We love showing these vintage racing videos, especially those featuring cars that are about 100 years old because it is literal window into the past. There are few places on Earth to see this stuff move under its own power anymore, let alone actually compete at full throttle and Goodwood is one of them.
If you think that these guys do not take this stuff seriously, understand that Duncan Pittaway, the guy who owns the Beast Of Turin, was almost killed racing cars like these a few years ago. The fire suit and the helmet are good additions for these competitors, but at these speeds if there is a failure or a crash, they are going to be in tough shape.
Also, if you think these are just parade laps, you are wrong. Big time wrong. In this video you will see a 1916 Sunbeam Indianapolis taking on a Vauxhall Viper Special that is likely 5-10 years older than the Sunbeam. Huge inline engines power these cars, making massive torque at diesel-like RPM. The shifters are exposed, the steering wheels are wood, and the will to compete it just as strong as it was when these were the cutting edge competition machines on Earth.
A vintage drag race to the finish? You better believe it and the ending is so tight that if it happened when these cars were new, no one would ever truly know who won the race.
Great race! Love the write ups! Really need to stop using the word “literal”. “Window into the past” is a figure of speech. There is nothing literal about it.
Again, love the write ups! Peace and goodwill.