ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL - A LONG TRADITION OF HERITAGE AND PRESTIGE 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012
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ROLEX AND
THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL
A LONG TRADITION OF HERITAGE
AND PRESTIGE
14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012
ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 1/10ROLEX SUPPORTS HISTORY AND PASSION AT THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL Rolex has been associated with the Goodwood Revival, widely recognized as one of the greatest historic motor racing events in the world, since 2004, when the Swiss watchmaker first supported the event’s all-important Drivers’ Club. Under the watchful eye of founder and host Lord March, the Goodwood Revival has grown in stature since its first edition in 1998. Each year, over the course of a September weekend, the Goodwood Motor Circuit welcomes many of the world’s greatest classic racing cars and puts on a display of breathtaking, wheel-to-wheel racing, even though some of the entered vehicles are worth millions of dollars. The Goodwood Revival is far more than a motor racing event. It is a magical step into the past, a unique chance to revel in the glamour and allure of the golden era of motor sport at one of the most historically authentic racetracks. The Revival is the only event of its kind to recreate the atmosphere, as well as the racing, of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, reliving the glory days of the circuit. To be eligible for the Revival, cars must date from 1966 or earlier. Modern vehicles are not allowed within the circuit perimeter during the weekend. Drivers and spectators go to great lengths to dress in appropriate period clothing and there are theatrical sets around the circuit that bring the past back to life. The period entertainment theme extends to music of the era, with rock-and-roll and jazz bands, and a recreation of the Earls Court (London) Motor Show from the 1950s and 1960s. A celebration of aviation heritage, with some stunning aerial manoeuvres by vintage aircraft in the skies above Goodwood, pays tribute to the circuit’s origins as a Second World War aerodrome. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 2/10
GOODWOOD MOTOR CIRCUIT HISTORY REVIVED After serving as an active air base for Spitfire and Hurricane fighter aircraft during the 1940s, the current Lord March’s grandfather, the ninth Duke of Richmond and Gordon and amateur racing driver, converted the airfield into a motor racing track in 1948. Goodwood quickly became a favourite for drivers and spectators alike in an era that saw public interest in the glamorous sport of motor racing soar. Although the circuit was closed to competitive racing in 1966, during its 18-year heyday Goodwood staged no less than 43 races for Formula One cars, with some of the greatest names in the sport taking part. Now restored to its original state, the 2.38-mile (3.83-km) Goodwood racetrack provides a powerful magnet for enthusiasts to enjoy a unique and highly entertaining weekend. The Goodwood Revival is, as its name suggests, a genuine revival, giving visitors and drivers alike a chance to step back in time and experience the magic and charm of motor racing in an era when it was emerging as one of the most exciting and exhilarating sports in the world. THE ROLEX DRIVERS’ CLUB The association between Rolex and motor sports dates back to the 1930s when Britain’s Sir Malcolm Campbell, an Oyster on his wrist, entered history by exceeding 300 miles (484 kilometres) an hour in his famous land speed record-breaking car, Bluebird. The presentation in 1959 of a sundial to Daytona International Speedway founder Bill France Sr. to commemorate the opening of his new facility cemented a strong and lasting relationship. Rolex recognized that motor racing shared its values of precision, timing and technical innovation. Motor sport also offers a long tradition of heritage and prestige, which are highly valued by Rolex. Since 2004, Rolex has been the proud title sponsor of the Drivers’ Club at the Goodwood Revival. Often described as motor racing’s Wimbledon, the Revival owes much of its success to its ability to attract top racers on four and two wheels from around the world. Crucial to this is the Drivers’ Club, which provides a sanctuary for participating drivers in the manner of an English gentlemen’s club, with a lounge area elegantly furnished and decorated in period style, along with food, refreshment, showers and changing rooms. As part of the registration process, each driver competing at the Revival is given a special fabric badge bearing the Rolex logo. An experienced seamstress is on hand in the Drivers’ Club to sew this sought-after badge of honour onto each participant’s chosen racing overalls. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 3/10
ROLEX DRIVER OF THE MEETING
An important feature of the Goodwood motor racing heritage is the traditional trackside
prize-giving ceremony on the Sunday night. Taking place on the Race Control balcony
overlooking the pit straight, it draws drivers, mechanics and fans onto the tarmac after
racing has ended to share in the weekend’s finale.
Among the many prizes marking success at the Goodwood Revival is the much-coveted
Rolex Driver of the Meeting Award. Selected by a committee headed by Lord March,
the winner is the driver who delivers the best combination of safe, but hard, fast and
entertaining driving over the weekend. To the winner goes a sought-after Rolex watch:
a specially-engraved Cosmograph Daytona, a model which was launched in 1963 during
a golden age for motor sports.
ROLEX DRIVER OF THE MEETING WINNERS
2011 Sam Wilson, British: amateur driver who won two races outright (the Earl of
March Trophy and the Chichester Cup) on his debut at the Goodwood Revival.
2010 Nick Wigley, British: well established historic racing driver.
2009 Frank Stippler, German: competed in Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, Rolex
Sports Car Series and Swedish Touring Car Championship. Won both the
Porsche Supercup and Porsche Carrera Cup Germany series in 2003.
2008 Peter Hardman, British: renowned historic racing star who has a broad
experience of all track racing from single seaters to 24 Heures du Mans to
touring cars.
2007 Jean-Marc Gounon, French: winner French Formula 3 Championship, Formula
3000 then Formula One – 1993 and 1994. After second period in Formula
One, Gounon went on to drive sports cars.
2006 Gary Pearson, British: regular historic racing competitor and specialist preparer
of classic racing cars.
2005 Jackie Oliver, British: Formula One driver, endurance racer (won the 24
Heures du Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring and Rolex 24 At Daytona) and Formula
One Arrows team owner.
2004 Rae Davis, British: founder of Rae Davis Racing, preparers of outstanding
period racing cars. Davis is a Revival regular.
ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 4/10SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS AND HAPPENINGS FOR 2012 A TRIBUTE TO DAN GURNEY Each Revival sees a tribute to the career of one of the all-time-greats and this year the focus will be on American racing driver Dan Gurney, 50 years after taking his first Grand Prix victory. Daily tributes will be held in Gurney’s honour over the course of the Revival weekend. SILVER ARROWS AT HIGH SPEED The 2012 Revival will feature a high-speed demonstration of at least 10 breathtaking pre-war Silberpfeil (Silver Arrows in German) competition cars, some 75 years after their first UK appearance. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see so many of these mighty machines, including the dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Silver Arrows cars, running side-by-side with contemporary rivals from Italy, France and Great Britain. Completing the spectacle, the cars will be housed in an authentic recreation of a period pit/paddock building, based on the distinctive structure at the Bremgarten circuit in Switzerland, complete with period transporters. FERRARI 250 GTO 50th ANNIVERSARY AND AN AC COBRA CELEBRATION The 2012 Goodwood Revival will include 50th anniversary celebrations for the Ferrari 250 GTO, with plans for a daily parade of around half the total GTO production, plus an all-AC Cobra one-model race to mark the first half-century of the iconic Anglo-American sports car. It is expected that this one-off race will feature an extraordinary mix of historically significant competition Cobras, including some of the aerodynamic special-bodied Cobra- based coupés. The race promises to make for an intriguing spectacle and a fitting tribute to one of the world’s most revered, and copied, sports cars that has a long association with Goodwood. NIGHT RACING RETURNS WITH THE FREDDIE MARCH MEMORIAL TROPHY To mark the 60th anniversary of the first Goodwood Nine Hours race, this year’s Freddie March Memorial Trophy will be a 90-minute endurance race on Friday evening. The original Nine Hour international sports car race at Goodwood, run from 1952 until 1955, attracted the top works teams of the day, along with some exotic privateer entries. The race began at 15:00 and continued until midnight, creating the evocative spectacle of sports cars racing from sunshine to sunset to moonlight, just as at the world-famous Les 24 Heures du Mans. The Freddie March Memorial Trophy race will feature a spectacular collection of 1950s sports cars including the Jaguar C-type, Aston Martin DB3 and DB3S, Austin-Healey 100S, Ferrari 750 Monza, Allard and HWM. Special permission has been granted to extend racing longer into the evening than normal, bringing back the magical sight of classic cars racing in the autumnal twilight with headlamps ablaze. It promises to be one of the most unforgettable races at the Revival to date. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 5/10
ROLEX AND MOTOR SPORTS Rolex is proud to be a major force at play behind motor sport’s finest events, drivers and organizations. Whether supporting extreme challenges such as the competitive Les 24 Heures du Mans or maintaining tradition with the historic Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, Rolex has cultivated a privileged relationship with this fast-paced world. A PASSION FOUNDED IN THE PAST The roots of this alliance date back to the early 20th century when Rolex was founded by Hans Wilsdorf, a visionary with an extraordinary spirit of enterprise. At a time when the pocket watch prevailed, he foresaw the importance of providing an increasingly mobile public with an accurate wristwatch and took up the enormous challenge. In 1910, a Rolex wristwatch obtained the first certificate ever granted to such a watch by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne, Switzerland. In 1926, Rolex invented the Rolex Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch in the world, thanks to a case equipped with an ingenious patented system consisting of a screw-down bezel, case back and winding crown. To prove his invention, Hans Wilsdorf equipped Mercedes Gleitze with an Oyster when she swam across the English Channel a year later. The Rolex watch emerged from more than 10 hours in the water in perfect working condition, and the young Englishwoman effectively became the brand’s first Testimonee – a witness to the watch’s uncompromised performance. Rolex improved the Oyster in 1931 with the invention and patent of the world’s first self-winding mechanism with a Perpetual rotor, the precursor of contemporary self- winding systems. With Hans Wilsdorf at the helm, Rolex continued to use the world as a real-life proving ground for the Oyster, demonstrating time and again its reliability in the most extreme conditions, on land, in the air, in the depths of the ocean or on the summit of Mount Everest. Through its association with so many achievements, Rolex became the trusted reference for chronometric precision, robustness and reliability around the world. Meanwhile, Rolex evolved, as did its product, in a constant pursuit of perfection. As part of this evolution, Rolex watches – made from only the highest quality materials and designed by the industry’s best – became symbols of elegance and prestige. At the same time, Rolex built links with activities that shared the brand’s passion for excellence and precision. Naturally, Rolex gravitated toward the world of motor sports, forging an alliance in the late 1950s when the brand partnered the Daytona International Speedway. In tribute to the Daytona International Speedway, Rolex added the name “Daytona” to the dial of its Cosmograph. Ever since then, the presence of the Rolex brand in automobile racing has grown. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 6/10
AT THE FOREFRONT OF MODERN-DAY AUTOMOBILE RACING Rolex has been the Title Sponsor of the Rolex 24 At Daytona in Florida, US, since 1992 and Official Timekeeper, since 2001, for Les 24 Heures du Mans, the world’s oldest sports car endurance race. Through its strong alliance with Les 24 Heures du Mans, Rolex is also the proud sponsor of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Rolex is delighted to support not only the Goodwood Revival, but also the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (US), which brings over 500 cars to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. The brand also sponsors events that celebrate the beauty of historic cars rather than their racing performance. Among them is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (US), launched in 1950 to showcase the most avant-garde models of the period. Today, this prestigious competition, held annually in Pebble Beach, California, features the most striking of vintage cars. Rolex has been the Official Timekeeper since 1997. Also included is the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance (US), presented by Rolex, which was created in 1997 to demonstrate the elegance of automobiles in motion. Rolex became title sponsor of this event in 2007. Rolex’s affiliation with motor sports extends to two key figures in the sport who bear witness to the quality of the product and who are Testimonees of the brand: Sir Jackie Stewart, from Scotland, one of the greatest drivers of his generation, and Danish driver Tom Kristensen, record eight-time winner of Les 24 Heures du Mans. Driven by a passion for excellence and a great appreciation for motor sports, Rolex, the leading Swiss watchmaking brand, is committed to cultivating the strong ties that bind these two prestigious worlds in their shared pursuit of perfection. In addition to motor sports, Rolex’s sponsorship portfolio also includes golf, tennis, yachting, equestrianism, skiing, exploration and the arts. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 7/10
LEGENDARY MOTOR SPORTS FIGURES Rolex counts among its Testimonees legendary figures who have left an indelible imprint on their sport. They include drivers Sir Jackie Stewart and Tom Kristensen. Sir Jackie Stewart is undoubtedly a legendary figure in the world of motor racing. The achievements of this Scotsman, born in 1939, make him one of the most celebrated Formula One drivers of all time. His determined commitment to driver safety has significantly changed the face of motor sports and contributed to making him a true “gentleman driver”. Sir Jackie Stewart took part in 99 Formula One Grand Prix races, winning 27, securing three world championships (1969, 1971 and 1973) and finishing 43 times on the podium. He has been a Rolex Testimonee since 1969. Having clocked up eight victories at Les 24 Heures du Mans between 1997 and 2008 – including six consecutive wins from 2000 to 2005 – Danish driver Tom Kristensen holds a record number of successes in the oldest and one of the most prestigious automobile endurance races in the world. An emblematic figure in the sport, he has also triumphed six times at the 12 Hours of Sebring, becoming the record-holder for victories in this race held each year in Florida. He became a Rolex Testimonee in 2010. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 8/10
PR SERVICES FOR ROLEX IN MOTOR SPORTS Key Partners Marketing Services (KPMS) 20, avenue Edouard-Dubois CH-2000 Neuchâtel T: +41 32 724 28 29 E: info@caracingnews.com Sabrina Zumkehr M: +41 79 359 15 47 E: sabrina@kpms.com PR PLATFORM FOR ROLEX IN MOTOR SPORTS For more information about Rolex and the Goodwood Revival or to download high- resolution images copyright free for editorial purposes, please register online at www.caracingnews.com. OFFICIAL WEBSITES www.rolex.com www.goodwood.co.uk/revival/welcome.aspx www.facebook.com/Goodwood.Revival twitter.com/goodwoodrevival ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 9/10
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AT THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL Friday 14 September 2012 09:00 – 17:35 Official Practice - Practice Sessions in Race Order 18:15 – 19:45 Race 1 - Freddie March Memorial Trophy Saturday 15 September 2012 10:00 – 10:20 Race 2 - Goodwood Trophy 10:40 – 11:05 Race 3 - Fordwater Trophy 12:25 – 12:50 Race 4 - Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Part 1 13:50 – 14:15 Race 5 - St Mary’s Trophy Part 1 14:55 – 15:40 Race 6 - Shelby Cup 16:25 – 16:50 Race 7 - Whitsun Trophy 17:10 – 17:30 Race 8 - Chichester Cup Sunday 16 September 2012 10:00 – 10:20 Race 9 - Brooklands Trophy 10:40 – 11:05 Race 10 - Richmond and Gordon Trophies 11:45 – 12:10 Race 11 - Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Part 2 12:50 – 13:15 Race 12 - St Mary’s Trophy Part 2 14:00 – 15:00 Race 14 - Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration 16:00 – 16:25 Race 15 - Glover Trophy 16:45 – 17:10 Race 16 - Sussex Trophy All times listed above are UTC/GMT +1 hour * Please note that the organizers reserve the right to amend or cancel the programme in part or in full without prior notice. ROLEX AND THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL PRESS KIT • 14-16 SEPTEMBER 2012 • WWW.CARACINGNEWS.COM 10/10
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