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In amongst the roaring V8s of the Gurney Cup, the beautiful sportscars of the Moss Trophy and Salvadori Cup, and the preposterous aero-engined leviathans of the S.F. Edge Trophy, there was a far more introverted and unassuming grid of cars circulating the Goodwood Motor Circuit during the 80th Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport. And we enjoyed every single moment of the Tony Gaze Trophy.
Video: 2023 Tony Gaze Trophy full race | 80MM
Contested by road-going sportscars from between 1948 and 1954, the era that saw motorsport arrive at Goodwood for the first time, the Tony Gaze Trophy might not have had the visual clout of other races on the schedule, but the on-track action more than made up for that.
The grid consisted of Frazer Nash Le Mans Replicas, Austin Healeys, Porsche 356s and Jaguar XK120s, along with a selection of lesser-known machines: a Panhard Junior Roadster, a Jowlett Jupiter and an HRG 1500.
An eclectic line-up for sure, with all manner of shapes and configurations on display as they hurtle away from the line for a 20-minute shootout that featured near-endless side-by-side action. It’s rare that you see open-wheeled racers battling it out with closed-wheelers, but that’s exactly what we had in the Tony Gaze Trophy.
If you enjoy hard-fought jostling and breathless action, this might just have been the race of the weekend at the 80th Members’ Meeting.
