The 120-year-old car emerged from the Goodwood chicane, its driver, Mark Walker waiting, waiting, waiting for that moment to get back on the gas. It’s not hard to see why: his 1905 Darracq is a former Land Speed Record holder, thanks to its 25-litre V8 engine. With tyres barely wider than those on a mountain bike and an unfathomable ocean of torque under his right foot, it’s a decision you need to get right.
Mark is a superb driver and an absolute master of that car – I’ve been in the same race at the same track against both the man and his machine so know of what I speak. But, it seems, this time, hunting down an outright win in the SF Edge Trophy, Mark’s foot was a fraction ahead of the gun, compounded by the fact his outside rear tyre was on the grass – though taking a spot of ‘grasscrete’ there is now almost an accepted part of the racing line when said grass is dry.
The tail started to drift out – nothing new in that – though this is not the place for extravagant drifting because the corner is slow and you have to prioritise traction to maximise your speed all the way up the pit straight beyond. He tried to go with it but simply ran out of lock. For a moment it looked bad, the Darracq running across the track and hitting the tyre barrier hard on the other side, then it briefly looked terrible as Mark was ejected from the car, coming to rest atop the tyres. Seconds later he was on his feet inspecting the damage to his machine which looked bad but I suspect is quite easily fixed. Apparently uninjured, I have no doubt at all that both he and it will be back at Goodwood and on fighting form this time next year.
