Even by the extraordinarily high standards of the Goodwood Revival, the annual historic racing event at Goodwood in England, the St. Mary's Trophy stands out as a thrilling spectacle. This race features "saloon" cars from the early 1960s, including Mini Coopers, Alfa Romeo GTAs, Lotus Cortinas, and Jaguar Mk IIs. Among these, the Ford Galaxie 500s are particularly noteworthy. Renowned all-round racer Romain Dumas found himself at the back of the grid for this year's race, but he quickly made his way forward in the powerful Ford.
According to the commentary, Dumas was not originally scheduled to participate in this year's Revival. However, a last-minute opportunity arose, and he was flown in just a day before the event. Starting from 29th position on the grid, as he was unable to qualify the car, Dumas set a frantic pace during the 25-minute sprint. Despite this, he was no stranger to the track and car, having won this very race in the same vehicle back in 2022.
The St. Mary's Trophy showcases the unique strengths of various cars. While Minis may lack brute force, they excel in the fast corners of Goodwood. Alfas and Cortinas offer more power but rely on momentum. In contrast, Jaguars are muscle cars, yet at a horsepower-focused track like Goodwood, it's hard to dispute the dominance of a Galaxie 500 driven by someone of Dumas' caliber.
This is not just any Galaxie 500; the ones racing at Goodwood are "R-Codes," factory-built lightweight racers equipped with 427-cubic-inch V-8 engines. Truly, a muscle car in every sense. However, this race is not solely about horsepower. Dumas frequently countersteers and even clutch-kicks the car out of the slow chicane to prevent it from slowing down. There are numerous dramatic saves and heart-stopping moments as he navigates the track with precision.
In the end, Dumas secured third place, just a few thousandths of a second behind the second-place finisher in his Plymouth Barracuda. The St. Mary's Trophy continued with a second 25-minute race on Sunday at Goodwood, where Dumas' teammate and car owner, Bill Shepherd, claimed the checkered flag first.
The Revival offers countless highlights, all of which are worth watching. But if you have just 10 minutes, this race is a must-see.
