Ignition specialist NGK Spark Plugs played a major role in another Goodwood Festival of Speed, complete with a line-up of impressive cars and bikes. The leading supplier of original-equipment spark plugs, glow plugs and NTK Lambda and other engine management sensors, exhibited an array of dragster cars and motorcycles and played host to a number of celebrity guests at the four-day automotive extravaganza.

Its pavilion featured champion dragster star Andy Robinson’s NGK-liveried 69 Chevrolet Camaro, the Conquest I and II drag bikes raced by legendary rider ‘Stormin’ Dennis Norman, Lee Cohen's 1700hp Ford Zephyr drag car and Steve Woollatt's 1000bhp drag bike.

Motorsport legends who visited NGK included 92-year-old Stormin’ Norman, ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett, Andy Robinson and NGK-sponsored four-time and current World Speedway champion Greg Hancock, who attended with his son Wilbur. Northamptonshire racer Maria Costello, MBE, who rides the NGK-sponsored Kawasaki ER6 Supertwin, also made an appearance.

Mark Hallam, NGK Spark Plugs Marketing Manager, said, “It was a great show. We were visited by thousands of motorsport enthusiasts who took a keen interest in our impressive collection of drag racing machines and also played host to a number of celebrity competitors from the motorsport world. NGK has a long-standing connection with motorsport so believes it is important to have a major presence at the Festival of Speed alongside many of the vehicle manufacturers and race teams we supply with our OE component. “

Visitors also took part in a Spark Plug Challenge and tackled the Goodwood hillclimb on a racing simulator. There was also a Speedway bike for visitors to test their reaction times on and a competition for youngsters to win prizes by finding images of NGK’s ‘Mr Sparky’ character which were scattered around the stand. In addition, NGK staff were on hand to give away merchandising in exchange for donations for The National Autistic Society, raising more than £4000 for the charity.