Instead, my subject for this week’s piece is a personal tribute and memories of my very good friend and colleague, Henry Hope-Frost, who tragically passed away late last week in a motorcycle accident. I was overseas at the time, but quickly heard the devastating news from a number of sources, which even now, still hasn’t quite sunk in.
Henry, a.k.a. HHF and Fever – because of his huge appetite, excitement, enthusiasm and knowledge of all things motor racing – first came into my radar a dozen or so years ago, when I joined Goodwood to head-up the Motor Sport Content PR and Marketing for the Festival of Speed and Revival. Part of my Goodwood role was to manage all of the live on-event broadcast and commentary teams.
I had known of HHF previously but never worked directly with him, but on joining Goodwood in 2006, he immediately made a very favourable and lasting impression, assisting with the FoS radio commentary. When one of the usual event commentators was unable to participate in the Revival that year, I ‘officially’ appointed Henry to the main commentary team, to which he became an indispensable part of ever since. The lack of his dulcet tones and witty remarks will be sorely missed at the 76th Members’ Meeting, plus all other Goodwood events going forward.
As an appropriate and fitting tribute to Henry’s memory, at the 76th Members’ Meeting on Saturday, March 17th, at around 11 am a minute of noise from the very loud Formula 5000 cars gathered in the assembly area, will take place, which HHF would have wholeheartedly approved of.