Top tips for a Goodwood MM first timer
Discussion
My brother and I will be attending on Sunday and haven’t been to Goodwood before, so I’d appreciate any bits of advice you can offer. Some of the things I’m unsure about include:
- When to arrive to give us time to park and get to the paddock as it opens so that we have as much time there as possible?
- Which car park should we aim for, if you’re given a choice at all?
- We have general entry tickets as I think it’s always good to be free to wander around a circuit, so which are the best viewing points?
- What’s the situation with food for lunch?
First action on the track is the GRRC parade at 8.20, then a McLaren road car parade at 8.40. First race is 9.00am.
Early is always good (there are plenty of places to get some breakfast) or late, as the big queues are 8-10am. The car parks (aka 'fields') will be muddy, make getting road cars in and out difficult. The car park you'll use will depend on the direction you arrive from - don't think there's really much difference.
There's usually a good choice of food and drink, but the prices will at the usual event prices.
Dress code is county set casual - think point-to-point tweeds, waxed cotton and wellies, but unless you're in hospitality areas I'd just make sure you're warm - it'll be bitter if you're outside on the banking.
SS7
Early is always good (there are plenty of places to get some breakfast) or late, as the big queues are 8-10am. The car parks (aka 'fields') will be muddy, make getting road cars in and out difficult. The car park you'll use will depend on the direction you arrive from - don't think there's really much difference.
There's usually a good choice of food and drink, but the prices will at the usual event prices.
Dress code is county set casual - think point-to-point tweeds, waxed cotton and wellies, but unless you're in hospitality areas I'd just make sure you're warm - it'll be bitter if you're outside on the banking.
SS7
Parking - depends on direction you come in
Eating - great hall has most expensive food but sit down plated meals. Supershell building pork pies and sausage rolls. And numerous hidden away eateries. Expect to pay around £10 for food and drink (a great pie and mash last year hidden in a tent with small queues)
Eating - great hall has most expensive food but sit down plated meals. Supershell building pork pies and sausage rolls. And numerous hidden away eateries. Expect to pay around £10 for food and drink (a great pie and mash last year hidden in a tent with small queues)
My brother and I will be attending on Sunday and haven’t been to Goodwood before, so I’d appreciate any bits of advice you can offer. Some of the things I’m unsure about include:
When to arrive to give us time to park and get to the paddock as it opens so that we have as much time there as possible?
I am almost always one of the earliest to arrive, and one of the last to leave (exhausted!). You can get in and out of the carparks without queues, you get lovely clear (great driving) roads. I tend to drive in nice and early, park up and wander the close carparks to see what toys people have brought, wander into the circuit and grab a bacon and egg butty from the Goodwood trailer with plenty of brown sauce and ketchup. There is no such thing as a ‘good coffee’ at Goodwood so grab just grab something hot, you will need it. Worth getting there early this year as, for the 20th anniversary of the GRRC they have a parade of 76 Members cars around the track which is sure to be incredibly eclectic. The fact that there will be me, in a De Tomaso Pantera, running straight through pipes, should not sway your reasoning at all ;-). Eearly evenings are wonderfully and a great time to wander the pits.
Which car park should we aim for, if you’re given a choice at all?
I agree, use the ones that the traffic send you down. This is much smaller than other Goodwood event so parking no issue. You will really enjoy the lack of crowds and commerciality to this event, it is very special.
We have general entry tickets as I think it’s always good to be free to wander around a circuit, so which are the best viewing points?
I am a big fan of walking the track, a full circuit, I always do. First corner Madgwick is easy to get to and glorious, from the braking point, through the double apex, with a lovely bump in the middle. Fordwater is epic for motorbikes, just to see quite how much speed they carry. St Marys is an extraordinarily tricky corner, and to that end where most people have an off, viewing is okay. Lavant is fabulous, and again double apex, giving you every kind of viewing, Cobras and Corvettes bouncing on three wheels through this corner a particular highlight. Woodcote again very easy to get to and after the high speed of Lavant straight (lots of nice members cars parked on the banks of Lavant Straight), always somewhere you’ll see some over/out-braking and glorious four wheels drifts. Chicane a bit of a bun fight, and a bit tame in my opinion. Do the wander, but out there, it will be cold, and at this event anyway, pretty deserted.
What’s the situation with food for lunch?
If they are there, I only ever have the Chargrilled Ribeye from the trailer. £8 for a perfectly cooked ribeye and rocket in sourdough bread with mustard mayo. Insanely good at twice the price. They may not be there, the catering is much reduced for the MM due to less crowds.
Please add anything else you think may be of use
Comfy shoes and wrap up warm, sod any form of dress code
When to arrive to give us time to park and get to the paddock as it opens so that we have as much time there as possible?
I am almost always one of the earliest to arrive, and one of the last to leave (exhausted!). You can get in and out of the carparks without queues, you get lovely clear (great driving) roads. I tend to drive in nice and early, park up and wander the close carparks to see what toys people have brought, wander into the circuit and grab a bacon and egg butty from the Goodwood trailer with plenty of brown sauce and ketchup. There is no such thing as a ‘good coffee’ at Goodwood so grab just grab something hot, you will need it. Worth getting there early this year as, for the 20th anniversary of the GRRC they have a parade of 76 Members cars around the track which is sure to be incredibly eclectic. The fact that there will be me, in a De Tomaso Pantera, running straight through pipes, should not sway your reasoning at all ;-). Eearly evenings are wonderfully and a great time to wander the pits.
Which car park should we aim for, if you’re given a choice at all?
I agree, use the ones that the traffic send you down. This is much smaller than other Goodwood event so parking no issue. You will really enjoy the lack of crowds and commerciality to this event, it is very special.
We have general entry tickets as I think it’s always good to be free to wander around a circuit, so which are the best viewing points?
I am a big fan of walking the track, a full circuit, I always do. First corner Madgwick is easy to get to and glorious, from the braking point, through the double apex, with a lovely bump in the middle. Fordwater is epic for motorbikes, just to see quite how much speed they carry. St Marys is an extraordinarily tricky corner, and to that end where most people have an off, viewing is okay. Lavant is fabulous, and again double apex, giving you every kind of viewing, Cobras and Corvettes bouncing on three wheels through this corner a particular highlight. Woodcote again very easy to get to and after the high speed of Lavant straight (lots of nice members cars parked on the banks of Lavant Straight), always somewhere you’ll see some over/out-braking and glorious four wheels drifts. Chicane a bit of a bun fight, and a bit tame in my opinion. Do the wander, but out there, it will be cold, and at this event anyway, pretty deserted.
What’s the situation with food for lunch?
If they are there, I only ever have the Chargrilled Ribeye from the trailer. £8 for a perfectly cooked ribeye and rocket in sourdough bread with mustard mayo. Insanely good at twice the price. They may not be there, the catering is much reduced for the MM due to less crowds.
Please add anything else you think may be of use
Comfy shoes and wrap up warm, sod any form of dress code
Pericoloso said:
How DARE you suggest that !....
I got flamed 3 years ago for saying I wasn't "dressing up" for my first MM....73.
The Toffs were angry.
But 3 years ago everyone went home sunburnt. I’m all for being smart and playing along but happy to drop all that when the weather doesn’t allow. I got flamed 3 years ago for saying I wasn't "dressing up" for my first MM....73.
The Toffs were angry.
However the revival even bad weather won’t stop me dressing up as the boss finds that the fun part.
Pericoloso said:
tch911 said:
Comfy shoes and wrap up warm, sod any form of dress code
How DARE you suggest that !....I got flamed 3 years ago for saying I wasn't "dressing up" for my first MM....73.
The Toffs were angry.
Umbro Football jackets (are they still a thing?) and enormous Tommy Hilfiger Ali G style jackets are probably a no-no.
You can't go wrong with a Reefer jacket, jeans and stout boots. Surely most men own these.
Add a flat cap for additional "Peaky Blinders" points
ecsrobin said:
Pericoloso said:
How DARE you suggest that !....
I got flamed 3 years ago for saying I wasn't "dressing up" for my first MM....73.
The Toffs were angry.
But 3 years ago everyone went home sunburnt. I’m all for being smart and playing along but happy to drop all that when the weather doesn’t allow. I got flamed 3 years ago for saying I wasn't "dressing up" for my first MM....73.
The Toffs were angry.
However the revival even bad weather won’t stop me dressing up as the boss finds that the fun part.
I went to MM73 and 75 ,not seen much sun and heat yet.....
Not going this weekend BTW ,nothing in the kitty for it.
73MM was very cold out around the circuit, in fact I spent most of both days out there and it felt like I had the circuit to myself half the time. I don't recall stepping into any structure across the two days so it really did feel like the quietest event imaginable given the standard of vehicles/drivers out on track.
If I remember correctly it was about 10 degrees and still felt brutal away from the paddock, so this year should be interesting. The dress code is right out of the window if you intend on spending all day around the track or wandering the paddock (as I do). A flat cap is unlikely to do the job.
If I remember correctly it was about 10 degrees and still felt brutal away from the paddock, so this year should be interesting. The dress code is right out of the window if you intend on spending all day around the track or wandering the paddock (as I do). A flat cap is unlikely to do the job.
ukaskew said:
RichB said:
There is no dress code for the Members' Meeting
For the anxious folk like me who worry about such things I'd say the MM site FAQs suggest otherwise... everyone asked to respect our style guide It is not the Revival and it would be a pity of Goodwood tried to push it that way. ahh i remember the complete odd one standing on the bank at the revival two years back, surrounded by some stunningly lovely dressed ladies and gents , sporting a bright red Man U shirt, baseball cap on backwards, full arm and neck tattoos & knee length camo shorts , showing off his bulldog calf tattoos to full glory...,dringing back cans of stella...
right next to him a couple sat on there lovely picnic rug with hamper and champagne, we all looked around, and thought just how much nicer back in the day.. it was.. and how we just took a wrong turn... im all for people having a good time, but it just looked so out of sorts..
got a picture somewhere...
right next to him a couple sat on there lovely picnic rug with hamper and champagne, we all looked around, and thought just how much nicer back in the day.. it was.. and how we just took a wrong turn... im all for people having a good time, but it just looked so out of sorts..
got a picture somewhere...
It's not as big as the Revival but there is still a lot to see and do away from the track ... which is good but means it's very easy to get distracted and miss something.
Take a look at the programme and note the times of the races you don't want to miss. That way you won't be herding ducks or something when your favourites are out on the circuit.
The timetable for Sunday is here: 76-timetable
Descriptions of the races: Programme
The full entry list: 76th-members-meeting-entry-list
Take a look at the programme and note the times of the races you don't want to miss. That way you won't be herding ducks or something when your favourites are out on the circuit.
The timetable for Sunday is here: 76-timetable
Descriptions of the races: Programme
The full entry list: 76th-members-meeting-entry-list
It will be flippn cold, we have just got back from a snowy, fun packed brilliant day - evening entertainment fantastic & fireworks were spectacular. Back again tomorrow - bring many layers, hat, gloves, scarf’s, walking boots - do not worry about getting ‘dressed up’, it was really muddy today and is likely to be tomorrow.
It is a great atmosphere, nowhere near as busy as FoS or Revival, it is like the best club racing meet with brilliant cars and driving.
Big thanks to all the Marshalls and Stewards!
It is a great atmosphere, nowhere near as busy as FoS or Revival, it is like the best club racing meet with brilliant cars and driving.
Big thanks to all the Marshalls and Stewards!
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