Despite lousy weather cancelling Saturday’s festivities, the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed’s closing stages were exhilarating. Despite its difficulty, some of the world’s best racers enjoyed the Goodwood hill climb. I mean Travis Pastrana, a rally driver and automotive badass. I met Pastrana before one of his runs, and he was excited to unleash his Subaru GL Family Huckster’s 850 horsepower on the slippery surface. Some people like finding the shortest way and racing up the hill. Pastrana, however, likes inverting. Aero and all-wheel drive let this Subaru go wherever on the course. The Goodwood Road & Racing YouTube channel recorded Pastrana’s awkward incline ascent. The Gymkhana hero impressed the crowd and set a quick time at Goodwood, something most racers struggle with. Most drivers favour one. Pastrana and his Subaru racing wagon posted the second-best time and entertained the spectators with many drifts. “The rear wing rises during braking and offers a lot of stopping power here,” Pastrana noted when asked to explain. Simple adjustments avoid a too-light back. It stabilises the vehicle during big hops. Sunday morning in the Duke of Richmond’s driveway will be new. Pastrana, like Sebastian Vettel, Mick Schumacher, Emerson Fittipaldi, and many others, will get another chance to impress.
