The only thing missing was the floating mountain, that landmark of the Bonneville Salt Flats that racers aim a little to one side of as they power past the bright orange mile-markers.
Such was the completeness of the scene that organizers of the 2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed erected last year on the cricket pitch to celebrate American land-speed racing. This year, they plan on equally going to the nines with their cricket pitch display, but in a tribute to the American dragster.
This year’s Festival of Speed, scheduled for July 11-13, 2008, will include a replica of an early dragstrip and will feature several famed dragsters cackling on the dragstrip throughout the weekend. According to an NHRA press release, dragsters to be featured have already begun the trek across the Atlantic and include the likes of the Art Chrisman No. 25 car, the Glass Slipper, the Howard Cams Rattler and Tommy Ivo’s four-engine Showboat.
For more information about the Goodwood Festival of Speed, visit www.goodwood.co.uk/fos/.
(This post originally appeared in the May 8, 2008, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)