The legendary Scottish race team Ecurie Ecosse will be honoured at the 2017 Goodwood Revival, scheduled for 8-10 September at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. David Murray\u2019s Edinburgh-based squad enjoyed a roster of successes during the 1950s and early \u201860s and the Revival will see many of these single-seaters and sports cars take to the Circuit.<\/p>\n
Businessman and motorsport enthusiast Murray founded the team, famous for its distinctive Flag-Blue metallic paint, at the end of 1951 and ran Cooper and Connaught machinery in three British Grands Prix at Silverstone for himself, Ian Stewart, Jimmy Stewart (brother of three-time World Champion Jackie) and Leslie Thorne.<\/p>\n
Later in the fifties, Ecurie Ecosse hit the international headlines when its Jaguar D-types took back-to-back Le Mans 24 Hour victories. Three of the 11 original long-nose D-types, all run at Le Mans by Ecurie Ecosse, will have endurance-racing disciples wide-eyed and open-mouthed as they lap Goodwood in formation, harking back to the glory days of 1956-\u201957 in which Ron Flockhart, Ivor Bueb and Ninian Sanderson and their blue-and-white Jaguars trumped rivals.<\/p>\n
The Lea Francis-engined Connaught A-type F1 car, the Jaguar-engined Tojeiro that raced at Le Mans in 1959, a Cooper-Monaco entered for the French enduro in the early 1960s, the little Austin-Healey Sprite and a rare Tojeiro EE-Buick will be among the other significant Ecurie Ecosse cars set to appear at the 2017 Goodwood Revival.<\/p>\n
The cars will take to the track for high-speed runs on Friday and Sunday, with Saturday featuring a parade of the iconic blue cars, to pipe-band accompaniment. Some of the personalities involved with the original team, including 88-year-old works and Ecurie Ecosse mechanic Ron Gaudion, and an appearance by the fabulous Selby Howgate-designed, Falkirk-built double-decker Commer transporter used by Ecurie Ecosse in period will wow the crowds.<\/p>\n
It will be the first time such a comprehensive gathering of Ecurie Ecosse machinery has been seen together, bringing a Scottish twist to West Sussex and an unmissable treat for enthusiasts everywhere.<\/p>\n