The Easter Goodwood Meeting

Surtees First in Glover Trophy F.2 Race in Yeoman Credit Cooper, Setting a New F1 Lap Record

Moss (Cooper) Wins in Inter-Continental Lavant Cup Race and Sports-Car Race with a U.D.T. Lotus

THE weather could hardly have been more miserable on Easter Monday morning, but the men got out their duffle-coats, the girls gay umbrellas, and a crowd of 45,000 set off for Goodwood, over roads rendered unexpectedly slippery after a dry spell. The B.A.R.C. had a splendid programme of six races, for saloons, Inter-Continental Formula, Formula Junior, Formula One, Sports Cars and G.T. Cars, so that no car appeared in more than one race and the entry closed at 141. Only one of these races was dull, the sports-car event in which in 15 laps there was only one change of place amongst the first ten cars. The spectators must have been delighted at the excellent racing and no doubt enjoyed themselves in spite of the heavy rain, which relented for a time during the afternoon.

First came the 10-lap Saloon-Car Race, dominated by Michael Parkes in Sopwith’s Equipe ‘Endeavour 1960 3.8 Jaguar, Graham Hill being second in a sister entry but 1961 car, D. Taylor third in a Peter Berry 3.8. McLaren spun the other Berry 3.8 at St. Mary’s and fell back and Salvadori’s John Coombs’ 3.8 developed trouble. Blydenstein’s 1954 Borgward passed Swiss G.T. Champion Foiteks Alfa Romeo Giulietta when it spun, to win the 1,600-c.c, class and Whitmore showed incredible speed in Don Moore’s Austin 850 to beat Aley in the 1,000-c.c. category, Aley bravely carrying on after his Austin had struck a distance post at St. Mary’s, bending up his back bumper. Parkes averaged 76.3 m.p.h., with a best lap of 77.98 m.p.h.

The 21-lap Lavant Cup Race for 2-3-litre racing cars promised well, with a field of nine and no non-starters. Dan Gurney in a blue 1960 Lotus got away well but was hotly pursued by McLaren in Atkins’ Cooper. Moss had a bad start when his new Rob Walker Cooper slipped out of gear but he set about rushing through the field with some seemingly unnecessary fist-waving. From seventh after a lap and a half, Moss was fifth next time through St. Mary’s, fourth on the following lap, then third, closing up on Gurney and McLaren. The American’s Lotus pulled away down Lavant straight, where Moss fell back a bit. But on lap nine McLaren was leading Gurney and a lap later Moss also took him. The leaders had lapped Richardson’s Connaught-engined leaf-sprung Cooper-R.R.A. and McLaren was making Stirling work hard. On lap 15, however, Moss’ Cooper went into the lead and Graham Hill’s new B.R.M. with the old 2 1/2-litre engine had taken Gurney. McLaren got level with Moss, but to no avail. Moss won, at 90.47 m.p.h., McLaren a noble second, Hill third and, as Gurney overcooked it trying to retake the B.R.M. on the run-in, mildly crashing the Lotus, fourth place went to Surtees’ Cooper. The R.A.I. Scarab driven by Daigh sounded meaty but after jumping the start fell steadily back from third place on the opening lap, to last, although Daigh very skilfully held it in a spin at St. Mary’s, giving a burst of throttle to bring the tail right round so that he could continue the race, which earned applause from those who saw this. McLaren, in chasing Moss, made fastest lap, at 95.57 m.p.h.–weather conditions precluded the record laps which practice times anticipated, when McLaren had unofficially broken the Goodwood lap record, with 102.61 m.p.h.

The 10-lap Chichester Cup Formula Junior Race was something of a massacre, opening with a multiple shunt on the line, which eliminated unlucky Jim Russell and McKee almost before the race started. Then, throughout the race cars spun off in all directions, proof that F.J., even with more experienced drivers involved, has become as cut-and-thrust as F.3 racing became.

For four laps Prior led in the dart-like rear-engined Lola but he spun at the chicane and hit another car, so that Maggs, his bored-out B.M.C.-engined Cooper’s nose badly dented by the melee at the start, looked to have the race well in hand. However, Arundell, undismayed at finding himself so far back in the field, drove splendidly in the Team Lotus Twenty, coming up on Maggs at Woodcote and going on to a photo-finish, which the Judges declared to be Goodwood’s first dead-heat. Both drivers averaged 85.08 m.p.h. but to Arundell went the subsidiary honour of making fastest lap, at 91.52 m.p.h. Third place was taken by Ashdown’s Lola-Ford. This was exciting rather than scientific racing, marred by a dozen non-starters and seven retirements. Warner’s Gemini retired early; Aston spun some five or six times when his Lotus took to the grass at St. Mary’s but, as befits a Vickers test-Pilot, continued without hesitation.

The big race of the day, the International ” 100 ” for the Glover Trophy, was exciting from start to finish. John Surtees, Motorcycle Champion so long billed as coming car-ace, driving a Yeoman Credit G.P. Cooper overtook Moss’ 1960 Rob Walker Lotus as the cars roared sway from the stint and vindicated his supporters’ eulogies by leading the race. In practice he had unofficially equalled the old 1 1/2-litre lap record of 97.3 m.p.h., as had Salvadori, Hill and Ireland, but Moss had pulled out 98.4 m.p.h., so, on the almost dry track, anything could happen. What did happen was that Surtees, using all the road, the near-side back wheel of his Cooper well onto the grass at St. Mary’s, led Moss by a comfortable margin and continued to do so for lap after lap. Moss, using less road, too busy to shake a fist (although he still acknowledged slower drivers who moved over to let him by, such as Morgan, lapped after only nine rounds) slowly crept up on Surtees. So it was a Cooper/Lotus duel with no holds barred, both drivers’ working hard, although it did not look like Grand Prix racing. Moss left the road momentarily, but was at grips with Surtees by half-distance. Meanwhile Graham Hill driving the B.R.M. steadily held third place, comfortably in front of Salvadori’s Yeoman Credit Cooper, and, behind, Ireland had at last got past Brooks, but the second B.R.M. remained tied to the Team Lotus entry, which wasn’t a 1961 car, whereas Brooks had the latest B.R.M.-Climax.

After 21 of the 42 laps Moss tried hard to take Surtees on the outside of Lavant Corner, but the motorcyclist wasn’t having any. Surtees was slicing through the ” traffic ” in a manner that suggests that Moss may have met his match in the modest Motorcycle Champion. He led Moss fairly, no holds barred, until Stirling’s’ engine indicated it had endured enough and from the 29th lap the Lotus lost speed. By the 31st lap Hill’s impeccably driven but insufficently fast B.R.M. passed Moss and speculation was rife as to whether Salvadori could also catch the sick Lotus, which he did by lap 39.

So Surtees won the Glover Trophy for Yeoman Credit, to the delight of Reg Parnell, his Team Manager. Brooks embedded his B.R.M. in the sand at Woodcote immediately after taking Ireland, perhaps forgetting he wasn’t at the wheel of a taxi, so behind Hill, Salvadori (who had also gone off the course at St. Mary’s on lap three), Moss and Ireland, came Tony Marsh, driving his I960 F.2 Cooper with 5-speed gearbox and his own rear suspension, although of these only Moss was officially placed. Surtees, in winning his first big race on four wheels, set a new F.1 lap record of 78.0 sec., a. speed of 98.18 m.p.h., bettering the previous record by 0.88 m.p.h. This Surtees accomplished on his 30th lap, showing little desire to slow up, even when the Moss challenge had ceased.

The rain returned for the 15-lap Sussex Trophy unlimited sports-car race, with Le Mans-start, and after the splendid Glover Trophy, this was a dull affair, the only incident being on lap seven, when Vogele’s Lola passed Charles’ Jaguar-D. This arose largely because the big sports cars, like the Listers, Jaguars and Aston Martins, which enliven Club meetings, are no longer a match for well-designed and prepared 2 1/2 litre Lotus and Cooper sports cars in more important contests. U.D.T.-Laystall put in Moss, Allison and let Henry Taylor in Lotus Monte Carlos,with luggage space beside the driver, and although Tony Robinson was disappointed that Allison’s made a bad start because the battery wasn’t keen on starting the engine, Moss and Taylor dominated the race, and these green cars came over the line in formation, although poor Allison was, in fact, unplaced. Dickson’s Ecurie Ecosse Cooper-Monaco was third, Coundley’s space-frame ex-Halford rebuilt 3.7 Lister fourth, D. Graham’s Lotus Fifteen fifth and Bekaert in Wilkinson’s last year’s ex-Graham Whitehead Lola sixth and winner, at 77.95 m.p h., of the 1 1/2-litre class. Moss won at 81.57 m.p.h. but Taylor lapped faster, at 83.56 m.p.h. Jean Bloxham went quite well in her new Jaguar-D, with curious ” luggage boot ” which these older sports cars now have to wear to convert them to Group 2 Cars, but Jopp in a DBR1 Aston Martin was disappointing.

The last race was the 10-lap Fordwater Trophy, over 10 laps, for G.T. cars. It was very instructive, especially as the up-and-coming Parkes led in fine style in the Equipe Endeavour Ferrari Berlinetta, flinging this imposing coupe through the corners so that Moss, in the Walker/Wilkins Aston Martin Zagato could do nothing about the car from Maranello with which Mosa won the 1960 TT. Moss had ‘ lost it ” on the grass on the outside coming into St. Mary’s on Iap four and on lap seven Innes Ireland put Ogier’s Aston Martin DB4 past the Zagato on the inside at the same corner. The Zagato Aston Martin maybe lighter than a normal G.T. but its weight distribution has suffered and its road-holding, in consequence, has deteriorated. So Stirling had to be content with third place. Graham Whitehead was fourth in his Ferrari 250; the Essex Racing Team 1960 T.T, car, but so closely was he pursued by Warner’s Chequered Flag and McKee ‘s U.D.T. Lotus Elites that one wonders whether a Ferrari justifies its high price! Parkes made fastest lap, at 85.37 m.p.h.

The victors were :–

St. Mary’s Trophy–Saloon Cars: M. Parkes (Jaguar) .. 76.30 m.p.h.

Lavant Cup–Intercontinental Cars: S. Moss (Cooper) .. 90.47 ,,

Chichester Cup–Formula Junior Cars:  Tie–A. Maggs (Cooper) and P. Arundell (Lotus) .. 85.08 ,,

Glover Trophy ” 100 “–Formula One Cars: J. Surtees (Cooper) .. 95.76 ,,

Sussex Trophy–Sports Cars: S. Moss (Lotus) .. 81.57 ,,

Fordwater Trophy–G.T. Cars: M. Parkes (Ferrari) .. 83.22 ,,

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GOODWOOD GRUNTS

Motor racing needs all the financial support and interest it can muster from newspapers, petrol companies and finance companies, so it is splendid to find Yeoman Credit and United Dominions Trust both entering for today’s races. Yeoman Credit brought their cars to Goodwood in a huge Dunlop ” Highway ” shod Albion and a Thames Trader, while the huge Michelin ” X “-shod Commer transporters of the U.D.T.-Laystall Racing Team were a feature of the Paddock. One wore a B.R.D.C. badge. The team used an Austin van.

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The U.D.T.-Laystall badge is a rabbit on a chequered flag, which led talented motor-racing commentator Anthony Marsh to refer to the ” United Dairies’ rabbit ” and to the team’s-colours as ” off-grass ” or British grazing green “…

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Peter Arundell brought his Team Lotus in a VW transporter of Grand Prix Garages Ltd., its protruding wheels shrouded in well-tailored covers.

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Stirling Most used a diminutive Clinton-powered Panther scooter for dashing round the Paddock.

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The Offenhauser-engined 2.9-litre Scarab sounded fine-for Indianapolis. It was flown over to Goodwood from the States. It is shod with Goodyear ” Blue Streak ” Sports-Car Special tyres, 6.00/6.40 x 15 on the rear wheels. 5.50/5.90 x 5 on the front wheels. The tachometer reads to 10,900 r.p.m. and there are four smaller dials indicating water temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure and fuel pressure.

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It was disappointing, after all the build-up, that neither Hill’s nor Salvadori’s Jaguar 13-types appeared in the last race.

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We have said that the Sussex Trophy was a dull face but Kerisson did his best, by spinning his Lola at St Mary’s on the warming-up lap!

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The crowd didn’t get a decent look at Surtees on his tour of honour because his Jaguar coupé was used instead of an open car.