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3rd July: In association with American Car Imports Eurodragster.com will be posting reports and pictures from this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals commencing with today's second day of qualifying and first day of Pro qualifying.
©Eurodragster.com
Our good buddy Christer Abrahamson is at Alastaro and will be E-Mailing us updates which we shall post as soon as we can (Bear in mind we're on our day jobs today at least - Ed). The coverage will therefore not be real-time but as quick as can be managed. Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger is also at Alastaro and will be working with Christer to post end-day galleries. Alastaro's webcam is on-line and is posting a view of the UEM bike pits with the strip visible to the left of the picture.
Click here to check out our FHRA Nitro Nationals coverage, or click on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and select the FHRA Nitro Nationals.
Tale of a curtailed weekend.
3rd July: B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator competitor Colin Lazenby has been in touch to
explain his early exit from the SPRC Summernationals:
At some point during the third qualifying pass on the Saturday the engine tone in our somewhere between 811ci and 932 ci Sonny's billet motor noticeably changed. We were up against Jeff Meads at the time, effectively running what would have been our finals from the previous event. I have to tell you that the thought of coming off it against Jeff never entered my head - besides, give him an inch and he'll take a mile. In the race itself we ran a slowing 8.53 to Jeff's improving 8.83 (times courtesy of Andy Marrs of TSI Timers).
Back in the pits we began the ritual of setting the lash, but clearly all was not well with #5 exhaust and with less than an hour before the cruise we pretty much knew we were never going to make it, certainly not without risking greater damage. By the time the other SE competitors were leaving for the cruise the intake was already off, and having borrowed a couple of specialist tools from Tim Mugridge (surely he's realised by now) and Graham Ellis' crew we managed to pull out the main body of the damaged lifter. By now Clive Bond was an hour and a half later than he'd planned to get away and, having committed himself to being elsewhere by this point, I am grateful for his ever-watchful eye and the fact that he stayed. At this point we wrapped up for evening and partook in our planned barbecue and one or two beers.
©Eurodragster.com
Tomorrow was always going to be a tough day. On the Sunday I was up and about by 06:45 and our Bri and Garry weren't far behind. The plan was to get packed up and away by 09:30, we pulled out of the Pod at 09.25 (dammit). Now I must apologise here to the lady in the gas station with whom Our Kid fell out, something to do with access to the pumps? Anyhow lady, if you are reading this either on Eurodragster.com or the SE site, our Brian is very sorry in the way he spoke to you and I for one do not condone his disgraceful language, or indeed his ungentlemanly conduct. I do hope you weren't too traumatised by the abuse you received. I suspect our Brian (just like Ronnie Biggs) remains unrepentant on the matter. Anyhow, we'd planned to get to Clive's by 12:00 and we were there pretty much bang on schedule having already agreed with Clive that we would deliver the motor to his ample shop even though he couldn't join us given his previous commitment.
We rolled the '56 off into Clive's shop and popped it up onto the Pro-jacks where me and Our Kid pulled out the motor, cleaning everything up as we dismantled - Clive's place is as clean as a hospital operating theatre (without the added risk of picking up an infection). The girls put on a spot of lunch and then sunbathed... What? They did. The image shows the old girl once again without a motor between the rails, and once it was placed safely onto an old engine stand we found lying around we simply tidied up and left, but not before raping and pillaging Clive's Snap On tool stash - when on earth will he learn?
Clive has since inspected the motor and predictably when the lifter bearing failed, the axle collapsed and the offending item continued to bash the corresponding lobe on the cam until that too was trashed. Let's just say it could have been worse - much worse. And yes of course we'll check the other lifters. Sonny Leonard is now not talking to me.
The cam and lifters are now ordered and we'll just have to see how we get on. Don't write us off just yet, you ought to know by now that here at Team '56 we don't give up that easily.
Swift snippets.
3rd July: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for sending us Version 6 of the official entry list for Bug Jam, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 18th-19th July and which is a Championship round for Super Modified, B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator, Sportsman ET, VWDRC, Outlaw Flat Four and Outlaw Anglia and a non-points round for Junior Dragster. You can check out the Bug Jam entry list by clicking here. Entry is still open but is subject to a late entry fee; you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc.
©Eurodragster.com
Paula has also forwarded us Version 2 of the official entry list for Rotorstock, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on Saturday 11th July and which is a round of the HKS Drag Series. You can check out the Rotorstock entry list by clicking here.
Ex-pat UK Top Fuel Dragster racer Smax Smith will again be driving the Leverich family's Top Fueller at this weekend's IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton. "It's got to happen this weekend!", says Aidan Smith. "We have a new blower, changed the fuel system and got a new clutch". You will be able to stay in touch with Smax's progress on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com.
Outlaws at the UK Truck Show.
3rd July: Eleven teams rolled through the gates of Santa Pod Raceway for the third round of the 2009 Supercharged
Outlaws Series, sponsored by LA Commercials of Kidderminster, writes Dave McKenzie, aka Fuzzie:
Two Funny Cars, two slingshot dragsters, three doorslammers and four altereds were assembled in the pits ready to do battle. Session one on Saturday saw seven cars pull into the staging lanes. Roy Wilding in Hemi Hunter ran a nice straight pas of 8.533, Steve Goode in Wobble 9.199, Richard Davis' '41 Willys 10.446, Lee Gallimore in Red Mist 7.504, Tom Coe in Shy Talker a troubled 12.422, and Paul Watts' No Easy Pick Up ran a PB of 9.444. The last car round was Trace Froome with the ex-Doug Ripley Dodge Avenger Funny Car, this was Trace's first time out with this new car and a wild burnout on the right hand side of the track (as Trace could not judge exactly were he was). Trace reversed up and into stage a squirt on the throttle then off again then on the power through the top end to record a time of 10.913. Well done to the Ultra Racing team.
Session 2 at teatime on Saturday saw eight cars in the staging lanes and out for the first time in twenty months months was the altered of Dave (Fuzzie) McKenzie and Mark Windridge, Dave doing the driving duties at this event. This was intended to be a sixty foot checkout pass and that is exactly what Dave did, a small burnout not getting up on the tyres very well then a quick spurt on the throttle to the sixty foot mark and idled up the track. The team were pleased just to make onto the track at all as just four weeks ago there was not even any paint on the chassis so a gallant effort from all the team. Roy Wilding carded a 8.426, Steve Goode 9.627, Richard Davis 10.346, Tom Coe 10.846, Paul Watts 9.616 and Trace Froome 9.507 although Trace staged on the rear wheels. The final run of this session was Jon Best in the Felstead Best & Lotsabeera Fuel Altered. Jon needed to do a sixty-foot observed run, with the nitro motor sounding really strong Jon burnt out, staged and powered to the sixty foot marker and off the throttle. He did enough to satisfy the Race Director. Lee Gallimore failed to start the Red Mist altered and it was only when he got back to the pits that he realised that he forgot to re connect the starter batteries after between-round charging.
Sunday dawned misty and damp and with rain showers forecast the mood was not optimistic but the sun broke through and the track opened. The first session for the Outlaws was 12:30 and eight cars were in the staging lanes. A match up in this session was Lee Gallimore against Dave McKenzie, side by side burnouts and chirps to the line was the order of the day, Lee went first into stage and just as Dave lit the top amber Lee was away leaving a big cherry on the Tree. Dave left on the green and went to about 300 feet when fuel came out of the hat and into the cockpit. Dave was wisely off the throttle and cruised through the top end. Roy ran a consistent 8.504, Steve 8.538, Richard 10.324, Paul 9.424 (another PB), Trace 9.170 and finally Jon Best who was shut of after the burnout unable to engage reverse.
©Eurodragster.com
Six cars came to the staging lanes for session 4. Roy 8.723, Steve 9.492, Richard 10.553, Paul 9.579, Jon 10.067 - Jon was on an eighth-mile observed run and he shut off at the 330 foot reflector saying he miscounted so this run did not go towards his licence, but the team went home happy having achieved a lot this weekend. Final car round was Tony Froome in the Sundancer Funny Car out for the first time, Tony was shut down on the start line.
One car in the pits did not make it onto the track: Ian Hanson in the beautiful Corvette hurt all the rod bearings in the warm-up on Saturday morning. Ian and his crew worked hard and changed all the bearings and they were ready to run in the last session on Sunday when Ian realised that he had not signed on; it was to late to do so and he returned to the pits. Also there was considerable damage to the slingshot of Alec and Tom Coe. Alec enlisted the help of Mark Windridge on Saturday night to see why the car was not running as expected and after some close examination it was found that the car had eaten some of the cam bearings and put the team out for the weekend.
Roy Wilding went away with the winner's trophy and Steve Goode with the runner up trophy supplied by LA Commercials. This again was an excellent event for the Supercharged Outlaws and our thanks go to Darren Prentice of Santa Pod Raceway, Lee and Andy Gallimore of LA Commercials for sponsoring this event, all the track crew and marshals for their great work in giving us a safe and excellent track, and finally Eurodragster.com team for the coverage of the event and their support (Thanks, you're welcome - Ed).
The Outlaws will be back at the 2010 UK Truck Show, one of the most laid back friendly meetings of the year.
Web site updates.
3rd July: Eurodragster.com Reserve Photographer Peter Donaldson has updated his Fotopic
gallery with his full set of shots from the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway. You
can check out Peter's shots at
peterdonaldson5305.fotopic.net.
©Eurodragster.com
Brian Taylor has posted the latest entry on his Crazy Horses Blog on Alan Currans' excellent Acceleration Archive web site. You can read the Blog update via What's New at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk.
The Beast loves Finland.
2nd July: Swedish Supertwin racer Per Bengtsson and his crew are going in to the second round of the
Championship at Alastaro in Finland this weekend with a lot of confidence, after a very good performance at the opening round in England.
The team has found a strong baseline in the tune-up with a good performance advantage so far. The goal is of course to repeat the ET from
Santa Pod and to produce some really strong top end speeds.
"We like Finland, the track, the pits and the dedicated race fans", says Per. "The track always feels very safe and I'm looking forward to racing against so many Finnish Supertwins. Nineteen entries really shows how strong the Supertwin class has become. There is no other Championship category which has to eliminate more than half of the entry list before eliminations start! Those are tough conditions and you really have to be competitive."
Per Bengtsson and the Beast team are supported by Swedcut, Quaker State, Autoexperten Växjö, Ulvsgården AB, Fanhultstvätten Älmhult, Gates/Lönne, Flexoart and Bentec Engineering.
©Eurodragster.com
Editor's note: Eurodragster.com's coverage of the FHRA Nitro Nationals will commence tomorrow (Friday).
Swift snippets.
2nd July: Italian Top Fuel Bike racer Antonio Ferretti is ready for action after recovering from a broken foot sustained on his Super Street Bike three weeks ago. A new crank has been manufactured for his Top Fuel Bike (below) and Antonio and the team are looking to test in the UK in a few weeks' time. "The crank broke 3.5 seconds into a test run at Shakespeare County Raceway, so we have designed and built a stronger crank", says Antonio. "Thanks to Franzoi SRL for helping to build the crank."
Many thanks to Andy Marrs of TSI Timers for forwarding us the official timing data for the recent SPRC Summernationals at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out the Summernationals timing data by clicking here or by clicking on the Timing Data link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
UK Truck Show organiser Russ Harman has asked us to thank all of the race teams who competed or made exhibition passes at Santa Pod Raceway at the weekend. "The truck audience were left awe inspired by the great spectacle", says Russ. "I am sure many will become true drag racing converts. I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to all the teams who attended for showing drag racing to a new audience in such a professional and well presented manner. Each and every one of them were a credit to the sport."
It came too late for yesterday's news but Sue, Chris and Summer of the UK's Cool Green Racing asked us to say a big Happy 20th Birthday for yesterday to Ricky Emms. Hope you had a good day Ricky and that you didn't have too much to drink.
Heading for a busy Festival.
2nd July: The Swedish round of the FIA and UEM European Drag Racing Championships, the Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park,
is known to be one of the biggest events on the circuit. Even though the economic climate in Europe is turbulent it seems
that the sport of drag racing is standing strong, and the Veidec Festival is a good example.
"We are very pleased to announce an entry list which consists of 362 race teams in total from ten diffferent countries", says Press Officer L-O Johnsson. "First of all this shows how solid and strong the drag racing community really is and it also gives our organisation credit for producing an event of a very high standard.
"All of the Championship classes shows very good numbers: Pro Modified and Pro Stock stick out with thirty three Pro Mods and fourteen Pro Stocks! Eleven Top Fuel Dragsters have entered and on two wheels spectators will witness twenty Supertwins battle for eight spots in the ladder. Top Fuel Bike has amassed ten bikes and in Pro Stock Bike we have nine bikes."
The event will start on Wednesday 22nd of July with a lunchtime press conference for invited media. The race proper starts on Thursday 23rd July.
One of the old stars in the nitro ranks, American Funny Car pilot Harlan Thompson, is back with the famous Tre Kronor Plymouth Arrow Nitro Funny Car, which he drove at Mantorp Park for the first time in 1980. The car was then owned by Knut Söderqvist and now one of Knut's old associates, Johnny Nilsson, has built a brand new version of the old Tre Kronor FC. The car has already been tested at Bakersfield Raceway in California where the team put down a 6.43 second pass. Harlan Thompson and the old crew will run the car at Mantorp Park on each day of the Veidec Festival, with the first run taking place on the Press Day.
©Eurodragster.com
You can check out the official Veidec Festival entry list at www.motorevents.com.
What's on this weekend.
2nd July: The second rounds of the 2009 FIA and UEM Drag Racing Championships take place between today and Sunday at Alastaro, Finland. The FHRA Nitro Nationals includes all Professional classes and Super Street, Super Gas, Super Comp, Stock/Super Stock, Comp Eliminator, Super Gas Bike and Street Bike.Racing is scheduled to take place from 10:00 to 18:00 (17:00 on Sunday). A weekend ticket costs €50, day tickets are €15 for Thursday, €20 for Friday and €30 for each of Saturday and Sunday, and accompanied children under twelve go free. The huge entry list can be seen at www.fhra.fi.
On Saturday and Sunday the UK's York Raceway hosts the Ultimate Road Car Challenge and Northern Sportsman Nationals. The event, organised by the Pennine Drag Racing Club, is Round 3 of the Northern Drag Racing Championship. On Saturday there is the 23rd Annual Ford Shootout, Modders/Tuners Shootout Round 4, 0-60 Championship Round 2, American Power Tour, Northern Drag Racing Championship Round 3 Qualifying, HR Challenge Round 3 Qualifying, Air-Cooled Eliminators Qualifying, RWYB and a Ladies' Race. On Sunday there is American Super Stock Round 4, Northern Drag Racing Championship Round 3, HR Challenge Round 3, Air-Cooled Eliminators Round 4 and more RWYB. One day entry is £10 for adults, £5 for ages thirteen to sixteen, and free for accompanied children twelve and under. Admission for the weekend £15 for adults, £7.50 for teens and free for accompanied children twelve and under A family ticket is available: for two adult admissions, two accompanying teens go free. Track fees for racers are £30 per day for RWYB (two-day events £40) and £40 per day for racers (two-day events are £60).
Thanks to Markus Münch and Benni Voss for sending us information on the 21st Grand Nationals Dragrace to be held at Jerry Lackey Raceway at Luckau in Germany. Featured will be the German Pro ET Series, the German Super Pro ET Challenge, the Top Gas Euroseries, Junior Nationals and Toyo Tires Street Eliminator Germany, where the racers will be shooting for the first eight second pass, plus many more. Qualifying takes place on Saturday, racing on Sunday, and scrutineering and maybe free practice tomorrow. The race marks two important anniversaries for the sport in Germany: twenty years of drag racing at MZA Luckau and forty years of Jerry Lackey's involvement on German tracks as racer, race director and organiser. Spectators can get a Weekend ticket for €25.
©Eurodragster.com
The Malmö Nationals take place from tomorrow until Sunday at Meca Raceway in Sweden. This is a round of the Toyo Scandinavian Dragracing Series High Five Points competition and all Sportsman classes are represented. Qualifying takes place from 18:00 to 21:00 tomorrow and between 10:00 and 18:00 on Saturday. Eliminations take place between 10:00 and 16:00 on Sunday.
On Saturday and Sunday Lurcy Levis in France hosts the Dulamon Drag Race organised by the Association Trophée Dragster. Car classes include Super Gas, Super Street and Street for the Trophée Dragster Championship. All details including rules and admission charges can be found at www.promotop.org/francedrag.
Bike racers in France are also catered for at the Run Cap Sud to be held at Le Pechereau for the French Motorcycle Championship. More details at www.rk-service.com.
In Central Europe, Kunmadaras in Hungary is the focus with a round of the Kunmadaras Drag Bike series on Saturday. Qualifying commences at 08:15 and eliminations at 13:30. Classes include Super Street and Competition Bike as well as several street classes. Admission is 2000 Ft, under twelves and over 62s go free. More details at www.kunmadarasmotorsport.hu.
Carolynne Campbell and the Laffin-gas Rocket Dragster team will be appearing at the Rocket and Space Event at the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey, off Junctions 24 and 25 of the M25. "We'll be there with the Laffin-Gas Rocket car, with individual rockets and parts on display, alongside the Bloodhound SSC team who are bringing a large-scale model and lots of interesting info", says Carolynne. There'll be rockets of all kinds being launched and fired, with the chance for you to build and launch your very own rocket. Special rocket competitions for the youngsters will be happening alongside talks from many very knowledgeable rocket people."
All are welcome to the 4th annual Hot Rodders Bash at The Lamb public house in Theale, near Reading, from 12:00 on Sunday. The event features a rod and custom show, two rockabilly bands playing in the garden, BBQ and bar all day, dragsters from the Wild Bunch and a couple of other dragsters, including one from the Gasser Circus. The event is in aid of the local Air Ambulance and a raffle will be held to increase funds even more. If it should rain then the event will still take place - cars aside the whole thing will move indoors.
Chicane to handle ACAG media.
2nd July: The Allard
Chrysler Action Group has appointed automotive marketing specialists Chicane to handle press relations for the project to
restore Europe's first dragster, Sydney Allard's Allard Chrysler owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.
Chicane is based in the Pinewood Studios complex in Buckinghamshire and motor sport is one of the company's key areas of operation. The three main contacts all have motor sport pedigrees. They are Gary Barak, Simon Maurice and Steve Coombes. Their clients include Gulf Oil in its sponsorship of Aston Martin Racing's Le Mans efforts, top British outfit West Surrey Racing who run Team RAC in the BTCC, plus they were involved with drag racer Micke Kågered during his time with Pennzoil-Quaker State.
The ACAG patron is Nick Mason, President of the Guild of Motoring Writers and National Motor Museum Trustee. He is also known to have played the drums in a small band called Pink Floyd and races historics. The ACAG includes such drag racing luminaries as Alan Allard, Gerry Belton, Peter Crane and Clive Skilton.
©Eurodragster.com
"The project has now reached the stage where we need a more professional press relations strategy", says
ACAG Chairman and Crazy Horses author Brian Taylor (left). "Up until now I have been handling this function
myself but we have some great stories to release soon and my time is limited; plus we need someone to get these story across
to new media and new audiences. This does not mean people will not be able to contact me direct but I have worked with
Gary, Simon and Steve before and I know they will do a fantastic job. They are genuinely enthusiastic about the project
and have great contacts. Chicane will also help us find sponsorship partners - another very important part of our strategy."
"I've been watching drag racing since I was a teenager in the seventies", enthused Chicane's MD Simon Maurice (right), "and I still get a huge buzz being at a big Santa Pod meeting, but I never actually got to experience the Allard in action. Its place in Europe's Motorsport history is, however, the stuff of legend and Chicane is delighted to have been asked to become involved with the project. Like everyone else who is helping out, I can't wait to see - and hear! – it up and running again."
©Eurodragster.com
Web site updates.
2nd July: Our good buddy Alan Currans has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive with pictures from the weekend's NSRA Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway. You can check out Alan's pictures via What's New at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk.
©Eurodragster.com
Also updating from the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals is Jeni Long whose pictures you can find at www.jenilong.fotopic.net.
Another good buddy, Markus Ek, has updated his gallery site with pictures from the weekend's Aros Nats at Västerås. Markus' shots are showing at www.mek.nu.
Feature: TF racers on 1000 feet.
1st July: For the latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with Stroud Safety and Andy Robinson Race Cars Eurodragster.com spoke to four of the Top Fuel Dragster racers entered for this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals about racing over the "metric quarter mile", both at Alastaro this weekend and as a general principle.
©Eurodragster.com
This weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals will be the second FIA European Championship event at which Top Fuel Dragster is contested over one thousand feet (more properly 990 feet), following the 2008 Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park. With uncertainty over the future of quarter-mile Top Fuel Dragster racing in the NHRA, and FIA European Championship rules tending to follow NHRA rules, this could be the next major issue faced by European drag racing.
Click here to read the personal opinions of FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter, Anita Mäkelä, Micke Kågered and Stig Neergaard about one thousand foot racing, or click on the Interviews, Features, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
Back to a two-car team.
1st July: Denmark's Tommy Rostgaard will be back on track at this weekend's FHRA Nitro
Nationals at Alastaro after he, car owner Stig Neergaard and the team repaired the dragster which was
damaged in a crash at the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway.
"We put a new front half on the car", Stig Neergaard told Eurodragster.com. "We bought a new set of body panels from Murf McKinney so we have half a spare body. Rene Hersland is lending us his rear wing for this weekend's race and then John Smith will bring us a new wing from the USA for the Veidec Festival."
©Eurodragster.com
Stig says that Tommy himself suffered no ill-effects after the throttle stuck open on what should have been a licencing pass to half track. Tommy went through the top end at 278.09 mph and reached who knows what speed before the motor expired in a ball of flame halfway down the shutdown area and the dragster flipped in the field at the end of the track. "The car is like new and Tommy is ready to go", says Stig. "Tommy's first pass on Friday will be his final licencing pass. We have assistance from some of Rene Hersland's crew this weekend and John Smith will be tuning both cars."
Stig has also got to the bottom of an irksome problem with his own all-new car which made its first competitive outing at the FIA Main Event. "We had some problems with the Alan Johnson clutch set-up", he says. "We didn't know exactly how to set it but I think we are OK now. We have changed to a one-piece nose and front wing, it is different but it is not a problem. It's a nice car and feels good to drive."
Pro Mod Zed's dead, honey...
1st July: John Bradshaw and Abbey Motorsport have picked themselves up off the floor after discovering that their Project Zed V6-powered Nissan 350Z cannot run in either FIA or MSA British Pro Mod (see Eurodragster.com News of 18th June). Both sets of rules stipulate V8 motors and that doesn't look like changing any time soon.
"It was a bit of a shock", says John, "but that's life and rules are rules so no hard feelings and time to move on. We will keep our fingers crossed that maybe the rules could be changed for 2011 but there are no guarantees.
©Eurodragster.com
"In the meantime it means that we will have to change our plans for next season. In 2010 Project Zed will run in HKS Pro, and in Comp Eliminator and Super Pro ET in mainstream drag racing. In a way it really lets us loose on the car's full potential as we can run it at a lower weight and develop it as we go along. It should be a very, very competitive car in HKS Pro and Competition Eliminator and it would be great to see a Japanese car in the sixes for the first time in Europe. We will run the car at this year's FIA European Finals and UK National Finals.
"In turn this means that our current Skyline is now up for sale. I'm happy to sell it as either as a full turn-key package or chassis only etc. The car has run as low as 7.68 with the 2.8 litre Nissan engine. It's tagged to 7.5 seconds and has been a fantastic package: it is a credit to the workmanship and skill of Andy Robinson Race Cars. We are open to offers depending upon the final spec in which it is bought, if interested then please E-Mail me at johndjbradshaw@yahoo.co.uk."
Islanders head for Finland.
1st July: Paul Ingar Udtian and Frøya's Islanders team are looking forward to another ten-car field in Top Methanol Dragster at this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro, says team member Konrad Ree:
We have a completely new set-up for the season, and the first round of the Championship gave us a lot of answers. Because of the rule adjustment regarding blower overdrive, we have to adjust our set-up to the new rules when we get to Finland. We are excited to see how the change in rules will affect the cars, and we hope this will narrow down the gap between the A-Fuelers and the blown cars.
©Eurodragster.com
We would like to use this opportunity to introduce and welcome a new sponsor: Lerow AS, a company working with ROV submarines in the Salmon industry. Without the support of our sponsors racing would be difficult.
We left Frøya on Tuesday and the rest of the crew will join us in Stockholm. We'll do our best to run fast in Alastaro and we can't wait to get there. We hope to see you all in Finland!
The return of the Powder Puff Derby.
1st July: This weekend, the UK's York Raceway doesn't only offer the UK's largest all-American Car racing field (pushing for over thirty two cars), Air-Cooled HR Challenge and Pro ET and Sportsman ET, but on Saturday they also feature National Street Car Challenge Round 6, American Power Tour, the 23rd Annual Ford Shoot Out, Old Skool Ford practice and their first-ever Ladies' Race.
"Putting on a ladies-only race is in no way intended to put regular female racers in their own class, but much more to encourage the long-suffering girlfriends, wives and even daughters who have been dragged to the drag strip to have a go in their husbands', boyfriends' or dads' cars in this once-a-year race class", says Chris Murty. "To ensure it can be as safe a possible the race will run under a bracket system and will have three rounds of qualifying which will be observed bye runs. The ladies will then will be paired up against each other for eliminations.
©Eurodragster.com
Then on Sunday we have American Super Stock Round 4, Northern Drag Racing Round 3, Old Skool Ford Round 4, Hot Rod Challenge Round 3, Air-Cooled Round 4, NSCC Round 7, plus a Subaru Impreza v Mitsubishi Evo Shootout - this alone attracting an entry of around 45 cars."
For more details check out York Raceway's web site at www.york-raceway.co.uk.
Weir gives up waiting.
1st July: Following on from classmate Ian Hook's announcement last week, B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator Jason Weir and the Pro Suburban team will be appearing at Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway in July. This will be Jason's first race event of 2009.
"Over the last year we have had timing and ignition issues with the old engine, due to some inadequate engine work", says Jason. "Being fairly impatient we couldn't go on like this, so the decision was taken to source a new motor. After a few options were explored, we knew we wanted to continue with the Procharger, but as always with more horsepower. Even though the Dollar exchange rate was far from in our favour we chose a complete engine package from Steve Morris of New Era Racecraft in Michigan.
©Eurodragster.com
"The all-ally motor is a 540 ci Big Block Chevy with a new gear-driven F3R, giving over sixty per cent more horsepower than the old motor. The modifications needed are being carried out by Webster Race Engineering just prior to the Bug Jam.
"Big thanks go to Steve Morris of New Era Racecraft, Webster Race Engineering, Paul Dickens, and to Clive Bond of Ultimate Race Cars for all his help and advice."
Swift snippets.
1st July: The German Street Eliminator racers had their best Cruise ever at the
weekend's Recaro Tuning Days at the Nürburgring, says our good buddy Benni Voss. "The Cruise was to be held outside with a stop
for gas and hot start, like UK Street Eliminator", says Benni. "But the local authorities did not stick to their word and threatened the Cruise.
Then the Nürburgring organisers stepped in and offered all of the 27 km of classic Nordschleife race track, which the SE guys drove both
in both convoy and in awe. The racing was only an eighth mile on the unprepped start/finish straight, but it got lots of attention from the tuning
crowd, maybe some hooks were taken."
Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for sending us Version 5 of the official entry list for Bug Jam, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 18th-19th July and which is a Championship round for Super Modified, B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator, Sportsman ET, VWDRC, Outlaw Flat Four and Outlaw Anglia and a non-points round for Junior Dragster. You can check out the Bug Jam entry list by clicking here. Entry is still open but is subject to a late entry fee; you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc.
Paula has also forwarded us Version 1 of the official entry list for Rotorstock, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on Saturday 11th July and which is a round of the HKS Drag Series. You can check out the Rotorstock entry list by clicking here.
©Eurodragster.com
The Finnish Hot Rod Association held a Press Day yesterday to publicise this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals, which commences at Alastaro tomorrow (Thursday). Risto of Jari Halinen's Top Fuel Dragster team kindly got in touch to point us to a set of pictures from the Press Day, which you can find at kuvia.1g.fi.
Following his recent appearance in the mainstream motorcycle press, 2008 FIM/UEM Top Fuel Bike Champion Ian King is very pleased to appear in the pages of another major European magazine Performance Bikes. "Although the article has used some journalistic licence, with the details not being quite as accurate as they should be, it is pleasing for drag racing to be headlining an article alongside British Superbike star Chris 'Stalker' Walker and Enduro star David Knight", says Ian. "The article is about How To Nail A Fast Getaway and needs little further explanation!". You can check out the article at www.kingracing.com.
Will Hanna, who together with dad Rick will be tuning Fred Hanssen's Top Methanol Dragster at Alastaro this weekend, got into the mood by tuning Chris Foster's Top Alcohol Funny Car to runner-up spot at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk at the weekend. "We qualified second with a 5.647 and ran 5.92, 5.69, 5.67 then 5.65 in the finals to Frank Manzo's 5.61", says Will.
2008 FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter is planning to post updates from this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals on his web site at www.andycarter.net. "I am looking forward to going to Alastaro and indeed all of Finland - I love the country", says Andy. "Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. The FHRA put so much into the sport and we really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to our fourth win at Alastaro - maybe if I do get four wins then they will give me the key to the place!"
Eurodragster.com will be posting results and pictures from this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals. Courtesy of our good buddy and honorary Eurodragster.com staff member Christer Abrahamson the plan is for an end-day report on Friday and then regular updates throughout Saturday and Sunday. Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger will also be at Alastaro and given decent web access will be posting pictures.
Holly Walters has been in touch on behalf of family and friends to wish a very Happy Birthday to UK Super Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Peter Walters. Have a great day Pete.
Dupuy's mixed emotions.
1st July: For Wayne Dupuy, tuner for Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com News
sponsor Urs Erbacher, this has been a week of pain and
pleasure.
"It has been five years since we lost a great NHRA Champion and Top Fuel driver, Darrell Russell, to a dreadful accident" says Wayne. "We won lots of NHRA races together and had a great freindship as a Crew Chief / driver combination. It was one of the worst days for Amato Racing in June of 2004 at NHRA in St. Louis. Not only was Darrell my friend but he was my hero. All of us who were a part of Darrell's life miss his smile an awful lot.
"Now as we move forward to what's been going on: another great Top Fuel driver doing some great things of own.
"Urs Erbacher and Fat Attack Custom Bikes had a fund raiser for charity at Europapark in Rust, Germany and raised a lot of money for The Days of Steel: in fact they raised more than $13,000 Dollars which was thirty per cent up on last year. What a great job for Urs Erbacher and the Fat Attack Custom bike gang, and for a great cause.
"Even Urs' World Champ Harley Destroyer with 2007 Champion rider Sascha did burnouts and lanches to thrill the crowd - it was great. Plans are now being made for 2010 event on the same date so don't miss the Days of Steel, it's a must.
"If anyone is interested in helping Erbacher Racing in their assault on Europe At Mantorp Park or Hockenheim, being a part of the team and interacting with the crew and racers Urs Erbacher and Lo Stäuble in our team hospitality area, pics with drivers, crew and vehicles and being a part of a winning team then contact Urs at Fat Attack Custom Bikes. You could have a great day at the drags with Team Erbacher. There are also tickets and a nice gift which comes with the package - the deal of a lifetime! For more read our flyers here and here then come and join Team Erbacher and the Kings of Nitro on The European Assault Tour 2009."
Going for the treble Eight.
1st July: Andrew Hadfield, aka Andy Fadster, says that the aim of his trip to
Shakespeare County Raceway at the weekend was to run an eight of any description with his street-legal T:
We managed that and so much more with a new Personal Best of 8.80/153. Every time I think we have got to the bottom of the present tune, the T just seems to try even harder and give an extra effort. We ran an eight at the Pod a few weeks ago at the Wheels USA day, it was our first ever eight and we were somewhat delighted. This eight at Shakey means we can now try to attend York this weekend and complete the hat trick.
©Eurodragster.com
We were racing against Helen in Hell's Belle on the final run of the day on Saturday and just managed to stay out of harm's way when her lovely altered overturned. I braked and spun round as quickly as possible at the end of the track to offer assistance, and I met with Helen later to offer my commiserations with the damage. The lack of any injury to Helen is testament to good chassis safety and driver awareness, a lesson for us all I'm sure.
Diff damage on Sunday meant we couldn't try for a better time and it'll be a panic now to try to find a replacement diff at short notice for the York trip but we'll do our best. The T remains completely street legal and we recently attended the NSRA show at Billing with a day trip of some 370 miles. That adds up to five tanks of fuel...probably not the most economical use of fuel but certainly the most fun!
Aim for the future? Keep my foot in and try for a 8.5 before the end of the season.
Turbo 21, Laura 14.
1st July: Team Turboville
descended on Santa Pod Raceway at the weekend to attend what is probably the most enjoyable family outing of the year, the UK Truck Show:
We have attended the Show every year so far and it really is a great weekend that just gets better every time. We get invited to do demos for the appreciative crowd of truckers and enthusiasts and the weather has so far been absolutely scorchio every year! After the cylinder damage we suffered at the Summernationals a few weeks ago we were left with just one set of used pistons and no time to order new ones, we had no choice, so I threw them in.
Whilst desperately searching for the tune-up to run a that elusive six we got a little lost so went back to basics and a setting we knew would work. We were going to do it scientifically this time. The bike sounded great in the pits and drew a large crowd every time we fired it up. The first three runs were perfect, nice soft 7.8s at 181mph to check things out and then we started adding settings to get us going quicker.
There were rounds of Supertwin Gas and Supertwin ET, a Super Street Bike Cannonball, Supercharged Outlaws and Super Modified cars along with demos from Jon Best in his mean green machine and Trace Froome in his funny car. Martin Hill put on the usual power show, which never fails to impress, and the serious stuff was the truck racing. Man, those big rigs doing 100 mph in the quarter was awesome! The two seater dragster was fully booked all weekend and left a lot of people with huge fixed grins that just would not go away! There were lots of fantastic trucks on show, live action in the arena with stunts and monster trucks, this show has just everything for everyone. They even had the Blues Brothers band in the Fuellers bar on Saturday evening!
On Sunday morning the sun broke through the early mist and it was race time again, and my birthday, twenty one plus a little bit! Thanks to my crew for a great evening and to Barry Sheavills for a killer barbeque out of the back of his supercharged Ford F150 Harley truck, nice one! Then it was time for disaster. We started the bike and smoke came out of everywhere...what the hell? A quick check revealed that one of the pistons must have been way past its sell-by date and the crown had collapsed leaving a gaping hole. Damn, if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all this year! There was no time to rebuild the motor within the show slot so that was it for us. Apart from my fourteen year old daughter Laura that is!
As part of Laura's birthday treat I rented the Santa Pod Junior Dragster to see if she might like it! Oh boy, did she ever like it! I couldn't get her out of the car
all weekend and with the help of Ian Marshall, Rob and the Santa Pod track crew, Pete and Rhiannon Bellenie, Joe Lann, and Chloe, she immediately got the
hang of it with perfect staging routines eventually getting .08 RTs on solid, consistent runs! Now guess what she wants for Christmas? Well done Laura Leadfoot,
welcome to the whcky world of drag racing, no going back now!
I can recommend renting these cars for your kids, it is not expensive and gets them very focussed and responsible. It's also a great weapon for getting them to do chores, heh-heh! Details are on www.santapod.com or you can rent Santa Pod Racers Club's Junior Dragster.
Thanks to Russ and Neil for a great event once again, don't miss it next year! And congratulations to all the competitors and winners in all the classes. The next event for us is the Festival of 1000 Bikes at Mallory on 11th-12th July, then onto the North Lincs Custom Show on 18th-19th July at the Coach and Horses, Tattershall Road, Billinghay, Lincoln, LN4 4DD. Then the Bulldog Bash, which is definitely going ahead, at Shakespeare County Raceway on 6th-9th August.
©Eurodragster.com
Web site updates.
1st July: Our good buddy Pete Roberts has updated his excellent web site The Pod - A Look Around with 3D shots and a panorama from the weekend's UK Truck Show at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Pete's work at www.podlook.co.uk. If you've not seen Pete's unique web site then it is well worth a look with panoramas, 3D pictures, daily wallpaper, history of Santa Pod and more.
Editor's note: Apologies for the lack of a news update yesterday. If you've been paying attention over the last couple of days you will understand but don't worry, everything is OK and we are now more or less back to normal with the web site so keep that news coming to news@eurodragster.com.
UK Truck Show results.
29th June: Congratulations to the winners of the weekend's UK Truck Show at Santa Pod Raceway:
Super Modified: Belinda Bull 7.6509/179.15 def. Nigel Payne 8.084/146.65
Supertwin Gas: Dave Jones 10.371/129.00 def. Ric Naylor 10.642/133.54
Supertwin ET: Joe Elliott (10.02) 10.373/133.04 def. Damian Waterhouse (11.55) 12.015/120.26
BTRA Sprint Cup: James Jenkins 14.346/101.86 def. Dave Jenkins broke
Super Street Bike Cannonball: Rich Stubbins 7.516/192.30 def. Dave Smith 7.771/190.73
You can check out our American Car Imports-sponsored UK Truck Show coverage by clicking here, or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the UK Truck Show.
©Eurodragster.com
A big Thank You to Spencer Tramm who E-Mailed results to Tog who had to leave the track very early yesterday morning to deal with an emergency at home. Big thanks also to Roger and Kirstie who carried on without turning a hair in the face of yesterday morning's bombshell, to David Anniwell for his help, and to Colin Theobald for commentating in Tog's stead at no notice at all.
Jon and Sharon Hogarth and all at Specialist In Design have been in touch to send their congratulations to Belinda and Jeff Bull and their awesome S10 truck for another superb show and win at the UK Truck Show. "Not only was it absolutely spot on that the gorgeous Bull-powered Chevy Truck should win the Truck Show, but how great to see Belinda not only lighting the fire of all the truck fans in attendance but also lighting up her tyres in a way to cause real nervousness amongst the guys and teams in Super Modified", says Sharon Hogarth. "That's two wins in a row for Belinda and she is looking good for a hat trick. Go girl, we are cheering you all the way."
Swift snippets.
29th June: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com Reserve Photographer Peter Donaldson for sending us a gallery from the weekend's NSRA Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway. You can check out our NSRA Nostalgia Nationals gallery, which is presented in association with American Car Imports, by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals.
The famous Phelps name will be returning to Santa Pod Raceway on Saturday as Jason Phelps is to take the seat of the Shockwave Fuel Funny Car at that day's Run What You Brung. "As you may know Jason has now become a full partner in the Shockwave team and this is sort of part of the deal", says usual driver Gordon Smith. "Jason is just seeing if he likes it. I will hopefully be driving the car as a demo at the GTi show on Sunday. Don't panic, I am not yet ready to step aside for any other driver but the car is available to anyone who has always hankered after a go in a nitro Funny Car - at the right price of course."
©Eurodragster.com
Congratulations to ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences on making his first NHRA National Event final at the weekend's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Mike was runner-up to Bill Reichert but had the honour of setting the event Low ET and high speed. You can read more on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com.
Deciding the winner of last week's spy picture contest was easy since only one of the answers received was correct. "The answer was Jari Halinen's Top Fuel car from Finland", says team member Risto. "You can see the car and driver in action in their new colours at this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals. The winner of the quiz is Joni Ripatti of Finland who will get the sponsor's cap from Stirwell Automaalikaupan, the team's paint and non-paint supplier. Thanks for everyone taking part for the guessing, and see you at Alastaro."
Mrs Tog aka Kay has asked us to thank everyone for their concern and good wishes after she was taken ill and shipped off to hospital early yesterday morning (Copycat - Ed). She is particularly touched that so much support has come from a racing community almost all of whom have never met her. Mrs Tog is now back at home and at time of writing is flat out on the sofa watching Wimbledon.
The noisy, violent ride of your life...
29th June: Helen and Dean Smythe of the UK's Hell's Belle Wild Bunch team have been in touch to let us know that Helen is quite OK after their very pretty altered crashed at Shakespeare County Raceway on Saturday, and to thank all those who helped and offered support:
On our last pass on Saturday afternoon Hell's Belle got out of shape just before the eighth mile, flipped, rolled and then slid an eighth of a mile on her side and pretty much went through the finish line on her roof. Thankfully the cage, restraints, neck brace and arm restraints all did their job and Helen is perfectly OK with maybe one small bruise coming on her elbow.
Of course we've got to send a massive thank you to the track staff, safety crews and medical folks for responding to the situation so promptly and so well. We've never doubted their ability and they showed us what professionalism means at the times when you need it most. We'd also like to thank the whole of the Wild Bunch, the dozens of other racers, spectators and new-found friends who came by last night to check on Helen and offer support. Unfortunately it seems that more than one family on the spectator bank had crying children to cope with at the sight of the "purple car" bouncing down the track. Apologies to all those whom we scared or upset and apologies again for messing up the Jet Car finale which had to be forgotten due to our oiling the track (our first time).
©Eurodragster.com
As the car spent so much time on it's cage it's worn a very interesting corner out of the front hoop, the top of the motor has been wiped out, and the first flip smashed off the front left corner. So the Belle is in a pretty sorry state. We had a few people ask about a collection bin for rebuild funds but to be honest we didn't put one out because we don't know what our next move is, and we're going to take a couple of weeks to think things through. Helen would get back in a car tomorrow, but Dean's heart probably needs a rest!. The chassis is an older one-piece design and the cage damage, front end work, and overall twisting which we've found since getting home would mean we'd need to back half it and front half it if you know what we mean (You mean it would be Trigger's broom - Ed).
So, thanks a lot to everyone for their support. We've had some photographs and videos kindly given to us by some of the press so we can try and dissect what went wrong, and we would be glad to hear from anyone else who has footage which may be of use to us.
Swift snippets.
27th June: Many thanks to Tomas Pettersson of Svensk Dragracing for passing on a link to the official entry list for the Veidec Festival, which takes place at Sweden's Mantorp Park on 23rd-26th July. You can check out the PDF-format Veidec Festival entry list, which has got to be one of the biggest event entries we have ever seen, by clicking here. Don't forget that you can also check out the entry list for next weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals, which has a similarly large entry, by clicking on Osallistujalista at the bottom of the Nitro Nationals page on the FHRA web site at www.fhra.fi/info/2009070205_nitro.html.
©Eurodragster.com
Thanks also to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for sending us Version 4 of the official entry list for Bug Jam, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 18th-19th July and which is a Championship round for Super Modified, B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator, Sportsman ET, VWDRC, Outlaw Flat Four and Outlaw Anglia and a non-points round for Junior Dragster. You can check out the entry list by clicking here. Entry is still open but is subject to a late entry fee; you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc.
Following their ratification by the World Motorsport Council on Wednesday, the supercharger overdrive rules for FIA Top Methanol Dragster have been updated and can be found in the Technical Regulations and Race Procedures document under Sport / Regulations on the FIA's web site at www.fia.com. The new rules come into force on Wednesday (1st July) and will be applicable at next weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro.
All invited to Earls Barton Show.
27th June: The fourth running of the Earls Barton Motor Show, in aid of the local Air Ambulance, takes place on Sunday 19th
July. All are welcome to attend and to bring their vehicles with them, writes Ray Eldred:
The show is open to all types of cars, dragsters, hot rods, classic cars, bikes and modified vehicles. It's a great family day out and features entertainments, stalls, bouncy castles etc and of course a licensed club bar.
©Eurodragster.com
It's free to enter, you just have to turn up and bring along your ride. We have seen every kind of vehicle at the Show including vintage Aston Martins, classic American cars, fire engines , tanks, etc. Team Nosferatu will be waking up the sleepy village when we fire up the freshly-rebuilt 572ci Pontiac Firebird. We would like to invite fellow drag racers and rodders to the show to make it the biggest and best event so far. Lets face it, there is not a lot else to do between now and the next race meeting so why not join in the fun?
For more information contact Team Nosferatu on their official web site at www.nosferatu-racing.co.uk.
Jolink's Top Gas 3 win.
26th June: The third round of the 2009 Euro Serie
Super Twin Top Gas Championship took place over the quarter mile at Drachten last weekend and in a big surprise
for everyone The Netherlands' Herman Jolink took the win on his Ducati 999 RS (1214) from the favourite and also local boy
Gert Jan Laseur NL on his new and very fast 2622 V-Twin. Herman writes:
The weather in Drachten on Friday was five minutes of sun then rain and then sun and rain again, but it was possible to make two qualifying runs. Rain on Saturday morning but after midday it was dry. We had one qualifying run and then a pick-up lost control and hit the guardrail so then it was over for Saturday. We had rain on Sunday morning but after 14:00 there was nice sunny weather so the 220 car and bke competitors started eliminations and the finals were at 19:00.
Qualifying:
- Ramus Olesen DK on 3000 V-Twin 7.722/252 kmh
- Gert Jan Laseur NL on 2622 V-Twin 7.793/285. Gert Jan bought the engine and the frame in the USA and put them together where most other riders would buy a complete bike. He did very well the first time with his new bike.
- Bernd Niessen D on 2240 V-Twin
- Cord Albers D on 2622 V-Twin 8.321/250
- Herman Jolink NL on Ducati 999 RS (1214) 8.627/245. Herman started with 8.924, 8.627 Friday evening at 19.00 with a personal best sixty foot time of 1.213 seconds (previously 1.242) and on Saturday 8.637.
- Frank Heitmann D on 2622 V-Twin 8.910/233
- Harry v Schie NL on 1966 blower V-twin 8.976/204
- John Geytenbeek on 2800 V-Twin 9.205/217
- Marc v d Boer B on 2660 V-Twin 9.391/220
- Peter Niklas D on 1000 SP turbo Honda 10.701/211
- Ronald v d Werken NL on 2622 V-Twin. He broke a camshaft but repaired it.
- Ludo Scheepers B on 2600 V-Twin 12.703/127
- Jesper Thiel DK on 2622 V-Twin the winner from Malmö having problems making a straight run.
©Eurodragster.com
Round 2: Olesen 7.923 winning from Geytenbeek 9.493; Jolink 8.650/247 winning from Albers 9.945/157 red light; Laseur 7.634 bye run; Niessen 8.231 winning from Heitmann 10.171. Semi finals: Jolink 8.562/252 bye run (Olesen engine stopped in the burnout); Laseur 7.627 winning from Niessen. Laseur's 7.627 is now the new Euro Serie Super Twin Top Gas record, with a back up of 7.634 in round 2 (previously 7.890, Ricardo Giliberto I).
Final: Herman Jolink NL on Ducati 999 RS (1214) 8.642/245 winning from Gert Jan Laseur NL on 2622 V-Twin 18.366/64. Reaction Jolink 0.108 and Laseur 0.363. After sixty feet Laseur's chain broke.
Euro Serie Super Twin Top Gas points after three races:
- Bernd Niessen D 1340
- Herman Jolink NL 1260
- Frank Heitmann D 980
- Jesper Thiel DK 935
- Rasmus Olesen DK 865
- Ronald v d Werken NL 830
- Gerd Jan Laseur NL 675
- Peter Niklas D 580
- Cord Albers D 530
- Marc v d Boer B 510
- Ludo Scheepers B 450
- Harry v Schie NL 340
- Simon Hofmann D 320
- Peter Marz D 200
- Uwe Kahmann D 200
3rd-5th July: Luckau D
10th-12th July: Drachten NL
14th-16th August: Hockenheim D
21st-23rd August: Finals Drachten NL
Parnell does his Sprint proud.
26th June: The National Sprint Association's Keith Parnell Tribute Sprint was held at Weston Zoyland, near Bridgwater in Somerset, writes Phil Steele:
A large crowd and excellent entry witnessed some of the best sprinting ever seen at WZ with Keith, the man himself, taking Fastest Time of Day on both days. During the course of the weekend 'Mr 8' was presented with a copy of Crazy Horses signed by all the NSA riders present.
Following on from this successful event the NSA proudly announce the next in their themed days for this great venue: the Summer Sprint Festival, to be held over the weekend 8th-9th August. Is your Fireblade fast? Does your R1 rock? What about unleashing your Hayabusa in a safe and controlled enviroment? And it's not just for Hyperbikes. Bring your Triumph, your Ducati, even your HD, your old or new bike - whatever you have you are assured of a warm welcome and a great day out.
Quarter mile sprinting is extremely addictive and so easy to get into. Entry cost for one day, to include NSA and ACU day membership, is £55 or £75 for two days All you need is an ACU approved helmet and one or two piece leathers (as long as they join with a zip), boots and gloves. For more info please contact paso@littlecherubracing.com or take a look at the NSA's web site at www.sprinting.org.uk.
Swift snippets.
26th June: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for sending us Version 3 of the official entry list for Bug Jam, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 18th-19th July and which is a Championship round for Super Modified, B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator, Sportsman ET, VWDRC, Outlaw Flat Four and Outlaw Anglia and a non-points round for Junior Dragster. You can check out the entry list by clicking here. Normal-price entry closes today (Friday); you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Entry after today, if accepted, will be subject to a late entry fee.
Many thanks to our very own Simon for supplying the post-Springspeed Nationals points standings in the 2009 APIRA Ultimate Power Championships. You can check out the APIRA points on our Speedflow-sponsored Points Standings page by clicking here or by clicking on the Points Standings link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
In association with a mystery team we are pleased to bring you another spy picture contest. Take a look at the pictures below (click on any picture for large version) and then if you think you know the driver, the car's class and the driver's country of origin then send an E-Mail to bigblockmontecarlo71@gmail.com by midday European time today. The organiser has bottled it and asked us to give you a clue, which is: it's obviously a Top Fuel dragster and the driver and car are Scandinavian. The first correct answer drawn from the hat wins a cap of their own from the team's new paint sponsor. The winner will be announced on Monday.
Ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences is competing in this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The event starts today and you will be able to stay in touch with Mike's progress on the peerless Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com.
Udtian's Main Event.
26th June: Frøya's Islanders Drag Racing Team started their 2009 season a week before the FIA Main Event as they had two drivers to licence. The third driver, Top Methanol Dragster racer Paul Ingar Udtian, needed no introduction writes team member Konrad Ree:
The two new drivers are Fred Hanssen and Per Håkon Trøa, both from Norway. Fred, who bought a Top Methanol Dragster from the States, did well and got his licence after two runs in the new car. Per Håkon's Top Methanol Funny Car suffered an engine explosion and he had no chance to get his licence during the pre-event weekend.
We decided to rent the track for testing on Wednesday. We were excited about how Paul Ingar's dragster would run, because we have a completely new set-up this season. We decided to do it step-by-step and started with an eighth mile run, so that we could get some more data from the computer before we made a full pass. In the second round of testing, Paul Ingar rolled the beams, which means that his car moved forward off the start line before he hit the throttle. The time you get after a run like that won't be correct, but the computer on the dragster showed a run of around 5.66 seconds. We were already close to a Personal Best and we were still driving on the safe side regarding to the amount of power we put in the engine.
We went through the computer log on Wednesday evening, and decided to take some power out of first gear and just continue the step-by-step improvement, without damaging any part of the engine. In the first round of testing on Thursday, Paul had a 0.072 reaction time, 0.95 to sixty feet before some hard tyre shake at 300 feet and 5.805/180.57 at the finish line. We took out too much power from the first gear, so we decided to put it back. The next pass went well, and Paul Ingar left the start line like a rocket with 0.95 to sixty feet, 3.684/202.49 to half track and 5.625/249.61 at the finish line.
We were not racing on Friday, so we checked the dragster and prepared it for the first round of qualifying in the FIA European Championship. There were still no damaged parts after days of testing!
©Eurodragster.com
Paul Ingar redlit in the first run on Saturday, but it was no big deal since it was qualifying. He ran 0.96 to sixty feet, 3.6076/204.7 half track and 5.6110/252.17 at the finish line. We had to put more power into the engine, since the previous pass only qualified us at number five. In the second run Paul had 0.95 to sixty feet and was only 0,008 seconds from a new personal best! In the third qualifying round the new Personal Best finally came, 5.5692/254.74! It was a good run and there was still more power to be found in the engine. Last year this elapsed time would have made us #1 qualifier, but this year it was only good for #7. We put too much power into the engine in the next round so the tyres spun, and no improved time for Paul Ingar, 5.57/253.10. The computer showed that the transmission had slipped, so we overhauled it for the next day's eliminations.
Paul Ingar was up against Dave Wilson in the first round of eliminations. Unfortunately, Paul Ingar redlit and the win was automatically given to Dave. The dragster got into tyre shake at 100 feet so Paul Ingar got off the throttle so that the engine wouldn’t get damaged.
A first round loss is never a good thing, but we're happy with the weekend's results. We got a a new Personal Best of 5.56 seconds, we qualified #7 in the fastest TMD field ever in Europe, we didn't break any parts during the weekend, and we have a nice set-up for the dragster.
Thanks Frosty!
26th June: Former Super Street racer Paul Spiers has been in touch to thank street-legal racer Andy Frost for an excellent rebuild of the automatic gearbox on Paul's Fleetwood Flair RV.
©Eurodragster.com
"I took the RV up to Penn Autos in Wolverhampton with an overdrive fault", says Paul. "Andy removed the gearbox and found that the overdrive clutch pack had decided to destroy itself. Andy quickly sourced the new parts and rebuilt the gearbox with the same care and attention as if it were a race box, and adding some trick bits along the way. The only thing missing was a transbrake; although Andy did say that he could fit one we decided that we are not starting to race RVs yet! But maybe something to think about for the future.
"Our RV was finished and back on the road in a week. Thanks Andy!"
Web site updates.
26th June: Julian Hunt has updated his web site with pictures from the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Julian's pictures at www.julianhunt.net.
©Eurodragster.com
UK Truck Show racer update.
25th June: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding information for racers contesting this weekend's UK Truck Show at Santa Pod Raceway.
Santa Pod Raceway's gates will be open between 12:00 and 21:00 tomorrow (Friday), and will then re-open at 07:00 on Saturday.
Signing on opens at 08:00 on Saturday.
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Bike scrutineering commences at 08:15 on Saturday and car scrutineering at 08:30 on Saturday.
Please remember that there is no pitside power this weekend.
You can check out the official entry list for the UK Truck Show by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the UK Truck Show, and for more information about the event check out its official web site at www.uktruckshow.co.uk.
FIA TMD overdrive rule ratified.
25th June: As reported here on Eurodragster.com on 16th June, the FIA Drag Racing Commission proposed a change in overdrive limits for supercharged entries in FIA Top Methanol Dragsters. The clarification and adjustment were ratified by the FIA World Motorsports Council yesterday (Wednesday) and the new rule will become effective on 1st July.
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"The adjustment is 2.25 overdrive for PSI superchargers, and the overdrive limits are 1.70 for Whipple superchargers and 1.70 for Roots superchargers", says FIA European Drag Racing Sub Committee Chairman Lars Pettersson. "This restores the balance between different types of superchargers and engine combinations in Top Methanol Dragster, and clarifies that the Whipple supercharger is is permitted in TMD.
"The FIA European Drag Racing Sub Committee is going to follow every round of TMD in the 2009 FIA European Drag Racing Championship so that we have a good record to look at when we make new decisions on this matter for the 2010 season. We also ask drivers and teams to submit proposals through their FIA Drag Racing Commission member."
Public Race Days are go.
25th June: Thanks to our good buddy Mattias Wienand for passing on the news that the Public Race Days, which traditionally take place at Hockenheim on the weekend before the NitrOlympX, are definitely taking place this year, on 8th-9th August:
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Despite the rumours that there is no Test and Tune allowed for race cars due to noise restrictions, official word from the Hockenheimring GmbH is now that cars with mufflers not louder than 98 dB are very welcome to the Public Race Days. Official information is now posted at www.hockenheimring.com.
Die, Skyline!
25th June: UK Pro Mod racer Ray White, having hopefully found the cause of his oiling problem at the FIA Main Event, is taking his wild Zephyr to Brands Hatch on Sunday to show the Modified Live visitors what a blown-alcohol race car is all about:
We needed to test the car, but we only needed to do a couple of burnouts. I thought we would have to take it to a Run What You Brung but then I saw on Eurodragster that a car was needed for burnouts at Brands Hatch, twenty minutes down the road. All my crew are going to the Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County with big Chris' '57 for another round of Scrapheap Challange. So I got on the bat phone to the dynamic duo, Adrian Spencer and Danny Cockerill. Adrian was already booked for the Truck Show with Craig Gibbs but good old Danny rose to the occation - yes, he could make it.
©Eurodragster.com
Straight on the phone to Darren Prentice and we're in. If there's still a problem then let's oil Brands not the Pod. The organiser of the show phoned to let me know the brief for the day. Can I drive the car all the way around the Indy Circuit? Yes, only if we do four fuel stops on the way round. Will I do a rolling burnout next to a Skyline on a narrow part of the circuit? Yes, no problems as long as the Skyline driver is willing to die. I asked if Darren had explained about the car. "Not really", said the organiser. I told him "Have you got a surprise coming".
If you have nothing to do on Sunday come on down and see what the hooray Henrys make of a blown-alky Pro Mod.
Outlaws savour welcome
25th June: The UK Truck show is a favourite event for the Supercharged Outlaws and they are all looking forward to a cracking weekend, says Dave McKenzie:
Last year we were made really welcome by all the truckers and they appreciated the show we put on for them. The Outlaws are looking at fielding at least eleven teams this weekend. Alec Coe returns to the track in the Shy Talker slingshot after a major engine rebuild by Norm Wheeldon. Also returning to the track for the first time in twenty months is the methanol-burning altered of Dave (fuzzie) McKenzie and Mark Windridge. Dave and Mark suffered severe engine woes at the Halloween Showdown Oct 2007 and it has taken this long to sort out the car. Major improvements include a new front discharge stage 4 four blower, new Dart Pro 1 cylinder heads, new rubber all round, and a lot of work. The team would like to thank Johnny Hall, Bill Felstead, Brian Gandy, and Bill Todd at Gary Burgin's for making this all possible. Also a big thank you to all of the Supercharged Outlaws for the encouragement to our team.
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Jon Best will be continuing his licence passes at this event with the Felstead, Best and Lotsabeera Fuel Altered. This has to be the most wicked-sounding fuel engine we have heard in a long while. Out on the track for the first time this season will be Ian Hanson in the immaculate Corvette - Ian is renowned for his big smokey burnouts. Débuting with the Outlaws will be Trace Froome with a methanol-burning Dodge Avenger Funny Car running a big block chevy motor. Trace will be putting in some shakedown passes to get accustomed to the new car. Also entered Tony Froome with the Sundancer Funny Car. Tony is looking to get the car down the track after testing at Shakespeare County Raceway a couple of weeks ago.
The regular runners for this season will also be present including Roy Wilding with the Hemi Hunter slingshot, Lee Gallimore in the Red Mist altered, Steve Goode with Wobble, Clayton Round with the Rebel T altered, Paul Watts all the way from the Isle of Wight with the No Easy Pick-Up and Richard Davis very well turned out '41 Willys.
So for some supercharged Nostagia racing the UK Truck Show is the place to be this weekend. See you all at the track.
Swift snippets.
25th June: Many thanks to Yvonne Tramm and our very own Simon for sending us the post-SPRC Summernationals points standings in the 2009 UK National Drag Racing Championships and Santa Pod Racers Club Championships. You can check out the points on our Speedflow-sponsored Points Standings page by clicking here or by clicking on the Points Standings link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
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In association with a mystery team we are pleased to bring you another spy picture contest. Take a look at the pictures below (click on any picture for large version) and then if you think you know the driver, the car's class and the driver's country of origin then send an E-Mail to bigblockmontecarlo71@gmail.com by midday European time tomorrow (Friday). The organiser has bottled it and asked us to give you a clue, which is: it's obviously a Top Fuel dragster and the driver and car are Scandinavian. The first correct answer drawn from the hat wins a cap of their own from the team's new paint sponsor. The winner will be announced on Monday.
Here come the FBs...maybe.
25th June: UK B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator racer Ian Hook and the Cheltenham Fat Boys have entered their first event of the year, next month's Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway, although Ian himself says that there is no more than a fifty-fifty chance of the team actually getting to the event:
Problems with the build of the team's new all-aluminium 598 cubic inch big block continue to plague the FBs' efforts to get back on the track, the latest being a crank that refused to balance. The offending article had to be returned to Cheltenham (thanks are due to Clive Bond for the running around) to check for clearance in the block before undergoing welding work to facilitate adding the required weight. Of course there is still a lot of other work to do and with just a bare block still sat our caution can be understood.
The Bug Jam may be a bit more than even we can achieve although if we think there's any chance that the car will run we will be there as insurance, MoT test and tax are all in place ensuring the car's legality to run. Even if we don't make round five I am supremely confident that we will at least make the final three SE events of the year and probably a couple of others if possible.
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Congratulations from all the FBs to Matts Anderson for his first win in SE and for flying the flag for Cheltenham...oh, and Sweden too I guess - hurdy, gurdy, wurdy - chop, chop, chop!
Lamb Bash for charity.
25th June: All are welcome to the 4th annual Hot Rodders Bash at The Lamb public house, in Theale near Reading from 12:00 pm on Sunday 5th July, writes Gina Rumble:
We have a rod and custom show, two rockabilly bands playing in the garden, BBQ and bar all day, dragsters from the Wild Bunch and hopefully (fingers crossed!) a couple of other dragsters, including one from the Gasser Circus. We will be having a raffle in aid of The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance, which we and our friends and associates believe to be an extremely worthy cause.
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Last year we raised over £700, and it seemed that everyone had a whale of a time, so we would really love to do this all again, and hopefully be able to host a fifth bash next year, too! We would very much appreciate help with the raffle and would like to ask for donations of a raffle prizes, however small or large. If you are able to donate a prize then we will be racing at the Nostalgia Nationals, where you can hand them over to us. Alternately, please post to Gina and Scottie, 17 Myton Walk, Theale, Reading RG7 5EW.
UK Truck Show Perfect Awards.
25th June: This weekend's UK Truck Show at Santa Pod Raceway is the the fourth event in the 2009 Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards scheme. £100 is on offer for perfect performance.
The Eurodragster.com/Speedflow Perfect Light Award has been reset to £50 after it was won by Pro ET
racer Chris Hodgkins at the SPRC Summernationals. The money will be presented to the first racer this weekend to record a Reaction Time of
0.000 seconds. The Perfect Light Award is available this weekend in Super Modified, Supertwin Fuel, Supertwin Gas, Supertwin ET, Super Street Bike
Shoot-out, Supercharged Outlaws and to demonstration runners, but will only be awarded for the first perfect light of the event. If not won this weekend
then the Award will be increased to £75 for Bug Jam; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for Bug Jam. The Perfect
Light Award is presented in association with performance hose and fitting manufacturer Speedflow
whose web site you can find at www.speedflow.co.uk.
Although the Perfect Light Award goes to three places, we will not pay out for red lights with zeroes in the first three decimals since a foul is a foul however far in the first non-zero digit may be. So a reaction time of 0.0001 will win you the money (if you're first to do it), but a reaction time of -0.0001 will not.
Decals are not formally required for the Perfect Light Award but of course we appreciate it: you can get Eurodragster.com decals at the track from any Eurodragster.com staff member.
©Eurodragster.com
The Eurodragster.com/Gold RV Perfect ET Award has been reset to £50 after it was won by Super Pro ET
racer John Everitt at the SPRC Summernationals. The money will be presented to the first racer this weekend to run to the thousandth on
their dial-in or index. The Perfect ET Award is available this weekend in Supertwin ET qualifying and eliminations, but will only be awarded for the first
perfect run of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for Bug Jam; if it is won then it will be reset to £50
for Bug Jam. The Perfect ET Award is presented in association with RV sales and service specialists Gold RV whose web
site you can find at www.goldrv.co.uk.
To be eligible to collect the Perfect ET Award, racers are required to carry Eurodragster.com/Gold RV Perfect ET decals, one on each side of the bike. If you pull this weekend's first Perfect ET but are not carrying decals then there will be no discussion; we will not pay out and the next person to pull a Perfect ET will get the money assuming that they are carrying decals. The decals will be available from the Signing On office as soon as it opens on Saturday morning; please note that, as is usual with contingency schemes, racers are responsible for requesting or picking up decals when signing on. A list of required decals per class is always on display in the Signing On office.
Web site updates.
25th June: Swedish Top Methanol Funny Car racer Mikael Larsson's web site is now being run by one of his team and has been updated with new information for the 2009 season. Check it out at www.mlarssonracing.com.
©Eurodragster.com
Photo-journalist Dick Parnham has updated his Fotpic site with shots from the SPRC Summernationals. You can take a look at Dick's work at dickparnham.fotopic.net.
Hanssen, Hanna and Hanna.
24th June: Will Hanna, who tuned Frøya's Fred Hanssen to a new European Top Methanol Dragster speed record at the FIA Main Event, says that his father Rick will be joining him to work with the Islanders team at next week's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro in Finland. Rick will also be Fred's interim Crew Chief at the Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park as Will is unable to attend.
"Dad brings a wealth of experience to the team as he has been driving and crewing on alcohol cars for over thirty years", Wil told Eurodragster.com. "He campaigned an A/Fuel dragster in Pro Comp in the late 1970s in Pro Comp, and has driven a variety of cars since including winning several Texas mud drag championships behind the wheel of a blow- alcohol truck. He taught me a lot of what I know about these cars, and has worked with me on several teams for the past few years, including Fred's car when it was in the States. He did clutch on the car back in the States and is very familiar with the car. That is why he was the natural choice to run the car while I am racing in Columbus, Ohio, with Chris Foster's Top Alcohol Funny Car team the same weekend as the Veidec Festival. That should be interesting because, with the time difference, about the time I should be sleeping I will be up on the phone with Dad and Fred helping tune the car.
©Eurodragster.com
"We've been doing well here in the States as well. We reached the semi-finals at the NHRA National in Topeka, Kansas. We fought some parts issues at the next race in Chicago and had to run Steve Harker first round, but managed a then career best 5.65 to almost beat his 5.60 on a holeshot. We stayed in Chicago for the following week's Division 3 race and scored our first win. We ran new career bests of 5.64 at 255 mph with virtually no computer data all weekend.
"We race in Norwalk, Ohio this weekend for the NHRA Nationals there, I fly back Sunday night, then get on a plane Monday afternoon for Finland. I have two solid days of work to get the car serviced for the event, then I will stay two days after the even to service the car for Mantorp Park. I will be back with the team for the Hockenheim race.
"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again at the track. I've really enjoyed meeting and racing with the Euro crowd."
Swift snippets.
24th June: In association with a mystery team we are pleased to bring you another spy picture contest. Take a look at the pictures below (click on any picture for large version) and then if you think you know the driver, the car's class and the driver's country of origin then send an E-Mail to bigblockmontecarlo71@gmail.com by midday European time this Friday. The first correct answer drawn from the hat wins a cap of their own from the team's new paint sponsor. The winner will be announced on Monday.
Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for sending us Version 2 of the official entry list for Bug Jam, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 18th-19th July and which is a Championship round for Super Modified, B&H Automotive/LA Racing Parts Street Eliminator, Sportsman ET, VWDRC, Outlaw Flat Four and Outlaw Anglia and a non-points round for Junior Dragster. You can check out the entry list by clicking here. Entry closes this Friday (23rd); you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc.
Further to yesterday's news item, entry is still open for July's Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park, but may now be subject to a late entry fee. For on-line entry or form download, check out yesterday's news item.
Des Taylor has asked us to thank everyone who has been in touch with Mark Flavell and himself with offers of help and donations to help get Mark back on track following the fire which wrecked his race car (see news update of 16th June. "I have been overwhelmed with the response", says Des. "Myself and a number of other racers are organising a collection at the next York Raceway event on 4th-5th July. If anyone can't make that event but would like details on how to contribute, then please E-Mail me at des1954@supanet.com."
UK Pro Stock Bike racer and contingency sponsor Dave Beck has been in touch to say a very big Well Done to Kev Charman for his first ever Funny Bike win at the SPRC Summernationals. "As Kev purchased his MTC pistons though Dave Beck Racing Ltd he will of course be paid contingency money for the win", says Dave.
©Eurodragster.com
UK Supertwin racer Ian Turburville and Mister Spokehead will be amongst the headliners at the Vintage Motorcycle Club's Festival of 1000 Bikes at Mallory Park on 11th-12th July. You can find out more at www.vmccsprint.co.uk and be sure to click through to Turbo's excellent description of riding his mean-sounding Harley.
Discount dyno.
24th June: UK Pro ET racer Keith Herbert, aka Mr Furyous, is pleased to announce that his rolling road dyno is now open at Power Engineering and that a discount is available for fellow racers.
"We have built and installed a state of the art rolling road dyno capable of handling rear wheel drive up to 1400 bhp and 2400 bhp four wheel drive", says Keith. "We can cater for race cars with slicks or treads, hot rods, American cars and trucks, and 4WD and FWD cars. Our motorbike harness fitting is coming soon.
"We have a tariff for power runs, dyno tuning at an hourly rate, and remap. A 10% discount is offered to all racers. We also service, repair and MoT cars and vans. Look out for our open day and dyno shoot out nights.
©Eurodragster.com
"Just by performing two power runs on the dyno my Sport Fury showed that max hp at 5400 rpm was the optimum shift point, which netted us a 10.94 to a previous 10.97 at the Summernationals - just by changing the shift point."
You can find Power Engineering at 53 Union Buildings, Wallingford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2RW or for more details call 01895 255699.
What's on this weekend.
24th June: This Saturday and Sunday SMF-Västerås are holding the Aros Nats at Västerås, Sweden. Classes involved include Top Doorslammer, Super Street, Super Gas, Super Comp, Stock/Super Stock, Competition, Super Gas Bike, Street Bike, Sportsman and Junior Dragster. More details on the club's web site at www.smf-vasteras.se.
Also on Saturday at Messini in Greece the third race in the 2009 Hellenic Dragster Championship will be taking place. More details are available at www.greekdragster.com.
On Saturday a quarter mile race will take place at Piestany, Slovakia, comprising Round 2 of the Slovak Drag Bike Series and Carat Tuning Party. Capacity-restricted and Special Car and Bike classes organised by the HNAA and MNASZ will be racing. For further details and results see www.dragracing.ro or www.dragracing.hu.
A round of the Croatian 402SR National Championship is taking place on Saturday at Cepin, Osijek, Croatia. General details on racing in Central Europe can be found at www.cedrag.com.
Saturday and Sunday's UK Truck Show at Santa Pod Raceway incorporates a UK National Championship round of Super Modified, a round of the 2009 National Association of Supertwins Championship, a round of the Supercharged Outlaws series, and a Super Street Bike shoot-out as well as exhibitions including Martin Hill in the Fireforce 3 Jet FC. For more details about the UK Truck Show check out the event's web site at www.uktruckshow.co.uk.
Ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences will be competing in this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Qualifying starts on Friday and you will be able to stay in touch with Mike's progress on the peerless Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com.
©Eurodragster.com
This Saturday's Ironhorse MC Show at Nyköping Harbour is primarily a motorcycle show but includes fire-ups by Micke Kågered's Top Fuel Dragster and Greger Johansson's Supertwin. A packed programme also includes show and shine including a visitors' choice tropjy, live band and more. Find out more at www.ironhorsemcshow.com.
For this weekend's 17th annual running of the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals more than two hundred show-quality
Street Rods and American muscle cars are expected to converge on the UK's historic Shakespeare County
Raceway drag strip for two action-packed days of street legal drag racing for pre-73 high-dollar hot rods and
big block custom cars. Where else will you expect to find period antique flathead roadsters,
methanol-burning supercharged altereds, Chrysler, Chevy and Ford
powered coupes, classic blown Willys hot rods and ground-thumping
dragsters all with unbridled glitz, chrome and horsepower.
Drag strip entertainment comes courtesy of Neil Townson's blown '32 three-window Coupe hot rod Northern Spirit and Wendy Baker and Paul Stubbings' Time Warp Mustang-bodied Nostalgia Funny Car. Dedicated to nostalgia drag racing in every sense of the words, the Wild Bunch will be on hand with their collection of front-engined slingshot dragsters and altereds where Jaguar straight sixes rub shoulders with Buick 'nailed', Fords, Chryslers and of course the trusty ol' Chevrolet. Equally the racers of the Flathead Meltdown, where sidevalve engines still reign supreme, may look like antique museum pieces but once on a drag strip the pudding basin racers are not a group to be trifled with!
Adding colour and a bit of high rise madness to the mix will be the Gasser Circus, featuring full-bodied doorslammer cars from the pioneering days of hot rodding, like the Roaring Rat Chevy stirred but not tamed by its master Kenny Brookes. The Outlaw Flat Four VWs will be looking for some more wheels-up action with their VW Gassers. There may even be a few fast Fords on the property too from the Old Skool Ford club, including Kev 'The Caveman' Jenkins with his all-new MK 1 Escort. There could even be a series of David and Goliath shootouts planned between the three groups for Sunday too!
And last, but by no means least, the Outlaw Anglias - a class dedicated to one of Dagenham's finest examples, the humble Ford Pop, while modern-day jet action is provided by the flame and thunder show of Roger Goring's Pontiac-bodied Jet Funny Car Firestorm.
There will be a full trade village selling everything from T-Shirts, books, DVD, hot rod models and stickers plus the popular Rumble & Jumble where you will find that much sought after part to complete your hot rod! Evening entertainment includes a disco both nights in the bar and the band Swing Bin in the marquee on Saturday night.
Further info about the event and admission details can be found at www.shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk.
Web site updates.
24th June: In the latest update in his exclusive Racer Blog, Luke Bennett hands over the keyboard to a couple of the crew of the Bennett Racing blown-alcohol altered team, who recount their successful weekends at the SPRC Summernationals. As ever you can check out the latest Blog update by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
Our good buddy Markus Ek has updated his web site with pictures from the recent Deep Forest Nats at Sundsvall Raceway. You can check out Markus' shots at www.mek.nu.
Julian Hunt has posted nearly four hundred pictures from May's Big Bang at Santa Pod Raceway on his web site at www.julianhunt.net.
Event entry update.
23rd June: Today (Tuesday) is the official closing date for entry to the Veidec Festival, which takes place at Sweden's Mantorp Park on 23rd-26th July. You can enter on-line at www.motorevents.com/motorevents/signup. Alternately you can enter on paper, or order power or extra tickets, by downloading any of the following PDF documents:
FIA classes invitation and entry form
FIM/UEM classes invitation and entry form
NDRS classes invitation and entry form
Power and extra tickets order form
Media accreditation form
The downloadable invitations, entry and order forms are also available at www.dragracing.se and www.motorevents.com.
©Eurodragster.com
Out of the fire...
22nd June: The SPRC Summernationals got off to a cracking start for the Team Nosferatu Super Pro ET team as the Dark and Evil Pontiac Firebird laid down a 7.15/192. Driver Vince Gibbs tells us that when the car returned to the pits the weekend unfortunately had a cracking finish:
We discovered that we had cracked three main caps right through which put us out of competition very early on. The good news is that the damage is easily repairable and the block is already being sorted by The Mysterious Count at Hauser Racing's engine building department. New billet steel Pro-Gram main caps will resolve this problem and we hope to have the engine back and running in time for the Earls Barton Motor Show on 19th July. We will release details of that nearer the time.
©Eurodragster.com
But that's not the only good news. We are proud to announce that we have a new sponsor and would like to thank Chris Butcher of the Fiery Furnace for joining us. Chris is a talented and artistic local blacksmith from Earls Barton and the quality of his work needs to be seen to be believed. Chris likes to be challenged by his work and is always willing to accept the "impossible" so if you are looking for anything from artwork in forged steel, bespoke furniture, railings, gates and stairs, or have an idea but can't find the design or quality you desire then it is time to make contact.
We would also like to thank our other loyal sponsors for their help and support this year, with a special thanks to Wipac, The Gothic Shop, Dark Cult and of course Torco Racing Oils. We couldn't do it without you!
Swift snippets.
22nd June: We have two spy pictures for you today. The first (below left) arrived with the words "What have I found here?". Well, even your News Editor knows a PSI blower when he sees one but we see the point our mole is making.
The second picture (above right) was signed "With love from the shadows", or we guess it could have been "The Shadows"; either way we are none the wiser. If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at eurodragster.com@btinternet.com.
©Eurodragster.com
If anyone from the Bedford area is attending this weekend's NSRA Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway and would be willing to take a small box of videos with them to SCR for delivery to a Wild Bunch pit then please drop us a line at eurodragster.com@btinternet.com.
Web site updates.
22nd June: Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog spent a rare day behind the camera at the pre-SPRC Summernationals Peak Performance Day, and has now posted his pictures on his Fotopic gallery which is available at both eurodragster.fotopic.net and www.togsdragracing.com.
©Eurodragster.com
Earlier news
