I had never seen an F1 car turn a wheel in anger. Off in the distance at the starting line at the bottom of Lord March's driveway, the Mercedes 2.4 liter V8 sounds like it does on television, except obviously much, much louder. A few short seconds later, the Mercedes screams into view and comes to a halt right in front of where I'm standing. It was when the engine was bouncing off the rev limiter, setting the stage for the smokey burnout to follow, that I noticed a bass backbeat that you just don't hear on television. F1 cars sound and go like nothing I've ever seen before, and right then I turned to Matt and said, "I'm going to Austin for the US Grand Prix next year."   

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an event that I've always wanted to go to, but after going to the N24 the weekend before, it felt like a bit of a sideshow. That feeling ceased as soon as I arrived. The FoS is a spectacular event by any measure. Where else can you go see classic cars, cutting edge supercars and race cars of all shapes and sizes hoon their way up a rich guy's driveway? It's a really casual atmosphere too - a chance for classic car owners and top flight race teams alike to let loose and have a little fun.

Unfortunately, the Drive Cult photography corp was unable to make the event, but Matt and I did the best with the skill (little to none) and equipment (iPhones) we had at our disposal. Here's the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed in 100 images.

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