Two years ago, the 73rd annual Goodwood Members Meeting was the scene of a notable crash involving a one-of-a-kind, $5.9 million 1955 Mercedes driven by former Formula 1 racer Jochen Mass, which collided with a $1.5 million 1959 Lister-Jaguar. Fortunately, both drivers escaped without injury, but the incident left many wincing at the sight of the photos. This past weekend, during the latest Members Meeting, spectators witnessed a near miss between a 1963 Jaguar E-Type and a rare 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO, valued at tens of millions of dollars.
As is typical in England, Saturday’s qualifying session for the Graham Hill Trophy, featuring GT cars from 1960 to 1966, took place under overcast, cool, and slightly damp conditions. While pursuing a Shelby Mustang, John Breslow lost control of his E-Type while navigating a corner too quickly, spinning 180 degrees and heading directly toward James Cottingham in the 250 GTO. Remarkably, with barely any space between them, Cottingham managed to steer onto the grass, avoiding what could have been a catastrophic crash. The E-Type then swung back around off the track and made a minor impact against the barrier—what a relief!
This incident was not the only nail-biter for the GTO team over the weekend. During the actual race today, the driver raced down the home straight, skillfully squeezing through a narrow gap between a slower Lotus Elan and the pit boards. While the sight of the classic car darting down the track and hearing the roar of the Tipo 168 V12 engine is exhilarating, such close calls induce anxiety among motorsport enthusiasts.
However, not all participants left the weekend unscathed. Earlier today, the Westlake Cup faced a brief interruption due to a dramatic collision between two Austin-Healey Sebring Sprites as one attempted to re-enter the track after spinning out. Thankfully, both drivers were unharmed, reminding everyone of the inherent risks associated with racing classic vehicles..
