I saw the competition car race in the US driven by John Buffum back in the day. He was the ten time rally champion at that time but when he came to Europe to compete he usually finished outside of the top ten. When I first heard the car coming through the trees it sounded like a giant science fiction insect chasing down prey, the sound moving to the left, then to the right as the engine came off throttle then back on again, still out of sight. But that whistling roar coming closer, ever closer until it finally exploded around the corner, tail kicked out and scrabbling for traction, finding it and flashing past us and out of sight as an orange ball of flame erupted out of the tailpipe as it disappeared.