THE STARS OF THE CARS
A roster of faces that have raced with us over the years
Founder & Managing Director
BILL SHEPHERD
Bill Shepherd is a British racing driver, businessman and founder of Bill Shepherd Automotive, specialising in the restoration, development and racing of historic American V8 cars. A multiple FIA European Historic GT champion and Goodwood race winner, he has built a reputation for combining competitive driving with a deep understanding of the machinery beneath him.
Bill began racing in Formula Ford in the 1970s, competing against emerging talents including Nigel Mansell and Willy T. Ribbs. In 1977, he narrowly missed out on a ‘scholarship’, just one point behind Ribbs in the Dunlop Star of Tomorrow championship, before financial constraints brought his early single-seater career to a halt.
His return to racing came through a vividly coloured 289 Cobra, bought in the mid-1980s. Success in the AMOC Intermarque Championship followed, alongside the creation of his own race team, Uniclip Automotive, in 1987. Bill quickly established himself as the leading Cobra specialist, developing and preparing cars that became benchmarks in European historic racing.
His reputation extended equally to the cockpit. Three consecutive FIA GTS 12 titles by 1998 established Bill as one of the outstanding historic drivers of his generation. At the 2002 Le Mans Classic, he demonstrated both speed and endurance in the celebrated GPG 4C FIA 289 Cobra. After his co-driver fell ill, Bill drove every stint himself, racing through the night to beat all but one of the higher-class GT40s, finishing a remarkable second overall.
Bill later expanded his focus to historic Ford touring cars, rescuing and restoring the ex-Bo Ljungfeldt, Ford of France/Alan Mann Racing Galaxie. He returned the car to competition at the 2011 Goodwood Revival, took an individual St Mary’s Trophy race victory in 2013 and won the trophy outright alongside Romain Dumas in 2024. That success followed their overall St Mary’s Trophy victory in 2021 at the wheel of the Holman-Moody Ford Thunderbird.
Today, Bill continues to race alongside his son Fred, bringing decades of experience to a family business dedicated to keeping these cars competitive and their history alive on the circuit.
Director
FRED SHEPHERD
Fred Shepherd is a British racing driver and businessman, specialising in historic American V8 racing cars. A three-time St Mary’s Trophy winner and three-time winner of the Gerry Marshall/Gordon Spice Trophy, he has built his reputation racing Ford Mustangs, Galaxies and Thunderbirds against some of motorsport’s most accomplished names.
For years, Fred was a familiar but quiet presence in the paddock, known to many simply as “Bill’s son”. That changed at Goodwood SpeedWeek in October 2020. Making his Goodwood racing debut, he shared a Ford Mustang Boss 302 with André Lotterer and delivered an unexpected Gerry Marshall Trophy victory, announcing a racing talent that few outside the team had anticipated.
This breakthrough became the foundation of a remarkable Goodwood record. Alongside Romain Dumas, Fred won the St Mary’s Trophy at the Revival in 2022, 2023 and 2026, taking both an individual race victory and the overall trophy on each occasion. Notably, those successes came in three different cars: the ex-Ford of France lightweight Galaxie, the Holman-Moody Thunderbird and a second, newly restored 1963 Galaxie.
Further overall victories in the Goodwood Member’s Meeting’s Gordon Spice Trophy in 2025 and 2026 made Fred the first and only driver to win the headline trophy three times across its Gerry Marshall and Gordon Spice names.
Together with his 2024 Gordon Spice Sprint victory, these results bring Fred’s tally to seven Goodwood touring car race wins—the outright record for any driver, professional or amateur. All seven victories have come since his debut in October 2020, establishing Fred as a leading force in historic touring car racing.
Fred has repeatedly demonstrated the qualifying speed and race pace to match—and often beat—some of motorsport’s most decorated professionals. Competing against Le Mans winners and champions from international single-seater and touring car racing, he has established himself as a formidable contender for pole positions and race victories no matter the ‘names’ in the entry list.
Beyond the circuit, Fred shares the spectacle of historic motorsport through his Fred Shepherd Racing social media accounts. With a combined social media following of 85,000 and hundreds of millions of video views across his platforms, his onboard footage and racing content expose British historic motorsport to a new, worldwide audience.
2x Le Mans winner & 3x Pikes Peak Champion
ROMAIN DUMAS
Romain first joined the Bill Shepherd Automotive team for the Goodwood RAC TT at the 2018 Goodwood Revival. Since then, Romain has pedalled a variety of cars within our stable. Alongside numerous podium positions in the prestigious RAC TT, Romain partnered with Bill to win the 2021 St Mary's Trophy. The same year, in the TT, Romain drove a faultless race to bring our green Cobra across the line in 1st place before the car succumbed to a late time penalty for pit-stop infringement.
9x LeMans Winner
TOM KRISTENSEN
Tom shared the vast 1959 Thunderbird with Bill for the St Mary's Trophy at the 2017 Goodwood Revival. Making it's debut, and only having been completed the evening before, the car suffered teething issues in qualifying. Despite this, in the race, Tom's charge from a pitlane start captured the attention of the world's automotive media. The footage went viral globally, amassing tens of millions of views online.
3x Le Mans winner
ANDRE LOTTERER
Andre stepped into the fold for the Gerry Marshall Trophy at the 2020 Goodwood Speedweek, partnering with Fred to drive the 1970 Boss 302 Mustang. An unfortunate red flag prevented the car from completing a representative lap in qualifying. However, starting the race from the second row, the pair brought the car home in first place, over 8 seconds clear of the Camaro in second position.
3x World Touring Car Champion
ANDY PRIAULX MBE
The 'flying Gurnseyman' partnered up with Fred in the 2022 Gerry Marshall Trophy, driving a 1970 Boss 302 Mustang. Despite Andy's complete lack of testing, he was instantly on the pace and the pair qualified the car in 4th position. After a very eventful race, the Boss later went on to come home in a strong second place finish.
1984 World Rally Champion
STIG BLOMQVIST
After watching a 63 Galaxie at Karlskoga in the 1964 European Touring Car Championship, a young Stig decided to devote his life to motorsport. It wasn't until a dinner with Bill and Fred in the Arctic north of Sweden, almost 45 years later, that it transpired that it was the very same Galaxie that Bill now owns and races. It seemed like fate, then, for Stig to join Bill in that life-defining Galaxie for the 2020 St Mary's Trophy. The race was an instant classic, Stig, battling hard with the Galaxie of Sam Tordoff for the lead, ultimately coming home across the line first, fulfilling a liefelong dream in epic fashion.
1989 LeMans and F1 race winner
JOCHEN MASS
Jochen and Bill teamed up for the Goodwood Revival in 2012, in the 1963 Ford Galaxie 500. Despite the pair finishing on the podium, they were unfortunate that a loose plug lead cost Jochen a potential win and the team an outright St Mary's Trophy victory.
1970 LeMans winner
RICHARD ATTWOOD
A long time friend of Bill's and a large influence on his approach to racing, Richard very kindly stepped in to the Green Cobra for the 2016 Goodwood Revival at late notice. As quick as ever, and the ultimate gentleman, Richard drove the car beautifully, providing the exceptional detailed driver feedback he's well known for.