A chance meeting with Ian Bax from the British Automobile Club (BARC) triggered an alternative plan. He had spoken to me about running a contemporary hillclimb and that led me to thinking about an event for historic cars and bikes in the park. If we could run a competitive event using the park roads we would discover how much Goodwood still meant to enthusiasts, and prove that we could safely and successfully bring motorsport back to Goodwood. We now had a plan but we needed some expert help and advice.
Like my Grandfather before me, I had recently agreed to be President of the BARC, the club having run the racing at the circuit from 1948 to 1966, so that was an obvious place to start. I was also in touch with some owners and drivers I knew to sound out their interest in bringing cars and bikes to an event yet to be named.
Dennis Carter, who headed up the BARC, was immediately intrigued by the plan and would prove to be incredibly supportive, as was the FIA Safety Inspector Derek Ongaro. They were both very positive and Derek advised that we put the startline on the Lime Avenue down by the hotel, not at The Kennels as I had first envisaged. My plan would never have come to fruition without the support of these two strong people. They knew how it should be done, they were confident in their own decisions, and they were always right behind us every step of the way.