| Feature Drive | Goodwood Festival of Speed | 2011 Vauxhall VXR8 |

It's the first run of the day. I'm handed the keys to a 6.2-litre V8-engined Holden. That's a Vauxhall VXR8 to you and me. At least it will be when it arrives in the UK sometime next year. I'm in a queue of traffic, a multi-million pound parade of vehicles waiting in line to head up the hill at Goodwood.

I was at the first ever Goodwood Festival of Speed in 1993 and now, many years later, I'm the other side of the barriers and I'm driving up the famous hill for the first time. It isn't only the cars that represent motoring royalty (I've counted two Bugatti Veyrons, a RUF Porsche, Ferrari 458, California and 599 GTO and even a few priceless concepts like the GTbyCITROEN), but also the drivers.

Derek Bell is sat just feet away in a Bentley, the legendary racer just one of Goodwood's population made up of the great and the good of world motorsport.

There's a Caparo T1 behind me. The Vauxhall/Holden won't be bettering it for performance, but hopefully the tyre smokescreen I leave at the line will keep it at bay up the hill...

Trundling forward, conscious of the crowds watching, I hold the big red Holden on the brake, switch off the traction control and prod the accelerator. The rear slews sideways, the tyres squeal and there's plenty of smoke as the rubber burns. Not enough, evidently, as I'm only half way up the hill when I see that Caparo filling my mirrors - just - as it's so low the driver's head is barely in line with my blaring tailpipes.

The Goodwood hillclimb is narrow. Scarily so. The big Holden is fine on the fast straights, but a bit of a brute in the corners. I pop the auto gearlever into drive to make some more noise, but then fluff my next gearchange as I realise that Holden's transmission needs a pull back for an upshift and forward to downshift.

It's all over too soon, though my relief is palpable, as my first run up the hill was relatively trouble free. I've avoided the flint walls, kept it out of the bales and not managed to roll it clumsily into something really expensive during all the manoeuvring.

The Festival of Speed is a magical experience, whether you're watching or taking part. If you've not been before you must give it a go. Goodwood offers a rare chance to get close to everything from exotic road cars to priceless race cars. There are some pretty special drivers here too. It's on all weekend, if you've got the chance to make it down, do. You'll not regret it.