American Thunder: V8 icons unleash pure muscle on the Goodwood Hill

The track action delivered one moment after another, kicking off with an incredible dual-display from current F1 star Liam Lawson. The young Kiwi first treated the crowds to a masterclass in heritage performance, piloting a legendary, Le Mans-winning Ford GT40 – a beautiful nod to the historic New Zealand racing links forged by Bruce McLaren himself. Later in the run, Lawson completely swapped disciplines, stepping into the cockpit of the futuristic, high-voltage Ford Supervan 4 to push the limits of EV performance up the tarmac.

The majority of the batch, though, was a true haven for muscle car purists, featuring an imposing batch of classic Chevrolet Camaros that tore past the grandstands. Adding to the star-studded lineup, two-time F1 World Champion and Indy 500 icon Emerson Fittipaldi brought pure stock car nostalgia to West Sussex, tackling the Hillclimb in a thunderous 1991 Buick Regal with his son riding shotgun.

Endurance racing heritage also took centre stage, headlined by the brutal engine thunder of a stunning Chevrolet Corvette C5-R. Sweeping up the Hill in a striking blue livery, this particular run offered a rare treat for motorsport historians, marking one of the only times this iconic chassis ever competed in blue rather than its traditional factory yellow. It was flanked by other legendary heavyweights, including a ferocious Dodge Viper GTS-R, the red-white-and-blue monster that is the Nissan 300ZX Turbo, and an aggressive, Marlboro-liveried Ford Mustang GT S1 driven by Oliver Bryant.

The global variety of the American racing scene was further cemented by nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, who wrestled the legendary, wide-body Audi 200 Quattro Trans-Am up the Hill. Meanwhile, Louis Deletraz brought the modern era of sports car racing to life, piloting the sleek Cadillac V-Series.R Hypercar from the Hertz Team JOTA stable. But it was action-sports icon Travis Pastrana who nearly brought the house down, piloting his wild, customised 1978 Subaru "Brataroo" GL 900 Turbo in true, sideways-everywhere style.

For spectators looking to get within touching distance of these American legends, the action seamlessly transitions from the track to the Cathedral Paddock. The display area is absolutely packed with iconic machinery, featuring a pristine 1964 Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe sitting right alongside a 1995 Riley & Scott MkIII and a 1999 Panoz LMP1 Roadster S – the  very car driven on track. Attracting both the younger and older fans on the Estate, the paddock even features the beloved icon Lightning McQueen, proving that the Americana batch truly has something for every generation of car enthusiast.

Goodwood will be indulging in all things American with the launch next year of GRRC of America, with the first headline event due to take place in Willow Springs, California, in 2028.

Photography by Rob Cooper, Sam Miller, Charlie Brenninkmeijer, Tom Baigent

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