"[2] The event was run as a quarter mile sprint for both cars and motorcycles, held under the auspices of the Motor Sports Association.

[6] Autocar reported in 1970: "Last year this traditional event did not take place because the condition of the road surface was thought unsuitable for the more powerful sprint cars.

The first announcement that a dragster would race in Brighton came from Wally Parks, in an editorial in Hot Rod Magazine in August 1958.

Parks had nominated Calvin Rice to travel from the USA to England with the Hot Rod Magazine Special for the speed trials.

A new track record over the kilometre was anticipated but a fuel line ruptured caused a misfire and a time of 37.91 secs.

"[10] The reputation of the car never fully recovered, and Bill Boddy, editor of Motor Sport, called it a fiasco,[11] saying the mechanical problems had also occurred in testing at Boreham.

"[13] Sydney Allard was joined on 14 September 1963, by Dante Duce in Dean Moon's Mooneyes gas dragster[14] and Mickey Thompson with his Ford-powered Harvey Aluminum Special for some match-race style action.

racing car class, and, although not geared for the kilometre, finished second to Patsy Burt, in a time of 27.86 sec.

The car as raced in Brighton was fitted with a 375-cubic inch supercharged Chevrolet V8 engine and a Devin bodyshell,[17] and was originally built in 1959.

They faded from the scene with only occasional wins by drag-race type vehicles, such as Shaun Saunders (2000) and Paul Marston (2001, 2002).

The event is currently run as a quarter mile sprint for both cars and motorcycles, held under the auspices of the Motor Sports Association.

The speed trials form a unique event, where vintage and exotic classics meet the latest in street and racing cars.

However, on 23 January 2014 the Economic Development and Culture Committee voted in favour of the event continuing, after a petition of more than 12,000 signatures was presented.