They were all just stories. They had to be. Of course a Porsche 917/30 would not actually spin its rear wheels at over 120mph. I mean, have you seen those wheels? Or the acres of fresh Avon racing rubber that cover them? And it’s not as if there is a lot of car in need of propelling: dry of all liquids, just 850kg all told. Lighter than the smallest, lightest Smart car.

And then there was the power. In period the actual horsepower of this 5.4-litre, twin-turbo flat 12, in standard racing output, was a little in excess of 1100bhp. But then again Porsche wouldn’t let me out with that under my right foot, surely? Not for a demo at Goodwood, and not in this of all its cars.

The only person ever to win a Can-Am race in a Porsche 917/30 was Mark Donohue, and he only raced two of these cars. One is in captivity in the US and this is the other. This car has only ever been raced by Mark, and it has never been out of Porsche’s hands. This car, 917/30-002, was the first 917/30 to win a Can-Am race. The idea that I would be released in it unfettered seemed rather fanciful at best. But I was wrong. Here’s a snapshot of a telephone call between the Franchitti brothers. Dario has been watching the live feed of my run at Goodwood, sees something on the screen and feels an urgent need to call Marino: “Tell me that was clutch slip,” he says to his little brother. “No mate,” says Marino, “that was wheel spin. Wheel spin.”