Gallery - Edwardian Racers Thrill at Goodwood
Click on the Gallery tab to pictures of the SF Edge Trophy runners.
A first for the Goodwood Member’s Meetings was this year’s SF Edge Trophy which featured a great range of cars up to the early 1920s. With many cars featuring a a driver who appeared to be sat on his machine rather than in it and everything steering movement, gear-change or ignition adjustment fully visible to the crowds lining the circuit adding a whole new element to what proved some close exciting racing.
Julian Majzub headed the times in Saturday’s qualifying session in his 100-year-old Sunbeam Indianapolis, with the 1923 V12 Delage of Matthius Sielecki less than half a second behind. Duncan Pittaway had his diminutive GN Curtis third quickest while charging into fourth was the 1905 Darracq of Mark Wilson, the mighty ex-Land Speed Record Holder able to put in a lap of over 71mph average despite no front brakes and having been designed to be quick in a straight line, a point proved as the car was quickest across the start-finish line at 91.5mph.
Sunday’s race proved a close-run thriller with Pittaway leading away at the start from the outside of the front row. The early laps saw a battle between Pittaway’s tiny GN Curtis and the mighty Delage of Sielecki, Pittaway working out to carry speed through the corners to not lose out on acceleration away from them.
With Sielecki seemingly having gear change issues, looking down as he changed mid-race, that let Majzub close back in and he took the lead with a move that saw him go inside the lead pair at the kink before St. Mary’s, even going onto the grass later in the lap with Pittaway in close attendance.
Pittaway got back ahead with a cleaner exit from the chicane and Sielecki was not out of it going back into second as the top three ran right together in the closing laps. It was Pittaway who just held on from Sielecki on the run to the line from the chicane, Majzub just falling back at the end of an exciting eight laps. Walker was a distant fourth in the Darracq but well clear of the rest.
Results:
1 Duncan Pittaway (GN Curtis) 8 laps in 15m10.150s (75.31mph)
2 Mathias Sielecki (Delage DH V12) +0.230s
3 Julian Majzub (Sunbean Indianapolis) +2.042s
4 Mark Walker (Darracq 200BHP) +25.329s
5 Hughie Walker (GN Thunderbug) +41.476s
6 John Polson (Hudson Super Six) +43.605
Fastest Lap: Pittaway 1,50.392s (77.61s)
