SEASON GETS OFF TO A CLASSIC START

The first of this year’s seven Goodwood Breakfast Club meetings got off to a classic start on Sunday 2 March.  An impressive selection of historic, tax-exempt pre-1973 vehicles gathered to celebrate Goodwood’s ‘Tax Free Sunday’ theme.

Despite the changeable weather, the first 2008 Breakfast Club meeting still tempted many classic pre-1973 cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles and their enthusiastic owners out of their long winter hibernation. In total, over 2,000 vehicles passed through the gates of the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit to begin the 2008 Breakfast Club season.

Enthusiasts of a huge variety of pre-1973 vehicles took to the picturesque West Sussex roads for an enjoyable Sunday morning drive, before displaying their machines at the legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.  The only taxing issue of the day was choosing what to have for breakfast from the tempting selection of Goodwood’s own organic fayre. Many visitors enjoyed the sights accompanied with a hearty breakfast, made with Goodwood’s delicious home-reared ingredients.  Some visitors also took advantage of the tractor and trailer tours to lap the famous circuit. 

Amongst the stunning Ferraris, Porsches, MGs and Triumphs on show, was a special Goodwood display of tax-free vehicles, including a 1972 Lotus Europa Twin Cam, plus a low-mileage 1961 Porsche 356B Super 90, both kindly loaned for the day by members of the Goodwood Road Racing Club.

All Goodwood Breakfast Club meetings are held on the first Sunday of the month, with the next event, on 6 April, set to attract a gaggle of modern sports car legends. These will doubtless include the Lotus Elise, Porsche 911, Ferrari 360 and plenty more desirable post-1980 performance machines.

A full list of the remaining 2008 Goodwood Breakfast Club dates and themes is as given below.  All Breakfast Club meetings are free to attend, and will be staged from 8:30hrs to midday on the first Sunday of every month, until November (excluding September and October).  Goodwood is now encouraging Breakfast Club visitors to pre-register their intention to visit the monthly event by visiting www.goodwood.co.uk/breakfastclub.  By pre-registering on the website, all visitors will also have the opportunity to win a flight in Goodwood’s own Harvard historic warbird during the popular Goodwood Revival, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year from 19-21 September.

Sunday Date   Theme

6 April:                         ‘Modern Sports Car Legends – great drivers’ cars, from 1980 to the present day’Attracting:                     Modern post-1980 sporting marvels, including Lotus, Caterham, TVR, Ariel Atom, Porsche and many more...

4 May:                         ‘Two wheels or more, excluding four – everything from bikes to buses and trikes to trucks’Attracting;                    Any none-four-wheeled vehicle, including motorcycles, scooters, three-wheelers, multi-wheeled commercial vehicles and tanks, no matter how bizarre

1 June:                          ‘Supercar Sunday – the ultimate performance machines’Attracting:                     Every form of mouth-watering, high-powered performance exotica – cars and superbikes

6 July:                           ‘Soft-top Sunday – a taste of the British summer’Attracting:                     Any open-top car, however roofless

3 August:                      ‘Thoroughbred Sunday – the quintessential pre-1980 sports car’Attracting:                     All pre-1980 classic sporting cars and motorcycles

7 September:                (not held, due to Goodwood Revival)

5 October:                    (not held, due to Goodwood Revival)

2 November                 ‘Sushi Sunday – a celebration of Japanese motoring culture’Attracting:                     Any classic and performance Japanese vehicle, from S800 to S2000; 240Z to new Skyline GT-R