Video: American V8 thunder at Goodwood

This collection of highlights begins with the St. Mary’s Trophy presented by Motul, the saloon car race with a two-way battle of big Fords. Nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen battles for the lead aboard his Thunderbird, while BTCC star Steve Soper has a Falcon at his disposal. Despite their dimensions, the over-sized saloons look almost graceful as their drivers drift them around the circuit. That was until they encountered traffic, to the detriment of one of them (no spoilers here as to which one...). In a later clip, we see Soper dicing with the relatively svelte Jaguar Mk1 of Gordon Shedden.

The Freddie March Memorial Trophy provided another opportunity for a Ford Thunderbird to shine, this time in the more unusual guise of Bill Shepherd’s ‘Battlebird’. He demonstrated its straight-line advantage off the line, coming from the second row of the grid to lead by the first corner, separating rival Jaguar C-Types, including one driven by Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, in his wake. The nimbler competition were later able to capitalise on their advantage in the corners.

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We then have the chance to enjoy some no-commentary footage that allows Ford and Chevrolet V8s to give voice. In the former camp, we have Shelby Cobras and GT40s, the latter including a battle between a Roadster and a conventional coupe in the Whitsun Trophy. The ‘Hairy Canary’ Cobra also does its bit to keep us entertained. And from the Chevrolet camp, we have two specialist 1960s racers borrowing from General Motors’ armoury, with both Sadler and Scarab.

While the Revival era means V8 exclusivity from the other side of the Atlantic, the broader generational remit of the Festival of Speed means we’ll see more variety on the Hill in July. But it will probably still be the V8s that make the biggest impression…