If you’re an automotive events organiser putting on a show at Goodwood Circuit, you know you’ve made it.
The Retro Rides Weekender is unlike other events hosted at the prestigious motor circuit/airfield. Not for any bad reason, but because of the wholesome vibe it carries. Let me explain…
I didn’t know what to expect as I arrived; I only have my annual pilgrimage to Players Classic as a benchmark for a Goodwood Motor Circuit show. But I soon found myself sipping an espresso and enjoying a pistachio cookie, watching (and listening to) a pair of classic Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprints fly past on the main straight.
After psyching myself up for the scorcher on the hottest day of the year, I grabbed my camera and slowly began making my way around the venue, admiring the cars on display and thanking people for getting out of my shots without me asking them to.
It was only when I got to this DR30 Nissan Skyline RS-Turbo that it dawned on me: I didn’t feel the need to rush like a maniac to find an angle or shoot in between crowds of people not paying attention.
What was going on? Had that cookie taken me to another universe?
No, it was just a good cookie, and the crowd was unlike any other I had experienced.
Retro Rides is a decidedly old-school entity, having been around as a forum for over a decade. But unlike most popular groups that have transitioned to a social media-only approach, Retro Rides is still an incredibly active and popular forum for enthusiasts of older and modified cars.
I miss forums. They were full of people taking a genuine interest in each others’ projects, having discussions and checking daily for updates on their internet friends’ cars, which they were getting ready to reveal at show X or event Y.
I was an Edition38 man myself. It’s where I learned to write for an audience and part of what led me to fall into the Audi/VW scene as a teenager. My thread wasn’t anything special – my Audi wasn’t old or cool enough to get much attention – but I took pride in my posts and appreciated the conversations with others.
Social media apps just aren’t the same. Most of the interactions on a post these days are someone commenting three fireballs and some little emoji geezer drooling. It sucks we are regressing as enthusiasts.
But the Retro Rides Weekender took me back to a period in time when people actually seemed to give a sh*t about the cars in front of them.
I heard some bloke talking to himself about how an Aston Martin DB7 is the most affordable model you can buy right now, while at the other end of the spectrum were crowds of spectators cheering every time a drift-spec BMW E36 threw up clouds of smoke on the Autosolo (autocross) course that was set up on Sunday.
Families watched in awe as the V8-powered Special Saloon race cars thundered through the last chicane, their young kids giggling through the barriers behind me while I was shooting trackside.
In fact, that ridiculous bunch of race cars even stopped on the main straight so spectators could check them out. Drivers answered questions from fans and happily posed for photos with their cars. I’ll go more in-depth on these beasts in a separate post.
All of this just adds to the fact that Retro Rides attracts a mix of the quirkiest, rarest and downright coolest classic cars in the UK right now. I’d be amiss if I didn’t point out some of my favourites to go with my social commentary.
This combination of Group A and Group B heroes was phenomenal. The drivers of the Lancia Delta and SWB-converted Audi quattro were grabbing them by the scruffs of their necks and sending them on track.
Yet, no matter what, my heart still leans towards an E30 BMW M3.
But it’s not just race cars that capture my attention.
A Beach Buggy on the move is always fun…
Shoutout to everyone who took part in the Autosolo in machines simply not designed for aggressive precision driving. Along with the absolute hero who took the storage container Toyota van out on track…
…James Yarrow gets a special mention for tackling the course at some speed without de-beading the stretched tyres on his recently built VW Corrado VR6.
There could only be one car of the show for me though, and that was this sensational Ford Mustang Boss. A black-on-black leather example with wood inlay trim, a 4-speed manual, polished wheels and what appears to be a 408ci stroker V8 engine. In my eyes, it was the most perfect car there.
From the outside, it may be ‘just’ another car show with a track day in the mix, but I’ve learned it’s not the basic ingredients that make the Retro Rides Weekender what it is.
It’s a safe space for car enthusiasts to be car enthusiasts, with no ego or stigma attached, and to nerd out to their hearts’ content.
Long live the Retro Rides Weekender! Enjoy the HUGE gallery below and don’t forget to tell us which weird and wonderful car is your favourite.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn
mariochristou.world