Travis Pastrana performed with the Hoonigan Huckster on the famous hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, but his run ended with Extensively modified 1983 Subaru GL Wagon in a hay bale. The traditional culmination of the event is a timed gunfight. While winning brings some honor, it’s not exactly a cutthroat contest as the vehicles attempt to climb a modest ladder spanning more than a century of history.
Pastrana, a freestyle racing legend turned star and dirt-racing mogul, fully understands that this shootout is supposed to be a spectacle for the attendees and spectators around the world. It’s hard not to be amazed by the roar of the turbocharged boxer four. With 862 horsepower, the car accelerates quickly enough to require braking in the first corner. Pastrana isn’t afraid to go full throttle and drop a wheel or two into the grass.
The Monster Prepared by Vermont SportsCar The Huckster is covered in active aerodynamic components that will soon become important. When the Huckster slows down, it flares out its fenders and the rear of its hood to act as an air brake. The GL Wagon’s carbon-fibre body panels are draped over a WRC-spec tubular spaceframe.
Disaster struck 24 seconds into the run. Pastrana appeared to have accelerated too fast into the first left-hand corner of the hill climb. The flaps were down as the Huckster slid off the pavement into the dry grass. The car was able to pull away and continue, but its chance of winning was gone. The Subaru finished. 5th in its debut in 2022, before main role in Gymkhana 12.
Romain Dumas and Ford Supervan 4.2 won with a time of 43.98 seconds, 2 seconds faster than Scott Speed driving the Subaru Project Midnight, another car also prepared by VSC. At Goodwood, winning isn’t everything. This is an event that celebrates the past, present and future of motorsport.
