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Feature: NHRA Arizona Nationals.
28th February: The latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with
Stroud Safety and
Andy Robinson Race Cars is Roger's report
and pictures from last weekend's problem-ridden NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix.
Roger's report and pictures cover the Pro classes and you can check it out by
clicking here or by clicking on the
Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com This is the last Feature to be presented in asociation with Stroud Safety and Andy Robinson Race Cars as our sponsorship year ends today (Sunday) and Stroud are stepping down. Andy Robinson Race Cars will continue to sponsor our Home and News pages. A big Thank You to Stroud and ARRC for their support of our Features in the last year. If you would be interested in sponsoring the Features on Eurodragster.com then please drop a line to tog@eurodragster.com. Roger has also somehow found the time to update his Nitro Exposure web site with pictures from the NHRA Winternationals and NHRA Arizona Nationals. The galleries include many photographs not used in other publications and include some good header flame shots. A further gallery should be available shortly after the NHRA Gatornationals. You can check out Roger's pictures at www.nitroexposure.co.uk. Taxing week for Haslett. 28th February: UK Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Ron Haslett says that he had a fantastic birthday weekend in Amsterdam but that things are really moving now on his wild Cortina: I've finished the wiring so I've got all the lights working. I had the car outside in the sun before I went away and drove it back into the workshop. All the new windows are now made, I've made a new slam panel to try and divert the air flow through the radiators. I have sent in my entries for the Santa Pod rounds along with my memberships. I should soon have my new damper for the front of the engine, thank you Dave at Performance Unlimited. I should also have the new crew shirts and jackets along with all new Dzus fasteners for the front. ©Eurodragster.com Over this weekend the last remaining bits will be put into the colour. I will also taxing the car. I'd better get my nitrous system in the post to Trev of Wizard of Nos for upgrades. I'll hopefully be testing in two weeks, depending upon the weather. You can stay in touch with Ron's progress on his web site at www.insanecreations.net. Swift snippets. 28th February: UK scrutineer Glenn Stockton has asked us to remind racers that the BS 6658-85 Type A standard for crash helmets (blue sticker) has been withdrawn and that such crash helmets will not be accepted at any permit event at either Santa Pod Raceway or Shakespeare County Raceway in 2010. The BS6658-85 Type A/FR standard (red sticker) remains valid. If you have any queries then please contact Glenn at glennstockton@123thedowns.fsnet.co.uk or any member of the UK Tech Crew. 
The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words
"Garden ornament, doesn't need watering". If you know any more, or if you would like to send your
own spy picture, then drop us a line at
eurodragster.com@btinternet.com.
We also heard from a reader in darkest Surrey who doesn't do spy pictures. However, he or she adds, "If you look up into the night sky you can see the glow of our tig welder, and if you listen carefully you can hear the tube notcher eating away enthusiastically at lovely chromoly quickly becoming a new home for that nutter to sit in and chill out in the fire up road". Again if you know what on Earth this is about then drop us a line at the above address. Peter Crane tells us that US Fuel FC racer Jack Beckman owed his win at Phoenix to a limited-edition T-Shirt. "Pete Walters did a T-Shirt design for me for the Crazy Horses book launch at Pomona", says Peter. "It commemorated the first five-second pass outside the States in Stormbringer and was a limited run of five shirts. I gave one to Brent Cannon as it was his dragster originally, one to Jack Beckman - a close friend of Brent's and I was sponsored by Valvoline too - and one to Cliff Jones (Austin A40 connection and a friend of mine). Brian Taylor has the fourth shirt to put with one of the autographed books he will auction. I'm keeping the fifth shirt for now." ©Eurodragster.com 
Eurodragster.com Home and News sponsor
Andy Robinson Race Cars
supported Titan's development of a new steering rack for the Pro Stock/Pro Mod marketplace during 2009. The product was launched on
the US market at the PRI Show and is now available in the UK. ARRC will be the sole supplier and is making an introductory offer which
will run until April 1st: the normal price will be £320 but the offer price is £290; both plus shipping and VAT. One of the features
which could make life easier for the chassis builder is the thirty degree angle of the input shaft which should allow for easier routing around a
large engine.
A very Happy Birthday to UK VW Sportsman racer and President of the UK branch of the Siw Nystad Fan Club Luke Stevenson. Hope you have a great day Luke. Editor's note: If you were tuned in to yesterday's Eurodragster.com News then you might today be wondering if you were seeing things. But fear not, you are perfectly compos mentis: we were asked to remove the news item about inspection fees on this week's SFI Inspection Tour. To Stoneleigh, via Ocala. 28th February: Brian Taylor tells us that the Crazy Horses signing sessions continue and that the next stop is the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida at 2.30 pm on 6th and 7th March. It is expected that Big Daddy Don Garlits himself will join FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter together with Brian. 
Swedish aces Micke Gullqvist and 1990s Top Fuel pilot and now Florida resident Viveca Averstedt will
be there. Along with Andy, Viveca moved to the USA in 1998 to attempt to run the NHRA series. At Ocala
they will be joined by Bud Barnes and Bob Gladstone who visited Santa Pod in 1966 and 1967. It was
hoped that they would be bringing their restored slingshot dragster Michigander (also known as
Ultrasonic in 1966/67), but the snow storms in the USA have snookered that idea.
Les Sanderson, Chairman of the short-lived National Drag Racing Association which replaced the collapsed National Drag Racing Club in 1987 and Syd McDonald, British Drag Racing and Hot Rod Association Race Director of the 1970s, will be joining the sessions along with American Tex Blake. Tex was the USAF GI member of Mark Stratton's Hustler team who beat John Woolfe in 1967. This led to the formation of John Woolfe Racing, a company that went on to become the largest importer and distributor of American parts in Europe and a major sponsor of the sport throughout many decades. Tex represents the many UK-based GIs who helped British drag racing in the formative years. ©Eurodragster.com 
Roger Gorringe provided most of the photographs for Crazy Horses, and he and Andy Willsheer will
make the Florida signings. Several other drag racing personalities have said they will try and make it so
if you are in Florida for the Gatornationals and can make the signing the weekend before the race, then
Brian and the gang will be pleased to see you.
"Hopefully this will be less manic than Pomona and I will have time to talk with those purchasing the books as well as others at the signing sessions", said Brian Taylor. "Plus I will be able to have a good look at Don's amazing museum. It's something I have promised myself for years. Then it will be back to the UK and a bit of stand duty at Race Retro, Stoneleigh, on 12th-14th March where the Allard Chrysler dragster is on display. I plan to be there on the Sunday but other members of the ACAG will be there to answer questions about the restoration project on the Friday and the Saturday." Manners' full load. 27th February: Ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences had some good news about his recent session of testing on 100% nitro to prepare for the next IHRA Nitro Jam. "We got down the track", said Mike. ©Eurodragster.com "We tuned the car for a mild launch and then to pick up as it went down track, and in the second half of the track it was flying. We ran a 5.25 at 277 mph and it certainly pulled harder than I've ever felt it before. We actually got lucky getting the one run in: we were ready to go again and the weatherman's prediction of a sixty per cent chance of rain proved accurate as the sky opened. "We will be running 100% in Baton Rouge on 6th-7th March as part of the IHRA's Pro Fuel Dragster class in the Nitro Jam series. I can't wait." Venom sheds her skin. 27th February: Tony Betts has been in touch to let us know that his Venom Fuel Altered is to grow out of her old skin and will be cloaked in a Fuel Funny Car body for the FIA Main Event and FIA European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway. "We were asked to join the the already growing field of Fuel Funny Cars for these two meetings with the help of Dave Bryant of the Shockwave team", says Tony. "To enable us to compete at these meets Dave has offered to lend us the parts needed to be consistent rather than a contender. Thanks to FGR Motorsport we will have a current 10.5 chassis. Our new 15.1 wheels are not legal in Funny Car so we need to get some 15.3 wheels. There are a few other parts we require and are hoping to source a sponsor to cover the cost of these parts. So anyone wanting their logo on the Altered and Funny Car then please contact us asap before the design is finished for wrapping. ©Eurodragster.com "It will mean a lot of work to change over from the altered but we are really looking forward to returning to Funny Car. Tracy and Martin at Signorama have agreed to meet the dates to get both cars wrapped in time for their début. Daniel at Teng Tools will be selling a new range of Venom Tool Boxes which will be black with the Venom logo. He can design any logo you want to go on the top box, even your name. These are exciting times for Venom Racing and we are looking forward to 2010." Xtreme Wheels: well-oiled! 
27th February: Following on from yesterday's news that the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show web site is now live at
www.xtremewheelsshow.co.uk, the organisers are delighted to announce
Lucas Oil as official show partners for the event at the Haynes International Motor Museum over the weekend of 12th-13th June.
Lucas Oil and its managing director Les Downey are well known to show promoters Bob Glassup and Dan Welberry, as both have a long-standing relationship with the oil company. "Both Bob and I are really pleased to make this announcement", said Dan Welberry. "We have both worked with Les for a number of years and we'd like to thank him for backing the event. We know how good their products are first hand and can't recommend them enough. As they say in their advertising; 'Lucas Oil, it works!'. At the show, Lucas Oil will have a range of products for sale via their trade area. You won't be able to miss them, just look for the huge inflatable Lucas Oil bottle!" said Dan Welberry. "I'm delighted to sponsor the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show and I'm really pleased that we will be there", said Les Downey of Lucas Oil. "We will be doing all we can to bring as many people to the show as possible and support the vision to make this new venue and format successful. It will be great to have Andy Carter and Nigel Morris with us and, before the event, we hope to bring you news of another Lucas Oil car as part of our display. We look forward to seeing you there. "I'd also like to add that Bob and Matt Glassup of Xtreme Wheels Racing, will be offering NFAA teams Lucas Oil products throughout the season and will also be able to help any racer with their oil requirements during 2010." 
Lucas Oil will be well-represented at the show with at least two of their stable present. Four-time FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion
Andy Carter will be there, along with his show car and support rig. We're also delighted to have the Bigfoot Monster Truck with us.
Probably the most famous Monster Truck in the world, Bigfoot will be entertaining the crowds over the weekend with its awesome car
crushing display. Bigfoot 17 was completed in 2003 and has been wowing the UK fans ever since. With regular appearances throughout
the summer competing in the European Monster Truck Racing Championship, Bigfoot 17 and Nigel Morris are now proud four-time
EMTRC Champions.
You can find out more about Lucas Oil and their fantastic range of products at www.lucasoil.co.uk or by visiting the Partners page at www.xtremewheelsshow.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com A plug for a new sponsor. 
27th February: UK blown-alcohol altered team Bennett Racing are delighted to announce the addition
of their latest sponsor Sparkplugs.com:
Sparkplugs.com stocks an incredible array of just about every spark plug and spark plug wire made in the world. They stock every spark plug made by Denso, NGK, Champion, Autolite, Pulstar, E-3 and Bosch. More than great spark plugs, they also carry oxygen sensors, high performance lighting, filters, shocks, wire sets, and the tools you need for installation. ©Eurodragster.com SparkPlugs.com is your source for hard to find parts. They have all those hard to find high performance spark plugs that you are looking for. They especially pride theirselves on providing complete spark plug cross reference and spark plug gap information. Sparkplugs.com and its parent company Monarch Products have been around since the 1960s delivering first class service and same day shipping on most orders. Give them a call on (+1) 888 800 9629 or visit Sparkplugs.com whenever you need high performance sparkplugs or ignition wires. German SFI Day details. 26th February: Many thanks to FIA European Top Methanol Dragster Champion Timo Habermann for sending the details of the German leg of the 2010 SFI Certification Tour which takes place at the workshops of Werner Habermann Racing next Thursday, 4th March. The address is: Werner Habermann Racing Kinzigstrasse 100 63505 Langenselbold Germany ©Eurodragster.com The coordinates for satnavs are 50°9'51" North, 9°3'6" East. Inspections commence at 09:00 and end at 16:00. If you have any questions about the location and how to get there then please contact Timo at info@werner-habermann-racing.com. The other stops on next week's European SFI Tour are: Friday 5th March: US-Parts, Helsinki, Finland (details www.fhra.fi) Saturday 6th March: Persåkers Speed Shop, Åkers Styckebruk, Sweden (details www.dragracing.se) Monday 8th March: Scrutineering building, Santa Pod Raceway, England Swift snippets. 
26th February: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com
came with the words "Still a work in progress". 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 Further to yesterday's news item, Liz Rowland has been in touch again to let us know that autographed copies of her new book Drag Racing Through The Eyes Of A Woman are available direct from her for £17.95 including postage, which is less than the Amazon price. To order your copy, drop Liz a line at lizburndragracing@virginmedia.com. European fans have someone to cheer for at this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional race in Phoenix as US Top Alcohol Dragster racer Jim Whiteley has Germany's Gittli Koller working on his YNot Racing team. You will be able to stay in touch with Jim's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. We have two birthdays today. Firstly a big Happy 40th Birthday to Santa Pod Racers Club International Race Director, International Soiler, and hamster exhibitor extraordinaire Darren Prentice. Have a great day Darren. Today also happens to be the twelfth birthday of Eurodragster.com. We won't say which of the two celebrants we think is wearing better. Xtreme Wheels on-line. 
26th February: The official Xtreme Wheels Motor Show web site is now live at
www.xtremewheelsshow.com. The site, designed and built by Eurodragster.com
News sponsor 3t creative, features some fantastic images of the vehicles which will be exhibiting
at the show which takes place at the Haynes International Motor Museum over the weekend of 12th-13th June. The entry is growing by the day so the
organisers are confident that this event will be one not to miss!
It has also been revealed that the official Xtreme Wheels Motor Show partners will be Zubedo and Lucas Oil. "I would like to personally thank Michael Belch, Mike Kason and Jonathan Belch of Zubedo for putting their faith in our event as a springboard for their social-media-networking site", says Xtreme Wheels Motor Show Promoter Dan Welberry. "Can I urge you all to sign up for Zubedo and join the Zubedo Xtreme Wheels Motor Show group, where will be posting event news, exhibitor images, inviting exhibitors to interact with each other etc. It will provide a great forum as we lead up to the event. You can read more about Zubedo below. "I'd also like to thank Les Downey of Lucas Oil for his backing of the show. My relationship with Les goes back to a first meeting at Autosport, where we discussed the prospect of Lucas Oil supporting FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter. Let's just say the relationship has developed well over the years - we are now entering our eighth season together - and I'm delighted to have secured Lucas Oil backing for the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show. A separate press release will follow to bring you more on this exciting deal." 
"Zubedo is extremely happy to be primary sponsor of the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show, and hopes that its association with
motorsport, which is close to the hearts of its co-founders, will provide a mutually enriching experience for all concerned"
said Zubedo CEO Michael Belch. "During the coming weeks and months, Zubedo will make a number of other public announcements
regarding its close association with motoring and motorsports, which it hopes to foster going forwards, and which it will share with you
through the official Zubedo Xtreme Wheels Motor Show group at the
Zubedo web site.
We would invite everyone who has registered and activated their Zubedo account to visit the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show group
page for more information about these announcements, as well as general updates regarding the the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show.
If you have not yet registered with Zubedo or with the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show group, then we invite you to register with Zubedo at
www.zubedo.com/zubedo/xtremewheels.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy the Show, and we look forward to our continued association with this prestigious and exciting motoring event."
Zubedo, the next generation social-media-networking site owned by its user base, was conceived by its co-founders Michael Belch, Mike
Kason and Jonathan Belch in 2006, with a view to changing the on-line social-media-networking landscape forever, making it a better, fairer,
more inclusive place for all. The three co-founders had previously been users of various social networking and video sharing sites which
were owned by large faceless corporates. Having worked within the corporate and venture capital worlds for many years, the co-founders
wished to introduce a new, holistic business model, based on principles of social ownership, development, employment and wealth creation,
where users of Zubedo would directly benefit by having a share allocation in the social-media-networking site that they were using on a daily basis.
The Zubedo social-media-networking portal, which combines
social networking, video sharing and commercial media all in a single site, was launched in the UK in January 2010. Since its launch, Zubedo has
migrated to more than thirty countries, with a growing global user base, being ranked in the top 100,000 UK sites by Alexa, the official internet
site ranking company. By the end of 2012, Zubedo hopes to have more than one hundred million registered, active users worldwide, making it
the largest publicly-owned social-media-networking site on the planet, with a multi-billion pound market valuation for the benefit of its global user base.
Over the next twelve to eighteen months, Zubedo's co-founders are proposing to introduce a number of other user-generated online businesses,
where users consume what they produce, and derive a benefit from it, in the encyclopaedic, search engine, exchange, 3-D animation and financial
sectors - all of which will be owned by the global Zubedo user base. With your help, Zubedo can liberate and enfranchise online users, radically
altering the corporate landscape, introducing a new holistic business model for the benefit of consumers and corporates alike.
©Eurodragster.com Editor's note: That's all the news we could get done in a lunch hour curtailed by pressure of work in your News Editor's day job. Tune back over the weekend for news of a snake sloughing its skin, Eurodragster.com sponsor Mike Manners' account of testing on 100% nitro, a new sponsor for Bennett Racing and more, and please keep those news items coming to news@eurodragster.com. Mission accomplished! 
25th February: Swedish Pro Mod racer Micke Gullqvist has become the second European
Pro Mod racer to run a five-second pass. Micke achieved the feat at Palm Beach International Raceway in
the USA, where he has been testing with Roger Burgess' ProCareRx-sponsored R2B2 Pro Mod team prior to
driving one of Roger's cars at the NHRA Gatornationals in March.
"We were testing Monday to Wednesday both last week and this week", Micke told Eurodragster.com. "Last Tuesday R2B2 team drivers Ray Commisso and Roger Burgess came and joined me and this week Melanie Troxel also joined the gang. The weather varied very much between the testing days, from cold weather to hot and humid. "On most of the runs we were only going to 330 feet, because after that it is easy to predict what the rest of the numbers should be. On Monday of last week I ran some stout 330-foot numbers with a 2.58 hinting at a 5.85 et over the quarter mile. Then the weather became much colder and on Tuesday of last week we had problems, overpowering the track most of the time. ©Eurodragster.com "On Monday this week I ran Melanie Troxel's car to a 6.002. I shut it off a bit early, and I was not very happy about that, wanting to run a five. Crew Chiefs Al Billes and Bob Newberry knew what I wanted to do and Bob told me to go all the way down on every run if it felt good. On Tuesday I was back in the Camaro which I'm going to drive at Gainesville. First run was a 6.04/245 with a bad sixty-foot time. On the next run it shook off the line and I backed it up and shut it off for some adjustments. "Fired up again and staged, the car was moving pretty much to the left, a bit out of the groove and then I got it back in and I felt the front wheels going back up in the air in the middle of second gear. It sure was a wild ride. I thought that I had been spinning the tyres a bit too much to run any good numbers. But when the crew guys came to pick me up and they looked pleased and told me "Congratulations Mike, you just ran 5.978/243.68"! "Time to go back home for a week now, but if you're in Gainesville, come by and say hi!" The Ghia Shifts into 2010. 
25th February: VW Sportsman racer Russ Weir says that he has had a very eventful off-season.
"The car has had an enforced make-over due to some yobs running over the car and a hairy scary moment on the motorway which ended with it being written off", says Russ. "The engine which let go at the Bug Jam last year is currently being rebuilt with more cam, and the correct amount of carburettors. I'm aiming to enter all seven rounds, and perhaps Sportsman ET as well at Bug Jam and Big Bang." ©Eurodragster.com Russ is no stranger to cutting the grade, making it to four finals in 2009 alone and finishing second in the VW Sportsman Championship, missing out on the number one spot by just ten points. "I'm hoping for solid fifteens this year and maybe some V8 baiting!", he says. Russ would like to thank RNJ Motorsport; Large Engineering for the cage; but most importantly HRC Body and Paint for the repair and transformation. You can keep up to date with all the latest developments on the rebuild on Russ' Facebook page. From one of our lady racers... 
25th February: Liz Rowland, better known in her racing days as Liz Burn, has been in touch
with the great news that she has published a book about her drag racing exploits. Liz and Ollie Burn contested
Pro Comp for a number of years in the 1970s; they were pretty much unbeatable on their day, taking two Championships,
and also ran in Pro Fuel Dragster.
©Eurodragster.com "I went down the self-publishing route through a company called Authorhouse.com", says Liz. "They have also released it onto Amazon, although I think they have set the price a little on the high side on Amazon. The book is called Drag Racing Through The Eyes Of A Woman and is the diary I kept when I was racing in Pro Comp. The book features the names of most of the racers and cars against whom I competed, with photographs." You can find out more, including a taster of the book, or order your copy on Amazon by clicking here. We will publish a review here on Eurodragster.com shortly. ...another one for the ladies. 25th February: The Motor Sports Association's Women in Motorsport Committee is inviting women involved in UK motor sport to convene at Silverstone on Monday March 8th in recognition of International Women's Day. Motor sport is one of only a very few sporting activities in which male and female compete alongside each other on an equal footing, yet with only 8% of registered licence holders being women, the female sex is hugely under-represented among motor sport drivers. There are, nonetheless, an estimated 50,000 women actively involved in British motor sport, organising events, running clubs and associations, timekeeping, marshalling and fulfilling a host of other support roles without which the sport itself could not continue. To celebrate their importance to motor sport, female competitors, marshals, officials and volunteers are being encouraged to attend a photocall at Silverstone, the home of British motor racing and the 2010 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix. Drivers are being asked to bring their race or rally cars and trophies to the event, while marshals and team members should wear their overalls or team shirts. Sue Sanders, Chairman of the MSA Women in Motorsport Committee, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate the diverse range of roles that women undertake within the sport at all levels. We believe that motor sport is truly fair and equal but there is plenty of room for more women. We hope that this gathering will celebrate those already involved and stimulate others that may be interested in getting started." MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton said: "Motor sport still tends to be seen as a male-dominated activity, but there is nothing stopping women from rising to the very top of the sport. We are seeing a substantial increase in female participation among the junior ranks, especially with the Let's Go Karting initiative that gives young people a first experience of karting for just £5. Similarly, the Go Motorsport message that we are taking to schools across the country is aimed equally at girls and boys. "One of our best female role models at the moment is Sarah Moore, who last year claimed the Ginetta Junior Championship title at the age of fifteen. I am sure she will go on to even greater heights in the future and in doing so will help to inspire a new generation of female racing drivers." Details of the event are as follows: From 11:00 am - all parties convene at Silverstone in the car park next to the Paddock Diner 12:00 noon - cars moved into position on start/finish straight 12.20pm - final call for participants 12.30pm - photo call 12.40pm - event ends, cars moved from circuit Anyone interested in attending is requested to advise media@msauk.org. ©Eurodragster.com Radio Nitro. 
25th February: The internet radio scene will get a healthy dose of Nitro as Eurodragster.com Blogger
Will Hanna and the Harker Twins, Kate and Diana, will launch their new show Radio Nitro on
RaceFanRadio.com next Monday, 1st March, at 8:00 pm EST (01:00 UK/02:00 CET).
The one-hour show will feature commentary and interviews with the top names in the sport with a behind-the-scenes, technical feel. 2009 NHRA Rookie
of the Year Spencer Massey and 2009 NHRA Division 7 Top Alcohol Funny Car Champion Sean O'Bannon will be the show's first guests.
Both Hanna and the Harker Twins have competed in the NHRA Top Alcohol ranks. Hanna, who got his start in the NHRA's Junior Dragster programme, drove the ATC Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car from 2005 to 2007 and currently works as a Crew Chief/Consultant for several teams. Most recently, he was named the 2009 NHRA Division 3 Pro Sportsman Mechanic of the Year after tuning Chris Foster to the Division 3 Championship. He also owns/operates the popular internet web sites InsideTopAlcohol.com, InsideCompRacing.com and InsideFastBrackets.com. 
Kate and Diana Harker have followed in the footsteps of the racing family's patriarch, Steve Harker, who has finished second nationally in the Top
Alcohol Funny Car class for the past two years. The Australian natives also started in the Junior Dragster ranks, working their way up to driving in
the Top Alcohol Dragster class. Both have experience driving 270 mph injected-nitro dragsters, and currently share the driving duties of the family's
blown Top Alcohol Dragster.
"I'm really honoured that Charlie Brown and Rick Carlton of RaceFanRadio.com have given us a shot at hosting a drag racing radio show", said Hanna. "They have pretty much given us free rein over how to do the show, so the inmates will be running the asylum so to speak. We want to feature a mix of the NHRA Professional drivers along with the stars of the Top Alcohol, Pro Mod and Sportsman series. "At the end of the day, if we can give fans a technical look at the sport in a way they can understand, we'll have achieved our goal. We hope to use our experience as drivers and crewmembers to bridge the gap from the stars of the sport to the casual fan." 
"We hope to share the thrills of drag racing with audience", comments Kate. "There is a lot of talent in drag racing, not just drivers, but team
managers, crew, PR and marketing personnel that make the sport dynamic. We plan to give Radio Nitro listeners content that is interesting
and exciting. Hopefully listeners will pull from what we can share and apply the knowledge to their own endeavours."
"Having Radio Nitro with Kate, Diana and Will on the network will create an entirely new audience focus for the network, and we couldn't be happier to have these NHRA professionals as part of RFN's programing family", says RFN's Rick Carlton. Radio Nitro will air live Mondays at 8:00 pm EST (01:00 UK/02:00 CET) on RaceFanRadio.com. Fans will also be able to listen to archived shows or download as a podcast on RaceFanRadio.com. The show will feature guests from not only the NHRA, but ADRL, ANDRA (Australia), FIA (Europe), IHRA and Outlaw circuits. ©Eurodragster.com Feature: The Worsham Racing workshop. 
24th February: Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell didn't seem to stop working
during his recent trip to California as no sooner had he stopped sending us notes and pictures from the
50th Anniversary Winternationals than he was heading down the freeway towards Orange at the invitation of the
Andersen Racing Top Fuel Dragster team to visit the workshop of Worsham Racing, where the Andersen operation
was based during their US trip.
©Eurodragster.com In the latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with Stroud Safety and Andy Robinson Race Cars you can find out what, and whom, Ed found at the Worsham Racing workshop including the latest on the world's most famous Margarita mixer and what a certain New Zealander chose to do instead of being served lunch by a scantily-clad young Californian. Click here to check out the Worsham Racing workshop visit, or click on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. UK entry forms update. 24th February: As promised in Sunday's Riders' and Drivers' Meeting report, Shakespeare County Raceway have updated their official web site with entry forms for May's Springspeed Nationals and the first round of the APIRA Junior Drag Bike Championship which takes place on 17th-18th April. The entry forms are in PDF format and can be downloaded via the Downloads link on the left-hand side of any page of the Shakespeare County Raceway web site at www.shakespearecountyraceway.com. If you have any problems downloading the entry forms then please leave a message at the Raceway office on 01789 720180 or E-Mail enquiries@shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk. Further updates will be issued in due course. ©Eurodragster.com The Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc has also been updated, with entry forms for all 2010 UK National Championship events with the exception of the FIA Main Event and FIA European Finals which will be added shortly. Racers and teams are reminded that entry forms include a Pit Space Allocation Form which should be completed and returned with their entries as this will help officials and pit staff to plan the event. If for any reason this form is not returned with your entry then your pit space may be situated elsewhere and not with your allocated class. Attention Eurodragster.com sponsors. 24th February: Thank you very much to those sponsors who have already responded to their renewal E-Mails and to those who have already paid for this year. There are still, however, some existing sponsors who have not responded to their E-Mails which is making it difficult for us to finalise our 2010 budget and to set up this year's web code for our sponsor links. Renewals are due on Sunday: if you have not received your invoice and it is not in your Spam folder then please drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com and we will send you another copy. If you have paid or are in the process of paying but have not told us about it, or if you do not intend to renew this year, then please also drop us a line - it would be helpful for us to know either way. ©Eurodragster.com If you are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com then it is not too late; drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com. Brad's icy first-foot. 
24th February: Wayne Jackson has been in touch to let us know how his son Brad Jackson
got on in his first outing in his Junior Modified Advanced Dragster:
We set off early Friday morning to see Geof Hauser who checked the car over for us after the adjustments made for Brad. The further south we got the more snow we encountered. When we arrived at Hauser Racing Geof told us that the Stunt Night was postponed. We stayed in the motorhome at the Pod on Friday night in the motorhome and got up on Saturday to a beautiful day. The Santa Pod team did a fantastic job with a difficult track and by lunchtime we were ready to run. ©Eurodragster.com Brad's first run was 12.08/51.79, his second run was 10.19/68.74 and he came back to the pits with the widest grin you can imagine! By the time we were ready for Brad's third run it was beginning to get very cold. His run was 9.97/63.07 but the car was snaking up the cold track so he had to lift a little, then we said enough for the day. 
We woke up on Sunday to three inches of snow so it was time to pack up and head home. We had three good runs, I learned about my side of the
job and I thought Brad did extremely well for his first runs on a very cold day (Hear, hear - Ed). We are looking forward to the next time!
Brad was on the back page of the York Press, a local paper, on Sunday with a good picture of the car. You can read the report by clicking here. Drag racing on TV. 24th February: Many thanks to Helen Todd of Powerpoint Communications for letting us know that the 2009 HKS Drag Series and 2009 MSA British Drag Racing Championship (Pro Modified) are to be aired on Motors TV (Sky 413) as follows: HKS Drag Series Parts 1 and 2: Wednesday 25th February at 13:00 and 13:30 Parts 3 and 4: Saturday 27th February at 14:00 and 14:30 plus repeats ©Eurodragster.com MSA British Drag Racing Championship Parts 1 and 2: Saturday 6th March at 14:00 and 14:30 plus repeats Parts 3, 4 and 5: Saturday 13th March, broadcast times TBA As ever where a satellite channel is concerned, keep an eye on the Electronic Programme Guide or listings magazines for last-minute schedule changes. If you can't wait, then trailers are available on Santa Pod Raceway's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/santapodtv or on Powerpoint Communications' own web site at www.quartermilehigh.com. Swift snippets. 24th February: Trakbak Racing are pleased to announce that it will be running sixteen-bike Pro Stock Bike fields at round one of the 2010 UEM European Drag Racing Championship in Hungary and at both UEM Championship rounds at Santa Pod Raceway. UEM Championship rights owner Keith Bartlett said "Pro Stock Bike is a class with a very bright future and the growing numbers of bikes means we have had to enlarge the fields to cope. We all look forward to some very close and exciting racing in 2010." ©Eurodragster.com Brian Taylor tells us that the Allard Chrysler Dragster will be appearing at the Race Retro Show at Stoneleigh Park in Coventry on 12th-14th March. "I return from Florida on 10th March and so cannot guarantee to be there as I will be jet lagged", says Brian. "So I am looking for volunteers to man the display and tell people about our project. We will have leaflets but the strategy will be to take details of those interested in helping with funds so that we can contact them later". If you can help then please get in touch with Brian at brian@allardchrysler.org. 
Supertwin Gas racer Don Irvine got in touch from New Zealand to let us know that he managed to get in four runs at the
Fram Autolite Dragway after contacting the NZ Technical Inspector to get his bike checked for compliance with the B/DB class.
"All I have to do is extend the chainguard by about four inches, and I have to get myself some armoured gloves", says Don.
I have also put myself on show at a V8 and Bike Show at Paeroa to try to get myself known and I will be doing a small local
bike display later this week. Congratulations to all the award winners this year, especially the Supertwinners."
UK racers interested in competing in the NitrOlympX at Hockenheim in August are invited by Joe Williams to meet up at the Ace Café in London next Wednesday evening, 3rd March. For more information contact Joe at joebbc@hotmail.com. How Brian came to love Margarita. 
24th February: If you had just written a book about drag racing, where would you want
to launch it? How about at the NHRA Wally Parks Motorsports Museum, Pomona during the Night of Champions
linked to the 50th O'Reilly Annual NHRA Winternationals in 2010? Thanks to Museum Director Tony Thacker,
that's exactly where the East Coast launch of Crazy Horses – The History of British Drag Racing took
place, with author Brian Taylor and 1970s Top Fuel racer Peter Crane flying out to California to head the
UK contingent who would be signing copies.
Despite landing in a storm on Tuesday, Wednesday dawned fine and the nostalgia started with a meet-up at the Holiday Inn, Diamond Bar when Peter and Brian met up with 1960s-70s UK drag racing stalwarts and now USA residents Clive Skilton, Rex Sluggett and Cliff Jones. Carl Olson dropped in to join the reminiscing and a pleasant afternoon was had by all. I mentioned to Carl about Pelle Lindelöw's plan to present Andy Carter with his 2010 FIA European Championship Trophy at the Crazy Horses museum launch. Tog had copied me in on an E-Mail from Pelle, but Carl and myself thought we could pull a few strings and make it a part of the official Night of Champions in front of the USA's drag racing glitterati and assembled press. Carl left to cement the plan with the NHRA and the museum. Thursday was the first day at the track to meet the crews from Project 1320 and Allard Chrysler engine builders Booth Arons. Sam Eidy, Erik Hummel, Bob Pacitto (1966 Commandos Team) and former Winternationals Top Fuel Champion Lori Johns did the lion's share of work at the Project 1320 booth on the first day, while Peter and myself helped out when required. We met John Lundberg, Harry Hibler, Don Ewald and Mike Kuhl. 
Based in the Golden Corral housing around eighty nostalgia cars (the plan was for fifty) which
randomly fired up during the day, I started collecting autographs for two copies of Crazy Horses
which will be auctioned for Allard Chrysler dragster restoration funds later in the year.
Another fine day on Friday saw the first track signing of Crazy Horses at Pomona. This was to become a regular feature of Corral activities lining up with the main Drag Racing Legends signing. I met Dave Mclelland who was announcing the legends signings in the Corral and he added Crazy Horses to his PA promotions list. Good job I sent him a copy. Book signings at the track were mainly handled by myself at a table next to the NHRA Museum sales booth in the Corral. It was interesting to meet a few Europeans as well as to talk about European drag racing and the Allard Chrysler project to Americans, many of whom were amazed that we had a drag racing scene in Europe (Then they don't read the right web site - Ed). Some thought the Allard Chrysler looked 'kewl' while others used the word "weird" until I explained about the sprint rules in place when it was built back in the day. Roger Gorringe and Andy Willsheer stopped by the Project 1320 booth to say hello. And I met a new friend called Margarita. She was very refreshing. 
The main Crazy Horses launch was at the museum before the Friday Night of Champions presentations.
Not everyone made it but what a line-up we had. Clive Skilton was unable to make it as he was on a plane
to India, but from Europe we had Cliff Jones (Crescent/Chicken Coupe), Rex Sluggett (Tudor
Rose/Duke of Cornwall), Peter Crane (Stormbringer), Syd McDonald (1970s BDR&HRA Race Director),
Roger Gorringe, Andy Carter, Pelle Lindelöw and Bo Bertilsson (Berserk) - plus me of course. From the USA we had Don
Garlits, Tom Hoover, Tommy Ivo, Mereck Chertkow (1965 team), Ed Iskenderian, Carl Olson, Bob Keith
(1964/65 team) and Bob Pacitto (1966 team). Traci (bad finger) Hrudka just made it, but Linda Vaughn
was snow-bound at Atlanta. Other names who said hello included Dennis Holding (formerly of Mr Gasket),
Richard Parks (Wally's son), Tom McKewen, Jack Beckman and Brent Cannon of Cannon and Soares who sold
Stormbringer to Peter Crane and Ray Edmundson in 1974. There was not enough room for everyone
to sit at the signing table and I'm sure there were others who I did not recognise. Jon Lundberg was
there and I met the NHRA track announcer Bob Frey. Both bought Crazy Horses and loved the book.
Carl Olson had done his work behind the scenes and after many phone calls we managed to arrange for Andy Carter to receive his 2009 FIA Championship trophy as part of the Night of Champions. 
Carl Olson (still a good friend to European drag racing) said a few words and introduced Pelle Lindelöw
who presented the trophy to a gobsmacked Andy. He said that he was so surprised that he didn't know what
to say. But this is Andy we are talking about so his silence was short-lived. Mind you, this was probably
the only good thing that happened to Andy this weekend.
Saturday and back at the track it was getting hotter – high seventies. Met more people from Project 1320 and cemented E-Mail and Facebook contacts. Also sold a few books from my signing table. Met up with Margarita again. I really liked her. Sunday was even hotter (in the 80s). Linda Vaughn had at last escaped from the snow at Atlanta and after being interviewed at the main track control tower made her way to the Project 1320 booth in the Corral, which immediately became even more popular. Gordie Bonin had arrived so we now had Linda, Gordie and Lori among the booth staff. Spent some time with Don Schumacher and got his signature on the two copies of Crazy Horses to be auctioned. Said hello to Steve Gibbs who I interviewed at Santa Pod back in 1980. And I met Bakersfield track announcer Bob Beck who has been following the Allard Chrysler project. Margarita was a problem because the pump malfunctioned and delivered neat Tequila. I tried to finish her off but failed and had to pour half the container on to the tarmac that proceeded to melt. 
I have to admit that I saw no racing at all at Pomona, spending all of my time in the Golden Corrall
and pits just meeting, greeting and getting to know people. What did I achieve besides having the
experience of a lifetime meeting the great names of our sport? Well I sold a few books of course.
But the main achievement has been to raise the awareness, credibility and profile of Crazy Horses,
the Allard Chrysler restoration project, Project 1320 and, hopefully, European drag racing in general.
I also discovered that I like Margarita.
The next stop is at Ocala on March 6th and 7th when it is expected that Don and myself will be joined by Andy Carter, Micke Gullqvist, Viveca Averstedt, Bud Barnes and Bob Gladstone with their slingshot Michigander (also known as Ultrasonic in 1966/67), Les Sanderson (Chairman of the short-lived NDRA in 1987), Syd McDonald and Tex Blake (USAF GI and Hustler team member who beat John Woolfe in 1967). More names will be announced shortly and if you are in Florida for the Gatornationals and can make the signing the weekend before just let me know at brian@petrolhead.vianw.co.uk. At Ocala I will be collecting more autographs for the two copies of Crazy Horses mentioned above. Signatures collected so far are Gordie Bonin, Andy Carter, Merek Chertkow (one copy only), Peter Crane, Don Garlits, Cliff Jones, Roger Gorringe, Tom Hoover, Ed Iskenderian, Tommy Ivo, Bob Keith, Pelle Lindelöw, Carl Olson, Bob Pacitto, Don Schumacher, Clive Skilton, Rex Sluggett and Brian Taylor. What a starter to add signatures from the regular Santa Pod racers. One book will be accompanied by an exclusive Stormbringer T-shirt. Peter had just five made for the trip and will sign the shirt. The other book will be accompanied by a signed Gordie Bonin Funny Car promo card. Proceeds will go towards the Allard Chrysler restoration fund so sensible bids please to brian@allardchrysler.org. Each signed book pack must be worth three figures surely? Start your bidding. ©Eurodragster.com Paint all round for PMR. 24th February: Behind the scenes the Paul Marston Racing crew are working hard to be as prepared as possible for the fast-approaching Autotrader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway, despite the cold weather. Paul Marston himself has been hard at it, with the renovation and painting of his personal workshop being high on the list. "I haven't done anything to the ship other than paint the concrete floor when I moved in, that was nearly twenty years ago and it has all but worn out now", says Paul. "I figured that if it looked a little brighter I might spend more time in there. After removing around half a skip full of junk (for which read really useful stuff, or so you thought at the time) and applying thirty gallons of paint, the majority of which ended up on me, it is whiter than white. You need sunglasses just to walk in with the lights on! The floor is now sealed and painted light grey. All it needs now is a decent flat screen TV and sound system. It will be the drag racing equivalent of my old dad's garden shed, only a heck of a lot noisier!" ©Eurodragster.com Current UK National Pro ET Championship holder Grumpy's Dodge was delivered to Fester Race Cars earlier this week, safely dodging the dodgy weather. Upon inspecting Grumpy's Dodge proprietor Bill Felstead commented "I had no idea just how sophisticated and technically advanced modern bracket race cars had become. There is nothing on Grumpy's Dodge which is not needed or does not perform an essential job; it is form and function to perfection". Grumpy's Dodge will enjoy some good housekeeping during her stay of around three weeks, with some worn parts being replaced and a general evaluation of everything else. The wear and tear of competing in a full National Championship schedule always leaves its mark. The shock absorbers will also be serviced and revolved at Gaz Shock Absorbers over in BasVegas. The PT Bruiser currently resides in Paul Marston's refurbished workshop after returning from Fester Race Cars and is currently undergoing the final touches of its overhaul, with just the cosmetic stuff to finish. With the bonnet, new hood scoop and interior work finished it really looks like new, Fester Race Cars have done a real nice job. The paint was applied by Darren at DP Paint, there really was quite a bit to paint and it came out swell. Many thanks to Darren for a great job. With just a few short weeks until the season kicks off everything is still on schedule. Keep a lookout for some 2010 sponsorship announcements shortly. Web site updates. 24th February: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog, Pro Stock Bike racer Karl Lyrén bring us up to date on the work to prepare the VEIDEC-sponsored team's transporter for the 2010 season. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates 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 friend Alan Currans has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive with five more of Mike Lintern's features, bringing the total to twenty. "The new pieces cover Nobby Hills' Houndog 6, Ray Hoare's Saxon rear-engined dragster, Rick Fielding's Imagination 4 four-banger altered, the mad, bad Metronome Bond Bug AA/FA, and Benbow and Fullerton's Turtle T. You can check out Mike's features via the What's New link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. Flamholc back across the Pond. 
23rd February: Swedish Pro Modified racer
Adam Flamholc has been in touch with the latest
from the Glueharbor operation:
On 2nd March the team and I are travelling back to US. We have the car in the shop of good friend and sponsor Jeff Friedman, who owns Performance Plus. The car has been at a local body shop over the winter, and is now silver with black stripes instead of the blue color it had when we bought it. We have a busy schedule to get the car race ready. We need to get the motor freshened and assemble the car after painting. When all the work is done we are heading for Valdosta and the Eastern Spring Test Nationals and Pre Gators Testing. We will be in Valdosta for four days preparing for the Gatornationals at Gainesville. When we get to Valdosta we are going to Hurst Boiler and Welding company for a photo session and hopefully meet Jeff Hurst and Scott Houghtaling who represent the company. After that we will meet Birgitta from Autoshop Racing Engines, who are supporting us on this adventure. ©Eurodragster.com This time we will try to set up the car in the way I believe we will use it in Europe, not just the way it can run fast in the USA. The last time we ran our Pro Stock car in the USA we only focused on running as fast as we could in USA, and when we got back to Europe we didn't have a baseline. We have only been in Pro Mod for a year, and we still have a lot to learn. After the Gainesville race we will ship the car to Sweden. Hopefully I will find a Junior Dragster for my son Mattias Flamholc to ship home along with my race car. He will turn eight next year and he is really looking forward to racing with us! Back home in Sweden, we have worked really hard building a new trailer. I believe I have the best team ever! Fredrik Åkesson, Patrick Grahn, Oscar Berseus and Johan Pripp are all very dedicated and really give their best all the time. Again a big Thank You to my sponsors: Amalie Oil, MMR, Motorenova, Custom Graphics, Hurst Boiler and Welding Company, Autoshop Racing Engines, YIT, Husby Takplatslageri, Performance Plus and Progressive Performance. 2010 Supercharged Outlaws calendar. 23rd February: Many thanks to Dave McKenzie for passing us the provisional 2010 calendar for the UK's Supercharged Outlaws: ©Eurodragster.com 1st-2nd May: All American Show, Santa Pod Raceway 29th-31st May: Yanks Weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway 26th-27th June: UK Truck Show, Santa Pod Raceway 24th-25th July: Warwick Car Show, Shakespeare County Raceway 12th-15th August: Bulldog Bash, Shakespeare County Raceway 3rd-5th September: VW Action, Santa Pod Raceway 17th-19th September: Hot Rod Drags, Shakespeare County Raceway The calendar will be confirmed at the forthcoming Supercharged Outlaws AGM. Doing the honours with Super Pro ET. 
23rd February: Our good buddy Markus Münch tells us that the German Super Pro ET Challenge
prizegiving was held at Regnitzlosau, at the HQ of the Customizers East:
The trophies and prize money were presented to the drivers as follows:
©Eurodragster.com After dinner we had a nice evening with pictures and drag racing-related movies. There was a lot of good conversation and it was great to see all the guys again. It shortens the time to the start of the new season. We will soon have this year's race dates and then we can kick off again. Don't forget that Super Pro ET will be part of the NitrOlympX this year. For more information check out www.suproet.com. Swift snippets. 23rd February: Congratulations to ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences who qualified #1 and took the event win at the NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional event at Gainesville at the weekend. "We got lucky in the first round when I was lined up out of the groove and smoked the tyres and the other guy redlit", says Mike. "We ran low ET of the meet with a 5.24. It felt really good to be back in the twenties. We are going to try to test on 100% nitro today." Eddie Corr, who has been tuning for FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter on his US tour, told Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe and Andy Willsheer that Andy's return to form in round one of eliminations in Phoenix on Sunday was all a matter of getting the base tune-up back to where it should be. The camshaft problem was sorted and thanks to car owner Terry Haddock dipping in to his pocket, the hard-working Brits were given the necessary parts and rewarded by a stout pass against Tony Schumacher. Eddie said that he would dearly have loved to have run the car again. Two spy pictures have arrived at the offices of Eurodragster.com. The first picture (below left) came from someone who obviously had too much time on their hands as they were happy to quibble over whether the colour is sky blue or baby blue: 
The second picture (above right) came with the words "I have been watching for twenty years, crewing for the last four, and now it's my turn". 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 Sweden's Leif Helander had a fitting in his new Fuel Funny Car chassis at ME Racing Services in Börlange yesterday (below left), says Lena Perés. "Leif was making sure he was comfortable", says Lena. "A curious Micke Kågered showed up as well. Next week the Mäkelä/Haapanen family are coming for a quick visit to pick up the beds for their trailer, so they can sleep tight between races. The Green Goblin is getting closer to its new suit, otherwise just normal updates in case our competitors are wondering." 
Tot Rod driver Callum Swinchatt has aquired a long term project, a Topolino altered from the 1970s-80s (above right). "It was running a straight six Jag, four-speed box and a Chevy twelve-bolt axle" says dad Chris. "We are looking for any history on the car, if you have any infomation on the vehicle then please E-Mail chris.swinchatt@btinternet.com. Future plans include, a 327 Small Block Chevy and a turbo 350 box with torque converter and spoke front wheels. Callum's other car, Swinny's Hot Rod, has had a winter rebuild: three inches longer in the chassis, wheelie bars, and several engine mods with parts purchased from NR Racing in the USA." Congratulations to the UK's The Fang Supertwin team on their tenth anniversary. To celebrate the team is to field two riders, both ladies, as Carl Wadkin Snaith's wife Sharon will be returning to racing after seventeen years joining daughter Bryony. "To mark the anniversary the News 2010 page of our web site at www.thefang.co.uk features a snippet of philosophy from beneath the mountain of swarf created since 2001 as well as details of the latest modifications and plans for 2010", says Carl. More Award thanks. 23rd February: Santa Pod Racers Club James Edgar Memorial Trophy winner Ric Naylor, Crew Chief on Dave Beck's TVR Power Pro Stock Bike team, has been in touch with a Thank You for the award. Ivan Birch kindly dropped off the James Edgar Memorial trophy on Saturday afternoon as I was not able to make it to the Awards Dinner myself. It felt like an honour just have been recognised and nominated by the SPRC Committee for my efforts in the TVR Power Pro Stock Bike team. However to have got the votes of my racing peers and won the award felt unbelievable. I got the news at 7:30 am the next morning with a simple text message from Dave: "First win of the year, I will now double your wages. Well Done". It took a while to sink in and even now feels odd seeing my name on the list of prestigious winners on the trophy. ©Eurodragster.com There's no rest for the wicked however and we've already been hard at work this year. Tom and I spent a second weekend at Chez Beck last week working on the new bike which is progressing nicely. We'll be working just as hard throughout the year, as we now have four UEM rounds to contest as well as the ACU Championship. It going to be an exciting season! Once again, I'd like to thank SPRC for the nomination and everyone who voted for me for this award, it's a great honour. Thank you! Web site updates. 23rd February: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog, Luke Bennett of the Bennett Racing blown-alcohol altered team has a supercharger service. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Photo-journalist Dick Parnham has updated his Fotopic gallery with a selection of pictures from previous seasons. You can check out Dick's pictures at dickparnham.fotopic.net. ©Eurodragster.com Eurodragster.com News sponsor RaceAmerica is happy to announce the launch of its official Facebook page and YouTube channel. The presence on the two sites is aimed at providing greater access to the rapidly growing brand which is the technology leader in the niche market for race timing, scoring, LED scoreboards and race event management software. "Many of our customers are already on Facebook and asked if we had a page" said Dennis Laczny, President of RaceAmerica. "We have been driven by our customers to build and maintain the page and are happy it is now getting off the ground". The video outlets will allow the company to have some fun with the product as well as demonstrate technical aspects which are hard to explain in an owner's manual. Both channels and the RaceAmerica web site at www.raceamerica.com will be actively linked and content will continually be added to make sure customers can find their desired information. Customers are also encouraged to add their photos and videos to the Facebook page in order to share their experiences with the RaceAmerica community. The ease of use makes both Facebook and YouTube a natural part of the modern marketing mix. You can check out the RaceAmerica Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Clara-CA/RaceAmerica and the YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/RaceAmerica. 
22nd February: To celebrate their sponsorship of Paige Wheeler's Junior Dragster - as
seen in Thursday's spy picture here on Eurodragster.com - Alamo
Rent A Car are offering racers, officials, fans and anyone else with an interest in drag racing an amazing
10% off car hire. By using a special web link, cars can be hired at a preferential rate from any one of 8,800
worldwide locations. So whether you are a racer needing a hire car for the FIA Main Event, an official headed
for Mantorp Park, or a fan going racing in the USA then this deal is for you.
Eleven-year-old Paige first caught the drag racing bug in July 2009, when she had tuition in the Santa Pod Junior Dragster. She was observed for her MSA licence the same day and in less than two weeks had her own car. She entered her first race, the UK National Finals, in September last year and hopes that 2010 will be her big year on the track, thanks to support and sponsorship from Alamo who are giving her funding to attend the year's UK Championship events and branding and supporting her dragster, safety gear and her team. "We are delighted to be able to support a young sportsperson like Paige and help raise awareness of drag racing" says Carmen Gomariz, Marketing Manager, Alamo Rent A Car, EMEA. "Paige's commitment and determination mean that Alamo is behind her all the way and we hope that our support will make all the difference in the year ahead. ©Eurodragster.com "Drag racing is the world's fastest motorsport, one of the best motorsports for thrilling, close action viewing and we hope that by getting involved, we can help bring more people into this exciting world. Now all drag racing fans will receive get a 10% discount on Worldwide Alamo rentals booked online. Whether it's cheering Paige at Santa Pod, watching one of the FIA events in Europe or visting an NHRA event in the USA, we're offering a great deal on worldwide car rentals." "The only restriction in this deal, apart from availability, is that you must be a fan of drag racing!", says Paige's dad Andy. "The discount is a minimum of 10% off the normal web rate. The web rates change daily sometimes and therefore so will the dragster rate, but the discount should always be consistent." To book your discounted hire car, check out www.alamo.co.uk/dragster. Although the page is in English the deal applies from any country so whether you are in the UK, Finland, the USA or Outer Mongolia then so long as you can access the special web page you can book a discount hire car. Early booking is recommended to ensure availability. Paige ger alla rabatt på hyrbil. 22nd February: För att fira sin sponsring av Paige Wheelers Junior Dragster, erbjuder Alamo Rent A Car hela 10% rabatt på bilhyran till alla tävlande, funktionärer, fans och alla andra dragraceintresserade. Genom att använda en speciell webblänk, kan man hyra bil till förmånligt pris från 8800 olika platser runt hela världen. Om du är en tävlande som behöver en hyrbil till FIA Main Event, en funktionär som är på väg till Mantorp Park eller en fan som är på väg till ett race i USA, då är det här ett erbjudande för dig. "Den enda begränsningen i det här erbjudandet, förutom tillgång av bilar, är att du måste vara ett dragracefan!" säger Paiges pappa Andy. "Rabatten är minst 10% från det normala priset för bokning via Internet. Priserna varierar ibland från dag till dag och så även priset för oss. Men rabatten är alltid densamma." ©Eurodragster.com För mer information, se Eurodragster.com News update för måndagen 22:e februari. För att boka din rabatterade hyrbil går du till www.alamo.co.uk/dragster. Även om sidan är på engelska, så gäller avtalet från alla länder. Oavsett om du befinner dig i Storbritannien, Finland, USA eller Yttre Mongoliet så gäller rabatten under förutsättning att du kan logga in på den här speciella rabattsidan. Att boka tidigt rekommenderas så att det du vill boka finns tillgängt. Thanks to Erik Zettervall for the Swedish translation Sunday Street Wars return. 22nd February: The street-legal drag racing series Sunday Street Wars returns this Sunday (28th). Santa Pod Raceway will host the first round of the series at their ever-popular Run What You Brung. The Show and Go series consists of four categories on the race track: Rear Wheel drive, Front Wheel Drive, All Wheel Drive and Pre '79. The fastest four will battle it out in each category to take the honours and the points. But if you are not into running your car hard and prefer to park up and show your wheels, then that is no problem. Trophies are up for grabs for Best of Show and Best Club Stand. Sunday is not just a Sunday Street Wars street-legal drags date at Santa Pod Raceway but also a round of Santa Pod Raceway's Street Challenge 2010. Organiser Lee Child says that he would like Sunday Street Wars to become a national series at many different venues. "I can't thank David Lloyd Jones of Santa Pod Raceway enough for being the first venue to take Sunday street wars", says Lee. "Hot on the heels of Santa Pod Raceway were Steve and Chris Murty of York Raceway. Like David Lloyd Jones of Santa Pod Raceway the Murty family-operated track made Sunday Street Wars very welcome. I am looking for more venues so that we can make this a full national series." ©Eurodragster.com 2010 Sunday Street Wars calendar 28th February, Santa Pod Raceway 4th April, York Raceway 4th July, York Raceway 22nd August, Santa Pod Raceway 19th September, York Raceway 24th October, Santa Pod Raceway For more details on about this Sunday's event check out www.streetnights.com and www.rwyb.co.uk. Enter the Big Dogs. 22nd February: Paul Fischer of Cedrag.com is very excited to announce the official launch of what has become known as the Big Dogs project: Regular readers of Cedrag.com will have noticed that, during recent months, we have reported about several new and serious drag race cars, either being built here in central Europe or imported from the UK and the USA. Today we can reveal the hard work and considerable investment going on behind the scenes which has produced the most exciting development we have seen in our region. Who are the Big Dogs? A group of drivers who have always wanted to drive high-powered race cars in top class competition against other super dragsters. Throughout the last year, they and a large number of friends working in the background, have spent huge sums of money building top-quality cars and organising a race series which will give central European spectators the opportunity to watch the best motor sport show in the region. They come from Austria, Hungary, Germany and Croatia and will provide a true international series of races of the highest level. What is so special about the Big Dogs cars? They have all run quicker than ten seconds over the quarter or have the clear potential to do it, some of them will run sub-nine and a couple, if they get a good sticky track will run in the seven-second zone. They are all powered by true racing American V8 engines, some have superchargers, some have turbos, others have nitrous oxide injection. Most of them have between 800 and 1200 horse power. They are the fastest, most powerful, loudest and most spectacular cars ever to have come together in our region, this is true drag racing, as it should be...brutal! What is so different about Big Dogs racing? All the Big Dogs will race in one single category, they will all race in the same group against each other. Sure, some will be quicker than others but that's not so important to these guys - they just want to race their super cars against each other, they want to put on a great show for the spectators and enjoy themselves at the same time. There's more... Big Dogs competitions are run like a mini league, there are no knock-outs. Every Big Dog will race in every round and will gather championship points as they go. Every race is important as each team tries to improve their position in the league - just like football teams do. This means that you, the paying spectator, will see every Big Dog car racing in every round - you can't get better value for money than that! Where can I get more information? If you live in the Adria region then go out now and buy Power Tuning magazine. A Big Dogs web site is being developed, you can find plenty of details there by going to www.pf501.com/bigdogs. We're sorry that we have not yet been able to finish the multi-language pages but we're working hard on it. There is also a Facebook page under the name of "Bigdogs racing". We will stop it there for today and leave you check out the web site and Power Tuning magazine. In the meantime we do need to give thanks to "Mrgud" at Power Tuning magazine for coming through with a great PR launch. We also want to thank the army of people who have been working away in the background, doing translations, devising plans and helping out in all kinds of ways, we will talk more about these folks in the near future. We also want to thank Andy Robinson Race Cars and Marco Maurischat for signing up with us at Cedrag.com for a valuable contingency sponsorship programme. Mostly, we want to thank and congratulate the Big Dogs for spending huge sums of money on their cars and coming together with us and our friends to create this exciting project. We at Cedrag.com will clearly be heavily involved as the project develops and will soon be giving help to our regional race promoters and organisers about how to get the Big Dogs spectacle at your event. We already have a number of possibilities being discussed in Croatia (thanks to the hard work and dedication shown by Jasminka Beganović and Edo Galić so things are beginning to happen. As we know all our readers are true drag race fans, may we ask you now to go onto your club web sites and forums and help us spread the word? You would be helping the cause greatly and we thank you in advance for that. Editor's note: We have a lot more news to come for you including the latest from Swedish Pro Mod racer Adam Flamholc, a spy picture, another Trophy thank you, and an update from Eurodragster.com News sponsor RaceAmerica, but your News Editor's day job is getting in the way. Tune back tomorrow for the outstanding news and keep those updates coming to news@eurodragster.com. ©Eurodragster.com Feature: 50th NHRA Winternationals. 
21st February: The latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with
Stroud Safety and
Andy Robinson Race Cars is Roger's report
and pictures from last weekend's 50th Annual Kragen O'Reilly Winternationals at Pomona.
©Eurodragster.com Roger's report and pictures cover all classes and you can check it out by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Swift snippets. 21st February: Good luck to FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter who faces multiple NHRA Powerade Top Fuel Champion Tony Schumacher in today's (Sunday's) first round of eliminations at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. You will be able to stay in touch with Andy's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. We understand that Andy will not be racing at the Gatornationals at Gainesville in March; stay tuned for more about that. ©Eurodragster.com On the subject of the Gatornationals, the Top Alcohol FC entry now includes 2009 FIA European Top Methanol Funny Car Champions, hugely successful clutch designers and Eurodragster.com News sponsors the Leanders Brothers. The car in its shipping container was the subject of a spy picture back before Christmas; Ulf Leanders told us at the time that the car would be back in Europe in time for the start of the FIA Championship season. Staying with Gainesville, well done and good luck to ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences who qualified #1 at the NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional event at Gainesville and who faces Cherissa Griffis-Smallwood in the first round of eliminations. Again you will be able to stay in touch with Mike's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Friday's news item about the proposed Pro Test Weekend at Malmö's VEIDEC Raceway in mid-April contained the incorrect E-Mail address for expressions of interest. If you are interested in participating in the Pro Test Weekend then the E-Mail address to contact is roger@motospeed.se. That one was your News Editor's fault; many apologies to Roger Lyrén and to those readers who tried to get in touch with him. UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting report. 21st February: The annual UK Riders' and Drivers' meeting took place this afternoon (Sunday) at the Diamond Centre in Irthlingborough. The official minutes of the meeting will be published in due course but these are the main points: The dates of this year's UK Championships are listed below. Closing dates are listed on the entry forms and reminders will of course be posted here on Eurodragster.com. 2010 UK National Championships for Super Pro ET, Pro ET, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 28th-31st May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 9th-12th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 UK National Super Modified Championship: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 26th-27th June: UK Truck Show, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th July: Bug Jam, Santa Pod Raceway 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 Topspeed Automotive UK National Street Eliminator Championship: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th July: Bug Jam, Santa Pod Raceway 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 9th-12th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 UK National Sportsman ET Championship: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th July: Bug Jam, Santa Pod Raceway 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 UK National Junior Dragster Championship: There will be non-points rounds of Junior Dragster at Bug Jam and at the FIA European Finals for which the entry fee is payable and for which trophies and prize money will be presented. The Junior Dragster invitationals are open to all, however SPRC and Santa Pod Raceway reserve the right to close entry early to limit the field size if necessary. SPRC and APIRA are currently discussing a change to the Junior Dragster points system whereby the FIA European Finals becomes a points round and the racer's lowest-scoring round of the year is dropped. Details will advised as soon as possible. 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 28th-31st May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th July: Bug Jam, Santa Pod Raceway (non-points invitational) 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 9th-12th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway (non-points invitational) 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 UK National 9.50 Bike Championship: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 9th-10th October: Extreme Performance Bike Weekend, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 ACU UK Drag Bike Championships for Top Fuel Bike, Pro Stock Bike, Funny Bike, Comp Bike and Super Street Bike: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 28th-31st May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway (SSB only) 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway (TFB not yet confirmed) 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 9th-10th October: Extreme Performance Bike Weekend, Santa Pod Raceway (not TFB) 2010 MSA British Drag Racing Championship for Pro Modified: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 28th-31st May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 9th-12th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway 2010 UK National Top Methanol Championship: 2nd-5th April: Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway Entry forms for the first events at Santa Pod Raceway will be available from tomorrow on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc and on the Shakespeare County Raceway web site at www.shakespearecountyraceway.com. 2010 Entry Fees for all UK classes are to remain as they were in 2008 and 2009:
Although entry fees are to be frozen in 2010, prize money will increase by two per cent for UK National Championship classes. Fees for pitside power supply at Santa Pod Raceway will increase by £5 per event. The point was made at the meeting that Santa Pod Raceway and Santa Pod Racers Club subsidise the supply of power, including the supply of diesel for the generators. This year's pitside electricity fees are:
It was confirmed that only one power fee is payable for double entry with the same race vehicle. There will be no pitside power at the UK Truck Show and no three phase electrical supply at the Big Bang, Bug Jam and Extreme Performance Bike Weekend. Shakespeare County Raceway are investigating the supply of power to the pits. Other matters arising: Now that it is a UK National Championship class, Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator will use the UK National Drag Racing Championships points structure starting this season. The prize fund for Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator will be the same as the prize fund for Super Comp. 2009 Santa Pod Racers Club Champions will again receive free entry to rounds at Santa Pod Raceway in 2010, with the exception of Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator which will be eligible from 2011. In the case of teams with more than one driver, one team driver per event will receive the free entry. Pitside power must still be paid for. The free entry must be used during 2010. 8.50 Bike will again run on trial in 2009, and UK National Championship status will be reviewed for 2011. 8.50 Bike rounds will take place at the Big Bang, Springspeed Festival, Open Sport Nationals and Extreme Performance Bike Weekend. Either Clubman or National licences are valid for 8.50 Bike (and 9.50 Bike). It was stressed that if 8.50 Bike is not supported this year, with at least eight-bike fields at both tracks, then the class will not run in 2011 and will be replaced by an 8.00-11.99 dial-your-own bracket class. Noise reduction measures are in the 2010 rulebook based on the existing European rules (NDRS etc); however they are advisory this season and apply to Super Gas and below and Pro ET and below. The measures will become mandatory in 2011. The Clubs and tracks will be working with racers this season to ease the introduction of noise reduction. The plan is to noise-test every vehicle at the Easter Thunderball to give racers an idea of whether or not they already meet requirements. Further details will be published on Eurodragster.com shortly, so don't buy anything just yet. A new Mongoose for 2010. 20th February: Following an eventful, enjoyable and successful first full season the UK's Mongoose Fuel Funny Car is back with a combination for 2010 but still in the hands of Fuel legend Gary Page: With the support of the team owner Sue Collins a new SFI 10.5 spec chassis has been built in Sweden by Andreas Sjödin and Ake Sjödin of Åkes Bil & Motor, under the supervision of Kenneth Lorentzon. Team member Mark Turner has been busy selling off many of the parts from the old chassis and the car will look totally fresh for 2010 with a carbon fibre Camaro body and setback blower combination. We have invested in a 94 gallon Rage fuel pump so are expecting good results, once we have dialled in the combination The team are busy building up the new chassis, with the intention of making its début at the Easter Thunderball. Gary has also let the cat out of the bag by saying "We are delighted that Alan Jackson will be joining the team as tuning consultant to work alongside Kenneth Lorentzon, after a season away from the track". We are keeping the existing crew together with the addition of Terry Giles working on heads. Terry joins Mark Turner, Cliff Gould, Paul Townsend and Peter Rivers. ©Eurodragster.com All this has been possible due to the fantastic enthusiasm and commitment shown by Sue Collins who runs both Mongoose Exhausts and Collins Performance Engineering Ltd, together with long term supporters Pennzoil Sweden. Mongoose Exhausts supplies product to the sports enthusiast market, making stainless exhaust systems regularly voted as one of the best in the market by the motoring press. They have been in business for over twenty years and have advised Ford on tuning matters for their performance range of vehicles. The product is used by many RWYB drivers and Mongoose are happy to extend their involvement on the strip with their quality products. Collins Performance Engineering supply power chips and undertake ECU remapping for performance vehicles and diesel vehicles and trucks. Not only do the modifications give better performance there is usually a fuel consumption improvement. They are specialists in Cosworth engines and performance engines generally including the Japanese scene and have a full four wheel drive dyno facility providing a full tuning service to customers. Both businesses are based in Congleton in Cheshire and can be contacted on 01260 299208. Gary, Sue and the team look forward to meeting their many supporters at the track in 2010 both in the UK and Europe. Swift snippets. 20th February: Finnish Pro Mod racer Kristian Nyström says that the Alho & Lähdemaa Pro Mod will be staying in the garage in 2010. "We are already working on getting the car ready for 2011", says Kristian. "For this year we just couldn't get the sponsorship. We wish all the best to the Pro Mod teams out there, hope we get more cars down into the fives!" FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter is contesting this weekend's NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway in Terry Haddock's dragster. Qualifying starts today (Friday) and you will be able to stay in touch with Andy's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. ©Eurodragster.com On the other side of the country, ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences is contesting this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional event at Gainesville. Again you will be able to stay in touch with Mike's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. 
Eurodragster.com News sponsor Topspeed Automotive are celebrating their sponsorship of Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator
by producing a car sticker which is available free via their web site. The stickers are 12" x 3" (or 300 mm x 75 mm if you prefer), and are
printed on high-quality vinyl. You can order your decals at
www.topspeedautomotive.co.uk
or click on the logo at right. Maxiumum two per customer and there is a small charge for postage and packing.
Our best wishes to Cedrag.com Editor Paul Fischer who is recovering from a nasty-sounding back problem but who now is at least sufficiently fit to start updating his excellent web site again. Paul promises a big announcement on Cedrag.com on Monday, which is interesting since we too have a big announcement for racers, officials and fans around Europe on Monday although probably not the same announcement...unless Fisch has been hacking our E-Mails. Welcome back Paul. More support for the Snake. 20th February: Tony Betts and the UK's Venom Racing Fuel Altered are pleased to welcome on board some new sponsors in 2010: Tanker and General Ltd will be servicing and maintaining the Snakes pit at their workshop in Grays, Essex. T&G are the only authorized Jost fifth wheel dealer workshop in the South East. They can carry out all stainless, aluminium and mild steel welding as well as bodybuilding and repairs. They have a full machine shop and are up for any challenge you can give them, from a complete race car trailer build to an oil change on your truck. You can contact Trevor on 0870 8726406 or see their work at www.tankerandgeneral.com. S3-Solutions will be looking after the Snake's web site for 2010. They are an IT company who are your gateway to the latest technology solutions and services. They are offering a free laptop to the first fifty customers of their pro-active support package. Their other services include consultancy, installations, support, health checks, networking, telephony, cloud computing and web design. Please feel free to contact Mark or Scott on 08450 944548, or see what they can offer at www.s-3solutions.co.uk. Mark at Autobrite Direct will be supplying the various coatings which will be applied by Ken to Venom prior to leaving the pit. Aurobrite supply a wide range of car care products, valet and detailing products along with various pressure washers. Please contact Mark on 01782 563319 or mobile 07951 576174 with any questions you may have, or visit their web site at www.autobritedirect.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Motor Serv will be supplying Venom with its power for the truck, trailer and auxiliary parts. Formed in 1989 they are based in Milton Keynes and are probably the largest single site motor factors in the UK. Motor Serv offer car parts, motoring accessories, satellite navigation, car audio and multimedia. They have also expanded into the two-wheel market and can offer a wide range of motorcycle parts and accessories as well as clothing. The trade is also welcome as they have delivery vans supplying the local area. For trade call 01908 220995 and public call 08445 616142 or see their on-line shop at www.motorserv.com. Last but by no means least are Starlight, who offer terminally-ill children the chance to spend a day doing something they have always wanted. We will be entertaining a family at each meeting and letting them sit in the car and see and hear the spectacle of the most thrilling motorsport there is. This is Venom giving something back to the public after twenty years of being involved in the sport, meeting some great people, and making many new friends. Their web site is www.starlight.org.uk. Along with Teng Tools, Signarama, NGK, J A Mackenzie, Superpower Unlimited, FGR Motorsport and MHD Group Ltd, Venom should be ready for the 2010 season and more equipped than ever before. Anybody wishing to join The Snake for this coming year please contact Ken at ken.venomracing@rocketmail.com or Tony at venom.racing@yahoo.co.uk. Web site updates. 20th February: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog, Luke Bennett of the Bennett Racing blown-alcohol altered team tells about his holiday of a lifetime. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com Many readers of Alan Currans' excellent Acceleration Archive will have seen and enjoyed some of Alan Holland-Avery's photographs in The Long Lost John Woolfe Racing Archives and The Dennis Priddle Collection on the site. Alan is delighted to announce that Alan has now sent further examples of his work to be displayed in a new collection under his own name. "Alan's first page contains twenty interesting images which include Clive Skilton and his Revolution 3 rail parked in Parliament Square of all places!", says Alan. You can check out the latest update via the What's New page at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. Pro racers invited to VEIDEC Raceway test. 19th February: Roger Lyrén of Sweden's Team VEIDEC Pro Stock Bike team has been in touch to offer Pro teams some pre-season testing: Since the UEM Championship starts very early this year, there is not much chance to test before the Hungary UEM Event. Therefore we have come to an agreement with VEIDEC Raceway in Malmö to run a Test Weekend on 17th-18th April (if the snow has gone). There will be two days of testing with the usual well-prepared track. We need a minimum of twenty teams for the test to go ahead and if there are twenty teams then the cost will be 5000 SEK for the weekend. If you are interested then please contact roger@motospeed.se. ©Eurodragster.com SPR Stunt Night postponed. 19th February: Due to bad weather and a predicted freeze, Santa Pod Raceway have postponed this evening's Stunt Night until next Friday, 26th February. All advance tickets will of course be valid for this date, but if you can't make that then hold on to your tickets and they will be worth their full value towards any other Santa Pod event up to and including Stunt Night 2011. ©Eurodragster.com Tomorrow's Saturday Night Special and Sunday's Run What You Brung at Santa Pod will go ahead as planned, although night running cannot be guaranteed tomorrow evening. If you have any queries then please call Santa Pod Raceway on 01234 782828. Swift snippets. 19th February: FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter is contesting this weekend's NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway in Terry Haddock's dragster. Qualifying starts today (Friday) and you will be able to stay in touch with Andy's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. ©Eurodragster.com On the other side of the country, ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences is contesting this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional event at Gainesville. Again you will be able to stay in touch with Mike's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Web site updates. 19th February: We know from the feedback we received that many of you enjoyed the NHRA Winternationals pit notes and pictures provided by Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell last weekend, so you will be pleased to hear that Ed has now posted another gallery of shots from Pomona most of which were not used in our Feature. You can check out Ed's NHRA Winternationals gallery at www.surfphotonh.com. Stay tuned as Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe's NHRA Winternationals Feature will be posted here over the weekend and that too contains some breathtaking pictures. ©Eurodragster.com The Champion gets his trophy. 
18th February: FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter had a busy weekend
at the 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, but enough time was found to spring a surprise on him
courtesy of former Top Fuel Dragster racer Pelle Lindelöw.
Andy was not able to attend the Bilsportgalan a few weeks ago and so missed being presented with his FIA Championship trophy. Pelle accepted on Andy's behalf and then the hunt was on for a way to get the trophy to the Champion. After an exchange of E-Mails between Pelle and Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog, and some arrangements with Crazy Horses author Brian Taylor, the trap was sprung and Andy was presented with his trophy at the Legends evening at the Wally Parks Museum. "Brian organised the presentation", says Pelle. "Carl Olson did an introduction, I said a few words, and then I asked Andy Carter to come up and receive his award. Andy looked completely surprised and that was the intention, so it worked." "It was such an honour", says Andy Carter. "I was at the book signing with Don Garlits and Peter Crane and meeting people like Ed Iskenderian, Bob Frey and Tom McEwen when Carl Olson came and said they had a surprise. I was taken to the hall where the Night of Champions was taking place and after Pelle and Carl said a piece each I was presented. I felt so honoured and would like to say thanks to everyone who was involved in setting it up." ©Eurodragster.com Andy is now on his way to Phoenix for this weekend's NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway in which he will again be driving Terry Haddock's dragster. Andy tells us that his qualifying runs, which start tomorrow, will commence with a couple of checkout passes. "We will start with a half pass, and then an 800-foot run", he says. "It's very important that we find out what is going on with the tune-up on the dragster and that we take one step at a time. It's not an ideal way to go racing but it's better to start from the beginning and try to keep the motor in one piece, then I can move forward from there. You will be able to stay in touch with Andy's progress at Phoenix courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. More partners for VEIDEC Team. 18th February: Roger Lyrén of Sweden's Team VEIDEC Pro Stock Bike team says that it has been a busy few weeks. "Before we went to Florida for the Frank Hawley PSB School, with riders Karl Lyrén and Stavros Svrachnos, we has lot of discussions with different partners to secure deals on areas of need, everything from tools to parts for the bikes", says Roger. "We have some very good partners on board for the 2010 season such as Swedol, Ampro Tools, Berik is supporting all four of our riders with very good leathers, thanks to Björn at Duells, Tonyz PR Look is doing all the design of our logos to get everything as nice as possible. Cometic Gaskets will be our main gasket supplier, thanks Jason for your support, and Mickey Thompson will supply our tyres, thanks to Martin at Pro Imp (see below for more about MT - Ed). "Once again I want to thank all our old and new partners - without you, all of this would not be posible. Time is going by very quickly and very soon we have a new season coming. Even though we still have sixty centimetres of snow, we all need to be ready in about eight weeks." ©Eurodragster.com If you want to see what the VEIDEC PSB Team are up to right now then check in with Karl Lyrén's Racer Blog here on Eurodragster.com as he has just posted another update about the pre-season preparations. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Swift snippets.
18th February: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com
came from a UK address but had no accompanying words. However when you see a sponsor logo, and that of such a
large company, that big on a dragster then one suspects that good news is coming. 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 Speedgroup adds contingency. 18th February: Speedgroup contingency sponsor Mickey Thompson has today released a special web page supporting its participation in the Speedgroup Contingency Programme. Pro Imp, which is based in Sweden, is the major Mickey Thompson distributor in Europe, and will be supporting FIA Top Methanol Dragster, FIA Top Methanol Funny Car, FIA Pro Modified, and UEM Pro Stock Bike. 
Top Fuel Dragster team owner and driver Micke Kågered will act as Pro Imp's distributor on-site at all FIA
European Championship events. Tyres can be delivered at the races free of freight costs, which make it very appealing for teams from
different nations to run the Mickey Thompson contingency. Pro Imp are offering 20% discount on orders placed before 1st March.
You can check out the Pro Imp's contingency page at www.proimp.se/speedgroup.
Vicci, a premier manufacturer of custom team clothing, has also joined forces with Speedgroup as a contingency sponsor for the
European Drag Racing Championships. Teams which wear Vicci's apparel and end up on the podium will receive prizes from Vicci,
and teams that earn a spot on the podium but do not wear Vicci's clothing will receive credits toward their first purchase of Vicci
team clothing.
"I feel that it is important that the Speedgroup staff, as well as the teams in the European Drag Racing Championships, always look their best at our Championship events", says Speedgroup Co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar. "There is a lot of focus on the Championship media-wise and a first-class appearance can help improve team's chances of corporate sponsorship. Speedgroup officials will also be sporting a new look in 2010 with their crew uniforms to match the corporate profile. This is currently being worked on by Vicci's design team." 
Vicci co-owner and CEO Allan Hermansen says that he is looking forward to showcasing his company's products to the teams in the European Drag Racing Championships through the relationship with Speedgroup, as well as providing incentive discounts and contingency bonuses for teams to encourage them to use Vicci's clothing. "We welcome the opportunity to show that every race team can look like top professionals at an affordable level", says Allen. "We offer a complete service which can take you from design to delivery in very short order. We have a long history in the USA with the top NHRA, ADRL and IHRA teams, providing them with new, contemporary and fashionable team clothing which will give their sponsors the representation they deserve, and the crew the comfort they desire." 
In addition to motorsport uniforms, Vicci helps teams to create merchandise programmes so that they can capitalize on the valuable
assets they have worked hard to create with race fans and sell them products they will want to buy and wear after the race.
"Vicci can help teams make extra money to support their bad racing habits" Hermansen added. "With low order minimums, ful
custom designs, unlimited colors and combinations and quick turnaround, we make it easy to order a custom look."
Vicci manufactures everything a team needs including shirts, trousers, shorts, caps, jackets, and more. For more details check out Vicci's web site at www.vicci.com, and if you have any queries about this sponsorship then contact Speedgroup Co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar at asa.kinnemar@speedgroup.eu. Revealed: It's Brad. 
17th February: Wayne Jackson has been in touch to reveal the identity of the
Junior Dragster racer in the spy picture published here on Eurodragster.com on
30th December: his son
thirteen-year-old Brad Jackson, the UK's newest-licenced Junior Dragster racer.
"Brad made his licencing runs in the Santa Pod car, and we will be running our own car for the first time at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend. Brad will be driving the Scott Hauser's Junior Modified Advanced Junior Dragster which we have purchased. ©Eurodragster.com "We are pleased to announce sponsorship from Carter Motorsport and Lucas Oil and from Steve Wood at Motorshack. I would like to thank a few people who have helped us enormously with this new venture: Geof Hauser, Andy Carter, Daren Brett, Rick Johnson, Phil Evans, Kenny Coleman, Steve Wood, and the Seamarks family for the professional manner in which they helped Brad with his licencing runs. "Thanks to Eurodragster.com for the fantastic web site (Thank you! - Ed)." Down but not out! 
17th February: After a hugely disappointing weekend at the
50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals, FIA European Top Fuel Dragster
Champion Andy Carter
will fly to Phoenix tomorrow, keen to put the DNQ behind him.
Andy is more used to being number one qualifier in Europe and the four-time
Champion is far from happy with the showing.
"What can I say?", says Andy. "It was a very difficult week all round. Eddie Corr, Ben Allum, Richard Bruton, Steve Porter and Neil Collins worked very, very hard in very difficult circumstances. All things considered they did a great job! I flew back to Florida Sunday morning - no point in being there Sunday when you're not racing - whilst they stayed with the dragster, as they will spend this week getting it ready for Phoenix. ©Eurodragster.com "All we can do is put it behind us and head in to the Arizona Nationals looking to do the best we can, not just for ourselves but for the fantastic partners we have on board. I'd like to say thanks to Don Garlits, Roger Burgess of ProCare Rx, Impact Racing, Hol Taj, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, BMRS, Prothings, Hurleypalmerflatt and Gatorwrap for the faith shown in me. "I will be doing my very best this weekend to qualify and go rounds." As ever, you can follow Andy's progress via the Carter Motorsport web site at www.andycarter.net. The team hope to have some good news to announce over the weekend before heading to the third and final stop of their NHRA tour, the 41st Annual Gatornationals at Gainesville. Swift snippets. 17th February: ACU UK Pro Stock Bike Champion and Eurodragster.com Blogger Dave Beck has asked if anyone racing at the FIM/UEM Championship rounds in Sweden and Norway in July and August would be interested in putting their bike in his trailer and sharing the travel costs. "If you want to fly out I will collect you at the airport and do all the driving myself", says Dave. If you are interested then drop Dave a line at dave@davebeckracing.com or call 07771 652139. ©Eurodragster.com Racers are reminded that close of office hours tomorrow (Thursday) is the deadline to submit items for the agenda of this Sunday's UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting in Irthlingborough. Please submit agenda items to either Paula Marshall of SPRC at paula.marshall@btconnect.com or to Julie Willcox of APIRA at enquiries@shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk but please remember that you must attend the meeting for your item to be discussed. You can read more about the UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting on our news update of 12th February. Adele's thanks. 17th February: UK Outlaw Flat Four racer Adele Woodbridge has been in touch about her and husband Steve's Volkswagen Beetle being awarded the SPRC Best Appearing Car trophy: The last four years have been a huge curveball for us, filled with happiness, despair, amazement, disbelief, shock, and near divorce (Joke - Ed). We started the car in 2006 with a view to it being finished in 2008 and débuted at the Volksworld Show which is held every year in March. However as with most projects this deadline did not happen and as soon as we took a higher view we realised we would be lucky to finish it for the 2009 Volksworld Show. Cut to some months later to just before the Show, we really were up against it after hitting a few major issues. However due to the determination and support that both Steve and I received we finally managed to get the car completed minus wiring, and took away a Top 20 trophy at the Show. After that weekend we took some time out and Steve made the decision that the car would be ready to race when it happened, no deadlines this time. Over six weeks, mainly when he had time off from work, Steve wired the car and got it ready for me to jump in the hot seat, and the first runs were at Gary's Picnic, with the first race meet being Summer Nationals. ©Eurodragster.com Since then it has been a real roller coaster ride, although we were up the majority of the time. It has been fantastic, the car has performed faultlessly, we have achieved every goal we seat out to reach, along with winning a few trophys along the way. Having previously attended the UK Dinner Dance and through reading Eurodragster.com we already knew about the SPRC Best Appearing Car award and previous winners, but when Spencer Tramm texted us some weeks ago with the words "Check Eurodragster" we thought there was a story, or something written about Spencer! However upon checking we saw that we had been nominated for the award. We were seriously honoured and over the moon. Between the Eurodragster.com article and the Dinner Dance we really did not think we were going to win the award, and I know it sounds clichéd but we were just happy to have been considered. However as the nominations were being read out and then the winner announced, we were stunned! We never expected to win, and the feeling of hearing my name was awesome. When we sat back down and started looking at the shield it really dawned on us the calibre of the previous winners and the standard of their cars along with one other thing: there is now an old Volkswagen on there forever! I would like to thank all of the people who voted for the car along with our friends, family, and fellow racers. However I would also like to say that even though my name is on the shield, the real winner is Steve. He built the majority of the car, and whilst I do work on the car and race it (most of the time) if it had not been for Steve's hard work the car would never have been finished, nor would it have been finished to the standard it is. Now, which Pro Mod to choose? 16th February: Swedish Pro Mod racer Micke Gullqvist has been in touch from the USA, where he is testing with Roger Burgess' ProCareRx-sponsored R2B2 Pro Mod team prior to driving one of Roger's cars at the NHRA Gatornationals in March. It sounds to us as if Micke is living every Pro Mod fan's dream. "I am currently in West Palm Beach in Florida", Micke told Eurodragster.com. "At breakfast, Crew Chief Al Billes asked me if I was used to tyre shake. He told me with a smile that today I was likely going to experience some major tyre shake, as the track was a bit tricky. We also have top notch tuner Bob Newbery on the team, adding a lot of experience. ©Eurodragster.com "We had five race cars, but I was the only driver present. A decision was made to take out two of the '68 Camaros and make them ready to run. Both cars were towed to the start line, I drove one car, then jumped out after turning off and sped back to the start line on a golf cart to get in the next car for another hit. "We were doing 330-foot runs. I went 0.96 to sixty feet and 2.59 to 330 feet with Roger Burgess' brand new Tim McAmis-built Camaro. With the proven other Camaro, in which Roger won the US Nationals in last year, I went 0.95 to sixty feet and 2.58 at 330 feet. I made seven runs today, all very straight and no shake. Everyone was very pleased with the numbers. "Any doubts I had a good day today?" Swift snippets. 16th February: We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to Pete aka Ed Yates of Eurodragster.com sponsor DS Racewear. Have a great day both of you. ©Eurodragster.com Further to yesterday's news item we have now sent renewals E-Mails to all of our 2009-10 sponsors. If you have not received your renewal E-Mail and it is not in your Spam folder then please drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com and we will arrange for a replacement to be sent. Please also get in touch if you are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com and we will send details. Web site updates. 16th February: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog, UK Top Methanol Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Derek Flynn tells of the honour of receiving a trophy and bring us up to date with off-season work on the Gold RV Racing injected-nitro dragster. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com 
Tim Blakemore Racing are pleased to announce the official launch of their new web site at
www.timblakemoreracing.co.uk.
"After Carl Wadkin-Snaith at Turnertech turned around the
search results of our old web site in 2008, he was the obvious choice when it came to developing a new site", say Tim and Wendy.
"With a completely fresh layout and new content, there is much for bikers and drag race enthusiasts, including the new Project Bike
section. The first bike to feature is a 204 bhp (rear wheel!) naturally-aspirated Suzuki B-King, completed this January.
Drag racing fans can keep abreast of our racing activities with live reports from the pits at events throughout the year.
Blakemore Racing offer a huge range of components and services for motorbike riders in the South West, be they road or
race, custom or sports, and contemporary or classic/vintage. Servicing consumables to performance exhaust systems and engine parts.
With our state of the art Dynojet 250 dynamometer we can accommodate your needs from a £30 ride in dyno evaluation, to a full-on
tuning of all makes of bikes. Our skilled technicians can undertake everything, from servicing your motorcycle to major engine rebuilding and
tuning. And with over twenty years' experience of turbo charging street and race bikes, who better to discuss your requirements with than
Funny Bike racer Tim Blakemore."
The official web site of the UK's Team Hawk Racing Fuel Funny Car has been updated with a photo gallery including shots of the car's début appearance at the Auto-Aero Show at Farnborough, a 2010 appearance schedule, and more. Check it out at www.teamhawkracing.co.uk. Welcome DJ Safety. 
15th February: We are very pleased to welcome DJ Safety on board as a sponsor of
Eurodragster.com News.
DJ Safety are world leaders in SFI-approved fire suppression systems which are used many top race teams worldwide. Martin Hill of the Fireforce Jet FC team has been the European distributor for DJ Safety products since the introduction of SFI requirements in Europe. A web site showcasing DJ Safety is now on-line at www.fireforce.co.uk/djsafety. The site contains a comprehensive inventory of all available fire sytems and components and offers ordering from a single nozzle to a full system. The web site also includes installation guides, videos and safety data sheets all of which can be downloaded. ©Eurodragster.com Bottles can be refilled and certified at short notice, to keep racers safe and on track. The refill service is available at the track at most events. For more information check out the DJ Safety web site or contact Martin Hill via the site. We would like to say a big Thank You to Martin Hill for his support of Eurodragster.com and as ever we are particularly pleased to be associated with a safety product. Please be sure to consider DJ Safety when purchasing fire protection systems. Pomona pit notes IV. 
15th February: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending
us some pit notes from day four of the 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals at Pomona:
I spoke to Per and Karsten Andersen after their first round elimination. Despite the disappointment of smoking the tyres, they felt that overall the race was a positive experience. They made five runs: two outstanding, one safe, and two miscalculations. The parts damage for the entire meeting was minimal: three slightly-singed pistons, and four damaged exhaust valves which can be re-ground. They were looking for a 3.85 in the run against Brandon Bernstein, but too much power down low caused the tyres to break loose before the clutch slipped. Another issue was lane choice. The lanes looked about equal and they chose the left; after their defeat all the top teams with lane choice chose the right lane, and most of the wins in round one came out of the right lane. The rest of the race was as reported on Drag Race Central, Force and Dixon winning, a great exhibition of push-starting vintage dragsters (despitetwo getting tangled up and causing a vintage dragster traffic jam), great weather, smooth and orderly racing, pretty much right on schedule, a great weekend. ©Eurodragster.com Crazy Horses author Brian Taylor got in touch to let us know that Linda Vaughn made it to Pomona in the end. "Gordie Bonin might be in the pictures as well, it was difficult to keep him out", he says. "A great weekend." Ed has provided us with yet more pictures from Pomona, which we have placed on our 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals gallery page presented in association with Stroud Safety and Andy Robinson Race Cars. You can check out the updated gallery by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. The latest pictures are towards the bottom of the page. Swift snippets. 15th February: Speedgroup Contingency Programme Co-ordinator Gittli Koller says that the Contingency Programme for FIA and FIM/UEM European Championship racers has increased to $126,000 with the addition of GMax, Mickey Thompson, Stroud, and Vance and Hines. "A big Thank You again to the racers who introduced their suppliers to Speedgroup", says Gittli. "We work hand in hand, this is how it should be". For more information about Speedgroup and the Contingency Programe check out www.speedgroup.eu. 
Photographer Julian Hunt sent us this interesting graph of
access statistics for his web site at www.julianhunt.net.
Using your skill and judgement, see if you can work out from the graph on which day Julian's site got
a mention on Eurodragster.com. Many thanks to Julian for passing this on, and to those who don't send news
because "No-one is interested in me" then maybe it's time to think again about that.
©Eurodragster.com Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Ron Haslett tells us that he has fired up his wild Cortina after extensive work. "After checking the ignition and spark, it fired into life without any effort at all", says Ron. "We had it ticking over for a good couple of minutes before switching it off. No leaks, good oil pressure. I must be getting old or deaf as it didn't seem as loud as it used to be but I'll leave that to the neighbours to decide." A word to our sponsors. 15th February: Sponsorship renewals are due on 1st March and we will be sending out invoices over the next forty eight hours or so. However, if you already know that you will not be continuing to sponsor us in 2010-11 then please drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com and that will save us from sending you an invoice. ©Eurodragster.com If any companies are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com then advertising slots are always available here on the news page, and other opportunities may be available depending upon renewals. For more details check out the Sponsorship section of the Eurodragster.com FAQ by clicking here or by clicking on the Eurodragster.com FAQ link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Alternately drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com and we will let you know how to get involved. Sending a car to the USA? 15th February: Keith Seume has been in touch with a cautionary tale for anyone wanting to send cars to the USA: I don't know how many people this might affect, but on 26th January this year US Customs introduced a new computerised system to handle the import of goods, including cars. This is known generally as the 10 +2 system. A small group of us are currently in the process of arranging shipping of four cars to the USA to attend VW race meets and shows in California this summer, via Mark Cowley at Kingstown Shipping. All seemed no problem until word came back from the US agents that the new system does not appear to have any provision for the temporary import of a vehicle. All the forms speak of 'buyer' and 'seller' on the presumption that the car is being sold by someone in the UK and bought by someone else in the USA. After some frantic questioning of the US Customs by the agents in California, there was talk of each car needing to be covered by a (returnable) $20,000 bond. Then, the next day, that was changed to a $450 non-returnable bond. Then it was decided there was no need for a bond. It was (and still is) chaos. ©Eurodragster.com The latest is that the owners of each car have been asked to sign a 'power of attorney' form passing ownership of the vehicle on a temporary basis to the US agents. That way, the cars can be treated as imports – and then can be re-exported back to the owners within twelve months. Naturally, this is a slightly scary situation. Although the system will undoubtedly be sorted out at some point, for the time being anyone thinking about shipping their race car out to the US might like to prepare themselves for a lot of form-filling. We've had to re-do the forms three times as nobody in US Customs could tell us how to do it. Pomona pit notes III. 
14th February: A much longer day with delays due to a number of crashes and
oildowns gave Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell a lot less opportunity to collect
pit notes at Pomona yesterday.
In Andy Carter's last qualifying shot the header flames came up several times as he pedalled it, but he clicked it off after three attempts to get it to hook up. I did not get a chance to talk to Andy afterwards, I will check in with him today. The Andersen Racing crew were very pleased with Thomas Nataas' last run. They had planned a simple A to B run for the third session in the heat of the day and stepped it up a bit in the cool evening. They are in the top half of the field at seventh, with an identical ET to the sixth qualifier but with a lower speed, and will face Brandon Bernstein in the first round of eliminations (Wonder how Jim Brissette will enjoy that one - Ed). ©Eurodragster.com For the last session of Top Fuel yesterday, which ran very late due to accidents and oildowns, Bob Frey - who does an excellent job - had to leave the microphone to MC the Legends dinner at the Museum. Alan Reinhart took over. When Thomas Nataas came to the line, in addition to using the same mispronunciation of his name that Frey used, Alan pointed out to the crowd that the car was obviously an old Morgan Lucas car and that the Andersens were in the States to pick it up and figured they might as well put a few runs on it while they were over here. The track was just about full, due at least in part to the excellent weather. It was difficult to get a good spot in the cheap seats to shoot photos. I heard yesterday the huge snowstorms in the East, which cancelled thousands of flights last week, was the main reason that many of the dignitaries scheduled to attend the US launch of Crazy Horses were absent. That Linda Vaughn photo to which you were all looking forward didn't happen as she was stuck in Atlanta. Ed has provided us with some more pictures from Pomona, which we have placed on our 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals gallery page presented in association with Stroud Safety and Andy Robinson Race Cars. You can check out the updated gallery by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. The latest pictures are towards the bottom of the page. Eliminations take place today with a time difference of eight hours to the UK and nine hours to Europe. You will be able to stay in touch with all the latest numbers from Pomona courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Go Thomas! VP introduce bike fuel. 
14th February: Eurodragster.com sponsor VP
Racing Fuels, VP Racing Fuels, the world leader in race fuel technology, today announced the latest generation of its U4-based fuels - U4.4. Designed for stock and
modified two- and four-stroke applications, U4.4 offers more power across a wider range of applications, better throttle response and is less sensitive to heat than its predecessor
U4.2, according to Steve Burns, VP's President and Director of Research and Development.
"With horsepower gains up to six per cent compared to premium pump gas, U4.4 is comparable to VP's best AMA Pro level race fuels for less than half the cost - a relatively inexpensive way to generate additional power", said Steve. "U4.4 is designed as a direct, pour-in replacement for pump gas. It will require a modest jetting change - up to two main jets and two pilot jets at most, so customers can essentially 'pour in the power' and be on their way. "Historically, generating maximum power from a motorcycle fuel required trade-offs in other areas, for example, residue build-up in the carburettor, vapour lock or other issues. With the new technology in U4.4, there are no trade-offs. It causes no residue build-up, will be more resistant to heat and will yield the most cost-effective power gains of any performance part on the market. U4.4 is ideal for engines with 10:1 to 13.5:1 compression and with its Motor Octane of 103 and oxygenation, it provides excellent detonation protection." U4.4 is designed for all four-stroke applications, and because of its higher octane rating, it's appropriate for all two-stroke applications as well. U4.4 passes AMA Pro/Am fuel rules and is perfect for CCS, WERA, AFM, NMA, WORCS, SCORE, Best in the Desert, club level racing and more. Use of U4.4 will yield faster and more responsive engines without harming carburettors, o-rings or gaskets like some other race fuels. The cost effectiveness of its performance gains should not be underestimated, according to Steve. "For example, a costly new exhaust system wouldn't generate as big a power increase and its increase would be on a smaller slice of the RPM range, while U4.4 produces power gains at all RPM levels", he said. "There are always improvements that can be made. We'll never be satisfied until we've explored all options for providing customers with the best technology and performance possible, and we have the ability to move quickly to introduce the newest technological developments to market. Making the best performing fuels is what we do for a living, and we're pretty good at it." You can find the VP Racing Fuels web site at www.vpracingfuels.com. Pomona pit notes II. 
13th February: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending
us some pit notes from day two of the 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals at Pomona:
I was sitting in the top row of the cheap seats at about 600-700 feet. Andy Carter got past me on what seemed to be a good run, then at about 800 feet it let go. In talking to Andy at the book signing, he said it felt like a strong run until toward the end he felt it lose power. He said that the thought "Can I make it to the finish line" had just entered his head as he felt the heat start. Tough break, Andy says they crew has a ton of work but they will be ready tomorrow. I spoke with Karsten and Per Andersen early this morning regarding their out of the box 3.88 on Thursday. They said they had changed just about everything on their set-up prior to the run: fuel management, clutch settings, blower etc. Just minutes before the run they were still crunching numbers, making notes and sketches with paper everywhere. Consultant Jim Brisette was sort of shaking his head, somewhat sceptical of that much change at one time. Karsten noticed that Jim did not have a team shirt and asked if he wanted one. Jim replied "Sure" and was given a shirt. Karsten and Per have grown used to and enjoy Jim's sense of humour. When they were towing the dragster up to the start line, Karsten noticed that Jim wasn't wearing the shirt and asked why. Jim replied "I don't want to be standing on the line wearing a team shirt if this thing blows up". When the 3.88 came up on the scoreboard Jim said "I can wear that shirt now". ©Eurodragster.com 
Andersen Racing are running on brand new Schumacher-owned slicks this week, as Schumacher Racing asked if
they would like to put a few runs on the tyres to break them in. Apparently it is common for the well-funded
teams to ask the smaller teams to put a few runs on new slicks, as a slight coating from the casting process
remains on the outermost rubber surface and can't be removed by a burnout because tyre growth limits the contact
area: only a few actual passes down the track will scrub off the slightly impure rubber.
I spoke with Norm Grimes, Crew Chief for the YNot Racing Top Alcohol Dragster and asked him about the team's involvement with Germany's Gittli Koller. "We're going global", said Norm proudly. "I met Gittli through Roger Orlander of PSI Blowers a few years ago, and ever since then when Gittli was at Pomona for the Winternationals or Finals we would compare notes on how each other's cars were doing. There were a lot of similarities in the set-ups of the two dragsters. So we will share information. "We are looking forward to Gittli joining us in Phoenix for a Divisional points meet and some additional testing at that track. I guess her involvement with the team will be mostly dependent upon her schedule. But we have always been impressed by Gittli's knowledge and her computer skills." Sent on a wild goose chase by my News Editor I stopped by Larry Miersch's Top Alcohol Dragster pit and was informed that Eurodragster.com sponsor Derek Flynn didn't come over for this race. Either that, or they were helping him to hide out and avoid annoying pit reporters. 
I spoke at great length with my old friend Andy Bissett, an English crew member on Ashley Force's Fuel FC team,
who had many very interesting insights on drag racing as a profession, and of the differences between US and
European racing. I took copious notes which will better be posted as a more substantial article than a pit note.
In association with in association with Stroud Safety and Andy Robinson Race Cars we have posted a gallery of shots by Ed and Roger, to whom also many thanks, covering the Europeans in action at Pomona as well as the US launch of Brian Taylor's book Crazy Horses, about which more later. You can check out the 50th Anniversary Winternationals galley by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. 
Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Urs Erbacher, who raced in the USA last season
and is entered for the NHRA Gatornationals in March, got in touch with his best wishes to Andy and Thomas.
"I am sitting in cold Switzerland, taking a beer in my bar, and watching on the internet waiting for
the third round of qualifying", says Urs. "I'm there with you guys but frustrated that I can't compete.
I hope you do well this weekend Andy and Thomas - go for European power guys!"
Qualifying continues today with a time difference of eight hours to the UK and nine hours to Europe. You will be able to stay in touch with all the latest numbers from Pomona courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Swift snippets. 13th February: Another team to be cheering on this weekend is 'The Pom' Steve Read's Top Fuel Dragster team who are competing in Round 4 of the 2010 ANDRA Pro Series Drag Racing Championship, held at Sydney Dragway, NSW. You can follow Steve's progress and track all of the Pro class results on the Home Page of Steve's web site at www.readspeedracing.com.au. ©Eurodragster.com 2010 UK Riders' and Drivers' meeting. 12th February: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for confirming that the 2010 UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting will be held on Sunday 21st February in the Executive Suite at the Diamonds Centre, otherwise known as Rushden and Diamonds' football stadium, in Nene Way in Irthlingborough (click here for a map). The meeting will commence at 12:00 pm and will finish by 2:00 pm. Tea and coffee will be available, for a small fee, on arrival. Items to be discussed include the 2010 UK National Championships (ratification of dates as well as Championship matters), event entry fees and pitside electrical supply, and prize funds, as well as Any Other Business. ©Eurodragster.com "Racers are invited to submit items for the agenda", says Paula, "but please note that your item will only be discussed if you actually attend the meeting." If you have any items for the agenda of the 2010 Riders' and Drivers' Meeting then please send them either to Paula Marshall of SPRC at paula.marshall@btconnect.com or to Julie Willcox of APIRA at enquiries@shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk by close of office hours next Thursday, 18th February. Pomona pit notes I. 
12th February: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending
us some pit notes from day one of the 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals at Pomona:
Very interesting the success of the Andersens given the story on Eurodragster.com. I spoke briefly with Karsten Andersen who was quite busy. Paul the English clutch guy said this morning that a 3.8 would be a good run for the car right out of the box. I thought he was crazy at the time or at least very optimistic. After Thomas' great 3.880/306.33 run out of the box, Bob Frey said over the PA "That's a great run for Nataas (which he mispronounced badly), that should please his fans. He is from Norway, how many of you people in the stands are from Norway?" ...silence... "I thought so." Andy Carter said this morning that he didn't think they would be ready for today's session, as they had a lot of work to do. He also said that the airline had lost his HANS device and he had to purchase a new one. Remco Scheelings told me that he had heard the Al-Anabi Yas Marinas teams (Tommy Johnson Jr. and Hot Rod Fuller) were planning some European races this summer (That's right, reportedly Mantorp and Hockenheim - Ed) Had a great day. The 'Golden Corral' has a display of some of the greatest drag cars from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Ed also sent us a number of pit pictures which we shall post this evening, and we are also expecting some words and pictures from Roger who is apparently very pleased with his new camera. Qualifying continues today with a time difference of eight hours to the UK and nine hours to Europe. You will be able to stay in touch with all the latest numbers from Pomona courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. The Nugget returns. 12th February: When we last saw Switzerland's Rolf Ammann's Blown Nugget Pro Mod in action, it was heading across the Hockenheim track before hitting the guardrail. Team PR Theo tells us that Rolf and the team have fixed the car again because the crowd were so fantastic, and that the crash was not a problem with the car or driver but down to a rim which broke even though it was brand new. "When we rebuilt the car we decided to mount a brand new, more aerodynamic front, update the blower and change the graphics", says Theo. "The gold colour will be the same as before but the rear rims are now SFI 15.3 (Fuel spec) and we have reduced the weight of the car. 
"Our target this season is to run consistently in the 6.2s. The team is the same as is the team spirit! We plan to run at Santa Pod at the FIA Main Event and the FIA European Finals, and also at Hockenheim. We probably will not go testing because it is not possible in Switzerland and we don't have the time or money to go anywhere else." Swift snippets. 12th February: Another team to be cheering on this weekend is 'The Pom' Steve Read's Top Fuel Dragster team who are competing in Round 4 of the 2010 ANDRA Pro Series Drag Racing Championship, held at Sydney Dragway, NSW. You can follow Steve's progress and track all of the Pro class results on the Home Page of Steve's web site at www.readspeedracing.com.au. 
The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com
came with the words "The makings of a Supercharged Chevy killer". If you know more, or if you would like to
send your own spy or workshop picture, then drop us a line at
eurodragster.com@btinternet.com.
©Eurodragster.com Thanks to Johan Samuelsson for reminding us that this years Dragracing Swap Meet takes place tomorrow (Saturday 13th) at the Norrköpings Mässhallar, 60 km north of Mantorp Park and very close to the E4 motorway. "This event is arranged by Åby Motorklubb and is the major winter drag racing event in Scandinavia, perhaps more than 1500 visitors", says Johan. "All kind of race parts are in the house: new or used, Pro classes to street racing etc. The main entrance opens at 09:00 and gates close at approximately 15:00." Santa Pod Raceway are seeking a couple of race cars for rolling burnouts and static display at Oulton Park on 24th April, Knockill on 16th May, Brands Hatch on 26th June, Cadwell Park on 1st August, and Snetterton on 10th October. Obviously it does not have to be the same couple of cars at each event. You can find out more about the events in question at www.modifiedlive.co.uk and if you are interested then please contact Darren Prentice at Santa Pod Raceway at darren@santapod.com. A Special Saturday. 12th February: Santa Pod Raceway, the home of European drag racing, has announced its first Saturday Night Special on 20th February, and every kind of car and motorbike is invited! As if drag racing your very own pride and joy wasn't fun enough, Santa Pod's SNS events let you race throughout the day, with the track firing up at 9:00 am and then on into the night, under the high-output track lights in the most evocative atmosphere in motorsport. Think night racing is the exclusive reserve of professional Top-Fuellers, Le Mans stars and F1 legends? Think again! For the usual fee of £10 admission plus your choice of sign-on fee, you'll get the usual mix of Run What You Brung goodness, with the freedom to exploit the 'Pod's ultra-grippy quarter-mile and FIA-approved timing gear all day long. With the added advantage of passengers over the age of seventeen now allowed to ride under race conditions, it's the perfect day out for car clubs and enthusiasts. As the light dims the action ramps up a gear, with Fireforce, the Pod's own Jet Funny Car, laying down some 270 mph display runs and hard-charging racing continuing into the night. Then of course, it's time to hit the on-site bar, enjoy an evening of free musical entertainment and sink a few beers. With free weekend camping for anyone purchasing a weekend admission ticket (£20 on the gate or just £15 in advance) you can really relax and enjoy yourself - and blow the froth off a couple in the process. Gates open ay 8:00 am on Saturday. Signing on costs £30 per driver for unlimited runs from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, £25 per driver for unlimited runs from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and £10 per driver for unlimited runs from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm (weather and track conditions permitting). You'll get full computerised timing slips on each run, measuring your reactions, terminal speed and total quarter mile time. Driving licences are required to run on the strip, and also for passengers, but cars running under 110 mph on the quarter mile don't even require the driver to wear a helmet! As one of life's must-do automotive experiences, drag racing at night rates right up there! It's cheap, it's fun and it's safe! And best of all you can swap heroic tales in the bar afterwards without worrying about your licence! See you there - and don't forget that if you want to make a weekend of it then Stunt Night, an event for the whole family, takes place the night before (Friday 19th) and that there is a Run What You Brung the day after (Sunday 21st). ©Eurodragster.com Time to forget the bummer. 11th February: Karsten Andersen, who together with Per Andersen tunes the European Championship-holding Andersen Racing Top Fuel Dragster, is hopeful of the team's chances at the 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals at Pomona this weekend where the car will again be in the hands of Norway's Thomas Nataas. "Some of the cars out there are way ahead of us, but we should be about mid-field", said Karsten. After its appearances in Las Vegas and Pomona at the end of last season, the Andersen Racing dragster has been stabled at the Worsham family's workshop in Orange. "It's a great place to be because there are other fuel teams there", said Karsten. "You can swap parts, advice, jokes and bullshit with them. And the Worshams are really nice guys. We are renting a trailer from them this weekend." The Danish team suffered a nightmare by their standards at Pomona at the end of last season, ending up in the twenty fourth and final qualifying position after a promising start in Las Vegas. "We have changed a lot which will help us a bit after the bummer at Pomona", said Karsten. "We have made a lot of changes to the fuel system, and we found that the clutch had been malfunctioning - it was dead by Pomona. So we have new fingers in the clutch. We have also installed the new automatic shut-off system for the shutdown area, although we are not worried about the length of the shutdown area at Pomona because it is smooth and not bumpy. We have Jim Brissette with us as extra insurance. Thomas is fired up and ready to go, he wants to get down that track as much as we do." Karsten feels that there is a huge difference between running in the USA and running in Europe. "The weather is the same but the track prep is really good", he said. "And they are smooth tracks, no bumps at all. Vegas was pretty wild, we were losing a set of slicks each run because there was so much glue. We walked our recording machine along the track at Vegas on the Tuesday before the race, before they had started any prep, and the conditions then were better than any track in Europe. We didn't get to walk the shark along the track at Pomona last year but hopefully we will be able to do it this time - we need the information because we have next to none but the other teams have it all." ©Eurodragster.com When Thomas Nataas was announced as the driver for Andersen Racing's US trip, tongues immediately started wagging about whether 2009 FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter - who is driving Terry Haddock's Top Fuel Dragster at Pomona this weekend - would hold on to the drive. However, Karsten was happy to confirm that Andy will again be driving the Andersen Racing dragster in 2010. "Thomas can't do Phoenix, so we will be shipping the car back to Europe after this race", he said. "OK, if someone turns up with the money then of course we would stay! But Andy will be driving the car in Europe, that deal has been done. Wouldn't it be interesting if we met him this weekend in qualifying or eliminations? Hopefully we would win!" Qualifying starts today (Thursday) with a time difference of eight hours to the UK and nine hours to Europe. You will be able to stay in touch with all the latest numbers from Pomona courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com, and as an added attraction Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe and Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell are on-site as is Honorary Staff Member Andy Willsheer, and the plan is to bring you pit notes from Pomona during the weekend. Stay tuned. Swift snippets. 
11th February: Eurodragster.com News sponsor TPM Trailer
have started to work with the famous designer Bo Zolland. "We are able to deliver trailers in unique designs, tailor-made to
each customer's requirements", says Christer Hultberg. "The first Bo Zolland design trailer will be on display on stand Stand B
05:16 at the Elmia Motorshow in Jönköping on 2nd-5th April. We have also designed a even bigger trailer, total length
13.5 metres". Although based in Sweden TPM Trailer can deliver elsewhere in Europe. For more details check out
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©Eurodragster.com More Trophy thanks. 11th February: SPRC Best Appearing Bike winner Thomas Granica has asked us to say a big Thank You to SPRC for the nomination and also everyone who voted for him. "It´s a great honour for my team and I", says Thomas. "This trophy tops off a great race season in 2009. A big thank you to all involved in my team, especially my brother and Crew Chief Peter - without him it would be impossible. Thanks also to my sponsors Ernst, Big CC Racing, Brad at BTC Moto Electronics, and all the English, German and European Super Street Bike racers. ©Eurodragster.com Jon Morton writes to thank everyone who made it possible for him to win the Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year Trophy, which is presented in memory of Terry Gibbs. "To say that I was touched is a huge understatement", says Mort, "I felt very humbled with all the kind wishes offered to me. I received a very special message from Tina Gibbs and I can't say enough about Terry's contribution to Sportsman racing and what he accomplished, he is never far from our thoughts. And as I said on Saturday night, for those of you who were unlucky enough to hear me, I feel there are people more deserving of this. You know who you are and this award will always remind me of your kindness. Finally I would like to say huge Thank You to all my fellow racers and crews, clubs,officials, track staff, promoters and media who make it all possible for a fat bald trucker to win a Championship forty five years after going to his first rrag race. Here's to a dry 2010 and more great racing in this sport we all love." Blog updates. 11th February: We have two exclusive Blog updates today. First up is Pro Stock Bike racer Karl Lyrén who has posted his diary of his trip to the USA including a PSB course at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School. Next is Luke Bennett of the Bennett Racing blown-alcohol altered team who explains just how much it meant to him to be awarded the APIRA Iris Page Memorial Trophy. ©Eurodragster.com As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. To those who wait... 
10th February: After much speculation and interest over the last two years
Mark and Jackie Hawkins are proud to announce to Eurodragster.com their latest venture in drag racing: Team
Hawk Racing, the world's newest Fuel Funny Car team. The 2006 Dodge Stratus comes to the UK-based team with
an excellent pedigree having been campaigned by 2008 IHRA Nitro Funny
Car Champion Terry Haddock and having run into the 4.8s at 310 mph.
Working alongside Mark and Jackie Hawkins is John Hunt who together with Maureen formed the Drag Racing Nuts in the 1980s. John will be taking care of team logistics and events and also has personal interest in the team having raided his piggy bank. "This is a real development season for us", says Mark Hawkins. "We have invested as much money as possible in buying the best possible car and parts. I believe we've got a great crew who are out to prove the car and themselves this year". "We're really keen to get to the track now and see exactly what she can do", adds Jackie Hawkins. "We're sure we won't be disappointed and, of course, we're eager to put on an excellent show for the fans and all of our sponsors." 
Last night (Tuesday) the team were in Farnborough putting the finishing touches to their exhibition
stand on behalf of 2010 primary sponsor Osborn-Unipol
at the Auto-Aero 2010 Show, the South's dedicated Aerospace and Autosport exhibition and part of the Southern
Manufacturing series. Osborn-Unipol is the world's leading brand in surface finishing technology and
solutions. Whether you are working to the exacting standards of edge dressing turbine blades or the
deburring of cylinder heads and automotive housings, Osborn-Unipol are your industry partner.
Team Hawk Racing is confident that Osborn-Unipol's extensive range of industrial brushes, polishing tools and
compounds combined with technical expertise will provide the answers whatever your application.
Osborn-Unipol consists of sister companies Osborn International (Industrial and Specialist Application
Brushes) and Lippert Unipol (Polishing Compounds and Tools). A match made in heaven and plenty of common ground
when it comes to taking care of your racing needs. Be sure to take the opportunity to speak with the team at the
track this season about their range of products.
Eurodragster.com has been offered the chance to run a series of articles following the team's pre-season preparation and testing, a chance we have of course grabbed with both hands. You will be able to find details of the team and more news at the team's web site at www.teamhawkracing.co.uk. More information will be posted on the site during the coming weeks. SFI European Tour update. 10th February: Many thanks to SFI Foundation President Arnie Kuhns for passing on the latest update about the 2010 SFI European Recertification Tour, which starts on Thursday 4th March. The SFI team will be able to inspect the following items: SFI 1.1 to 1.5 Clutch Assemblies SFI 4.1 Rigid Automatic Transmission Shield SFI 6.1 to 6.3 Bellhousings SFI 15.1 to 15.3 Drag Race Wheels SFI 29.1 and 29.2 Flexplates SFI 30.1 Flexplate Shield ©Eurodragster.com The 2010 SFI European Recertification Tour dates are as follow: Thursday 4th March: Werner Habermann Racing workshop, near Frankfurt, Germany Friday 5th March: US-Parts, Helsinki, Finland Saturday 6th March: Persåkers Speed Shop, Åkers Styckebruk, Sweden Monday 8th March: Scrutineering building, Santa Pod Raceway, England Swift snippets. 
10th February: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com
came with the words "No, it's not my car!". Our mole adds that the picture shows a member of the Supercharged
Outlaws but that they can say no more. 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 Swedish Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren has been in touch to invite readers to take a look inside the California HQ of sponsor Oakley, which you can check out at www.oakley.com/sports. Thank You notes. 10th February: The weekend's APIRA and SPRC Perpetual Awards have generated a number of Thank You notes from grateful recipients. First up is Dutch Supertwin racer Job Heezen who won the SPRC Paul Giddings Memorial Trophy: I'd like to thank everybody who voted for me. It is a great honour for me to receive this trophy for overcoming adversity as it is the essence of drag racing. To show you what I mean I will tell you a little story. In the early nineties we raced several times in the US, one of them up north in Milwaukee. In honour of Harley-Davidson's 90th anniversary there was a AHDRA race at the track closest to the factory. Although people warned us that the weather at that time of the year could be nasty, we decided to go. You know how we all think of these predictions: when we are there to race, the sun will shine like never before. We took the flight from Amsterdam to Reykjavik with a connection to Baltimore (this was not the shortest route but the cheapest and yes, I know what you think, we are Dutch). As usual we had to work twice as hard in the weeks before to make it all happen and hardly had time to load our bags. Everybody knows how these things work in a non-sponsored branch of motorsports: to be able to attend races you have to catch up the time lost and on top of that you have to make enough money to pay for it all. We took the flight on Wednesday and arrived later that evening at Zipper's Performance in Elkridge, Maryland, home of our operations that season. Thanks to these guys we had a place to work on our bike and their truck and trailer at our disposal. We worked through the night to prepare the bike and load the trailer and off we went for a trip to Milwaukee, some twenty two hours of trucking to go. Passing Chicago right on rush hour set us back a few hours more but we made it just in time before the first qualifying! Altogether the hours that we slept during these days could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Because of weather conditions the track was not as good as we hoped for so the first run was, how shall I put it, eventful. I suppose you guessed already what happened after this first session, it started to poor down big time and it rained for another thirty hours. When they cancelled the race on Sunday morning we had made one run, and that was a bad one! Back in the truck again for the trip to Maryland and fly back to Amsterdam. If you think a rain-off at the Pod is unbearable, this is the next level. Why am I telling you this story? Because this is essential to drag racing. Normal people would turn their back on the sport in these situations but if you are still there after all these years it means that you have overcome all this adversity. You can check it at every race, the teams who crashed their bike or car, redlit when they needed the points most or suffered mechanical woes whose origins they couldn't find. They are sitting in front of their trailer, down and out, thinking they'll never go racing again. They load the truck, a little less organised than on the way there, and head home. After a few days and some good nights' sleep they are still down but not out any more and guess what, when the next race is on they are back in the paddock again. That's why I like this Paul Giddings Memorial Trophy so much and I'd like to share this Trophy with all those racers who are are sometimes down but never out. ©Eurodragster.com Andy Hadfield (aka Andy Fadster), writing to thank those who voted for him, says that he is honoured and truly taken aback to win the Shakespeare County Raceway Achievement Award: Much of the effort for the way we run and the show we give is down to my Crew Chief Craig Dixon who runs around clearing up the damage I do, effortlessly and with no complaints. I'd also like to congratulate my fellow award winners. It would have been great to attend the prizegiving and show my support but other commitments meant I was a no show, I'll make sure that doesn't happen at the track! We are hoping for a good year with the NSCC and Street Eliminator and wish fellow competitors godspeed and quick times...so long as they aren't too much quicker than me! Congrats to Tog on his award too, well-deserved (Thanks - Ed). 
Helen Smythe says that she was pleased to be nominated for the APIRA Sportswoman
of the Year award, and that after seeing the other nominees and knowing the great work
they do she really wasn't expecting to win:
Although we had our tumble at only our second event last year, we must have made a favourable impression, hitting a half a dozen or so new Personal Bests on the way down to our final run of 9.01. We certainly enjoyed showing the newly revamped Belle before the season even started, and I kicked off the new range of Belle Designs handbags at the Hot Rod Drags and that seems to have a made a favorable impression too. So, I'd like to send my warmest and sincerest thanks to all who voted for me and to the Committee too for the wonderful award. Thank you too for the birthday wishes - it was my 40th, so life is just beginning - as you mentioned I was lucky enough to have snow on a mountain top eating birthday cake last Wednesday, and then to find I had won the Sportswoman Trophy rounded off my birthday week perfectly! With regards to the future, this vote from the people around us in the sport has confirmed what we always knew, that drag racing is the most communal motorsport bar none, and we love being a part of it. We will be back, but it's going to take some time for us to wait for the money tree to grow a little more and bear some fruit. Until then I will be working hard through Belle Designs, we will be around the tracks supporting where we can, and I look forward to thanking everyone I meet in person! Thanks again and see you all soon. Carole Ismail asked us to thank everyone who nominated her for the SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. "It came as a total surprise", says Carole. "I look forward to continuing my role for the SPRC and wish all racers a safe and successful 2010." PMR School still booking. 10th February: Paul Marston tells us that his Drag Racing School is still taking bookings for 2010: The Santa Pod event schedule for this season has been posted for some time now so if you are thinking of taking the plunge and seeing life from inside, or if you are building your very own race car and want to start off the right way, then please call us. Paul Marston Racing's Drag Race Driving School, based at the UK's premier drag strip Santa Pod Raceway, is set up primarily to assist new drivers to make the right choices in the great sport of drag racing. Even if it's just some good advice you need, please come and see us at the track, it is what we are here for: our resident UK National Championship winning drivers will be only too pleased to answer your questions. ©Eurodragster.com 2009 was arguably one of our best seasons yet, so everyone at PMR is looking forward immensely to 2010. For any details or enquiries regarding the Drag Race Driving School please contact us at pmracing@fsmail.net or call me on 07831 650230. Editor's note: Congratulations and ten points to those who spotted the verbatim Fawlty Towers quote in yesterday's news headlines. We actually do that sort of thing more often than you'd think. Maybe next time we will award a prize to the first person to 'spot the quote' - it may be tomorrow, or it may not be for another six months, but if you think you have noticed the next reference then it's always worth writing. 100%: Manners approves. 
9th February: Ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster and IHRA Pro Fuel Dragster racer
Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor
Cosmo Residences got a chance to
run 100% nitro at this year's first IHRA Nitro Jam at Palm Beach in Florida last week. Mike says
that although the additional power of a full load of nitro is incredible, there is still some work
to do.
"Unfortunately three of the hits we made were too conservative and went into tyre shake", says Mike. "The fourth hit was incredibly strong, it pulled the wheels up hard and the car veered towards the wall, I lifted and hit it again and had more tyre shake, lifted and hit it again and it yanked the front end up and started heading for wall again, so I lifted and just slapped it a few times to take my only win of the weekend. We still need to find the window but I'm sure the car will run solid fours when we do. ©Eurodragster.com "IHRA gave me a Class A (Top Fuel) licence to run in the new Pro Fuel class. It was a very successful event and they are planning on making it better. Our next race is an NHRA Divisional at Gainesville on 20th-21st February, and our next Pro Fuel date on 100% nitro is on 6th-7th March in Baton Rouge. "Thanks for all the car name suggestions. We considered many but had a problem with most names already being registered. We ended up with The Shredder, which is apparently youth slang for someone who hauls ass." Go and have some fun with a Finn. 9th February: Finnish Top Methanol Dragster racer Esko Raisvuo - founder and self-styled #1 member of the Finnish Drag Racing Hall of Shame - says that he will be continuing with the injected-nitro combination in 2010. "The A/Fuel game gives us everything we love about this sport", he says. "You have to go straight and fast and be safe yet with a taste of danger - we've got the lot. "We will probably repaint the car, but it needs a volunteer painter who will do it for free. The clocks and speedtraps don't look at your paint but women and children do, so we will probably try to turn to it into something closer to our natural fantasy world style where men are ugly, machines and food are fast, women are pretty, and kids have a future. "We do not really have sponsors and we are not really looking for them. We would need another person to do it and we fear that if we had sponsors then it may become too stressful. We would only accept sponsors who do it for fun and are satisfied with the normal visibility we get, so supporters are always welcome. Either that or the sponsorship must be really big to cover the costs of the risks which being more successful takes. That would be the other chance to keep it fun. You must always remember that we do this for fun. It's the greatest sporting hobby you can have with the skills, faces, fashionable clothing, hairstyles and dream bodies. More speed is more fun. We spend our free time and holidays doing this and they must be good times. "Our crew will be mainly the same although we have few people in reserve in case someone is ill or has something they 'must' do on a race weekend. A couple of new people are joining us to train. We have guys ready in the event that someone wants to buy or rent our other dragsters. That person will need a tuner who knows how and crew who can do. ©Eurodragster.com "Our season looks to be starting at the Easter Thunderball if some little things click together and we get can plan our flights and our stay in UK. We are already missing the other teams and we get good support from the British race fans. It will also serve as training and chance to test whether we have made any mistakes over the winter. If we have a travel budget and don't blow up all our parts too early then we will do the whole FIA Tour. We would love the chance to run at Easter and at the UK National Finals. Since some of the crew and I have future stars growing among us, there are four Junior Dragsters to take care of in the Finnish Championship and at some big races such as Mantorp. With the kids it seems like we are on tour for twelve weeks this year. "We don't have a chance of the Championship and that's not our goal. But we will surely disturb the peace of mind of some of the others as we did a little last year. A stiff upper lip is one of the funniest things we can see sticking out of some people's faces. We will continue our process of keeping safe set-ups and try not to break parts too much and make it quicker and faster weekend after weekend. Last season we had issues on good sixty and 330 foot timed and keeping the car together, but click after click the knobs are being turned how we want and some beautiful day in near future we will be 5.2-second bracket racing. We know it, everybody else knows it, and it's only matter of time. Where and when is yet to be seen, and there is always always another year. "We are not the brightest lamps in the ballroom, but we can still make simple calculations with pen and paper and measure this and that. We clearly have a few chances to improve our performance and these chances will be used to see if we can get that missing 0.1 seconds out of our sixty foot time...yes, we are talking of the ridiculous blink of an eye between zero and hero. "As we always say: jaws on chests and on towards new adversities, the rain will surely turn to snow, and if there is sun it will only burn your skin." Swift snippets. 9th February: Finnish Top Fuel Dragster racer Anita Mäkelä and husband Tommi Haapanen have hired Don Bender, formerly of Don Prudhomme's Snake Racing team, as a consultant on their R20 Energy Drink-sponsored Top Fuel Dragster in 2010. Don will commence work with the team at the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway in May. You can find out more about the team's recent fruitful trip to the USA on the Tommi and Anita Top Fuel Racing web site at www.anitamakela.com. No spy pictures today but a couple of workshop pictures (click for large versions). The picture below left came from Never Again Racing and shows the team's Impala with, we quote, "Paint, glass, prop, diff", and in fact "Done!". 
The picture above right shows Jon and Donna Giles' Roar Willys Super Gasser in its new paint with just finishing touches to be added. If you would like to send your own workshop or spy pictures then drop us a line at eurodragster.com@btinternet.com. ©Eurodragster.com If you look closely at the picture of Roar Willys then it appears to us that behind the Willys is fellow Super Gas racer Paul Foote's stunning pick-up. Whether or not that is Paul's race car it gives us a great opportunity to thank Paul for producing a large batch of Eurodragster.com decals including, by popular demand, the smaller decals which better fit the more limited space available on drag bikes. We will have more to say about this in the near future but again thank you very much indeed to Paul for his generosity and for his support. Thanks to Brian Taylor for letting us know that Ed Iskenderian is joining the Crazy Horses signing at the Wally Parks Museum at Pomona this weekend. "Ed was President of SEMA in 1963 and was instrumental in organising the trophy for which Duce and Sydney Allard fought", says Brian. "He is known as 'The Camfather' and it is a great honour that he is joining us. Also Bud Barnes and Bob Gladstone will be joining at the book launch at the Don Garlits Museum in March. They brought Ultrasonic to Santa Pod in 1966 and 1967 and they may well bring the restored car to the launch. I have also heard that Hustler crew members Tex Blake and Bill Correia are coming to Ocala. I will be taking two copies of Crazy Horses to both signings to capture autographs and they will be auctioned for Allard Chrysler Action Group funds when I return." Web site updates. 9th February: Our good buddy Alan Currans has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive with the remaining thirty one articles in the Lawrie Gatehouse Collection. "This includes four pieces which were published in Swedish magazines although Brits should still find the pictures of interest", says Alan, adding "Till förmån för våra Skandinaviska läsare är följande 4 artiklar (nr. 40-43) skrivna på svenska". You can check out the latest updates via the What's New link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 
8th February: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of
Eurodragster.com appears to have come from a racer in the UK's Fuel ranks who asks "What better
use when it can no longer hold oil? It's just an expensive way to go gardening". If you would
like to send your own spy picture then drop us a line at
eurodragster.com@btinternet.com.
Gary Kay tells us that he now has Jayne Kay's Pink Lady Super Pro ET Funny Car running on all eight cylinders and that you can check out a YouTube clip of the fire-up at www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlIHsxhS4_Y. The team's web site at www.pinkladyracing.moonfruit.com has been updated with video links and more, and Gary would be pleased to hear from anyone who has any information or pictures about the FC when it was first run by Frank Manzo in the late 1990s. You can contact Gary through the web site. Regular Eurodragster.com readers will know that Rhonda Cohen, whose husband Anthony Cohen sponsors Eurodragster.com through American Car Imports, has been working on a thesis on sports psychology particularly in drag racing. Anthony tells us that Rhonda is to be interviewed on Inside Sport on UK network BBC1 at 10.35 pm this evening (Monday). You can read more at www.sportpsych.co.uk/press-release. Herb Andrews is trying to find Sweden's Håkan Andersson who purchased the former Plan X slingshot dragster. If you are out there Håkan, or if anyone reading this has Håkan's contact details then please drop us a line at eurodragster.com@btinternet.com and we'll put you in touch. ©Eurodragster.com Tony Byng has been in touch to thank those who chose him to be presented with the Anya Yates Memorial Trophy. "I know that this is a very special award in memory of a very special person", says Tony, "I feel very honoured. I would like to congratulate all of the other Perpetual Award winners, and hope that it will be a great new season for everybody". Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog would also like to thank all those who have been in touch or posted on forums to congratulate him on being presented with the APIRA Alan Wigmore Memorial Trophy. Apologies to those contributors who received E-Mail rejected replies when writing to our News address over the weekend. Please be assured that your E-Mails did arrive here at Eurodragster.com; the reject message was from Tog's mail server in his day job as E-Mails sent to our News address are automatically passed on to Tog's day job address. Apologies also for the downtime on Saturday which was due to a problem which affected our ISP's entire operation and not just Eurodragster.com. Web site updates. 8th February: In the latest instalment in his exclusive Racer Blog, multiple ACU UK Pro Stock Bike Champion and European record holder Dave Beck explains how he managed to surprise some Swedes in the USA. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com Thanks to Jan Phersson of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Simpsonshop.se for pointing us to an interesting story about John Force's new involvement in Simpson's safety products. You can check out that story at www.simpsonraceproducts.com. Editor's note: As mentioned in the earlier incarnation of today's news update your News Editor is having a busy day, so you will have to tune back to tomorrow's update for a season preview from Finnish Top Methanol Dragster racer Esko Raisvuo and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Mike Manners' thoughts on running 100% nitro. In the meantime please keep the news coming to news@eurodragster.com. UK Champions, Perpetual winners honoured. 7th February: The winners and runners-up in the 2009 UK National Championships, MSA British Drag Racing Championship, APIRA and Santa Pod Racers Club Championships, and British Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductees were presented with their trophies at the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation in Northampton last night (Saturday). The winners of APIRA's Perpetual Awards and SPRC's Perpetual Awards and Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year trophy, for whom Eurodragster.com readers had the chance to vote, were also presented with their trophies. Congratulations to the Perpetual Award winners: SPRC Most Promising Newcomer: Jake Mechaell (9.50 Bike) SPRC Best Appearing Car: Adele and Steve Woodbridge (Outlaw Flat Four) SPRC Best Appearing Bike: Thomas Granica (Super Street Bike) SPRC Most Professional Appearing Team: Nosferatu Racing (Super Pro ET) SPRC James Edgar Memorial Trophy: Ric Naylor (TVR Power Pro Stock Bike) SPRC Paul Giddings Memorial Trophy: Job Heezen (Supertwin) SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy: Carole Ismail APIRA Iris Page Memorial Trophy: Luke Bennett APIRA Alan Wigmore Memorial Trophy: Tog APIRA Endeavour Award: Peter Donaldson SCR Award for Outstanding Achievement: Andy Hadfield SCR Sportswoman of the Year Trophy: Helen Smythe Anya Yates Memorial Trophy: Tony Byng Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year Trophy: Jon Morton SMRA Crew Chief of the Year: Graham Barrs Red Light Trophy: Nigel Green British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Peter and Erica Bartlett Harold Bull Geof Hauser Al O'Connor Krister Johansson Many thanks to all of the Eurodragster.com readers who submitted votes for the APIRA and SPRC Perpetual Awards and for the Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year trophy. Tog would like to add a personal Thank You to the Committee of APIRA for the nomination for the Alan Wigmore Memorial Trophy, to all of those Eurodragster.com readers who voted for him, to his Eurodragster.com team-mates Simon, Roger, Kirstie and Ed who share in this accolade, to the racers, Clubs, officials and promoters who give us things to write about, and to the sponsors who give us the means to do it. More support for Carter's US trio. 
5th February: Ben Allum of Carter Motorsports' NHRA operation has been in touch
to welcome hurleypalmerflatt on board for 2009 FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter's
forthcoming trio of NHRA events and to thank Chairman Paul Flatt for the company's support.
©Eurodragster.com hurleypalmerflatt is a leading international multi-disciplinary consultancy providing quality solutions for global clients. They have experts based in London, Glasgow, Dublin, Dubai, Hong Kong, Mumbai, New York, Singapore and Sydney. hurleypalmerflatt provide a full range of services including building services, energy and sustainability, structures, IT consultancy, property services and mission-critical Engineering. By integrating their expertise across disciplines, they serve all sectors for both new build and refit/refurbishment with work spanning over twenty sectors including financial services, education, technology, commercial and construction and property. "Engineering excellence and innovation are at the heart of all we do and our integrated approach ensures that our clients' buildings consistently exceed their expectations at every stage of each project", says Paul Flatt. Four time European Champion and current record holder Andy Carter says "We are really pleased to have hurleypalmerflatt supporting us with this venture, their commitment to engineering excellence is a great match for us and it is a real shot in the arm to get support from a major global player." Straight talk from Bellio. 5th February: Belgian Top Methanol FC racer Danny Bellio says that he and his team will be taking one race at a time this year. "You should try getting sponsors when you're the only racer in Belgium and there are no drag races over here", he says. ©Eurodragster.com "We are busy getting the car ready. The first thing we had to get fixed was our chassis because I had big problems steering it at the end of the track. I thought I was doing something wrong but we took the car to Andy Robinson for a look and luckily Andy found the problem and fixed it. I hope it will drive like a Cadillac again and we can focus on the tune-up again instead of figuring out what's wrong with the steering. "We are going to the Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod to do some testing and we'll see how it goes from there. It will be harder this year: with more cars in the class it's more fun to get qualified. We will try to perform better now that the chassis is fixed." Thank you Paul! 5th February: UK Pro ET racer Steve Hudson has been in touch to ask us to thank fellow Pro ET racer Paul Baynton for his help with a problem which he recently suffered: After a good 2009 season, I thought all was ready for 2010. I had no major plans to change much, just to keep working on the consistency it takes to run in Pro ET and to be competitive. ©Eurodragster.com I decided that the only work needed on the motor this winter was to pull the heads off and fit a stud kit as I had had issues with head gaskets in 2008. Unfortunately, once the heads were removed, it became clear that the block was starting to suffer. The bolt threads were seriously worn and a couple of them looked as if they had stripped themselves. A couple of helicoils were fitted but it was decided that the damage was terminal for that block. Several depressed minutes followed until a call to Paul Baynton secured the use of his double Championship-winning Small Block Chevy. Fortunately for me, Paul is upgrading to a 383 ci motor for this year and this left his old 327 ci motor sat in his garage. We are both curious to see what the motor will run in a lightweight altered after being ultra consistent in Paul's Capri. Now the mad thrash begins to get it swapped out and ready for Easter. Cheers Paul, I owe you one, two... Racers offered secure storage. 5th February: Ray Eldred has been in touch to let us know that a dedicated race car storage facility is now available close to Santa Pod Raceway: The facility is very secure and has easy access for big trailers and tow vehicles. Located near the A6, it is approximately fifteen minutes from Santa Pod Raceway. This is a new storage facility and business venture which offers indoor and outdoor secure storage from just £5 per week. Its an ideal solution for racers who have to travel long distances towing trailers or for anyone looking for low-cost and safe storage for their race vehicles. The indoor area is approximately 30,000 square feet with high tech security systems in place. ©Eurodragster.com For obvious reasons I do not want to disclose the exact location but if any racers are interested in this please contact me at Hauser Racing on 01933 682500, or E-Mail me via my team web site at www.nosferatu-racing.co.uk. Type Approval update. 5th February: Anthony Cohen, MD of Eurodragster.com Main Sponsor American Car Imports writes to us in his capacity as Chairman of the American Import Agents Association to let us know that the campaign against the latest European Type Approval proposals, which threaten the import of American vehicles, is having an effect but that the pressure needs to be maintained: If at all possible, those people who have not yet written to their MEPs should actually do it. We must maintain the pressure. In drag racing parlance, we have only been through qualifying - race day has not started yet. The letter to MEPs is still very important! I always believed that "people power" from the people with the most horsepower would get the legislators to wake up, sit up and rethink! The MEPs, the UK and American Government and the FIA are aware of the support from Eurodragster.com and the European drag racing scene. ©Eurodragster.com Last week I gave a seventeen-minute presentation to the Type Approval technical experts from the twenty seven Member States and thirty other people representing the Automotive sector in Europe. This was the bi-annual meeting of the Motor Vehicle Working Group at the European Commission. At this moment in time, I believe that the European Commission is trying to find the best way to take account of all of our representations. In the last few days I have written to the FIA to garner their support - it was they who initiated the issue when they crash-tested one of the Chinese Landwind vehicles in 2005 following the mass importation of these vehicles into Germany through the "back door". We are very grateful for the support from Eurodragster.com and European drag racers. You can check out Anthony's presentation to the Motor Vehicle Working Group (PDF format) by clicking here. If you have not yet written to your MEP about the threat to the import of American vehicles then check out our news item American car scene under threat of 14th January, or download the draft E-Mail (Word format) by clicking here. Web site updates. 5th February: In the latest update to his Racer Blog, FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter looks forward to a busy few weeks starting with next week's NHRA Winternationals at Pomona. As ever you can check out the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com Editor's note: It is the APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation this weekend so it will be News Update Lite for the next couple of days. We will post the SPRC and APIRA Perpetual Trophy winners on Sunday and then normal service will resume on Monday with a season preview from Finnish Top Methanol Dragster racer Esko Raisvuo and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Mike Manners' thoughts on running 100% nitro. In the meantime please keep the news coming to news@eurodragster.com. A cool deal for FB Racing. 
4th February: UK Topspeed
Automotive Street Eliminator racer Ian Hook and the FB Racing Team are very pleased to add
Serck Services Motorsport to the companies and individuals
supporting the team's seven-second street-legal 1934 Ford in their 2010 campaign.
"Serck Services Motorsport are delighted to announce that we will be sponsoring FB Racing", said manager Graham Smith. "The car already runs one of our fully custom-built aluminium lightweight radiators on both the track and the road. This car provides a tremendous test for our products and services as the Street Eliminator class maximises performance at every level with its continued development. "We have been providing equipment to the drag racing industry for over ten years and are looking forward to supporting Ian Hook and the team throughout 2010. Their Ford Coupe has produced some astonishing quarter mile statistics, not forgetting that this is a fully street-legal car. We wish Ian and his fantastic team every success for the season ahead." ©Eurodragster.com "I am really pleased that Serck Service Motorsport have given us their backing for 2010", said Ian Hook. "Our Street Eliminator '34 has relied on Serck products to cool both the engine and transmission for the past eight years and they have never let us down. The radiator in particular is superb; it is very efficient meaning that it can remain relatively small which both reduces weight and allows us to squeeze it into the narrow confines of the front of our engine bay. Furthermore the continuous development we do on the car has called for a few mods and redesigns over the years and the company have always been keen to help, providing an excellent after-sales service." Although most known for their custom built radiators, available in both aluminium and brass, Serck Services Motorsport are custom fabricators who can supply intercoolers, oil coolers, fuel and header tanks as well as all the hardware and plumbing needed for installation for both cars motorcycles. They also supply a range of electric fans, air tools, braided brake hosing and much, much more. For full details check out their web site at www.serckservicesmotorsport.co.uk. Oh Ron, you are a tease. 
4th February: Fellow Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer
Ron Haslett also has some good news on the sponsorship front:
Firstly I'd like to welcome Muscle Fury to the team this year. As the name suggests they have a line of body building products. Their web site is at www.musclefury.com. I'd also like to welcome back our old backers of the last couple of years Wizard of Nos and Express Gearboxes. We're still backing MacMillan Cancer Support. ©Eurodragster.com The car has moved on quite a bit. It is now all in colour but I will keep on teasing about it. The engine and gearbox is all back in, the car has been rewired and it all works, I think - I've had the engine turning over on the button. Whilst all this was going on I made a couple of changes. All the new floor panels have been made and some have been fitted. On Sunday I received my seats back from Christine Kettle and what a work of art they are. I should have the car fired up by the end of the weekend. My aim is still to take the car testing at the end of the month. The only down side is that it's my fortieth birthday in the middle of the month and I'll have to do the social thing and leave the workshop. So I'll have to get my finger out. Swift snippets. 4th February: Registration closes today (Thursday) for the Speedgroup meeting to be held at the Park Inn in Northampton on Saturday (6th). Please note that this meeting is for teams active in and officials connected with the FIA and UEM European Championships only, and that registration is mandatory to attend. If you have not already registered but wish to attend then please E-Mail Speedgroup Administrator Åsa Kinnemar at asa.kinnemar@speedgroup.eu. ©Eurodragster.com If you are going to the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation, also at the Park Inn this Saturday, then please remember that presentations start at 6:30 pm, so please be in your seats for that time. It would also be appreciated if the noise could be kept down during the presentations as a courtesy both to the trophy winners and to MCs Barry Bohannon and Darryl Bradford. Aldert Tjoelker tells us that the entry fee for events at Drachten in The Netherlands this season is €200 (€150 for Junior Dragsters and Junior Drag Bikes) payable four weeks before the event. Membership, at €50, is also mandatory. Those wishing to multiple-enter must pay €200 for each class in which they wish to compete. Late entry after the official closing date will be €400. "Then again, this is the best track on the western Continent", says Aldert, adding "Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger". No worries there, Aldert, your News Editor fulfils that role most days. Dave Cox invites all who have been hiding themselves away during the cold, snowy, wet and frosty winter months to get themselves along to the National Street Rod Association's 21st Swap Meet which is once again being held at the Arena Raceway Essex on Saturday 7th March. If you are buying then gates open at 10:00. You can find out more on the NSRA web site at www.nsra.org.uk. 15:55 Back to the APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Pro ET racer Charlie Chivers would be pleased to hear from anyone who has a pair of tickets going spare. If you can help then please give Charlie a call on 07890 661854. Of fabrics and free fur bags. 4th February: Mike Chadwick of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Custom Cruisers UK tells us that he will shortly be receiving supplies of Molecule Labs' revolutionary fabric care products which are distributed by Simpson Performance Products. Molecule Labs' fabric care products protect and care for Nomex fire suits, which must be carefully maintained in order to be fully effective. Molecule Labs has also developed a complete line of products to clean and refresh racing suits, protect them from absorbing fuel, and remove potentially flammable stains and contaminants, all without degrading the suit's protective qualities. "Nomex doesn't burn but the fuel or oil can soak into it and still burn you, that's what people forget!", says Mike. ©Eurodragster.com Custom Cruisers UK are also offering a free fur-lined Simpson helmet bag with every Simpson helmet bought in February, so long as you mention Eurodragster.com when you E-Mail or phone. To check out the range of Simpson helmets and other equipment on offer, check out Custom Cruisers UK's web site at www.simpson-helmets.eu. Web site updates. 4th February: In the latest entry in Bennett Racing's exclusive Racer Blog, team member Joe Riley wrests the keyboard from Luke Bennett's grasp and recounts his first season with the team which turned out to be quite a year as Frank Bennett won the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association Championship. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com Not entirely unconnected with the NFAA, if you are of a certain age you will remember that in a past life former NFAA Co-ordinator and Chaos Fuel Altered owner Lawrie Gatehouse was a drag racing photo-journalist...of course, if you are that old then it's time to lie about your age but we're getting off-topic. Our good buddy Alan Currans has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive with a selection of Lawrie's magazine articles from the 1970s which all make interesting reading both as pieces in their own right and as historical records. You can check out Lawrie's work via the What's New link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. Alan tells us that more pieces will follow. Speedgroup Contingency fund grows. 
3rd February: Courtesy of Speedgroup Contingency Co-ordinator Gittli Koller
comes the news that the 2010 contingency programme fund for FIA and FIM/UEM classes has now reached
$106,000.
"We have worked hard on the contingency programme since the PRI Show in Orlando and the interest has been fantastic", says Gittli. "Although the current value of the program is $106,000 there are more companies becoming involved - we are just waiting the details to clear. ©Eurodragster.com "Some racers and team owners have been deeply involved in introducing their suppliers to the programme and some have also signed up their own companies. We have a strong and useful group of companies who have chosen to support their existing customers as well as to make it attractive for new customers to use their products or services." For more information about the contingency programme check out Speedgroup's web site at www.speedgroup.eu. Crazy Horses goes east. 
3rd February: The official UA East Coast launch of Crazy Horses - The History of British
Drag Racing is to take place at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing at Ocala in Florida
over the weekend 6th-7th March, the weekend before the Gatornationals. The book will be available
from the Museum gift shop and signings will take place at 2:30 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday.
The book's author Brian Taylor will be there, joining Don Garlits and reigning FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter. Don has raced in the UK three times, in 1964, 1976 and 1977, but it is 1964 that he most fondly remembers. These were the pioneering years when Sydney Allard organised American teams to demonstrate the sport to a British audience only just coming to terms with what dragsters were. Most had never heard one until that time and they were blown away by the show put on by the American team at airfields throughout the country. "When Brian asked me to write the Foreword to Crazy Horses I was really pleased to say yes because I believe it is most important to record the sequence of events that led to today's European drag racing scene, before too much time has passed by", says Don Garlits. "That's why I'm such a supporter of the Project 1320 team recording the sport's American history as told by those that were there. We chose 6th and 7th March for the book's East Coast launch because reigning FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter will also be at the museum with his car which I am proud to be supporting. So over the same two days we will have the history of British drag racing represented by the launch of Crazy Horses, and today's top European Andy Carter - quite a weekend." "I feel so honoured to be carrying the colours of Big Daddy Don Garlits on my car", says Andy Carter. "I'm looking forward to talking to visitors and it's great that Crazy Horses is being launched at Don's museum over the same weekend. I started drag racing in the 1980s and some of my proudest moments are covered by the book. A truly nostalgic weekend." "Having Don Garlits write the Foreword to Crazy Horses has been a great privilege for me and I'm truly looking forward to the weekend", says Brian Taylor. "Don has been an inspiration to so many people all over the world and his approach to preserving the sport's history was one of the motivating factors behind the formation of the Allard Chrysler Action Group to restore Sydney Allard's 1961 Allard Chrysler dragster. This car last ran at Blackbushe in 1964, the year that Don first raced in the UK. So as well as signing some books I will be pleased to update folks on how this important project is progressing." The British Drag Racing and Hot Rod Association Race Director during the 1970s was Syd McDonald and he is joining the signing team. Other drag racing personalities attending the signing will be announced during the next few weeks. The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is at 13700 SW 16th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34473, telephone +1 877 271-3278. Any Europeans who will be in Florida over that weekend please contact Brian at brian@petrolhead.vianw.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Also on the Crazy Horses front Brian tells us that Swedish Top Fuel Dragster legend Pelle Lindelöw will be attending the launch and autograph sessions at the US launch of the book at Pomona on Friday 12th February. Swift snippets. 3rd February: Pennine Drag Racing Club's Chief Starter Des Brown tells us that there are a few tickets left for the PDRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation at the Campanile Hotel in Bradford on Saturday 27th February. If you would like to attend then please call Marjorie Lyons as soon as possible on 01405 812637. ©Eurodragster.com Claire Meaddows, Chris Hartnell and the family have asked us to say a big Happy Birthday to UK Wild Bunch racer Helen Smythe. We understand from Claire that it is a "special" birthday but she didn't expand upon that and of course a gentleman doesn't ask. If you are reading this from the top of your mountain, Helen, then have a lovely day and please watch your step on the way down. Editor's note: We have to finish today's news update here due to pressure of work in your News Editor's day job. We do have a few more pieces to post including the latest from two Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator teams and a special gift offer for those buying Simpson crash helmets, so stay tuned and we'll bring you all of that on the next update. Please keep the news coming to news@eurodragster.com. We would be particularly interested to hear from racers who have decided their 2010 plans - your fans, which include us, are eagerly awaiting. UK 8.50 Bike plan for 2010. 2nd February: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club and the Avon Park International Racing Association for letting us know the arrangements for the 8.50 Bike class in the UK in 2010. In 2010, 8.50 Bike will again be run on a trial basis and not as a Championship. The class will be contested at four events. APIRA and SPRC will be keeping a close eye on the numbers of contestants at each event. The Clubs expect 8.50 Bike to be strongly and equally supported at both tracks as the number of contestants at all four races will decide whether or not the class will run in 2011. The future of 8.50 Bike is therefore in the hands of its racers. 8.50 Bike will be run at the following events in 2010: ©Eurodragster.com 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway (racing 24th-25th) 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway 9th-10th October: Extreme Performance Bike Weekend, Santa Pod Raceway This announcement has been brought forward to save 8.50 Bike racers from having to attend the soon-to-be-announced Riders' and Drivers' Meeting for a single agenda item. If you have any queries about 8.50 Bike then please contact Paula Marshall at SPRC at paula.marshall@btconnect.com or Julie Willcox at APIRA at enquiries@shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk. Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator. 
2nd February: Eurodragster.com News sponsor
Topspeed Automotive
have announced that they will be the title sponsor of the UK's
Street Eliminator class in 2010.
Vinnie, Bill and Scott tell us that they are excited about sponsoring Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator,
which they will themselves be contesting with Bill's very tidy
Billy the Kid Racing Camaro.
Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Bill Macdermid and partner Vinnie bought Topspeed last year. The 1200 square foot car accessory shop is located in New Haw in Surrey and has been running successfully since 1969. Topspeed Automotive are are agents for and deal with companies such as Wynns, Millers Oils, K&N, Kenlowe, NGK Plugs, Silicone Hoses, Draper, TCI, Felpro, Aeromotive, Taylors, Autoglym, Smart Wax, Meguiars, Mr Gasket, Power Pour, Fram Filters, Holley pumps, some MSD, Autometer, dress up kits, line-locks, trans coolers, Lucas Oils Yuasa car batteries, CTEK Smart Battery Chargers, Jada muscle and VW car models, and service parts for your everyday car, American V8s or classic specials. ©Eurodragster.com Topspeed Automotive are also main agents for Valvoline Oil can offer any Eurodragster.com reader and drag racer deals on Valvoline Racing VR 1 20/50, from one litre of oil up to a 205-litre drum, and can deliver the drums carriage-free anywhere in mainland UK. Either call the shop on 01932 341700, visit them at 17-19 The Broadway, New Haw, Surrey KT15 3EU, or contact them via the web site at www.topspeedparts.co.uk. Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator would also like to thank those Associate Sponsors who have renewed for the 2010 season: B&H Automotive, LA Racing Parts, Powerpoint Communications, RPM magazine, Wright Guards Security and Custom Car magazine. Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator are at present working on attracting further sponsorship to the class for 2010 and into the future. If you are interested in sponsoring or otherwise supporting the class then you can get in touch via their official web site at www.streeteliminator.com. Swift snippets. 2nd February: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com (below left) came with the words "Is that a spy shot or what?". 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. 
Many thanks to Lizz McCarthy for sending us a picture of the 2009 ACU UK Drag Bike Champions with their trophies at last week's ACU Championship presentation evening (above right, click on picture for large version). Congratulations again on their Championships to Steve Woollatt (Top Fuel Bike), Kev Charman (Funny Bike), Dave Beck (Pro Stock Bike), Ivan Birch (Comp Bike) and Rich Stubbins (Super Street Bike). An interview with Dutch Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com Blogger and joint webcam sponsor Lex Joon is to be broadcast this evening on internet radio site wforadio.com. The programme starts at midnight UK/01:00 European. Dave McKenzie has been in touch to remind us that the Supercharged Outlaws AGM and Trophy Presentation take place at the Himley Hotel in Dudley at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm respectively on Saturday 13th March 2010. Tickets are £25 and are strictly limited so please get yours booked from either Lee Gallimore or Dave. Rooms are also available at the Himley Hotel priced at £55 per double room including breakfast. For more information check out the Supercharged Outlaws web site at www.supercharged-outlaws.co.uk. Eurodragster.com Site Search sponsor Geof Hauser has been in touch to ask if anyone would be able to swap a double room for a twin room this weekend at the Park Inn in Northampton, the venue for the APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation. Geof tells us that his sons Jay and Scott are currently down to share a double room with all that implies and that, obviously, they would prefer a twin room. If you currently have a twin room booked at the Park Inn this Saturday but feel lucky enough that you might need a double, or if you would just like to help, then please call Geof on 01933 682500. Six out of eight ain't a bad start. 2nd February: The UK's Gary Kay tells us that the Pink Lady Funny Car, which will be driven in Super Pro ET this season by his daughter Jayne, had its first fire-up on alcohol at the weekend: Quick check, starter on and fire her up - nothing. Both switches on, coil clips off, forgot to connect the mag. Numpty! Try again. A good gulp of gas, fired straight away no issues. Now to try on methanol, filled the tank, started again, this time fed a bit of petrol to get the methanol up. No problem running on alky but only six cylinders firing, six and eight were cold, no fuel burning in those two cylinders. We removed the bank of plugs, warmed them up and fitted them in different cylinders and tried again. More of the same I left it running as I thought they just might come in with a little heat. It sounded good, a small fuel leak at the barrel valve and we need sealer on rocker gaskets, it's possibly running a little fat. I will sort the pills out when all eight are firing and go up a little on the timing - thirty two at the moment and thats by the rack of eye, so plenty to go at. We will try for all eight cylinders this weekend. Jayne was very excited and now can't wait. She was a little disappointed not to have sat in the car whilst it was running, there will be plenty of time for that and it will only happen with safety gear on. We are now only waiting for new clutch discs, belt guard and a few other safety items. I have posted a short video of the fire-up on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=es1QmUR1vR4. Once running we will put the body on and send another video. We are currently looking for transport, if you have anything suitable please get in touch via our web site at www.pinkladyracing.moonfruit.com. Speedgroup meeting reminder.
2nd February: Speedgroup is hosting a meeting in the Hertford Suite of the Park Inn Hotel
in Northampton on Saturday 6th February. The meeting starts at 12:00 noon and ends at approximately 4:00 pm,
and is open to teams active in and officials connected with the FIA and UEM European
Championships.
Topics include a review of 2009 and a look forward to 2010 and beyond. Don't miss this opportunity to find out what is going on and to take part in shaping the future of drag racing in Europe. ©Eurodragster.com If you wish to attend then please register by sending an E-Mail to Speedgroup Co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar at asa.kinnemar@speedgroup.eu or call +46 705 315 332. You must register to be able to attend and the deadline for registration is this Thursday (4th). An agenda will be E-Mailed to those registered. You can read more about Speedgroup at www.speedgroup.eu. Web site updates. 2nd February: UK Wild Bunch racer Phil Sweeney has launched a web site at www.sweeneydragracing.com. The site features Blog, gallery, racing history (Good to see that Phil saw the light after a shaky start - Ed), achievements and more. ©Eurodragster.com British Drag Racing Hall of Fame 2010. 
1st February: The British Drag
Racing Hall Of Fame continues into its fifth successful year with five new members. Nominees are eligible by
dint of having raced, owned, designed, built, maintained, prepared, promoted, officiated, supported or
taken part in British drag racing in any capacity, having been involved for at least twenty years or having made
a significant and recognisable contribution to the sport.
The 2010 inductees to the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame are: Peter and Erica Bartlett: Peter Bartlett's part in British drag racing history goes back to 1960 when he was a member of the Highwaymen Hot Rod Club. He raced his 1957 Chevy at the 1964 Big Go and later that year push-started the American dragsters at the Dragfests. Peter became the first Treasurer of the British Hot Rod Association and later the British Drag Racing and Hot Rod Association. He was was joined in 1970 by his wife Erica who worked from home as General Secretary until 1980 when they both retired. Harold Bull: "King" Harold Bull built his well known Mini-engined Stripduster slingshot in 1965 and developed it over the next seven years adding nitro, injection, supercharger, direct drive and a longer frame and the times went from mid-sixteens at eighty miles per hour to low nines at over one hundred and fifty miles per hour. When Harold retired in 1974 he had won more than forty trophies and had broken several world and strip records in England, Germany and Sweden. Geof Hauser: Geof Hauser first visited Santa Pod in 1969. By the mid 1970s he was working on Clive Skilton's Fuel cars. Later, together with his then-wife Sylvia Geof fielded a Production Dodge Challenger, the ex-Paul Rossi Dodge which achieved many wins in Top Modified and Super Gas. Geof founded Hauser Race Cars in 1983 and raced in Super Gas then moved up to Pro Mod using a 500-inch Mopar engine. He recorded the first seven-second ET by a British doorslamer in the UK. Geof was also heavily involved in introducing the Junior Dragster class to the UK. Al O'Connor: After racing his Rocky ll Ford Zephyr for four years Al O'Connor débuted his Chevy-powered Pop Al's Gasser in 1974 and it was an instant crowd favorite with its wild runs and wheels-up launches, taking many wins. After a crash in 1978 a new, lower and quicker Al's Gasser appeared and raced successfully in Super Gas in the 1980s including a year touring the States. The Gasser is still entertaining the crowds to this day. Krister Johansson (overseas member): Sweden's Krister Johansson first visited Santa Pod in 1972 with a Street Dodge and went home with a trophy. In 1977 he moved up to Pro Comp with an injected-nitro Dragster and took many wins including the European Championship in 1979, and he was also the first European Pro Comp racer to record a six-second pass. In 1982 he switched to blown-alcohol and took the win at the 1989 Supernationals. After a long lay-off Krister returned in 2003 again running injected-nitro and at the 2006 FIA European Finals set a speed record of 262.79 mph. ©Eurodragster.com 
Members of the Hall of Fame receive a 'Bootsie', a trophy encapsulating an image of the late Allan 'Bootsie'
Herridge, a man who put so much into British drag racing, together with an exclusive commemorative pin. They
join the élite list of inductees from previous years and will be listed with fuller
biographies on the official British Drag Racing Hall of Fame web site which you can view by
clicking here or by clicking on the British
Hall of Fame link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. It is also planned that the Hall of Fame
will have its own section in a racing museum. The Hall of Fame trophies will be presented at the joint APIRA/SPRC
Dinner Dance this coming Saturday.
The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame is sponsored by USAutomotive, Santa Pod Raceway, Shakespeare County Raceway, Pennine Drag Racing Club/York Raceway, Avon Park International Racers Association, Santa Pod Racers Club, Power Race Graphics and Eurodragster.com. Trophy picture courtesy and ©Ian Messenger Swift snippets. 1st February: The UK's Team Gridlock are pleased to announce sponsorship from Artel Motor Sports who are providing the silicon and fluoro-silicone hoses and clips for their new Go Hard or Go Home Comp Altered which will make its début at Race Retro in March. "Check out Artel's web site at www.artelmotorsport.co.uk for more information on their range", says Dexter Price. "If you are in need of hose then chat to Ollie and tell him the Gridlock guys sent you!" ©Eurodragster.com If you are going to the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation this Saturday (6th) then please remember that presentations start at 6:30 pm, so please be in your seats for that time. It would also be appreciated if the noise could be kept down during the presentations as a courtesy both to the trophy winners and to MCs Barry Bohannon and Darryl Bradford. Go international? YNot! 
1st February: 2009 Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Dragster Series runners-up
YNot Racing are
teaming up with a German Crew Chief for an international exchange of drag racing knowledge between the two teams.
Gittli Koller, who has seventeen years in the sport most recently with Peter Schöfer Racing, will join Jim Whiteley, Norm
Grimes and the YNot Racing crew as a consultant on the blown-alcohol car early in the 2010 season. "We see this as a
real opportunity to exchange information between race teams and countries", says YNot Crew Chief Norm Grimes.
Gittli brings an impressive resumé to YNot Racing. She started in drag racing in 1993 at the street-legal and Super Comp levels. Her last ten years have been spent analysing data and suggesting set-ups to the Chief Mechanic of Peter Schöfer Racing. PSR had a notable track record as FIA European Top Methanol Dragster Champions in 2002 and 2008, runner-ups in 2003, 2004, and 2006, and third place in 2005 and 2007. "It has always been a dream of mine to race in the States", says Gittli, "and I am very pleased that YNot Racing is giving me the opportunity to join the team for a race". Gittli will join the YNot crew for the Pacific Division opener at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, with a variety of other races to follow. YNot has not released its full 2010 schedule, but the team's first 2010 appearance will be at the 50th Anniversary Winternationals at Pomona on 11th-14th February. YNot Racing driver Jim Whiteley again pedals the Lucas Oil dragster in 2010 after consecutive second place finishes in 2008 and 2009. ©Eurodragster.com Web site updates. 1st February: The official web site of race car builder ME Racing Service has had a makeover. Lars Göran Eriksson tells us that the site is still under construction but there is already plenty to see with information about Mats Eriksson's racing history, services on offer, pictures of customer cars, a page about Mats' Championship-holding Green Goblin Pro Mod and more. Check it out at www.meracing.com. ©Eurodragster.com Earlier news |
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