Thanks for your replies! I had never realised the SL Rallye was so succesful, that makes great reading!
The 2000 festival was some sort of MB centennary, hence all the Mercedes. That doesn't make other years any worse though - there's always an amazing collection of cars there.. I won't try to describe it, but can assure
anyone that they will not be disappointed, even travelling from the USA to get there.
Be sure to get there early in the morning as it gets busy later on.
I went in June and September, June is the festival of Speed (on hillclimb circuit), September is the Racing Circuit Revival (the race track).
It's hard to say which is better. There's more cars at the Festival, including newer cars too, and anyone will enjoy it even young kids. The Revival meeting has proper racing, the air display (see pics), a better atmosphere, but is strictly historic. The air display is a highlight, even if you aren't interested in aircraft. Watching and listening to the original pilots flying V12 Merlin engined spitfires and hurricanes in formation 50 feet above your head (they fly over the crowds) cannot be beaten. Its no 'display' either - they do rolls, loops, everything. I prefer the Revival because of its authenticity, even though I'm only 19, to the Festival with its flashy Chrysler stands and modern supercar display - you
must go to the Festival once, in your life, though. Its fairly similar from year to year however (although safety measures are tougher each time, so go sooner rather than later if you still want to be close to the action).
At both events the cars are always driven, usually in anger, and often by their original drivers, and you can get very close to the action - my pictures are taken with very little zoom from the standard spectator areas.
I live within 2 hours of Goodwood, so can just drive there when I feel like it, N.B. The roads around it are excellent to drive, and not a single speed camera! Watch out for those Porsches though.
I'm including some more pics, but I put the Festival of Speed pics up a while ago at
THIS PAGE. Forgive me, I don't like thumbnailed pictures but it should load quicker. Not every picture is up there, so I'm posting some here from Festival and Revival, feel free to copy / use them as you wish, I can mail you the full 1600x1200 pictures too.
Enjoy!