“Strega” was born in 1944 as a P-51D-20-NT at North American Aviation’s Dallas, Texas factory. Initially placed into service with the United States Army Air Forces, it was transferred in July of 1945 to the Royal Australian Air Force. Strega, the racer, almost never came to be—the airframe was stripped of components and discarded for disposal. Miraculously, the airframe made its way to British Columbia, Canada, and then to Van Nuys, California, where it was rebuilt as a racer in the early 1980s. Strega, race number 7, first competed at Reno in 1983. In the subsequent decades, this beautiful speed machine with its distinctive red and white colors has built a loyal following due to its power and presence.