New House Captains announced for 81MM | GRR
The 81st Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport will feature a changing of the guard, as we introduce four new House Captains to battle it out for the House Shield in 2024. Tom Kristensen, Dario Franchitti, Andy Priaulx and Gordon Shedden will take over the roles as Captains of the four houses, Darnley, Torbolton, Aubigny and Methuen respectively.
Our four new Captains replace the outgoing incumbents, Jochen Mass, Emanuele Pirro, Anthony Reid and Nicolas Minassian, who have all starred at the Members’ Meeting for the past ten years.
In all, our new House Captains can claim four IndyCar championships (Franchitti), three BTCC titles (Shedden), nine Le Mans 24 Hours victories (Kristensen) and three WTCC triumphs (Priaulx), these are no doubt four of the very greatest at their craft.
All four drivers will of course be competing throughout the Members’ Meeting weekend on the Motor Circuit, but they will also be turning their attention to the numerous competitions taking place away from the racing.
After his announcement as one of the new Goodwood House Captains Andy Priaulx said: “Of course, I hope Aubigny can win the House Shield. But first and foremost it’s an honour to be chosen as a House Captain at the Members’ Meeting. We are all racing drivers, so we want to win, but we’re there for the club members and we want to have some fun.”
Shedden, who takes over the Methuen captaincy from Anthony Reid, said: “Methuen has won the Shield more time than any other house so that’s a big act to follow. But it’s also fun because the Members’ Meeting is such a great event and it’s good to get involved as a captain alongside the racing.”
Dario Franchitti, who has become a good friend of Goodwood since he returned to racing here in 2019, said: “I’m really enjoying my historic racing, especially at the Revival and Members’ Meeting. Winning the shield would be good, but just getting involved as a House Captain is an honour in itself.”
Each of the four new House Captains has tasted success at Goodwood in the past. Franchitti most recently won the Gurney Cup at the 80th Members’ Meeting, while Priaulx, Kristensen and Shedden are all winners of the famous RAC TT Celebration, the former winning in tricky conditions at the 25th Revival in 2023. Kristensen is perhaps most fondly remembered for his searing drive from last to first in the St. Mary’s Trophy back in 2015.