Goodwood Revival and LeJog – British Car Culture at its best

While most German classic car enthusiasts tend to drive their mobile antiques only in sunny weather and very gently, many in the scene in the United Kingdom and its British car culture see things quite differently. Two prime examples of this theory are the Goodwood Revival and the LeJog Rally, also known as the ‘Land’s End to John O’Groats Trial’.

Goodwood Revival – a journey through time

The Goodwood Revival has been held every September since 1989. It is a reminiscence of the ‘good old days’ when the race track, which was active until 1966, was still on the international calendar and pretty much all national and international racing series, including Formula 1, took place there.

The host, the Duke of Richmond, puts a huge amount of effort into this event. The participants in the races are carefully selected, and the number of prominent drivers is almost overwhelming, ranging from current and former racing drivers and world champions to celebrities such as Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and Mr Bean, who in real life is Rowan Atkinson, an avid classic car collector and excellent racing driver. And the races are tough, with lap times often exceeding those achieved when the cars were new.

There is hardly any other classic car event where you can experience such thrilling races, with, for example, a Lightweight E-Type and a Ferrari GTO drifting so closely through the corners for ten laps that you could hardly fit a piece of paper between their wings, or a horde of hot-blooded racing Minis overtaking each other in the chicane. But the Revival is also unreservedly family-friendly: you can immerse yourself in the racing action or stroll around and revel in British car culture in a classic atmosphere: most visitors wear the fashions of yesteryear and dance to the music of swing bands, rock “n” roll bands or a cappella groups. Ladies in cocktail dresses with gloves and wide-brimmed hats are a delight to behold, men in wide-cut double-breasted suits secretly sell cigars hidden in prams, mods and rockers show off their style, and everywhere you look, smartly dressed families and cliques gather around picnic baskets filled with sandwiches, tea and scones.

British car culture is not just about racing, but also atmosphere

Across the road from the race track, a magnificent fairground awaits with historic carousels and countless vendors offering practically everything one could desire, from perfectly restored pre-war Bentleys to car parts, antiques, curiosities and clothing. Some of the carousels are so old that they are powered by steam!

The next Goodwood Revival will take place again in September. Tickets can be ordered on the homepage www.goodwood.com at prices starting at around £75 for a day ticket. However, you need to be quick, as experience shows that tickets are usually sold out months in advance.

LeJog – Praise be to what is hard!

Anyone who is enthusiastic about legendary and gruelling long-distance rallies for historic vehicles probably immediately thinks of the Mille Miglia in Italy, but LeJog participants can only smile pityingly at this, as this approximately 1,000-mile rally route for classic cars built before 1986 is considered the toughest test for classic cars and their teams in Europe – and is a symbol of a different kind of British car culture.

Every year at the beginning of December, LeJog leads from Lands End, the southwesternmost point of the United Kingdom, across back roads, gravel roads, water crossings, field and private roads across the island to John O’Groats, the northeasternmost point of the island. This route has the same significance in the United Kingdom as Route 66 has for fans of the USA. It is tackled by bicycle, on horseback, on foot, in wheelchairs and on skateboards, as well as in all kinds of motor vehicles.

Unlike on the continent, LeJog uses maps and fishbone charts for navigation, and in some cases even written notes with distances in feet and yards, as was the norm in Great Britain in the 1950s. This is supplemented by around 25 regularity tests and 20 special stages.

The first stage of the four-day rally starts in the morning at Land’s End, with the stage destination being reached late at night. The following stages are no less demanding, both in terms of navigation and the tests and stamina required of the teams. Added to this is the time pressure, because anyone who exceeds the daily time limit by more than 30 minutes can continue driving, but will be disqualified from the classification!

There are also many participants from Germany who want to experience this type of British car culture, including Marcus Pieper, who took on the LeJog challenge a few years ago in a Triumph TR 7. We spoke to him about his experiences and why, despite the great exertion and high costs involved, he would gladly navigate a classic car through mud, slush and British rainy weather again.

Classic Trader
‘Marcus, why did you want to participate in LeJog?’

Marcus Pieper
‘The concept and the stories from participants I knew were so fascinating that I was determined to take part myself. The combination of winter, day and night stages, as well as the length, were particularly appealing. What’s more, there is no other event like it in the whole of Europe.’

Classic Trader
‘How many vehicles start the race, and how many of them reach the finish line?’

Marcus Pieper
‘The starting field usually comprises 70 to 80 vehicles. Everything from pre-war Bentleys to Porsche 911s is represented. The dropout rate is always between 30 and 40%, whether due to technical problems, overconfidence or, of course, accidents.’

Classic Trader
‘What is the conclusion after the rally?’

Marcus Pieper
‘LeJog is a rally that is second to none. And not only because of the really high demands it places on participants, but also because of the typical English mentality. Just one anecdote: on the first night, we were driving along tiny roads and dirt tracks at around 2 a.m. when we suddenly found ourselves in front of a closed pasture gate. I turned around, but then we saw an old man sitting on a chair on the left-hand side of the road.

Grinning, he said dryly: ‘You’re in the right place, just open the gate, drive through and close it behind you, please.’ You only get that kind of thing in the United Kingdom!’

Text Jörn-M. Müller-Neuhaus Photos Marcus Pieper, Hero Events, Goodwood, Jörn-M. Müller-Neuhaus

Author: Classic Trader

Die Classic Trader Redaktion besteht aus Oldtimer-Enthusiasten, die Euch mit spannenden Geschichten versorgen. Kaufberatungen, unsere Traum Klassiker, Händlerportraits und Erfahrungsberichte von Messen, Rallyes und Events. #drivenbydesire View all posts by Classic Trader →