Goodwood Festival of Speed

Garden party

In the heart of England’s leafy countryside, a hundred kilometers south of London and not far from the Channel coast, lies the village of Goodwood in Sussex.

Its old Royal Air Force airfield was turned into a racetrack for motorsports in 1948 by the ninth Duke of Richmond. He owned about 12,000 acres of farmland and forest in the area, and decided to repurpose a road that ran across his estate and up the hill to historic Goodwood House. The Duke’s son and successor Charles Gordon-Lennox – also a lover of beautiful engines and adrenaline-driven motorsports – set up the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 1993 and this high-octane event now attracts more than 200,000 spectators each year. The circuit’s narrow asphalt strip winds up the slope of the vast estate, over grass-covered expanses and through thick woods, passing under a stone bridge, running along the estate’s centuries-old buildings and at one point nearing the approach to Goodwood House. This 1.8 km-long track is transformed into a secure speedway with rows of straw bales laid along the sides to protect spectators. Grandstands are erected along the circuit. The vast forested areas, lawns, and gardens all around are taken over by a sprawling village, with impressive stands where the most prestigious car and motorcycle marques showcase their finest high-performance machines.

Every single motorsport champion, without exception, comes to Goodwood at some point to commune with fans. This year saw legendary racing driver Max Verstappen and his Formula 1 team, but many other elite drivers and motorbike riders have thrilled crowds here down the years. The Festival of Speed offers a unique atmosphere and setting. Its combination of old-fashioned British charm, power-packed machines, and the smell of burning rubber is one that motorsport fans never tire of. Goodwood is a standout event and a pilgrimage site for many motor buffs.

This year’s high-profile participants included Indian Motorcycle’s two official champion riders, King of the Baggers Jeremy McWilliams (UK), and Brandon Robinson (USA) of American Flat Track fame – both competing on their own racing machines.
The American title-winning Challenger RR, with a production run of just 29 units, was much admired by collectors wanting to snag one of the few still available. And the FTR750 totally crushed its competition. Having won 8 American Flat Track titles and triumphed in 100 races out of 135 since 2017, this bike had crossed the Atlantic to run its first laps on British soil.
When Jeremy and Brandon climbed onto their machines, one after the other, and revved their engines, the crowd was blindsided. The awesome sound of their V-Twins reverberated through the stands as the riders blasted off from the starting line in full throttle. On approaching the main grandstand, Jeremy and Brandon both ripped an epic burnout right along the start-finish straight, sending up plumes of smoke that had spectators roaring. It was Indian Motorcycle's moment to make history honoring the Goodwood Festival of Speed.