Saloon car races at Goodwood are a fabulous melting pot of David vs Goliath battles, of cars with blatant gladiatorial stature going up against less assuming minnows that look more at home in a multi-story than on the starting grid for a motor race. It’s these intra-class contrasts and incongruous entries that make the racing at Goodwood so spectacular, and ensure the touring cars at this years’ Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport are not to be missed. We’ve listed some of our favourites to look out for.
Lincoln Cosmopolitan
If your tonic is a good old David vs. Goliath battle, can we first encourage you not to miss the Sopwith Cup for 1950s saloon cars. It’s a race where monster Americana will go door-to-door with Europe’s most unassuming people’s cars. Such Americana will include a Lincoln Cosmopolitan. On the road, a stately luxury barge that’s as vast as it is docile. At Goodwood, though, it’ll serve as quite the obstacle for our tiny saloons.
Renault 4CV
Tiny saloons like the Renault 4CV, which would probably fit in the engine bay of the loafing Lincoln. This little machine was a larger alternative to the Volkswagen Beetle in its day – and it will also be racing in the Sopwith Cup. Weighing a little over half a tonne, this little Renault could likely sit in the passenger seat of the Cadillac we’ll talk about next and not dent the leather.
Cadillac Coupe
Another monster piece of American pig iron we can look forward to watching lean its way around Goodwood this weekend is this Cadillac Coupe. The fact this thing can share a grid with a Morris Minor is a testament to the beauty of historic saloon car racing. Owner Derek Drinkwater is a big Caddi man, having previously brought the famous Cadillac ‘Le Monstre’ back to life. This is its sister car in his fleet and is recognisable in its distinctive white and black livery. We can’t wait to see it barrelling around in the Sopwith Cup.
Morris Minor
Another David to drag out this metaphor for as long as possible, the Morris Minor. A few of these should be taking to the grid for the Sopwith Cup, but so significant to the iconography of ‘50s and ‘60s British roads is the Minor, we had to include it. This bubble-bodied little saloon is not dissimilar in looks to the 4CV or the Beetle it was sold alongside in period. Alongside the Mini and Austin 7, it’s arguably one of Britain’s great people’s cars.
Rover SD1
The Gerry Marshall Trophy is probably the definitive race of the Members’ Meeting. Repmobiles and family hacks of the 1970s and 1980s trade motorway miles and school runs for door-bashing racing around Goodwood. One of the race’s most famous cars? The Rover SD1, with its long swooping Ferrari-ish bodywork and howling V8, is a favourite of ours every year. Not that you will, but you must not miss these beasts as they do battle with a field of Capris, Camaros and more in the Gerry Marshall Trophy.
Ford Fiesta
But, of course, as is the way with touring car racing at Goodwood, it’s not just the big boys. his Ford Fiesta will be cowering in the SD1’s shadow as it lines up to race in the Gerry Marshall Trophy this weekend. We love to see cars like this bobbing round the bends and closing the gap as the big heavy monsters struggle to manage their weight.
Click here to see the 79th Members’ Meeting timetable or the full entry list.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.
Keyword: Six unmissable touring cars you must see 79MM