For American classic-car enthusiasts who have watched vintage Ferraris, GT40s, Cobras, Minis and prewar racers actually compete at Britain’s Goodwood Revival, the Atlantic Ocean is about to become less of an obstacle. Goodwood is preparing its first major event in the United States, and it has chosen one of America’s most historic racetracks as its home.
The first headline Goodwood event in America is planned for Willow Springs International Raceway in California in the fall of 2028. The goal is not simply to duplicate the British Revival in the desert. Instead, organizers want to combine Goodwood’s emphasis on historic cars, close-access paddocks and genuine competition with the history and character of American motorsport.
Goodwood Wants Classic Cars to Be Used, Not Just Displayed
Goodwood’s British events have become famous partly because extraordinarily valuable cars are treated like race cars rather than museum pieces. Ford GT40s, Jaguar D-Types, Ferrari sports racers, Cobras, Minis and countless other historic machines compete at speed, often with professional drivers sharing grids with experienced private owners. The Duke of Richmond, whose family estate hosts Goodwood’s British events, told Car and Driver that organizers actively try to build competitive races rather than simply accepting every historically eligible car.
That philosophy appears central to the American expansion. Speaking during a recent visit to Willow Springs, the Duke described meeting collectors who own significant cars but increasingly struggle to find opportunities to actually use them. His answer is essentially the Goodwood model: build events where owners can take historic machinery out of garages, put it in front of spectators and, when appropriate, race it.
The American version is also expected to borrow elements from both the Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed, including historic racing, demonstrations, special gatherings and the atmosphere that surrounds the cars themselves. But organizers say they do not want to simply import an English event and place it in California. The intention is to build something around American racing history and the distinctly different landscape and culture surrounding Willow Springs.
Willow Springs Is Almost Perfect for It
There may be no more appropriate American venue. Willow Springs opened in 1953 and bills itself as the oldest permanent road course in the United States. Its original “Big Willow” configuration remains a fast 2.5-mile, nine-turn circuit, and the track has been tied to American performance history for generations. Shelby American used Willow Springs during development work, and Ken Miles tested there during the era that produced the Cobra and Ford GT40.
The circuit itself is now undergoing a major revival. CrossHarbor Capital Partners acquired Willow Springs in 2025 in collaboration with Singer Vehicle Design, announcing plans to renovate the tracks, paddocks and pits while adding enthusiast facilities, restoration services, car storage and eventually a museum. Importantly, the new owners have emphasized preserving the existing circuit rather than replacing its character with a completely modern facility.
That philosophy seems to have attracted Goodwood. The Duke of Richmond compared Willow Springs today with Goodwood several decades ago, when the British circuit was far less polished than the international destination it has become. He also noted the parallels between the two tracks: both are fast, roughly similar in length and deeply connected to motorsport history. Rather than disguising Willow’s desert surroundings, Goodwood intends to make them part of the identity of the American event.
The First Big Event Is Planned for 2028
The full event is still two years away, with organizers currently targeting approximately October 2028. Goodwood’s American presence will begin sooner, however. The Goodwood Road Racing Club of America is expected to launch in early 2027 with events across California and Nevada, including track days, driving tours, private visits and social gatherings. Goodwood has also selected Mario Andretti, Richard Petty and Sir Jackie Stewart as founding patrons of the American club.
If California succeeds, Goodwood may not stop there. The Duke specifically mentioned interest around New York and Florida, although the organization has made clear that Willow Springs is the starting point. The larger ambition appears to be building an American counterpart to the community Goodwood has developed around its British events rather than simply creating one annual vintage race.
That could matter for the collector-car world. Concours events and museums preserve important automobiles, but Goodwood has built its reputation around something different: letting people hear, smell and watch historic machinery doing what it was designed to do. Bringing that philosophy to Willow Springs puts cars associated with American road racing back onto a circuit that lived through much of the history itself. In an era when increasingly valuable classics can disappear into private collections, an event built around actually driving them may be exactly what the hobby needs.
