CHICHESTER, England (July 16, 2024) — A once-in-a-lifetime gathering of “The Most Mysterious Machines in Motorsport” graced the 150,000+ motorsport fans who attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend at the Goodwood House in Chichester, England.
Our team was responsible for running nine out of 15 vehicles that were part of the Shadow Racing Cars display and demonstration, including an ex-Tom Pryce DN5 F1 car, and the 1974 Can-Am Championship-winning DN4 being driven by Jackie Oliver.
In total, the fleet of Shadows tackled the 1.16-mile (1.87km) hill-climb six times throughout the weekend, all as part of Batch 3, Class 9: “Shadow Racing Cars: The Most Mysterious Machines in Motorsport.”
Between the runs up the hill, drivers, owners, and designers also participated in multiple events at Goodwood including autograph signings, and a live Q&A featuring Shadow car designers Trevor Harris and Tony Southgate, driver Jackie Oliver, Penny Nichols (daughter of founder Don Nichols) and more!
The special showcase was done with the help of The Goodwood Road & Racing Club, which was also responsible for the Goodwood Members’ Meeting earlier in the year in which the Shadow Can-Am Cars joined in with a Can-Am Celebration Demonstration twice over the weekend.
Seven of the nine cars are part of Jim Bartel’s collection. Bartel is a long-time admirer of Shadow Racing Cars, and a true historian of the team and its accomplishments.
“It’s an honor to be at Goodwood,” said Bartel. “When you go to the top of the mountain there’s nothing left!”
“This is the peak of what we could do. It’s the first time the Can-Am cars have been in the UK all together, and it’s the first time and the last time it’ll ever happen. So this is truly a unique experience.”
One of the most notable cars on the track was the knee-high, jet-black Shadow MK I Prototype driven by team owner Kyle Tilley. The insane design was the brainchild of Shadow Racing Cars founder Don Nichols and original team car designer Trevor Harris.
The car is known for its wild approaches to aerodynamics, including being designed with an aerodynamic braking system used to help preserve the under-sized front brakes necessary due to the extremely low-profile front end of the car.
“This is a really special car to be able to show off to the fans here at Goodwood!” Tilley said of his ride for the weekend. “It’s a true testament not only to how wild Can-Am was as a series but also just how revolutionary the Shadow team had been.”
“Across the board, these cars still stand out as wild even 50 years on. From the aero on the prototype car to the radiators in the rear wing of the MkI Mosport car, to the massive 1000-horsepower big blocks of the DN2 and DN4 Can-Am cars, they manage to stand out even at a place like Goodwood where every type of car you can think of will be making an appearance.”
While Tilley was behind the wheel of the prototype, other big names in racing joined in to take the Shadows up the hill as well.
The driver who took the Shadow DN4 to the 1974 Can-Am Championship win, Jackie Oliver, was reunited with his car once again to show off for the Goodwood crowd.
Other drivers included Jake Hill behind the wheel of the outrageous-looking MKI ‘Mosport’ car, F1 Champion Damon Hill in the Dodge-powered DN4B, McMurtry test driver Alex Summers, and more!
Founded in 1968 as Advanced Vehicle Systems, Shadow Racing Cars made their mark on the motorsport world with their wild race car designs and strategies. Beginning as a Can-Am Challenge team, they quickly expanded into F1 after just a few years. Their peak as a team came with winning the 1974 Can-Am Championship but the team also saw multiple podiums in F1 as well as a win at the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix.
Stay tuned as many of the Shadows are expected to make at least one more appearance in Europe before returning to the States!
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