Growing up, I was borderline obsessed with the Fast and Furious franchise. Yes, there are objectively better films out there, and I’m fully aware that some of the plot lines are extremely unrealistic… cough World’s Longest Runway cough.
But it wasn’t about the structure of the films for me, it was the lifestyle. It was the sense of finding your people, developed through an inexplicable bond formed by torque and tyre smoke.
Now, I wouldn’t call myself a petrolhead. I’ve got a deep respect for the skills of people like Ken Block (may he rest in peace, Gymkhana legend that he was), but my car knowledge stretches about as far as checking my oil and changing a wheel. I’ll never be a Hoonigan, and I’ve accepted that. Still, the way cars evolve through aerodynamics, functionality, and design fascinates me, and I love the idea that once the engineers have had their say, the real fun starts… The customisation, the tweaks, the process of making something truly yours.
So when a friend texted me “Fancy going to Goodwood?” and turned up at my house with a bacon sandwich in hand, it was a done deal. No further convincing required.
For the uninitiated, Goodwood is more than just a racetrack on the outskirts of Chichester. It’s a sprawling estate with a hotel, golf course, members’ club, incredible events, a stunning manor house, a horse-racing track, and enough history to make a stately home blush. But for today, we’re just focusing on the tarmac.
This particular Sunday, it was taken over by Player’s Classic for their Show and Shine track day. It’s a sort of festival for the modified car scene, where enthusiasts from all over Europe descend on the paddocks to show off their finest, shiniest metal. Kind of like a pilgrimage for the tuned and tweaked crowd, but the variety on display is genuinely impressive.
Walking in, you’re hit with the unmistakable smell of hot engines, tyre rubber, and overpriced coffee—the holy trinity of car shows. Everywhere you look, people are buffing paint, adjusting ride heights, and popping bonnets. It’s a scene that might seem odd to the uninitiated, but there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing someone so utterly invested in their car, standing back, cloth in hand, head tilted just so, making sure that the sun catches the paint at exactly the right angle.
And the cars themselves don’t disappoint either… It’s a true cross-section of car culture, from the meticulously detailed to the proudly battered. If it’s got an engine and an owner willing to spend questionable amounts of money on it, it’s probably here. From spotless Mk1 Golfs to wide-arched RWB Porsches and Japanese legends that look like they’ve been airlifted straight from Tokyo’s Expressway, it’s an absolute buffet for car fans.
One minute you’re eyeing up a supercar with more carbon fibre than common sense, the next you’re staring at a ratty old BMW E30 that looks like it’s survived a few too many drift sessions, but somehow still has that ‘cool despite itself’ vibe. There’s also a kind of unspoken respect among the owners, a nod of appreciation as someone rolls by with an engine that shouldn’t logically fit under their bonnet or a paint job that looks like it was stolen straight off a Lamborghini concept.
As for me, I headed home in my own (modestly powered) set of wheels, mentally listing the parts I’d need to give it a bit more bite – because if there’s one thing a day at Player’s Classic will do, it makes you wish your car was just that little bit quicker, louder, or shinier.
And who knows, maybe one day I’ll roll into the paddock with a British racing green Jaguar E-Type. But until that day, I’ll keep making the trip to Goodwood, camera in hand and wallet firmly in pocket…
