track day hire" Dozens of opportunities. Go for it!
John

[a8hex]

lowdrag said:

A successful CKL track day at Goodwood. That is the lowdrag, 49 FXN behind dodging tyres.

I can think of someone who would think posting that picture was unkind
I was only thinking about it yesterday. I saw a video of a Mk2 making the most sublime passage of the chicane and I was thinking that I don't think I'd ever got it right but at least I'd never got it quite that wrong. I seem to recall you have a picture of me making a far from perfect fist of it

[geeman237]

tapkaJohnD said:

No ideas for a name said:

I think you misread the question...
The OP was asking about the linked 'driving experience' which is called "Goodwood Revival Racing Experience"
I think!

Ah! So! Then, geeman, Google for "Classic car track day hire" Dozens of opportunities. Go for it!
John

Yes, I am interested in a classic racing car experience. I would be visiting from the US so it would not be taking my own car for a track day. John, I did a Google and found some experiences but I am not sure if they are quite what I'm looking for. I don't want a gentle cruise around a circuit. I'd be looking for some professional guidance and a more spirited driving experience. I'll keep looking though.

Thanks

[agent006]

geeman237 said:

I don't want a gentle cruise around a circuit.

Unless my maths have suddenly escaped me, the Goodwood 'experience' is three laps per car so doesn't sound like it offers what you're after.

[T70RPM]

tapkaJohnD said:

You want to drive at Goodwood Revival? They are very sniffy!

I race the last racing Triumph Vitesse in the UK. I asked if I might enter the St.Mary's Cup, for post 1960 cars (Vitesse introduced 1962, although mine is from 1970) and they said no, with no explanation.

Good luck!
John

It's a Pre 66 event, your car is a 1970 .....!!!!!!!
No further explanation required.

[Riley Blue]

T70RPM said:

tapkaJohnD said:

You want to drive at Goodwood Revival? They are very sniffy!

I race the last racing Triumph Vitesse in the UK. I asked if I might enter the St.Mary's Cup, for post 1960 cars (Vitesse introduced 1962, although mine is from 1970) and they said no, with no explanation.

Good luck!
John

It's a Pre 66 event, your car is a 1970 .....!!!!!!!
No further explanation required.

The St Mary's Trophy switches decades each year.

[williamp]

a8hex said:

lowdrag said:

A successful CKL track day at Goodwood. That is the lowdrag, 49 FXN behind dodging tyres.

I can think of someone who would think posting that picture was unkind
I was only thinking about it yesterday. I saw a video of a Mk2 making the most sublime passage of the chicane and I was thinking that I don't think I'd ever got it right but at least I'd never got it quite that wrong. I seem to recall you have a picture of me making a far from perfect fist of it

Love that. Imagine the pub chat afterwards... "of course in one corner I got three tyres off the track. Not even Senna's done that..."

[CKY]

geeman237 said:

Anyone with any experience first hand or otherwise on this? I'd love to have the opportunity to drive a race prepared classic on a track. Anyone know if there are any similar alternatives? I have no interest in modern car, supercars etc. I have taken my own classics on track days like Castle Combe and a couple in the US, but this looks like the 'next level' experience.

https://www.goodwood.com/experiences/driving/reviv...

This experience has always intrigued me as it appears genuinely interesting, vs. the endless parties who will let you drive a fked Lamborghini/Ferrari around a kart track at 15mph with some failed racing driver (sorry - 'driving expert') perched in the suicide seat.

I mentioned it to a relative and they said that a Goodwood circuit experience had been purchased for them, but couldn't recall which provider/package they went on. The experience they received was dreadful, with some of the classics 'having trouble and being unavailable for use'. One of the cars driven was a Jag E-Type with an automatic gearbox () and brakes which would have failed any legitimate MOT test - not what you want for a circuit driving experience! I'd hope this racing experience with race-prepared machinery would be somewhat more in-line with what Geeman is looking for, however unfortunately haven't met anyone who has done it to confirm.

[Panamax]

I've driven Goodwood. They won't let you go very fast but you can understand they don't want muppets coming off into the scenery at the 150 mph that's achievable on the way towards St Mary's or Woodcote.

For a driving experience I think Thruxton works well. Put one of their Formula Renault's round the circuit and it rams home just how big the gap is between road cars and any real single seater.

[Mk2Jag]

Going back on topic- I did the Revival driving experience last year. I felt the need to do it having been to about 18 successive Revivals and of course the last 8 members meetings.
You either get a morning session or an afternoon session- I opted for afternoon which included a lovely buffet lunch and afternoon tea.
There were about 11-12 different cars available on the day and the team did their very best to accommodate you regarding the cars you wanted to drive. I got all four of my choices including a Mk2 Jag, Mini Cooper, Lotus Cortina and an MGB. You get an out lap, a full lap and an in lap in the car under instruction and you are good to push the car as much as the instructor is comfortable with.
Thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and the wait between drives allowed you to watch others driving and was typically about 15-20 minutes. Being Goodwood it’s reassuringly expensive but it was for my 50th birthday so in my mind it was well worth the money!

[geeman237]

Mk2Jag said:

Going back on topic- I did the Revival driving experience last year. I felt the need to do it having been to about 18 successive Revivals and of course the last 8 members meetings.
You either get a morning session or an afternoon session- I opted for afternoon which included a lovely buffet lunch and afternoon tea.
There were about 11-12 different cars available on the day and the team did their very best to accommodate you regarding the cars you wanted to drive. I got all four of my choices including a Mk2 Jag, Mini Cooper, Lotus Cortina and an MGB. You get an out lap, a full lap and an in lap in the car under instruction and you are good to push the car as much as the instructor is comfortable with.
Thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and the wait between drives allowed you to watch others driving and was typically about 15-20 minutes. Being Goodwood it’s reassuringly expensive but it was for my 50th birthday so in my mind it was well worth the money!

Thank you for sharing your experience which sounds favourable for what I think I'd like. I'd be planning this around a trip to the UK. I went to the Revival for my 50th birthday so maybe next year could be my 55th birthday present to myself.

[lowdrag]

We did it many a year in our own cars. Naturally, there were some who thought they could beat Stirling Moss and came a cropper, but they were rare. Some were practising for the real events such as the Revival.

[geeman237]

I am asking for some help from anyone on the link below for this Goodwood Experience.

https://www.goodwood.com/experiences/driving/reviv...

On the right side of the screen I am seeing two light green 'buttons' one for Buy as a gift and the other as Book A Time Slot.

When I click Book A Time Slot I get diverted to the ticketing page and then nothing, no options of availability, dates etc. I emailed Goodwood ticketing and they sent me the link and said dates were posted. Link is the same as above, and no luck on viewing dates.

Can anyone see the available dates when they click the link button?

I am accessing the site from the US so I wonder if there is some sort of internet access restriction?