Goodwood revives Rally sprint for members

Goodwood will add new pops and bangs to its popular Members’ Meeting in March by introducing a rally sprint event, featuring Group B, Group A and WRC cars from the past 40 years.

The format – best remembered from the BBC Grandstand TV show featuring Murray Walker on commentary – will bring a new dimension to Goodwood’s season opener, which this year will be held on March 28-29. The one-at-a-time rally sprint will be run on a specially laid out track, with the start situated on the outside of the motor circuit. Cars will pass through the access tunnel, for added audio effect, then run on a course that takes in Woodcote corner, the chicane, the start/finish straight and even the pitlane.

The rally sprint, which will be a timed event, will first run into the night on the Saturday evening, as a nostalgic nod to RAC Rallies past, and will be repeated during the day on Sunday.

Around 25 star cars and drivers from rallying’s golden eras will take part, including 1984 World Rally champion Stig Blomqvist and father-and-son British Rally champions Jimmy and Alister McRae.

The rally sprint will join the usual packed schedule of races and demonstrations, which this year will celebrate Tom Walkinshaw Racing’s 1980s Group C Jaguars and F1 cars from ‘The 72 years’, led by the Lotus 72 and its period rivals.