Easter Thunderball racer update. 31st March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding us the provisional running orders for this weekend's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out the running orders by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Please note that as ever the running orders are provisional and subject to change due to weather or track conditions or for any other reason deemed necessary by race officials. ©Eurodragster.com Paula adds that Santa Pod Raceway's gates open at 3:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday 1st). Signing on is open between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm tomorrow and then reopens at 7:00 am on Friday. Scrutineering opens at 3:00 pm tomorrow for cars, and at 4:30 pm tomorrow for bikes. Eurodragster.com sponsor Furlong Tyres is to sponsor Super Street Bike at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. "We are putting up £100 cash for the winner and £50 for the runner-up", says Fred Furlong. "The rear tyre must be a Michelin Power One, MT MCR2 or Shinko Ultra Soft. Furlong Tyres decals on the bike please." White ready and waiting. 31st March: UK Pro Mod racer Ray White is ready and waiting for this weekend's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway. His wild Lethal Z blown-alcohol Zephyr is likewise ready to go and is already loaded up: ©Eurodragster.com We have made a few small changes to the car. Graphics by Riart, front wheels, carbon bonnet, new clutch, and the new crew - the dream team - are all ready. I would also like to welcome Steve Mac onto the team for the 2010 tour. A bit of sad news is that Big Steve Dowler won't be at Santa Pod this weekend. He has just come out of hospital but will be supporting us via the internet. Get well soon Steve. I would like to say a very big Thank You to Graham Ellis for supplying the clutch and for the use of one of his many Brad 6s for the 2010 tour. See you all at the track. The three sisters. 31st March: The Netherlands' Rybo-Dragracing Team is set for the season 2010 and is pretty unique in that the team is made up of three sisters: ©Eurodragster.com First we have Danique, who ended second in the Dutch Championship in 2009. She is now going to ride a Funny Bike. This year she will ride only in The Netherlands so that she can get a feel for the bike and next year she will do the European Tour. Second we have Cyrilla who has swapped a Junior Drag Bike for a Junior Dragster this season. We hope she likes four weels! Cirylla will only race in The Netherlands this season. Third is Chanice, who stopped drag racing because she wanted to carry on with another sport. She is staying with the team to help her sisters. Our sponsors for this year are Sunoco Race Fuels and Rybo Autorestyling. Central European update. 31st March: March has seen some encouraging developments around the central European region, not least by the establishment of a Central European Championship, writes Paul Fischer of Cedrag.com: Although the end result is much smaller than we'd all hoped at the outset of the project, it is real and it does visit the three participating countries. It was always a bridge too far to get the north/south divide to agree a racing format, the north (Hungary, Slovakia, Romania) all run heads-up classes based upon technical specifications where the Adria countries (former Yugoslavia) are strictly into index/fixed time break-out classes. It was a little sad that Poland decided not to join the Championship, particularly in view of their classes being very similar to those used in Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. Nevertheless, we will take the positives and declare that the seven so-called 'Profi' classes will run three events to decide the Central European Drag Racing Championship. The events comprising the Championship will be run on 12th June at Kiskunlacháza, Hungary; 3rd July at Satu Mare, Romania; and 31st July at Trenčín, Slovakia. It's a modest start, but it is a start. Cedrag.com will support the series in terms of event reports and we will pass those to our web portal partners which, of course, is led by the folks here at Eurodragster.com. An exciting move has been made by the Big Dogs group who, together, comprise all the biggest, quickest and best drag cars in the region. They also have three events in the calendar where they hope to demonstrate to central European race fans just what a big V8 looks and sounds like. The Big Dogs crew include supercharged, turbocharged and ten litre mountain motor machines which race to a league format. This means that all the cars run every round as they seek to collect points to climb the league table in much the same way as football clubs do. This was contrived in order that spectators can see all the cars run on several occasions, unlike in elimination ladders where half the cars are put on the trailer after each round. If you want to see the best in the region, these guys will be racing on 9th May at Meidl airport in NW Hungary, 5th-6th June at Osijek, eastern Croatia and again at Meidl for the annual American V8 cars cup event over the weekend of 24th-25th July. The first event of the 2010 season has already been run, as usual it was the folks at www.dragracing.hu who got us up and running with the season opener last weekend at the Kiskunlachaza track near Budapest. Top performer Sandor Vogelsinger brought his two-litre turbo Honda Civic, ran into the nine-second zone and won his Profi class. The Civic is now in the colours of Petronas and that company's name is written in large letters on both sides of the car. We have yet to find out the details of the deal between Sandor and Petronas but we do know that at least one other racer will benefit from a similar deal. It's good to see some kind of sponsorship going on. One new car will be a noteworthy addition to the ranks of top racers. An Austrian car builder who goes unde rthe name of Mexx has nearly completed a super-lightweight VW Karmann Ghia. Sporting a three-litre air cooled engine which will be extra-motivated with nitrous oxide, the car reckons to achieve about five hundred horsepower according to its owner. When you see the car, which was completely home built, and see how beautifully it is put together, you will also see that weight is the key factor in its design. Everything has been done to reduce weight and it is this aspect that Mexx hopes it will propel him into the nines. He told us that an earlier Karmann Ghia he'd built was much heavier (relatively) and had less power but he still got it down to 11.2 seconds. This one is certainly worth a look. Mexx has put together a web site which chronicles his build as it progressed; you can find it at mexxspeed.blogspot.com. The Central European event calendar is still taking shape but already has sixty two events in the list with a few more still to be confirmed. You can check out the calendar and get all the latest regional news by visiting www.cedrag.com. ©Eurodragster.com Shakespeare County season opens. 31st March: In addition to the racing this weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway is offering its season-opening Public Track Day Test and Tune to drivers and riders on Sunday and Monday. The National Sprint Association will be opening their Southern Championship account with the prospect of forty bikes entering ranging from nostalgia to modern day street bikes. On the car front the National Street Car Challenge swings into life on the racing side of this fun series after Good Friday's show and shine events at Wheels Day and the Riversway Cruise. Organiser Shaun Wilson is predicting a bumper turnout of street cars all breaking cover from their winter hideaways this weekend. Current NSCC title holder Phil Winstanley with the seriously quick A-Series powered Morris Minor will have a new combination of engine and transmission following his head gasket issues at the close of last year, whilst runner-up John Payne will probably not have even lifted the hood on his Mustang GT Convertible and will be once again proving that it's reliability throughout the season which is the key to his success! There are some new exciting cars for this year. So one thing you can be sure of, it'll be an Easter points bonanza this weekend! Riders entering Phil Steele's 2010 Twins Cup will get their first attack on the quarter mile along with Test & Tune sessions for new riders entering the C&C Medical Services Junior Drag Bike class, Kawasaki Triple Challenge as well as the Pro Street Drag Series for Japanese and European Imports. The track will be prepared as usual and will be open from Sunday morning for all-day RWYB. Let's hope that you've brung enough to enter Monday's traditional season opening Street Car Challenge and Trophy Bike Dash. All you need is a driving licence and a crash helmet which is mandatory at all SCR events this year. Remember: no helmet - no race! ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 31st March: More thanks to Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 2 of the official entry list for Big Bang, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-25th April. Click here to check out the Big Bang entry list, or click on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Entry to Big Bang closes this Friday, 2nd April; you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Still more thanks to Paula Marshall for forwarding the final, final version of the the official entry list for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball which includes a reinstatement after a cancellation, class moves and other changes. You can check out the final Easter Thunderball entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. ©Eurodragster.com Dutch Pro Mod racer Robert Joosten and the Pro Dutch team are in the USA to pick up Robert's new blown-alcohol 1970½ Pro Mod built by G-Force Race Cars. Robert plans to test in the US and will then ship the car to Europe in time for the FIA European Championship. Although our American Car Imports-sponsored Event Coverage of the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball commences on Friday morning, the Webster Race Engineering/Nimbus Motorsport webcam will be switched on during tomorrow morning (Thursday) and will then broadcast a picture every sixty seconds until the track closes on Monday. You can access the webcam at www.eurodragster.com/webcam or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. MS awareness through drag racing. 31st March: UK Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Karen Aston writes that UK drag racing and support for Multiple Sclerosis will be the subject of a feature on Transworld Sport which is to be broadcast on Sky Sports' satellite and cable channels over the next few days. The team were filmed in action testing at Santa Pod Raceway including the recent Webster Race Engineering Test Day. "The Team Edge crew are all excited to be able to help promote UK drag racing on a global level while raising awareness about Multiple Sclerosis through TV", says Karen, "thanks to Trans World Sport on this occasion. We hope that you enjoy the feature and that it brings back some good memories." Transworld Sport is scheduled to be broadcast as follows: ©Eurodragster.com Sky Sports 4, 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm today (Wednesday 31st) Sky Sports 3 and Sky Sports 3 HD, 1:30 am tomorrow (Thursday 1st) Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD, 8:00 am tomorrow (Thursday 1st) Sky Sports 3 and Sky Sports 3 HD, 1:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday 1st) Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD, 3:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday 1st) Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD, 2:00 pm Friday 2nd April Sky Sports 4, 6:00 am Saturday 3rd April Satellite and cable channels are particularly prone to last-minute schedule changes so keep an eye on your Electronic Programme Guide. Further TV, newspaper, magazine and radio features are all underway and Karen says that Team Edge will keep us posted. Additional information is also available under MS Fundraising News at Karen's web site at www.kazaston.com. Support will also come from Team Edge, from Nitro FM broadcasting at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, and on Santa Pod Raceway's web site. PMR: It was all due yesterday. 31st March: The UK's Paul Marston Racing have been facing their toughest start to the season for a long time as a combination of circumstances have conspired against them. Paul Marston takes up the story: Initially the plan was just to do some housekeeping with the PT Bruiser, Grumpy's Dodge and the PiranaZ Dragster. The Bruiser passed without incident. But whilst Grumpys Dodge was at Fester Race Cars, Bill Felstead discovered that the Powerglide transmission was damaged - this was just ten days ago so we had to act fast to find a replacement. On top of that we had to find what had damaged the transmission as it was brand new from Al O'Connor and had only five passes on it. I might add that there was never any question that the problem was in any way down to Al, who builds simply the very best Powerglide race transmissions. All this delayed Grumpys Dodge from leaving Fester Race Cars, plus DP Paints took longer than expected to paint Grumpy's bonnet. Due to its age the paintwork on the front of the Dodge was proving very difficult to match. I collected Grumpy last Tuesday and started to re-assemble the gutted race car, detailing, cleaning, painting and rewiring, then returned her to Fester Race Cars for some final fitting on Friday. On Saturday I trailered Grumpy over to Drag Race Engineering where Gary Springford and I went over her to confirm that the chassis had not been a contributing factor to the transmission failure. Grumpy had broken her mid plate and transmission at the 2009 European Finals but once refitted for the UK National Finals appeared to suffer major transmission failure again. We just had to be sure, so spent the whole day checking her over. To be safe, Gary moved one mid mount a quarter of an inch back, and an extra cross member was added to stiffen the chassis for insurance. It is safe to say that the failure was most probably caused when the mid plate failed but just was not apparent. Corky Markwart from ART in Florida has dispatched a heavy duty rear anti roll bar, which was already scheduled to be fitted prior to the FIA Main Event. All of this takes time and it was only through UK National Pro ET Champion and driver of Grumpy's Dodge Mick Howling and I working all through Sunday that Grumpy now has a chance of being ready for the Easter Thunderball. It really has been touch and go, it's that close. Chances are the last bits and pieces will not be finished until tonight. It has been a real team effort. ©Eurodragster.com In addition the DVLA decided that Ugly, the oldest Winnebago in Town circa 1974, now needed to be re-registered as there was a paperwork problem. Now Ugly left America in 1974 so has been here quite a while and it needs to be done now? Well if the new log book is not issued by yesterday then it cannot go back on the road until next week. I have been dealing with this for eighteen months now and have made more than a few trips, attended inspections etc. In addition the new suspension ordered for the Winnebago has yet to arrive; it was also promised for yesterday. Oh and did I also mention that the new radiator for Grumpys Dodge was also promised for delivery for Tuesday as well as my new shop front. As for the PiranaZ dragster, that is due to be started today for the for the first time since last October. So when the going gets tough the tough get going, see you all at Easter. Many thanks to all our associates, partners, sponsors and fans who keep the faith; to the hardest working crew around, the guys and gals on the Paul Marston Racing crew; special Thanks to Gary Springford at DRE for all the help at short notice. We're looking forward to seeing the guys at Nitro FM, looks like it may be a long weekend! Extra special thanks to the Togmeister, you are one in a million buddy (Oh I say, thanks - Ed). MSA Championship DVD available. 31st March: The official 2009 MSA Pro Mod Championship DVD is now in stock and available from Santa Pod Raceway. The 2009 DVD is one hour and fifty two minutes long and features all the action from the 2009 MSA British Drag Racing Championship with the fastest and best Pro Mods from the whole of Europe. Contested over five rounds at Santa Pod Raceway, the series opens with the Easter Thunderball and then goes on to feature the full, never before seen, eliminations from both the FIA Main Event and FIA European Finals. There is of course also full coverage of the SPRC Summernationals and UK National Finals. With huge fields, spills galore and the first-ever five-second Pro Mod run in Europe, this the fastest and most explosive Pro Mod action ever filmed in the UK! With full multi-camera production, in-car footage, driver interviews and in-depth features, this DVD is a must for the serious drag race fan. The DVD costs £14.95 and is available to order on-line at www.santapodshop.com (code SPV46) or by phone on 01234 782828 ©Eurodragster.com Ally Blue. 31st March: Sam Eidy of Michigan engine builder Booth Arons has been a complete Ally project addict since his company first became involved in the restoration of Europe's oldest dragster, the 1961 Allard Chrysler built by Sydney Allard, writes Brian Taylor: Shortly after Booth-Arons was appointed the official engine builders for the project, and between locating and chasing down parts suppliers, Sam found himself doodling out some lyrics about the car to the tune of Alley Oop. Although originally written for a comic strip of the same name by Dallas Frazier who recorded it in 1957, the Alley Oop version by the Hollywood Argyles in 1960 is probably the most well known because it made Number 1 in the Billboard Hot 100. But it has also been recorded by other artists such as the Beach Boys and George Thorougood and is familiar to most rock music fans of a certain age. Sam E-Mailed his new lyrics to others involved with the restoration to get comments and Project 1320 Chairman Traci Hrudka, Co-Patron of the Allard Chrysler Action Group, sent them on to her guitar playing friend Ked (the Polar Bear) Dieter in Canada whose song Thunder in the Distance by KED and Big Blue Hammer was and still is being used on the Project 1320 website. Ked is also Vice President of Mixposure's MixStreamRadio. A rocker through and through, Ked normally plays a 95 Gibson LesPaul guitar. An avid guitar hot-rodder, and a pro level luthier and guitar technician, he has another ten guitars in his collection, including a unique replica of a Gibson Flying V solid guitar. Being a drag racing and stock car fan he was immediately hooked by the restoration project and by Sam's lyrics. He made contact with Sam and they set about re-working the lyrics, melody and arrangement so there would be no copyright infringements, and laid down a new version of the song that featured Ked's rocking guitar and vocals plus a Beach Boy styled harmony by Mack Sanders. Ked produced the work and played all the other instruments. This was E-Mailed around interested parties, including ACAG Co-Patron Nick Mason, who added their own suggestions about the arrangement and mix, resulting in the final version including sounds of the Allard Chrysler recorded in 1964 at Blackbushe in England, plus the voices of Gerry Belton, Sydney Allard and Tommy Ivo recorded at the same meeting. Hence Ally Blue a unique piece of music about Ally that can be used by the ACAG for promotional purposes to help raise funds. It currently features on the ACAG web site at www.allardchrysler.org and will be used in electronic press release activity. Not only that, it is now available as a download direct from www.kedrecords.com or via a link from the ACAG web site. A PayPal facility is available and half the download fee of 99 cents (US) goes to the Allard Chrysler dragster restoration fund. The song's lyrics are also laid out in detail. At the moment Ked is repainting his replica Flying V in Allard Chrysler colours, as an extra tribute to Sydney Allard and his important role in spreading drag racing across the Atlantic. It will be called the Allard 58. If there is enough interest, arrangements will be made regarding licensing Ked to produce the guitar for resale using the Allard brand, with profits going towards the restoration fund. We'll publish photos when it has been completed. ©Eurodragster.com Santa Pod goes All American. 31st March: If your idea of proper transport involves acres of chrome, a displacement measured in cubic inches and plenty of cylinders, then you'll love the All American Show at Santa Pod Raceway on 1st-2nd May. For one weekend, the Northamptonshire countryside echoes to the blissful sound of big block Hemis and flathead Fords, as the cream of the UK's American cars and their enthusiastic owners descend on the venue for a weekend of racing, dancing, and fun! Although it's a Yank-lovers' paradise, the event is for all genres of custom, classic and retro car and bike owners, so whether you're running a Chevy or a Chevette, you'll be made very welcome. Precious metal from both sides of the Pond is welcome with Run What You Brung sessions all weekend to allow pub arguments on who can out-drag who to be finally settled. Just bring your driving licence - and if you'll be travelling faster than 110 mph a crash helmet - and tear up the world-famous quarter mile! This year, the 'Pod is also allowing passengers carrying a valid UK licence to ride shotgun in any car that will have them. Weekend tickets even include entry to the additional RWYB event on Monday 3rd! As a part of the RWYB competition we will be running a shootout for the top sixteen cars from the Street Legal Car classes (A-H, see web site for class details). The cars with the sixteen quickest times up until midday on Sunday will be entered into a sixteen-car eliminations ladder. Eliminations will commence at 1:00 pm and there is a cool £500 cash prize for the eventual winner and £250 for the runner up! A leader board for cars that have qualified for the shootout will be displayed at the signing-on office throughout the weekend so keep an eye out to see if you have made the cut! The Mopar Muscle Association Power Tour will also be flexing its muscles on the strip, with these powerful RWD machines looking to make the most consistently quick runs to win. Nostalgia fans will also love the sight of classic slingshot and classic dragster old timers tearing up the quarter, rather than gracing a museum somewhere. It's not just about V8 grudge matches on the strip however, with a full programme of live bands with suitable transatlantic rock-and-roll set-lists to provide the perfect soundtrack for those who prefer their music not to come from a set of headers! The ticket price also includes entry to the Monster Truck Nationals 1st May, where you can witness the incredible sight of these car-crushing monsters racing each other and performing stunts which truly defy the laws of physics. The Live Action arena also hosts the ever-popular Burnout Competition, where anybody with a heavy right foot and a spare set of tyres can become a hero for the day… There's a hotly contested Show and Shine on the Sunday to satisfy the most ardent of polishers, and with the Top 10 trophies, open to the entire spectrum of two- and four-wheeled Yank ownership, there's no excuse for not breaking out the Autoglym! There's free camping of course, with an RV area for those lucky souls who are really living the American Dream, fun fair rides to keep the kids (both young and old) happy, and a mobile dyno just in case you didn't get the result you wanted on the quarter! Best of all, under-sixteens get in free and clubs are extremely welcome, with discount structures in place for groups turning up en masse and a huge designated club area on tarmac to allow you all to park up in formation. What are you waiting for? See you there! For more information visit www.allamericanshow.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Meet Malta's fastest man. 30th March: Malta's current fastest racer, Top Alcohol Dragster racer Oliver Azzopardi of Smart Racing, plans to go still faster in 2010. Oliver is married to "Very patient and supportive" wife Julie and has two sons. He has been part of the Malta racing scene for more than half of his life. He started competing in hill climbs in a self-built space-frame Mini which his brother Edmond helped him to develop. After seven years of racing the Mini, a new challenge was needed which came in the form of a seriously quick all carbon-fibre F3 car which Oliver raced in the Maltese Championships for three years. At the same time, Edmond was building a Lotus Sunbeam to drag race. As the two brothers worked together to complete the car Oliver was drawn into this type of motorsport. He became a regular spectator at Hal-Far Raceway, and a decision was made to commit himself completely to drag racing. Never one to do anything in half measures, Oliver started to look for a suitable car in the USA. In 2007 he found what he was looking for: a Top Alcohol Dragster which was then running in the top ten of the NHRA Championship. Driven by Jason Cannon, it had already run a 5.38/265 mph pass. That same year, Oliver attended the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School in Florida, USA and got his Top Alcohol licence. ©Eurodragster.com The car was shipped to Malta and the following year was spent stripping, checking and rebuilding it in preparation for testing and racing in 2009. It was a highly-successful year of tests and races culminating at the last event of the year at Hal-Far Raceway when the team raced and beat the Borg Brothers' Top Alcohol Dragster. 2010 will be another year of testing and racing in Malta before going to Santa Pod Raceway in 2011 to race in international competition. Smart Racing is privately-funded by Oliver, and his loyal crew includes brother Edmond, who as Crew Chief is responsible for car set-up and fuel systems, with John Cassar and Kenneth Galea taking care of the engine. When not racing, Oliver is kept busy running the family butcher business which his father started. The Raging Bull graphics on the side of the car symbolise both the business and Oliver's determination to succeed as a Top Alcohol Dragster racer. Editor's note: Many thanks to Simon Giordmaina for his help with this news item. Nicholson out, not out at Thunderball. 30th March: UK Pro Modified racer Wayne Nicholson has announced that the Lucky Devil Racing team have had to withdraw from this weekend's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway. ©Eurodragster.com "This weekend was make or break for us to get the car and our new race rig ready", says Wayne. "We still have far too much to do and I don't have any time available before the weekend. This winter has been extremeley busy, changing from the race support vehicles we had to what we have now. I have spent countless hours along with my Crew Chief Dennis, but we probably took on too much for the time available. I would rather be ready for a race, so the FIA Main Event will now be our first outing this year. It hurts to say it but thats how it is. "A very big Thank You must go to Dennis for his constant help, Stacey his wife for putting up with him helping out, and of course my family Belinda, Gareth and Joe for all their help and encouragement. Good luck to the Pro Mod guys at Easter, let's look for some PBs." Beck adds major sponsor. 30th March: With the new season almost upon us, multiple ACU UK Pro Stock Bike Champion, European record holder and Eurodragster.com Blogger Dave Beck is pleased to announce another major sponsor for the TVR Power Pro Stock Bike team. Long-time team member Stephen Moon has stepped up with financial support through his business Stephen Moon Consulting, which specialises in coaching and consulting for major businesses and their key executives. "Stephen has been a long time supporter of mine and has crewed for me both on the Pro Stocker and in the US with the old Pro Mod", says Dave "I'm delighted that as well as bringing more support to the team in this very important year, he will continue to help me at the key meetings, as we look to take on the best of the best." ©Eurodragster.com Helping Dave to contest the UEM European Championship events was the major driver for the new deal, as Stephen explains. "I've worked with Dave for a number of years and have always been impressed by his approach to racing", he says. "With a European campaign coming up, I know that this is a major financial commitment for Dave, even with the backing he has gained from Dom at TVR Power and the continued support of his existing sponsors. I want him to be out there at UEM events confidently looking for the win, so putting a deal forward wasn't a difficult decision." "I'm very grateful to all my sponsors and it's great to welcome another on board", adds Dave. "We believe we can go out there and mix it up with the best of them. We announced what we were capable of at the European Finals last year and there is more to come." Dave wishes to thank TVR Power, MTC Engineering, Stephen Moon Consulting, Ward Performance, PR Factory Store, Nimbus Motorsports, Motorshack, Worldwide Bearings and Steve Howe & Sons. More hungry than ever! 30th March: To win any FIA motorsport title is a major achievement, to win two back-to-back is incredible, but three in a row firmly cements your place in history! This is the goal of four-time and reigning FIA European Top Fuel Champion Andy Carter and the Carter Motorsport / Andersen Racing / Lucas Oil Top Fuel Team. Despite the incredible record of Andy's Crew Chiefs Karsten Andersen and Pers Andersen in drag racing's pinnacle class Andy, Karsten, Per and the whole team are as hungry as ever. Anyone who wants this Championship will need a good car, great team, great driver and new parts and will need to race them for it. "I'm pleased to see the return of Urs Erbacher to the European series", said Andy Carter. "Urs is a great racer and I'm sure he and all the other teams will be doing their best to win the Championship, it's great that yet again we will have full fields at every event making qualifying important.'' Carter Motorsport are delighted that they will be backed once more by US oil giants Lucas Oil. The partnership has enjoyed huge success and the team will once more be looking to promote the brand to as wide an audience as possible. Part of this commitment will see the team continue their heavy 2010 schedule at this weekend's Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod, where the team will have a stand displaying Lucas Oil products, information on all of their associate sponsors, Santa Pod calendars, Andy's hero cards and more! You can see a full list of race and show dates on the team's web site at www.andycarter.net. As well as Lucas Oil, Carter Motorsport / Andersen Racing would like to thank their official partners for the 2010 season: Landmeco, Impact Race Products, NGK Spark Plugs, Binamic, Pioneer Print, K&N Filters, Yuasa Batteries, BMRS, Sigma Signs, Rainbow Conference Sets, 3T Creative, Norfolkline Ferries, RCS Cables, Teng Tools, CAAR, Autotel, Jerrys, USA Autodele, AACI, Ultimate Airbrush, ZIP Karts, GPR, Else-Marie, Teslak Transport, DOL-sensors, ABC-skilte, Motovario Scandinavia and Veidec. Andy and the whole crew would like to wish team member Stu Bradbury a Top Fuel recovery. "Get well soon Stu, we're thinking of you!", they say. The team look forward to seeing everyone at the track. ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 30th March: Yet more on the Impact saga as UK Top Methanol Dragster racer Lindsay Deuchar writes that having spoken to SFI Foundation President Arnie Kuhns he has confirmed that Impact crash helmets with an integral headsock can be used so long as an SFI-certified head sock from another manufacturer is worn under the helmet. See below for the latest word from the SFI Foundation. Björn Eskelund writes that Sweden's Safety Group fire and rescue organisation has recently joined forces with Extrication Team Sweden. "Extrication Team Sweden was formed in 2006 and is the only FIA-certified extrication team in Sweden", says Björn. "The team consists of well-experienced members, all with a background in circuit racing rescue teams. Safety Group is looking forward to our co-operation and we are convinced this will create a safer environment for participants at all race tracks." ©Eurodragster.com Chris Blows says that although there is no date for the competitive début of the Nobby Hills Racing Fuel FC as the team is still seeking funds, there is news of another début for the team. "We will be attending the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show in June", says Chris. "Not only will the Funny Car be there, but Nobby is busy rebuilding Houndog 1, the Jag-engined car which started the Houndog tale in the early 1960s, and it is expected that this rebuild will be completed in time for the car to be shown at Xtreme Wheels alongside its newer sibling. Further details and plans for the show will appear on our web site at www.nhracing.com as we get nearer to the Show." Paul Watson tells us that there was another successful DSD Drag School at Santa Pod on Saturday. "Six people attended", says Paul. "They spent the day with classroom and track tuition. I would like to say a big Thank You to Darren Prentice and Santa Pod Raceway who have helped since the beginning with excellent facilities and back-up. Thank You also to Tog for the kind words (You're welcome - Ed)." SFI update on Impact decertification. 30th March: On Friday, March 26, 2010, SFI filed suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana against Impact Racing, LLC, based upon evidence SFI has received regarding Impact's manufacture and use of counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches. Such actions by a manufacturer directly violate its obligations to the SFI program. SFI took similar action when it joined in Hans Performance Products' lawsuit against Impact due to Impact's manufacture and use of counterfeit Hans helmet clips. In that case, Impact counterfeited the clips and inscribed an SFI rating on the clips without SFI knowledge or approval. As in the Hans clip case, SFI is asking for another Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction against Impact. SFI is also seeking monetary damages. Please see SFI's web posting of March 26, 2010 for more details on the basis for SFI's position. At this time we do not know the exact extent of these counterfeiting activities, but through the litigation process we hope to learn all the details. During the years that Impact was using the counterfeit labeling, it was also obtaining authentic patches and labels from SFI. At this time SFI does not know how many products have counterfeit labels and patches and which ones have authentic labels and patches. Therefore, it was unfortunately necessary to decertify all the products manufactured by Impact pursuant to SFI specifications 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1 and 16.5. Please note that Impact helmets are not affected by this decertification. It is important to keep in mind that any such use of counterfeit labeling is in violation of the SFI specification programs. Whether it involves counterfeit helmet clips or counterfeit labeling, such activities can undermine the integrity of the product ratings system that exists in motorsports. This system depends upon trust. If this system is damaged, all of motorsports can suffer the consequences. Manufacturers that agree to the SFI specification programs must meet rigorous and strict requirements. Those stringent standards are in place first and foremost to promote safety and product reliability. Racers and sanctioning bodies must have confidence in a manufacturer's representation that its products are in compliance with SFI requirements. The conformance label is a manufacturer's solemn statement to the racing community that it followed the rules in bringing its product to the sport. When this trust is violated, the racing community suffers. The level playing field for other manufacturers becomes uneven. Sometimes the consequences of a breach of trust are severe and can hurt innocent victims. This is why it is so critical that manufacturers follow the ratings system at all times. SFI will continue to update the racing community as more information becomes available. ©Eurodragster.com Easter Thunderball Perfect Awards. 30th March: This weekend's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball is the first event in the 2010 Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards scheme. £150 is on offer for perfect performance. The Eurodragster.com/Speedflow Perfect Light Award starts at £50. The money will be awarded to the first racer this weekend to record a Reaction Time of 0.000 seconds. The Perfect Light Award is available all to racers in all classes during qualifying and eliminations, but will only be awarded for the first perfect light of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for Big Bang; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for Big Bang. The Perfect Light Award is presented in association with performance hose and fitting manufacturer Speedflow whose web site you can find at www.speedflow.co.uk. Although the Perfect Light Award goes to three places, we will not pay out for red lights with zeroes in the first three decimals since a foul is a foul however far in the first non-zero digit may be. So a reaction time of 0.0001 will win you the money (if you're first to do it), but a reaction time of -0.0001 will not. Decals are not formally required for the Perfect Light Award but of course we appreciate it: you can get Eurodragster.com decals at the track from any member of the Eurodragster.com staff. ©Eurodragster.com The Eurodragster.com/Gold RV Perfect ET Award starts at £50. The money will be awarded to the first racer this weekend to run to the thousandth on their dial-in or index during qualifying or eliminations. The Perfect ET Award is available this weekend in Super Pro ET, Pro ET, Sportsman ET, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Junior Dragster (eliminations only), 9.50 Bike, VW Pro, VW Sportsman, and the Wild Bunch but will only be awarded for the first Perfect Run of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for Big Bang; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for Big Bang. The Perfect ET Award is presented in association with RV sales and service specialists Gold RV whose web site you can find at www.goldrv.co.uk. To be eligible to collect the Perfect ET Award, racers are required to carry Eurodragster.com/Gold RV Perfect ET decals, one on each side of the vehicle. If you pull this weekend's first Perfect ET but are not carrying decals then there will be no discussion; we will not pay out and the next person to pull a Perfect ET will get the money assuming that they are carrying decals. The decals will be available from the Signing On office; please note that, as is usual with contingency schemes, racers are responsible for requesting or picking up decals when signing on. A list of required decals per class is always on display in the Signing On office. The Eurodragster.com/AFP Services Perfect Numbers Award is £50. The money will be awarded to the first Super Comp or Super Gas racer this weekend to run to the thousandth on their index, 8.900 or 9.900 as appropriate, during qualifying or eliminations. The winner's cheque, courtesy of AFP Services owner and managing director Richard Peel, can be collected from Ian Hart in the Fairhurst Racing Super Comp pit. The Eurodragster.com/AFP Services Perfect Numbers Award does not roll over; if not won then the £50 will next be available at the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway. The Perfect Numbers Award is presented in association with financial bureau AFP Services Ltd whose web site you can find at www.afpservices.co.uk. Decals are not formally required for the Perfect Numbers Award but of course we appreciate it: you can get Eurodragster.com decals at the track from any member of the Eurodragster.com staff. Web site updates. 30th March: The UK's Xtreme Wheels Racing team are launching a web site at 12:00 noon today (Tuesday). The web site at www.xtremewheelsracing.com, put together by Matt Glassup, features team information, lots of pictures past and present, car specifications, sponsorship information and more. Not only that, but the team also has a Blog at www.xtremewheelsracing.com/blog on which you can find out a bit more about the race team, their cars outside drag racing, events they are attending or promoting, and all the little things which they find interesting. "We hope people enjoy our Blog and would appreciate any comments or feedback", says Matt Glassup. "The two most recent posts on the Blog regard our running of the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association in 2010, which may be of interest to racers, and a pre season update and thank you. I would also like to thank Joshua Kimnell for the Flash work, Simon Cannon for his technical help, and Dan Welberry for the hosting and Blog set-up. ©Eurodragster.com Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog has updated his Fotopic site with his complete set of pictures from Saturday's Run What You Brung at Santa Pod Raceway, some of which were featured in Saturday's Event Coverage. You can check out Tog's pictures at eurodragster.fotopic.net or www.togsdragracing.com. Perfect Numbers with AFP Services. 29th March: Eurodragster.com and AFP Services are pleased to announce a new Perfect Award: the Eurodragster.com/AFP Services Perfect Numbers Award which will be available for the first time at this weekend's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway. The Eurodragster.com/AFP Services Perfect Numbers Award is £50 and will be awarded to the first racer in either Super Comp or Super Gas to hit their index perfectly to the thousandth of a second, 8.900 or 9.900. The Award will be available at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, FIA Main Event, SPRC Summernationals, FIA and UK National Finals at Santa Pod Raceway. AFP Services Ltd is a financial bureau providing expert advice and practical services to clients to give them more time to manage their businesses, while AFP take care of the administrative chores. AFP can fulfil functions for your business ranging from book keeping through to finance director roles in a highly cost-efficient manner. Whether you are just starting out or are long-established, AFP services can reduce the time and cost of your administrative requirements, allowing you time to get on with the business of running your business. AFP Services tailor their support and provision to the individual client's needs. Whatever your requirements, AFP services can provide you with a cost-effective, managed solution to your needs, saving you time and money, and allowing you the freedom to get on with what you do best. Richard Peel, owner and managing director of AFP Services, visits Santa Pod with his children throughout the season. "As a visitor, both watching and walking around the pits, you get a feel for how much time, effort and money goes into racing these cars", says Richard. "This award is just designed to recognise the commitment and understanding of the racers and to reward them for getting to grips with all the variables involved in producing a perfect run. The irony is that it is usually AFP who put everything together to deliver the 'Perfect Numbers'." You can find AFP Services' web site at www.afpservices.co.uk or call 0870 170 9690. We are very pleased and grateful that AFP Services have chosen to join their name to Eurodragster.com and we are sure that Super Comp and Super Gas racers will join us in saying a big Thank You to Richard Peel and to AFP Services for their support of the sport. More information including payout arrangements will be included in our regular Perfect Awards news item which will be posted tomorrow. UEM Funny Bike Cup details. 29th March: Many thanks to UEM Drag Racing Co-ordinator Palle Lind who has sent details of the 2010 UEM Funny Bike Cup: In 2008 the UEM devised a set of technical and Championship rules for Funny Bike, and you may be aware that the decision was taken to make the Top Fuel Bike rules nitromethane fuel-specific. With the support of Trakbak Racing we are able to confirm details of the proposed UEM Cup for Funny Bikes. Jurisdiction: The events will be held in accordance with UEM regulations (RR12), UEM Sporting, Disciplinary and Arbitration Code and the Supplementary Regulations. Licensing requirements: As per RR12 Riders must be in possession of a valid license issued by their own Federation and a UEM Promo Sport licence (one year or one event) or from another CONU or an FIM International licence, all provided by the riders FMN. Please note that this is not a UEM Championship license and is a more affordable option. Technical requirements: As per RR12 Official name: TBA Registration fee: None Event entry fee: €260 Minimum prize levels: Each qualified rider for the race €200; Each winning round in the race €150. Travel monies: The Organiser will pay an additional minimum of €200 in travel compensation for foreigner competitors (riders who do not hold a license in the event host country) who have qualified within the top ten. Eliminations: 8 qualified riders Confirmed events 30th April-2nd May: Kunmadaras, Hungary 28th-31st May: Santa Pod Raceway, England 9th-12th September: Santa Pod Raceway, England We hope to bring you news of possible additional events in the near future. Entry details to be provided in the next days. All class and Championship regulations can be found on the relevant section on the UEM web site by clicking here. On behalf of the UEM I would like to apologise to all prospective teams for the uncertainty this late confirmation has caused, but rest assured we have been working hard to ensure credible, affordable and successful events would be the result. If anyone has any further questions or seeks clarification please do not hesitate to contact us at palle6913@gmail.com. ©Eurodragster.com Gold RV Racing's Wright move. 29th March: Top Methanol Dragster racer and Blogger Derek Flynn of Eurodragster.com sponsor Gold RV is pleased to announce that the Gold RV Racing team have relocated their race team operations to Steve Wright's premises in Somerset. "We have stored the race car down there over the winter months but now the move has been made permanent, as Steve is to be co-owner of Gold RV Racing Ltd along with me", says Derek. "Steve has been involved in the drag race scene since the 1970s racing in Street and Super Gas and he even had a rail for a while. In recent times Steve and his wife Kim could usually be found supporting the sport from the VIP balcony at the Pod or around the pits. He has also had some involvement with the Xtreme team since Bob Glassup moved his operations to Steve's excellent workshop facilities. "Steve says that he is "Really looking forward to being a team owner again, especially at the level of Gold RV Racing" and is excited to be getting involved again rather than just spectating. Steve understands some of the challenges of running an A/Fuel setup in TMD as he and Kim have often been present in the Gold RV pit and he knows how much the class has really stepped up in recent years. Steve realises it will be tough but is proud to be co-owner of the Company and team. ©Eurodragster.com "Steve adds "Derek, Gary and the team have impressed me with the level of professionalism they have shown since their début in Super Pro and the fact they have already won an FIA event and the Santa Pod Championship in Top Methanol with the A/Fueller is most impressive, especially when you consider the competition, I really want to help this success continue." "As well as the race team, Gold RV Racing Ltd intends to expand its business operations to really make the most of the excellent facilities now afforded it in Somerset. The company has already supplied a number of customers with race cars, race engines, trailers, trailer conversions and support vehicles, and we hope to increase that. Steve also has a great interest in the classic American Muscle Car scene, so watch this space." Swift snippets. 29th March: Further to Friday's and Saturday's news item, Jan Phersson of Eurodragster.com sponsor Simpson Shop Sweden has been in touch to point out that Impact crash helmets with SFI 3.3-approved built-in head socks will not be valid for use after 27th April per SFI's announcement. Standard crash helmets without these additions are covered by Snell standards and not SFI and so are still OK to use, but if you have any queries at all then please contact either your country's Tech Crew who will be pleased to help, or your safety kit retailer who will also advise (play nice with them as this situation is not their fault, nor indeed ours - Ed). Further to Thursday's news item, Surrey Muscle President Paul Dodd tells us that the 454 Chevy which propels Craig McManus' Nova skywards is about to be ditched for a nitrous-assisted 555 ci motor producing 1100 bhp. "This thing is hard enough to control as it is, but if Craig can hold on to it the motor should propel the car well into the eights", says Paul. "In true Surrey Muscle tradition the car will eventually be road legal, now that will be a wild ride! Craig's brother in law and fellow Surrey Muscle member Nick Woods is currently having a 622 ci engine built for his '70 Roadrunner, so things really are hotting up and should reach boiling point at the Mopar Euronationals at the end of July." New racers, new vehicles, returns to the track and Personal Bests were just some of the stories from the weekend's pre-Easter Thunderball Test Weekend at Santa Pod Raceway. Eurodragster.com were there all weekend and you can check out our reports and pictures, which are presented in association with American Car Imports, by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com UK blown-alcohol altered racer Dave Grabham has had to withdraw from this weekend's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. "Thanks to our benefactors we have invested a significant amount of money in our motor and transmission and we would hate for this to be wasted by mistakes being made through rushing or through scrimping on the last few parts and consumables", he says. Want to buy the kids something other than chocolate this Easter? Gary Cottingham tells us of the release of a new book titled Drag Race 321 Go! which is packed full of photos telling the story of a day in the life of FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter. The book description reads "With detailed yet simple first person descriptions and superb full colour photographs, the book will allow readers what it's really like to accelerate at speeds of over 300 mph. Experience the roar of the engine, the smell of burning rubber, the mind-boggling G-force. These are heart in the mouth, jaw-droppingly exciting experiences of a lifetime! 321 Go! will intrigue and inspire reluctant readers aged 8-14, yet the simple texts and low word counts cater for a reading age of 6-7". The book is available from Amazon for £4.99. All of the drivers and crew of Paul Marston Racing have asked us to say a big Happy Birthday to Paul Marston. No sooner said than done, have a great day Paul. UK Pro ET racer Vic Amato is having to sit out the start of the season but is wondering whether any of his racing colleagues could spare him a ticket for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. If you can help then please call Vic on 07802 320414. Web site updates. 29th March: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, Dutch Top Fuel Dragster racer Lex Joon brings us up to date with his planning for 2010. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com SFI de-certify Impact Racing products. 27th March: SFI Foundation have de-certified Spec 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 safety kit produced by Impact Racing. These Impact products will not be valid for use with effect from 27th April. The official release is as follows: SFI Foundation, Inc. has issued a Notice of Decertification; Notice of Cease and Desist, and a notice terminating all Contracts of Participation to Impact Racing. Effective April 27, 2010, all products manufactured and/or distributed by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specification Programs 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 are decertified. Evidence obtained by SFI shows that over a period of years Impact Racing has engaged in the production and use of counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches, and affixed them to Impact products for use in motorsports. Under the Contracts of Participation between SFI and Impact, SFI conformance labels and patches may only be obtained from SFI and no other source. Evidence shows that Impact had counterfeit SFI labels and patches made in Asia and then affixed them to Impact products it distributed to members of the racing community. To SFI's knowledge, Impact never advised its customers that its products contained phony SFI labels and patches. Impact never advised SFI of its systematic and longstanding practice of counterfeiting and distributing SFI patches and labeling. Impact has been directed to cease and desist from this practice. SFI has directed Impact to immediately notify all affected customers to remove the counterfeit labeling and to offer the affected customers a full refund of the purchase price. SFI is requesting that all counterfeit conformance labels removed from Impact products be sent to SFI. SFI has elected not to decertify these products immediately in order to minimise the potential hardships to members of the racing community that have been brought about by Impact's counterfeiting activities. SFI has also elected to terminate all Contracts of Participation with Impact Racing effective 90 days from March 24, 2010. Under the terms of the Contracts, either party may terminate the agreements without penalty upon 90 days notice. This means that Impact will no longer be able to participate in any SFI programs after this 90 day period. SFI has taken these actions in the best interests of the safety and integrity of the racing community. This is in keeping with SFI's mission and purpose. ©Eurodragster.com Impact responded: "Impact is legally challenging this proposed action by SFI. Impact strongly disagrees with the statements on SFI's website. This is a dispute over SFI tags. Our products are certified. They are safe and we stand behind them." Editor's note: We have repeated this news item from yesterday because it was added quite late on in the day and because of its importance. For those of you who don't do SFI numbers the above does not include Impact crash helmets. If you have any queries about your safety kit then please contact Impact Racing. Swift snippets. 27th March: Jeroen Dondorp writes that The Netherlands' eXplosion Drag Racing Club has signed a deal with Vrumona, a Dutch soft drinks manufacturer, distributor and sales organiser. Vrumona distribute Pepsi, 7-UP, Sisi and many other soft drinks and will support the eXplosion Club with the supply of soft drinks to officials, volunteers and VIPs. The Pepsi logo will be featured on the eXplosion event flyers (right, click for large version). "This deal will save eXplosion a large sum of money", says Jeroen. ©Eurodragster.com Multiple FIA European Pro Stock Champion Jimmy Ålund makes the first stop of his 2010 US Tour at this weekend's NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in North Carolina. Pro qualifying continues today and you will be able to stay in touch with Jimmy's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 1 of the official entry list for Big Bang, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-25th April. Click here to check out the Big Bang entry list, or click on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Entry to Big Bang closes next Friday, 2nd April; you can download the entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. A big Happy 18th Birthday for yesterday (Friday) to SPRC marshal Kieran Letts. Hope you had a great day Kieran. Web site updates. 27th March: Alan Currans has been in touch to let us know that the official web site of the UK's Chaos Fuel Altered team has been updated with the latest news from the workshop. You can check it out at www.chaos-fuel-altered.com. ©Eurodragster.com Dart product update. 27th March: The new Box Ram manifold from Eurodragster.com sponsor Dart is designed to maximize power in big inch, high rpm race engines. In the 7,800+ rpm range the box ram manifold has demonstrated gains of 30-40 horsepower over previous designs. Designed for use with Dart's Big Chief cylinder heads, the Box Ram is available to fit 11 degree or 14 degree designs. Versions are available for use with both oval and rectangular ports as well. The separate top plate can be shimmed to adjust plenum volume for optimized performance characteristics, and a pent roof style plate is also available. Top plates can be customised to fit single four-barrel carburetors or split dominators. If you're looking for power gains at high rpm, you should be looking at the Box Ram manifold. More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Eurodragster.com sponsors SSB. 26th March: We are pleased to announce that Eurodragster.com will be sponsoring the UK's Super Street Bike class in 2010. In a similar deal to our previous sponsorship of Street Eliminator, the top three finishers in the 2010 ACU UK Super Street Bike Championship will receive framed A3-sized photographs of their bikes in action. ©Eurodragster.com We would like to say a big Thank You to Super Street Bike racer Steve Venables with whom we discussed the proposal over the off-season and who spoke to a number of his SSB colleagues and received positive feedback. "Super Street Bike is moving forward", says Steve. "There has been a lot of investment this year. The class is stronger and more professional by the year and we have an impressive entry at the Easter Thunderball. This is a good time to welcome Eurodragster.com to come on board and on behalf of the class I would like to thank Tog, Simon, Roger, Kirstie and Ed for their support." Courtesy of Super Gas racer Paul Foote and his company Paul Foote Ink we now have a supply of the much-missed small Eurodragster.com decals which are ideally-sized for bikes; these will of course be available to Super Street and other Bike racers at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway next week. Erbacher, Riehl aim for Yas Marina. 26th March: Further to yesterday's report from Bruce Moult, Germanys Jens Riehl of the Erbacher Top Fuel Racing Team is back from the opening of the Yas Drag Racing Centre at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. "It was a great success for drag racing in the Middle East and Abu Dhabi, which built a beautiful race track where people now have a brilliant location to see this wonderful sport", says Jens. "You could see how much the people love drag racing over there. The six Top Fuel runs by Tommy Johnson Jr and "Hot Rod" Fuller showed how much potential this new track has. Not one run was up in smoke and nearly every pass was a 3.8 or 3.9 with speeds up to 499 kmh." ©Eurodragster.com Jens had a meeting with the Senior Manager George Case and Rod Fuller on Tuesday. "Both George and Rod were very happy about this great event", he says. "The media attention was positive, and the event was sold out on both days. Their next step is to implement a drag racing school, which in my opinion will become the next successful story at this race track, because everybody there is now keen on drag racing." Urs and Jens are now planning to participate at the next big event at the end of 2010 and to become the first European Top Fuel team to race in Abu Dhabi. As you can see from the picture above left, Jens has already started to prepare... Swift snippets. 26th March: France's Jean Dulamon will be making his Pro Modified début at next week's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway. The former Super Comp and Comp Eliminator racer will be making observed runs in his 738 ci nitrous-assisted Camaro acquired from the US' Vinny Budano. You can check out the updated Auto Trader Easter Thunderball entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. Also on the subject of the Easter Thunderball, UK Fuel legend Gary Page will be deputising for an indisposed John Wright in the seat of Lawrie Gatehouse's Chaos Fuel Altered at Santa Pod Raceway next weekend. As things stand this is a one-race arrangement. Gary tells us that the new Mongoose Performance Exhausts/Pennzoil Fuel FC will definitely be at the FIA Main Event and that he will of course be in the seat. Racers in VW Pro, VW Sportsman, Super Modified, Sportsman ET, Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator, Junior Dragster, 9.50 Bike, Outlaw Anglia and 8.50 Bike are reminded that entry to Big Bang, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-25th April, closes on Friday of next week, 2nd April. You can download the official entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Multiple FIA European Pro Stock Champion Jimmy Ålund makes the first stop of his 2010 US Tour at this weekend's NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in North Carolina. Pro qualifying commences today and you will be able to stay in touch with Jimmy's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. ©Eurodragster.com Colin Stevens of UKNitro has released his first T-Shirt of 2010 (below left), following on from the Gasser series and the Top Fuel shirt of 2009. "As last year the price is still £15 plus £2.50 postage from colinhotrodts@btinternet.com. I also take PayPal and have a UKNitro Facebook page." The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com (above right) came with the words "Coming from Norway in the future". 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. Rick Cuthbert writes that it was an interesting start to the 2010 HKS Drag Series and Euro Sports Compact series at the weekend. "Huge crowds came to the Pod to make the most of the sunshine on Sunday after a very wet Saturday", he says. "A vast amount was packed into the day, including some great racing, new racers and Personal Bests and unfortunate car-meets-concrete incidents. The general show report can be found on the Fast Show Home Page at www.thefastshow.com whilst the HKS Drag Series report can be found at www.japdragseries.co.uk/report_hks_fs10.php and the Euro Sports Compact report at www.eurosportscompact.co.uk/report_2010r1.php." UK Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Ron Haslett has asked us to say a big Thank You to his crew. "As you know we've been pretty much flat out every night since the European Finals", says Ron. "Now the car is as good as it's going to be for Easter. Not only have we got the Cortina ready but we will be double teaming as my good friend and neighbour Russ Walker is running in VW Sportsman in his very nice Scirocco. So there will be no rest for the team and I turning round both cars between rounds. A final Thank You goes to Mark Norton and to Andy Robinson and his staff for all the help with phone calls and setting up the four-link last weekend, sorry for doing everything up so tight." FBs get in the curry. 26th March: On Tuesday night more than eighty petrolheads of many different persuasions gathered in Cheltenham for the FB Racing Annual Curry Night. The event, organised by FB Racing's Ian Hook and now in its eighth year, attracts car and motorsport enthusiasts from such diverse activities as drag racing and enduro riding to rallying and hot rodding getting together for a few beers, a curry and some pre-season bench racing. As usual the venue was the Everest Balti Restaurant and also, as usual, a free raffle was held as part of the evening's entertainment. "It was a fantastic turnout again, and I'd like to say a big thanks to all who attended", says Fatty. "We had drag racers and rodders from as far afield as Milton Keynes, Portsmouth and Swansea - and what's more is they've all said they'll be back next year! ©Eurodragster.com "As well as thanking the attendees I'd also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those generous companies and individuals who donated prizes for the raffle. In no particular order they were Serck Services Motorsport, Webster Race Engineering, The Everest Balti Restaurant, Prescott Brewery, Quartermile High, RS Autos, Ken Quaid, Matts Andersson, Shakespeare County Raceway, Santa Pod Raceway, Custom Car Magazine, Highpower Nitrous Systems, A & E Fire Equipment, Forge Motorsport, Baylis of Cheltenham, Cheltenham Motor Club, Hotrodtees.co.uk, Worcester Wolves Basketball and Topspeed Automotive. "Now there's just the small matter of a full season's racing then we can all start looking forward to Balti Bash 2011!" Web site updates. 26th March: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, Luke Bennett announces a welcome addition to the Bennett family together with several other pieces of good news. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com Thanks to Laura Turburville for letting us know that UK Junior Dragster racer Joe Kellett has launched a web site at drumminman.moonfruit.com. The site, designed and created by Laura, includes news, race history, pictures, sponsor page, links and more. UEM start numbers. 25th March: UEM Drag Racing Co-ordinator Palle Lind has been in touch with a notice for any UEM European Championship racers needing a start number (aka race number) for the 2010 season. "If you need a start number for 2010, please send me an E-Mail with your full name, and the class in which you wish to participate", says Palle. "My E-Mail address is palle6913@gmail.com." A new record for Maltaman. 25th March: Maltese Super Street Bike racer Simon Giordmaina and his team had an awesome season in 2009, but 2010 threatened to start with a bang - literally - at a Run What You Brung at Hal-Far Raceway. But as Simon says in life, especially in drag racing, "When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on". "We were confident that we would see sevens again at the RWYB weekend", says Simon. "The sixty foot times were a problem with high 1.4s and 1.5s, which resulted in ETs of 8.3, 8.4 and 8.0 ETs. When starting the motor for our last test run on Saturday, a crackling noise came out of the engine which was a cracked cam follower. At first we thought that was going to be the end of it for the first event of the year, which was very disappointing. But Sunday was a rainy day on Malta, so the RWYB was cancelled and we had the time to take the engine out and send it over to UK to be refreshed. ©Eurodragster.com "We received the engine back the night before the quarter mile event and we were determined to work and not have any sleep if it meant we could get the bike together and start the engine. Last Saturday we showed up for the event with the bike fully prepared, and went for a shakedown pass of 8.05 which our team was happy about! At first the sixty foot times were still a problem and I sorted out some things overnight. "On Sunday we went for a practice run and managed to improve the sixty foot time, which obviously gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the day. We made it through to the semi finals of both the Super Street and Open Bike classes. I won the Super Street semi final with a wonderful 7.88/184, which was a new Maltese record. We won both finals with 7.9s and obviously the team were over the moon. "Apart from even better ETs, our dream for this year is to take part in the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod and the NitrOlympX at Hockenheim. If money wasn't an issue I would say we'd certainly be there, but for now we'll just hope to get a good sponsor. "A special Thank You goes to my wife Graziella who is always very supportive; my brother George; my best mate Richard Demicoli who helped with all the electronics on the bike and who was there all weekend, and to Rodney Randich who gave us a helping hand in fitting the engine. Also a big Thank You goes to the Malta Drag Racing Association all their support, and a big well done for the well-prepared track. Last but not least another thank you goes to my team, family, friends and all the people at the track who show appreciation and support!" Muscle cars. 25th March: Paul Dodds, President of Surrey Muscle, has been in touch to identify the wheelying Nova at Friday's Webster Race Engineering Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway. "The car is owned by Craig McManus", says Paul. "It has nitrous which is currently restricted to a 150 hp shot, as the remaining 150hp capability would put it on its back bumper. Craig has a nitrous controller and once he has it ramped in right the car should improve dramatically on its 9.70 ET". Paul himself tells us that drag racing has been in his blood ever since his father took him to one of the first events at Santa Pod Raceway in the 1960s, and it turns out that dad was very well-known. "We witnessed the Commuter rail run an eight at one of our first races", says Paul. "A few years later we were there again, this time to run the old man's twenty seven-litre Merlin-engined Beast which ran a twelve - not bad considering he spun the tyres through the entire run! ©Eurodragster.com "Fast forward nearly forty years and I am still going to the Pod, only this time it's me racing alongside my fellow members at Surrey Muscle. We are now in our fifteenth year. We were running fourteens when we started, now half of the Club cars are in the nines with one nearing the eights, amazing to think that a fully legal street car is almost as quick as that old Commuter. As for my Oldsmobile, it can only muster a ten but at least it is still driven to the track, winding through the streets of Olney and Wellingborough just as we did in the Beast way back when. Funny how I still manage to get lost occasionally! "You can catch up with us (if you can) at various events throughout the year at the Pod or Shakespeare County Raceway, or check out our web site at www.surreymuscle.co.uk." Swift snippets. 25th March: We have two spy pictures for you today. The picture below left came with no words at all... ©Eurodragster.com ...whilst the picture above right came with the words "Returning to a track some day soon!". 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. Mickey Thompson renew Red Victor deal. 25th March: UK street-legal Pro Mod racer-to-be Andy Frost says that the Red Victor 1 Racing team are honoured that world-renowned tyre company Mickey Thompson is maintaining their presence on new car, not only with their superb tyres, but with their new Pro-5 double beadlock wheels. "We have set world records on the Mickey Thompson tyre and I'm very happy to be continuing with the MT brand", says Andy. "Their new wheels are the very best you can buy, something which is a trend on the new car. I'd like to thank Carl Robinson at MT for having the faith in our team to showcase his products." ©Eurodragster.com "Working with Frosty on the re-birth of his hot rod is a no-brainer", says Carl Robinson. "Andy has always been an ally on the European drag racing scene with Mickey Thompson Tires. His performance speaks for itself!" The team is looking forward to fitting the wheels onto the new chassis very soon, and you can check out the wheels on Red Victor 3 by visiting www.mickeythompsontires.com and clicking on the Pro-5 logo. Hot runs at Yas Marina. 25th March: After a two year absence for drag racing (sand excepted) due to general apathy, poor organisaton and remote location of the Emirates Motorplex the opening of new Yas Island drag strip in Abu Dhabi was eagerly awaited, writes Bruce Moult from Dubai. The facility, which is within and part of the Yas Island F1 complex, is owned by the Abu Dhabi government and managed by a government-owned commercial entity, Abu Dhabi Motor Sport Management, and no expense has been spared. The strip is the only NHRA licenced track outside the USA and has dual quarter mile and 1000 foot timing systems, state of the art control tower and grandstands with a capacity of 5,000 not to mention the latest track support equipment and two brand new Top Fuel dragsters purchased from Don Schumacher Racing, complete with trailers and all the tools, equipment and spares which could sustain an entire NHRA season. Last weekend was the inaugural meeting, the Yas Island Drag Festival, which was a phenomenal success to the credit of George Case, Director of Drag Racing who has over twenty five years' experience in managing tracks and events in the USA. Thursday was practice day, essential to iron out any glitches for a first event. Commencing at 4.00 pm in temperatures of 35° C all classes - five car and two bike - had the opportunity to put in test runs. Two of the USA's leading Top Fuel pilots, Tommy Johnson Jr and "Hot Rod" Fuller, were drafted in to take the reins of the new Fuellers, and coming straight off the trailer Fuller laid down a 4.6 at 460 kph and Johnson ran a 4.7 at 470 kph over 1000 feet. ©Eurodragster.com Friday was even hotter at 37° which makes covered grandstands necessary, the only trouble is that these have a limited capacity and all available tickets for Friday's racing were sold out on-line prior to the event. Starting at 6.00 pm with two qualifying rounds for all classes the track was in perfect condition. The two Top Fuel Dragsters put in three passes running side by side, the first time in the UAE. Fuller put down a storming 3.89 at 499.97 kph backing up his earlier run making this an official record outside the USA with Johnson 3.92 at 496 kph. The crowd, many of whom have never seen Top Fuel were electrified, stunned even, but then who wouldn't be, these times equate to an estimated 4.5 to 4.6 at 325-330 mph had they run over a quarter mile. Saturday was as hot as ever and 90% of tickets were pre-sold. After round three of qualifying, eliminations commenced at 6.00 pm and yet again Top Fuel were the stars with Fuller running an incredible 3.89 at 499 kph which backed up his previous time making it an official record outside the USA. Pro Mod saw an impressive 6.4 and Pro Bikes were running in the low sevens. After a small fire, shunt and a couple of oildowns the event eventually finished at midnight (no curfews here) with trophies being presented by His Highness Shaikh Khalid Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. That will be it now until November as it's just too hot in the summer, but we will keep European readers up to speed on any developments. PMR's sponsors: an appreciation. 25th March: Paul Marston Racing are pleased to announce that despite the current rocky times, there are still companies who see drag racing as good value for money when it comes to the return they see for their pledges: Paul Marston Racing are pleased to welcome back London Road Tyres who have been with PMR since the beginning. Based in Romford, they are able to supply any road tyre for your normal everyday road car new or part worn. Repairs, 4four-wheel tracking and punctures are also no problem. They are specialists in fitting all types of drag racing and circuit tyres; they understand the delicate nature of the tyres and the wheels that are used on today's machines and deal with them with expert care. London Road Tyres also can balance rear slicks, which they always recommend. You can call Gary or Bill on 01708 735355. Geddex Products from Larry Geddes also return with their popular Dial-In marker in white, yellow or orange, wipes off easy, leaves no mess. Wheels-Up wheelie bar wheel chalk, again available in white, yellow or orange, perfect for those wheelie bar launches, good for both cars or bikes. Burnout Gard to protect your beautiful paintwork, simply spray on let dry and wash all that burnout rubber off with soapy water - simple! Slick Air your air compressor in a handy can for those last second top-ups in the staging lanes. All of these products are available from PMR at the track, anyone with advance orders please contact us on our new E-Mail address pmracing@fsmail.net. US based clothing company PiranaZ, whose colours you will see in the US on Jeff Diehl's IHRA and NHRA Nitro Funny car this season, return for now their third year with PMR. Their clothing apparel with plenty of attitude is available from Colin at C&P Hot Rod Tees at the tracks. You can see the whole of the Paul Marston Racing Crew resplendent in their products throughout the 2010 season. The PMR Super Comp/ Super Pro Dragster remains the official PiranaZ-backed race car for the 2010 season. Joining us officially this year are American Racing Fuels. Again US based, this small specialist racing fuel company is also becoming a contingency sponsor with the Pro ET sponsorship scheme. Everyone at PMR is excited to see another American based company looking across the Pond at another market for business. For details of their product, which is very reasonably priced, and ordering see Paul Marston Racing at the track or E-Mail pmracing@fsmail.net. Paul Marston Racing has been using their racing gasoline for the past four years now and has won numerous National events, plus the 2008 Super Comp National Championship. PMR have found their product to be very consistent, it comes fully lubed, is completely non hydroscopic, and stores well for long periods. Engine Parts Limited, suppliers of ACL Bearings, is another welcome addition to the PMR team. As with most of our business partners, they bring something to the table other that money. PMR are proud to announce that we will now be carrying a range of the most popular bearings at the track. This will cover all the major engine types and most oversizes. These will be big ends and mains and we will also be offering an order and collection service trackside. This is as far as we know a first, many thanks go out to Tony Merry and all the guys at Engine Parts, who can be contacted direct on 01708 890494. ©Eurodragster.com Drag Race Engineering of course stays as an associate of Paul Marston Racing, although proprietor Gary Springford has not ventured out with the Pro ET/Super Comp Hulk Shogun recently. Gary will not be a stranger to the drag strips over the 2010 season. For any race car related enquiries Gary can be reached on 020 8597 9484. World-renowned JW Performance Transmissions, based in Florida, are another associate of Paul Marston Racing and produce some of the very best drag racing transmissions in the world. For any technical enquiries, product information etc please stop by the Paul Marston Racing pits at the track and ask for Paul. All of the Paul Marston Racing race cars run exclusively on custom built JW Convertors. BLP Performance Carburettors, again Florida based, build the very best drag racing carburettors a Sportsman racer can buy. Available for both gasoline and methanol burning motors, you cannot do better than buy from their product range. Mick Howling and Grumpy's Dodge, the current reining champion of Pro ET, runs a BLP Alcohol 1050 cfm Dominator, a BLP fuel Pump, a BLP Fuel Log, BLP Crank Mandrel. If you want to win run BLP. On behalf of everyone at Paul Marston Racing we would like to thank all of our sponsors and we will be working hard to reward their faith in us during the 2010 season. Feature: 2010 NHRA Gatornationals. 24th March: The latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport is Roger's report from the recent 41st Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville. Roger's illustrated report covers all Pro classes in detail and also includes Sportsman results. ©Eurodragster.com Click here to view Roger's Gatornationals report, or click on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. 2010 UEM Championship registration. 24th March: With immediate effect, Speedgroup is to handle registration for UEM teams in the UEM European Drag Bike Championships. ©Eurodragster.com The registration form and payment information will be placed on-line today (Wednesday) on Speedgroup's web site at www.speeedgroup.eu. In the meantime, if you have any queries about UEM Championship registration then please contact Speedgroup Co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar at asa.kinnemar@speedgroup.eu. Editor's note: We have repeated this news item from yesterday as it was posted quite late in the day. Swift snippets. 24th March: Danish European Top Gas racer Jesper Thiel has stepped up to Pro Stock Bike for 2010. Jesper will be fielding a Kosman-framed Buell powered by a 160 ci S&S motor. You can find out more on Jesper's web site at www.jtracing.dk which includes race calendar, sponsor page, rider, team and bike profiles, media and more. Many thanks to Gabor Majer for sending us links containing details of accommodation around the drag strip at Kunmadaras. For accommodation information check out Thermal Hotel Szivek and Tisza Lake. Thanks also to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for letting us know that entry forms for the FIA Main Event and FIA European Finals are now available for all FIA classes and all Sportsman classes. The entry form for UEM classes will be added shortly (see above). You can download the FIA Main Event and FIA European Finals entry forms from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Racers in VW Pro, VW Sportsman, Super Modified, Sportsman ET, Street Eliminator, Junior Dragster, 9.50 Bike, Outlaw Anglia and 8.50 Bike are reminded that entry to Big Bang, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-25th April, closes on Friday of next week, 2nd April. Again you can download the official entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Although the European Championship season is some weeks from kicking off, Steve Wood of Eurodragster.com sponsor Motorshack would like to commence his Motorshack Methanol contingency scheme for Top Methanol racers at next week's Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. Any Top Methanol Dragster or TMFC racer interested in becoming involved in the Motorshack Methanol contingency scheme next weekend is asked to contact Steve at support@motorshack.com or call 01926 633379 (outside the UK +44 1926 633379). Motorshack will be present with full trackside service at both this weekend's testing at Santa Pod Raceway and at the Easter Thunderball. Speedgroup would still be pleased to receive parts lists from FIA and UEM racers to assist them in running the 2010 Contingency Programme and in targeting companies for sponsorship. You can download the parts list (Word format) by clicking here then please return it to Contingency Co-ordinator Gittli Koller at gittli.koller@speedgroup.eu. For more information about the $136,000 Speedgroup Contingency programme check out www.speedgroup.eu. ©Eurodragster.com This coming Saturday (27th) Santa Pod Raceway will play host to Motorsport Endeavour, an organisation aiming to get disabled people involved with motorsport. Since its foundation the club has held over sixty events, with the exception of drag racing. UK Sportsman ET racer Nigel Holland tells us that through the generosity of Santa Pod this will now be rectified as Motorsport Endeavour will be gathering at the strip for the first time so that its members can take part in the Run What You Brung. If you would like to help support Mortorsport Endeavour then come along to Santa Pod and talk to Nigel Holland or one of the Motorsport Endeavour Committee. To find out more about Motorsport Endeavour check out www.motorsportendeavour.com. Chris Felton would be pleased to hear from the owner of a VW Camper van with registration DYP 129C which he used to own. The van was last spotted at a RWYB at Santa Pod. If you can help then drop Chris a line at cdef1@me.com. Web site updates. 24th March: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, multiple ACU UK Pro Stock Bike Champion and European record holder Dave Beck is feeling a lot more confident about the start of the racing season. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com Editor's note: We have a small backlog of news due to pressure of work in your News Editor's day job (Budget day, work it out). Tune back tomorrow for an on-the-spot report of the weekend's Top Fuel match race at Yas Marina, a personal introduction and more, and please keep those news items coming to news@eurodragster.com. Book review: Liz Burn autobiography. 23rd March: The 1970s are often viewed as a golden era of drag racing in the UK. Of course the facilities were not up to today's standards, and the safety wasn't all it could have been (we say in hindsight), but what we maybe do not quite have now which we had then was that rough-and-ready, muck-in, make-do-and-mend atmosphere, when the American sport of drag racing still had uniquely British qualities and doing things the way they did them in the USA was but a twinkle in a future promoter's eye. Liz Rowland's autobiography Drag Racing Through The Eyes Of A Woman, which covers her racing career with then-husband Ollie Burn, perfectly evokes the atmosphere of this era. Liz has transcribed the diaries which she kept whilst she raced, and it has resulted in as authentic a memoir of drag racing as you could hope to read: in its own way a book to equal the US classic Match Race Madness. There is plenty in the book for fans of racing history since most of Liz's races are covered in some detail. Most people know that on their day Liz and Ollie were pretty much unbeatable and that they won a number of Pro Comp Championships, but some gaps have been filled in your reviewer's knowledge, such as how Liz got into racing, as well as gaps which he never knew existed. Nostalgia fans know about Liz's horrendous crash when she briefly raced in Pro Fuel but this is the first time that her first-hand account has been published in full and it makes frightening reading. It is good to be able to read a bit more about Ollie Burn's Komodo Dragon Funny Car which is often, and in your reviewer's opinion unfairly, overlooked in lists of best-looking cars from the old days. ©Eurodragster.com But what adds even more to Drag Racing Through The Eyes Of A Woman is the kitchen detail: life on the road, late nights outside the tent enjoying a laugh or two and a lotion or four and then racing the next morning, start line shenanigans, firing up a race car in a quiet village, the odd domestic with temporary resignation from the driver's seat, wondering whether you should race because one of the kids is vomiting copiously, wondering whether you should race because you yourself have had to spend the night in the bathroom...some of Liz's stories will probably make the reader's hair curl but, as we said above, things were different back in those days and what makes this book so valuable is that it is such an honest account. Being presented in diary format and thus conversational in tone makes the book a very easy read, and in fact you can all but hear Liz's voice whilst you are reading. A brief round-up at the end of the book brings us up to date with Liz's life since leaving racing. However drag racing calls everyone back in the end and courtesy of the ceremonies around the launch of Brian Taylor's book Crazy Horses it was great to see Liz back where she belonged at both Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceways last year. The book is very well-illustrated with pictures from Liz's own library as well as shots by photographers of the time including Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe. In her introduction to the book Liz says that one of the reasons for writing it is to make a record of her life for her children. Liz's love for her family has also benefited the rest of us since she has produced a rare gem: a book written by a racer from notes made at the time, telling it exactly how it happened without intervening years, the quirks of memory, or a PR person getting in the way. You can find out more, including a taster of the book, on Amazon by clicking here. You can order signed copies of the book direct from Liz at £17.95 including postage, which is less than the Amazon price. To order your copy, drop Liz a line at lizburndragracing@virginmedia.com. Readers in the USA can order their copy via the publisher Authorhouse.com. UEM Kunmadaras entry form. 23rd March: Many thanks to Gabor Majer for sending us the entry form and supplementary regulations for the first round of the 2010 UEM European Drag Bike Championship which takes place in Kunmadaras, Hungary on Friday 30th April to Sunday 2nd May. The event is a Championship round for Top Fuel Bike, Supertwin and Pro Stock Bike and an invitational for the UEM Funny Bike Cup and Super Street Bike. The track is also open for Test and Tune (fee payable) on Thursday 29th April. You can download the entry form (PDF format) by clicking here. ©Eurodragster.com Gabor tells us that entry closes on Thursday 1st April. You can fax entries to +36 36-516-612 between 08:00 and 16:00 daily. More information about the event can be found at www.kunmadarasmotorsport.hu. We will bring you news about UEM Championship registration when we receive it. Ferry deal for FIA and UEM teams. 23rd March: Speedgroup has finalised an agreement with ferry operator TT-Line to secure discounts for FIA car and UEM bike teams active in the European Drag Racing Championships. The discounts are available to all FIA and UEM teams which register to run in the European Championships. TT-Line is is a major player between Sweden and Germany, operating the routes Travemünde-Trelleborg and Rostock-Trelleborg with several depatures around the clock, all year round. TT-Lines' timetables can be found at www.ttline.com. "We are on a constant mission to make things more cost effective and easier to handle for the teams", says Speedgroup Co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar. "This is one step to try and assist, as we know that travel to and from races is a major expense for all teams. Most teams need to travel between Scandinavia and Germany several times every race season. Therefore we are happy TT-Line have made a serious effort and they have welcomed the opportunity to co-operate with Speedgroup for the teams in the European Drag Racing Championships. "I hope and believe that the deal with TT-Line will mean that teams choose the routes which TT-Line operates whenever they can. Together with TT-line's freight and passenger departments, we have also agreed on some easy ways to handle team reservations. "Teams can book directly with TT-Line via E-Mail, fax or telephone - the staff speak Swedish, English and German. When quoting Speedgroup contract codes, the teams get the discounted pricing straight away. No middle man, just the teams directly in contact with the experts at TT-Line and no extra administration. Payment is made at the terminal by cash or bank/credit card. "Truck and trailer combinations: book through TT-Line's freight department. We have agreed on a high level of discount on one departure in each direction per day on both routes, whilst all other departures are available at a lower discount level. "Buses, motorhomes, cars, or lighter car and trailer combinations: book through TT-Line's passenger department. There we have agreed a flat rate discount for all transportation on all departures. "Contracts are in effect from now througout 2010, which means that teams can use the discount for any travel to or from exhibitions or for other purposes during the off-season as well." FIA and UEM Teams which would like to investigate or book any travel with TT-Line may request details from co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar at asa.kinnemar@speedgroup.eu. Information will then be E-Mailed and once you have the details you are free to contact TT-Line any time for travel planning and reservation for any time this year. ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 23rd March: Staying with the subject of discount travel, don't forget that Eurodragster.com Blog sponsor Alamo Rent A Car are offering 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. For more details, check out the Eurodragster.com News update of Monday 22nd February, or to book your discounted hire car check out www.alamo.co.uk/dragster. Back to Speedgroup and FIA European Championship teams are reminded that Championship registration is required to be eligible for any prize funds and to participate in the Contingency Programme. This applies to teams in Top Fuel Dragster, Top Methanol Dragster, Top Methanol Funny Car, Pro Modified and Pro Stock. Deadline for registration and payment is thirty days before the first FIA Championship event in which you plan to participate. You can download the registration form (Word format) by clicking here. If you have any questions regarding Championship registration then please E-Mail fiareg@speedgroup.eu or call Åsa Kinnemar on +46 70 531 5332. ©Eurodragster.com Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding the final version of the the official entry list for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 2nd-5th April. You can check out the Easter Thunderball entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. Congratulations to Sam "She's Lovely" Stretton of Santa Pod Raceway's timing crew and partner Solomon Dee of the SPRC and APIRA safety crews on the birth of their daughter Kiara who arrived yesterday (Monday) and weighed in at 7lb 6oz. Both mother and daughter are doing well. We have a couple of birthdays today. First up is a big Happy Birthday to Dutch Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com Blogger Lex Joon. Have a great day Lex. Tog would also like to say Happy Birthday to his friend Karen Bradbury who is somewhere in France. Have a lovely day Karen. Dart product update. 23rd March: Eurodragster.com sponsor Dart's legendary Iron Eagle cylinder heads are now available with full CNC porting treatment. Every intake port, every exhaust port and every combustion chamber are fully CNC machined on Dart's computerised five-axis CNC machining centres. The new Iron Eagle Pro cylinder heads are available for small block and big block Chevy engines, providing the power and consistency of ported heads in a rugged and affordable cast iron package. They are ideal for heavier cars or boats where weight is not a primary concern, and for racing classes which mandate iron heads. The small block Iron Eagle Pro features 227 cc intake runners and 72 cc chambers, with 2.08" intake and 1.60" exhaust valves. The big block version has 330 cc runners and 126 cc chambers with 2.30” intake and 1.88” exhaust valves. Both versions feature a competition five angle valve job with radiused exhaust seats to enhance performance, and premium mag-bronze guides for improved reliability. Dart's Iron Eagle Pro cylinder heads are cast and machined in the USA, using premium cast iron alloy and precision digital CNC machining for maximum performance and reliability. More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Ellis invests for success. 22nd March: UK Pro Modified racer Graham Ellis has made a considerable investment in the 2010 season. "They're going to beat me on experience, so I have to beat them on equipment!", he says. Graham, who sponsors Eurodragster.com through his restaurant Rak Chang, and the team have been hard at work on the stunning Superbird over the off-season. The most immediately visible change is the car's new Sub Lime livery, with detail by Neil Melliard, but there are other changes. "The rear wing has been shortened and stiffened because it was a bit bendy before!", said Graham at his workshop on Saturday. "The wheels have been powder-coated black, and the new headers are zoomie-style rather than side-exit. We have a front-mounted mag drive system so now the mag isn't sticking out of the bonnet, so we have has all the holes in the bonnet repaired. We haven't done anything major to the chassis: we had the seatbelts re-tagged and all that kind of stuff." As well as changes to its appearance, the Superbird has been upgraded in the powerplant department...or should that be powerplants. "We have two complete motors with superchargers, hats and fuel injection system", said Graham. "We also have two long blocks - they have cylinder heads, or will when they come back from Brad Anderson's. So in effect we have four motors. "We have two new short blocks from Carl Spiering, with latest piston and ring package which works pretty well in Tony Pontieri's car. They are brand new blocks with 60 mm camshaft journals and complete with oil pump, ready to run - just stick blower and heads on and off you go. The two short blocks are last year's motors, we broke those last year but they have been repaired by Brad Anderson and are on their way here. ©Eurodragster.com "I have four brand new heads from Noonan Race Engineering in Australia, they are legal for Pro Mod. I think I have the first NRE heads in Europe. They have been modified to my spec by NRE's machine shop manager Andrew Collins. We also have a brand new Davenport K11 blower and complete fuel system from Davenport - pump lines, the whole nine yards. It has all the latest mods and is a big step up. We have the first three-disc Leanders clutch in the UK. We have a shedload of spares and a new trailer. I'm short-circuiting the learning process by making as much power as I can - the car's got the speed and power, we have just been just lacking in the first half of the track. "Sean Brown from Davenport has offered to come over and tune the car, and Will Hanna has offered to consult." We asked Graham who he thought would be the ones to watch in 2010. "It could be one of many", he said. "Urban and Mats, Andy, the Lindahl brothers...I was chuffed to bits to get a single-digit race number. Everyone in that list above me is a hero of mine, they all deserve to be in that place. It's going to be a mad year and I can't wait to see what the bump spot is at Mantorp Park!". Graham also has a long-term plan to develop a turbo set-up in another car. "I have spoken to Nick Davies and Rob Loaring of ICE Automotive and they are willing to help develop and support a turbo package", he said. "Bear in mind what they have done with Splinter's car in Street Eliminator. I believe that long-term it's a cheaper way to run Pro Mod. With the blown-alcohol set-up you have to change it each year to what everyone else is using if you want to stay competitive." In association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport we have posted a Photo Feature of pictures from our visit to Graham's workshop-cum-Aladdin's Cave. You can check out our pictures by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Finally, in what we think is destined to become a traditional question to racers, Kirstie was keen to discover Graham's favourite cheese, and he revealed that it is cheddar. Sunday Street Wars heads north. 22nd March: Sunday Street Wars goes to York Raceway for its second round on Sunday 4th April, writes promoter Lee Child. This will be the first time that the street-legal series visits York Raceway and it joins a great programme including the 15th Annual Mini v Beetle shootout, drag racers' Test and Tune and York Raceway's popular Run What You Brung sessions. Trophies are up for grabs within Sunday Street Wars series are Rear Wheel Drive, Front Wheel Drive, All Wheel Drive and Pre '79. "With York Raceway's great friendly atmosphere and a track elevation of eight metres above sea level, good times will be had by all", says Lee. "With Sunday Street Wars there are also club stands and a show area with trophies up for grabs. Don't forget you can make a great weekend of this because the track is also open on Monday and camping is available on-site. "Trophy sponsorships are available for this event at £40 per trophy. Steve Murty and I are also looking for interested parties who would like to advertise at York Raceway for a season or longer. For advertising at the track please contact me on 01803 554308 or E-Mail lee@streetnights.com." ©Eurodragster.com For more details about the event check out www.streetnights.com or www.yorkraceway.org.uk. "We will be starting with a clean slate on the points at York Raceway because not one wheel turned in anger at the first round of the Sunday Street Wars series at Santa Pod Raceway", adds Lee. "It just rained and rained and didn't let off one bit. Like all events at Santa Pod Raceway you know the staff and marshals will go beyond the call of duty to get the track ready to go. Even at 7.30 am Santa Pod Raceway marshals Stevie Warner and Bob Day were looking a tad damp (right). Big thanks go to David Lloyd Jones, Darren Prentice and all the marshals at Santa Pod Raceway." Happy McIntosh II. 22nd March: If you were tuned in at the end of last season then you will remember that UK Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Alex McIntosh was happy with the way his year ended. After testing at Santa Pod Raceway on Friday, Alex says that nothing has changed his mood: "After Webster Race Engineering's first Test Day I'm very happy with the work which Johnny Mac and I did over the winter", says Alex. "I dropped the Mustang off at Webster Race Engineering on Thursday morning for baselining, weighing and general chassis check-over after the work we had carried out and then collected the car on Friday morning and headed for the track. ©Eurodragster.com "After warming up and some last checks Jon Webster wanted me to do some sixty foot testing. Well, Tog's photos tell the rest of the story. Jon got the car launching like never before. Thanks also to Wilf Stacey who crewed for me on the day. If anyone has any more photos or video then please drop me a line at apm@thwhite.co.uk." Swift snippets. 22nd March: With the start of the UK National Championship season less than two weeks away, racers have a last chance to test at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend with a Run What You Brung on Saturday (27th) and a Peak Performance Day on Sunday (28th). Whilst RWYBs are open to all, Peak Performance Days are intended for the serious racer with limited entry to ensure maxiumum track time, track prepped to National event standard and of course full safety and track crew cover. For more details about both RWYBs and PPDs check out www.rwyb.com. ©Eurodragster.com Web site updates. 22nd March: UK Rocket Dragster pilot Carolynne Campbell recently changed the fuel set-up on her Laffin-Gas dragster, with one of the usual four rockets producing enough power to move a test rig which four people couldn't budge. You can check out a YouTube clip of the test at www.youtube.com/laffingastv ©Eurodragster.com Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe, just returned from a hectic Gatornationals schedule, has updated his personal web site at www.nitroexposure.co.uk with a small gallery of as yet unpublished photos from last weekend's Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals. The photos are different from those to be published in the forthcoming Gatornationals Feature here on Eurodragster.com. Help needed. 21st March: If UK blown-alcohol altered racer Dave Grabham is to race at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball then he says that he desperately needs to beg, steal or borrow a 10" (stud centres) wide wet oil pan for a Big Block Chevy. If you can help then please drop Dopey a line at dave@freddysrevenge.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Drag racers have always come up trumps when UK Super Pro ET racer Mark Flavell has been stuck for a part, some fuel or simply advice over the years, but this time he needs help with a different matter. "My daughter Jessie is in her second year at Northumbria University and was scheduled to enter into a work placement around September for her third year of studies", says Flav. "A 'year out' in the world to gain experience and work within a team in her chosen field. She is studying Advertising Management but unfortunately due to the economic downturn the University has told her that many companies have withdrawn their placements and it is unlikely they will have a position for her. Can anybody offer a bright, intelligent and pleasant young twenty-year-old a role in advertising and/or management for six or nine months where Jess could play a purposeful role gaining experience and I'm sure be an asset to her employer. She would re-locate to anywhere required, and remuneration...well, we can discuss that later. If you think you may be able to help or be able to advise of a contact within an organisation she could write to, we would be very pleased to hear from you". If you can help then please drop Jess a line at jessica.flavell@northumbria.ac.uk. The five-year Fuel Altered. 21st March: UK photo-journalist Mark Gredzinski has been in touch to give us a look at his latest model project which is about to go into primer after scores of hours' work during a five-year period. "It all started with a resin Topolino body cast from Shakespeare County Press Officer Dave Derry who is also into scale replicas", says Mark. "He donated the shell as a raw casting and suggested I try to do something with it. The idea was to replicate an early 1970s AA/FA using an 392 Chrysler engine and a Pinto Funny Car chassis for donor parts. It's been a hard task to make all the control and fuel systems, but having added some 270 parts to the kit items (not including plumbing and wiring) it is now ready for final assembly. The barrel valve alone is scratch-built from twenty six styrene parts and is just 6 mm wide. Making everything enginered to fit has been very tricky and the body has been on and off the chassis well over a hundred times just to marry all the disparate parts together. ©Eurodragster.com The paint job will pay homage to a 1970s Funny Car team who also ran a Fuel Altered and will feature some hand lettering. Before that happens, my 1/16th Funny Car, which is another five years in the making, should be ready next week." Dart product update. 21st March: Eurodragster.com sponsor Dart are expanding their big block offerings to include Gen IV, Gen V, Gen VI and 8.1 style blocks. The new castings will give users a choice of Siamese bores or full water jackets between the bores, one or two piece rear seal, and features to accommodate a much wider range of big block applications. Dart incorporates a priority main oiling system, four bolt main caps and extra thick decks for improved performance and reliability. Dart blocks are cast in the USA with premium iron alloy and machined on precision CNC machining centres. Late model 8.1 big blocks, which were widely used in marine and truck applications, can now be serviced and upgraded far more easily and cost effectively thanks to the new Dart blocks. These blocks have been designed to be compatible with standard components that fit the original stock blocks, making it easy and affordable to integrate them into your build. The Sportsman Billet package from Dart makes billet block durability and performance more accessible to racers than ever! More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Custom Cruisers UK stock update. 21st March: Mike Chadwick of Eurodragster.com sponsor Custom Cruisers UK has been in touch with a stock update: Our MSD Ignition parts have arrived and are priced at roughly half of US retail. We have Top Fuel verification units and testers plus fuel adders, retard advancers, timing units, 6000 series ignitions, stacker ignitions etc. We also have a few Dodge Viper supercharger boost timing master controllers, stacker ignition controllers plus a lot of programmable and non programmable timing lights plus a few zero cross dizies and dizzy pick up conversions to zero cross system. Ford 351 dizzies complete, tacho adaptors, also Superchip Flashpack Corvette remapper programmers and also Dodge, Chevy etc pick-ups plus for GMC and Dodge too, special MSD fuel injectors, multi channel boost retard and fuel adder units, programmable timing computers, 6v to 12v battery volt converters, fuel pump boosters, 8.5 mm super conductor wire sets, NASCAR dizzy rebuild kits, MSD hei Ford dizzy cap conversions, hall effect to wand converters. Any interest then please let me know at sales@customcruisers.co.uk. Plus for guys with Haulers/USA pick-ups we have a selection of Dodge diesel and petrol, Chevy, and Ford stainless four inch exhausts all fifty per cent off. ©Eurodragster.com Flamholc's hectic fortnight. 20th March: Swedish Pro Modified racer Adam Flamholc and his team are now back in Sweden after two hectic weeks in the USA: We worked with the car in the Performance Plus shop for four days, before we drove to the track in Bradenton to test. Unfortunately we had some technical issues, and didn't find the cause until the last day at the track. When we arrived at Gainesville we had to take the motor and transmission apart. We worked hard and we were ready in time for the first qualifying run. The track was a little bit better than I expected, and the set-up I had in the car was not good. Before the second and last qualifying run we made some changes and crossed the finish line in 6.11 seconds. That time was good enough to get in the field. When we came back to our pit area after the run, we found that the motor was hurt again. We changed a piston and a cylinder sleeve, and we were back on the track in two hours. In eliminations we were up against number one qualifier Roger Burgess. I left the line a little bit before him but after 1000 feet the car made a sudden move to the right and I hit the timing cones. But all in all we are fairly satisfied. We made the toughest Pro Mod field ever! Thanks to Big thanks to Amalie Oil, Autoshop, Custom Graphics, Hurst Boiler & Welding, Husby Takplåtslageri, MMR, Performance Plus, Progressive Performance, TRE, VP Racing Fuels and YIT. ©Eurodragster.com The next NHRA race with European interest is next weekend's NHRA 4 Wide Nationals in Charlotte where FIA European Pro Stock Champion Jimmy Ålund will be making the first stop on his US tour. Web site updates. 20th March: Last weekend's Gainesville notes and pictures from our US Correspondent Ed O'Connell were very popular judging by the number of visits they received and the feedback we have had, so we are pleased to say that Ed has now posted his complete Gatornationals gallery on his SmugMug site at www.surfphotonh.com/Cars/Drag-Racing/Gainesville-2010. ©Eurodragster.com Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog has updated his Fotopic site with the complete set of pictures from yesterday's Webster Race Engineering Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway, although due to the early finish there are not may more pictures than were posted in yesterday's Event Coverage. You can check out Tog's pictures at eurodragster.fotopic.net or www.togsdragracing.com. RaceAmerica press release. 20th March: Eurodragster.com sponsor RaceAmerica Corporation have announced introductory pricing on the new DTSS Drag Race Tree, the only true solid-state tree for the Professional Drag Race market. The new DTSS tree prototype was first shown at the December PRI show in Orlando and is now officially scheduled for production starting late April. Pre-orders for the tree are being taken with introductory pricing set at $2149 for the standard model and $2599 for the wireless model. Trees can be ordered by contacting Phillip Briseno at RaceAmerica at +1 408-988-6188 or by completing the pre-order form at www.raceamerica.com/dorder.html. Orders will be honoured as received. Track operators not using a RaceAmerica timing system but desire the most advanced drag race equipment should contact RaceAmerica regarding integration with their timing system. "We are committed to providing the racing industry with the most advanced products", said Dennis Laczny, President of RaceAmerica. The technology used in the DTSS is just one example of how we are bringing the most advanced, cost effective solutions to market." The high costs of LED replacement bulbs and the fact that the United States Department of Energy LED Standards will focus on the sixty watt bulb for the homeowner, not the critical needs of drag racing where .001 seconds can determine victory or defeat, were factored into the DTSS. RaceAmerica's engineers designed the new tree from the ground with the inherent advantages of LED's foremost in their minds. Having almost twenty years' experience producing LED scoreboards also helped. To learn more about the revolutionary DTSS drag race tree and the differences with standard replacement bulb trees visit www.raceamerica.com/vs.html. For more details about RaceAmerica equipment please visit www.raceamerica.com or contact RaceAmerica at +1 408-988-6188. ©Eurodragster.com WRE Test Day gallery. 19th March: In association with American Car Imports have posted a photo gallery from today's Webster Race Engineering Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway, which was curtailed by rain not long after lunch. A number of the pictures have mouse-over captions to give you an idea of what took place before the rain came. ©Eurodragster.com Click here to see today's WRE Test Day gallery, or click on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Swift snippets. 19th March: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall has been in touch to remind racers in VW Pro, VW Sportsman, Super Modified, Sportsman ET, Street Eliminator, Junior Dragster, 9.50 Bike, Outlaw Anglia and 8.50 Bike that there are two weeks to go before entry closes for Big Bang, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-25th April. Entry closes on Friday 2nd April; you can download the official entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. ©Eurodragster.com Paula Marshall also tells us that, after discussion, the round of Junior Dragster at the FIA European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway in September is to remain a non-points round. "Junior Dragsters are welcome to enter the event and prize money and trophies will of course be available", says Paula. Welcome Nimbus Motorsport, again. 18th March: We are very pleased to announce that Nimbus Motorsport are increasing their support of Eurodragster.com by becoming joint sponsors of the Eurodragster.com webcam. This is in addition to their support of the News page in the name of Torco Oils. "Nimbus consider Eurodragster.com to be a vital and effective communication channel for the UK and European drag racing community and when the opportunity became available to increase our support we did not have to think twice", says Steve Clark. Nimbus Motorsport, based in the East Riding of Yorkshire, are one of Europe's leading suppliers of performance products and have been for more than twenty years. Nimbus stock and distribute products mainly from the USA, and in the main provide European distribution for the manufacturers. For some time Nimbus have promoted the various individual brands such as Torco Lubricants and Ringers Gloves. However for the past two years they have stepped up the Nimbus brand awareness in order for racers to appreciate the full range of products available to them. These products include heat insulation from the two market leaders, Thermo-Tec and DEI, suspension springs from Hyperco, ceramic bearings, and Micro-Temp digital infrared thermometers. Nimbus has also recently added Varley Red Top batteries and Power Pour to their product portfolio and a new product for the drag racing market will be announced shortly. ©Eurodragster.com Nimbus Motorsport is a company run by racers for racers and have built their enviable reputation by only supplying those products that they fully understand and can reliably recommend to their customers. We would like to say a big Thank You to Steve Clark for his continuing and increased support and we are sure that our readers will repay that support by considering Nimbus Motorsport when shopping for performance products. For further information call 01377 236170 or check out Nimbus Motorsport's web site at www.nimbusmotorsport.com. The first broadcast of the Webster Race Engineering/Nimbus Motorsport webcam will be from tomorrow's Webster Race Engineering Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway. Mead's best-ever Reaction Time. 18th March: UK Super Street Bike racer Steve Mead is to be sponsored by Lucas Oil Products for the 2010 season. Steve's sponsorship came about as the result of as neat a piece of timing as you will ever see from a racer off the track. Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog explains: At Autosport International at the NEC in January, I was talking to Les Downey of Eurodragster.com sponsor Lucas Oil UK. Les commented that Lucas Oil sponsored a number of cars but no bikes but that he would like to sponsor a bike. Les explained that, as does any sponsor, he expects certain standards from racers whom Lucas Oil support such as presentable vehicle, personnel, pit and equipment, and professional and sporting attitude. ©Eurodragster.com I replied "Off the top of my head I can think of a number of bike racers who would fit the bill" and, at that very moment, Steve walked past the Lucas Oil stand. I called him over and introduced him to Les, saying "This is one of the guys I was just talking about". From then on the future of a deal was in Steve's hands. It can't be easy being told to sell yourself to a potential sponsor out of the blue when fifteen seconds earlier you were minding your own business walking the aisles at a motorsport show, but Steve did himself proud. Les particularly liked the look of Steve's bike, and Steve said all the right things and kept the BS to a minimum. A product sponsorship deal for 2010 was provisionally agreed there and then, and has been confirmed since. Steve's eye-catching bike will be carrying the Lucas Oil logo this season and I am sure that he will do his sponsor proud. I am very pleased for Steve and very grateful to Les Downey and Lucas Oil UK for extending their support of drag racing still further. Swift snippets. 18th March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 9 of the official entry list for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the final version of the entry list for Sunday's Fast Show, both at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry to the Easter Thunderball, if accepted, is now subject to a penalty fee. Official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. ©Eurodragster.com Web site updates. 18th March: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, Swedish Pro Stock Bike racer Karl Lyrén tells of continued work on the team bikes, a visit to sponsor VEIDEC, and trying to keep fit despite feeling unwell. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page ©Eurodragster.com Historic entry lists go on-line. 17th March: From our good buddy Jon Spoard comes news of an exciting and important project to preserve more of the history of drag racing. "I have just launched a whole new section on the UK Drag Racing Nostalgia web site featuring event entry lists and results sheets", says Jon. "The scans show the front covers of event programmes and entry lists dating from Santa Pod Raceway's first meeting in Easter 1966 running to the end of the 1969 season, fifty three in total and also including races at Woodvale and Hull. Thirty one result sheets have also been added but there are a few gaps which need filling. ©Eurodragster.com "This section is a work in progress and a year at a time will be added when time permits. Next up is the 1970s; I currently have no result sheets available so if anyone has any result sheets laying around which they can lend or scan for me then please contact me via the web site. "I must say a huge Thank You to drag racing historian Clive Rooms who has very kindly shared his rare and very valuable programme collection for all to see, and for the time he has given to the project. Thanks also to Nick Pettitt who provided some result sheets." You can check out the entry lists and results sheets on the UK Drag Racing Nostalgia web site at www.ukdrn.co.uk. Malmgren gets another Victory. 17th March: Swedish Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren has signed a sponsorship deal with Victory Valves. Victory 1 Performance is the only supplier to offer a truly one-piece lightweight titanium valve for all high performance applications. Their components have the very best strength to weight ratio in the world, and whether you require rapid prototyping, part analysis, consultation, or part runs of 1 to 10,000 Victory 1 can handle your needs. Whether you're an engine builder, performance enthusiast, cylinder head manufacturer, race team, or at any part involved in the motorsports industry, rest assured that with Victory 1 components, you will be taken care of. ©Eurodragster.com "I am very proud too have Victory Valves on board as a product sponsor, as most Pro Stock and actually most Pro teams use Victory valves", says Michael Malmgren. "They have a very highly-respected reputation on the marked for making the best valves, fast delivery and extremely high quality. This is of course a key factor when you are racing in a Pro category. For more facts about Victory and their products check out their web site at www.titaniumvalve.com." Good Vibrations for the Outlaws. 17th March: The UK's Supercharged Outlaws have announced a sponsorship deal with Good Vibrations Motorsports of Whittier, California. "Jim Mahr has kindly sponsored this season's six-round Outlaw series with $100 to the quickest Reaction Time of each event", says Dave McKenzie. "That's a total of $600 for the season. To qualify for payment your vehicle must have a Good Vibrations decal on it. The Outlaws would like to thank Jim and all the staff at good Vibrations for their help. "Jim provides an excellent service to European racers as well as to those in Australia and the USA. Next time you need those blower or injection parts or any of Good Vibrations' extensive range, do not hesitate to give the guys a call as they will be most helpful. Check out their web site at www.goodvibesracing.com. "Good Vibrations join our other 2010 sponsors who include Fester Race Cars, Romford; Roy Wilding Nostalgia Race Cars, Oldbury; LA Commercials, Kidderminster; B & G Multiservices, Halesowen; and Academy Glass, Isle of Wight. "Our season will soon be here. The opening event is the All American show at Santa Pod on 1st-2nd May." Swift snippets. 17th March: We were sorry to hear from Keith Lee of the death of Kathy Owens, the wife of legendary UK drag bike racer Marion Owens. "Anyone who saw Kathy wrenching Marion's double Harley at Santa Pod back in the seventies could not fail to be impressed", says Keith. "She was half the size of Marion, but there was no doubt who was the boss of this great family team! Seeing her tightening bolts as Marion came to the line on the mighty Harley was a sight to behold. They made a lot of friends on their visits, and it was always a pleasure to see them". Our deepest sympathies to Marion and to Kathy's family and friends. You can read an obituary by clicking here. ©Eurodragster.com From Eurodragster.com sponsor TPM Trailer comes the FC Nordic, which weighs less than 1000 Kg but can take a load of more than 2500 Kg. "If you have heavy equipment this trailer is perfect for that", says Christer Hultberg. "The interior measurements are 5 m long, 2.38 m wide and 2 m in height. The chassis is made of special high strength steel which can stand against enormous forces. As with all our trailers you can get it with living quarters and space for your car". You can find out more about the FC Nordic at www.tpmtrailer.eu. With our first webcam broadcast of 2010 scheduled for Friday's Webster Race Engineering Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway, we shall tomorrow be revealing the identity of the company joining Webster Race Engineering as sponsor of the Eurodragster.com webcam. Tune back then for details. Taylor's travels. 17th March: Brian Taylor has been in touch with an account of his recent trip to Florida to launch his book Crazy Horses on the US East Coast, and of the Allard Chrysler's latest public appearance: Saturday 6th was the first official book signing day. As well as Don and myself we had Bud and Bob, Tex, Andy Carter, Sarah and their son Albert, Syd McDonald, Les Sanderson, and Viveca and Håkan Averstedt. Also met Don's wife Pat who I last saw in 1976. She's not so well these days but is still charming. It was the first time I had met Viveca and what a lovely person she is. We sold a few books and I got to know everyone much better. A really nice day. Sunday was the second official signing and we had Don, myself, Bud and Bob, Tex, Andy and co (plus his team). We were also joined by Micke Gullqvist and his wife on their way to Gainesville where he made all Europeans proud with his Pro Mod runner-up achievement, and the dynamic duo Roger Gorringe and Andy Willsheer. Sold a few more books. Don makes himself so accessible to his fans, always pleased to answer questions and relay stories. He has so much patience and is such a great ambassador for drag racing. Mind you all those years dealing with promoters has meant that he does not suffer fools gladly in business. For me, to spend two days as part of the museum offer was an honour. It was something I promised myself I would do when Don graciously agreed to write the Foreword to Crazy Horses. And to hear him praise the quality of the book to his friends and museum visitors was reward in itself. Monday was another chill-out day by the pool for me. Signed the remaining copies of Crazy Horses for Don and said my farewells. Thanks to everyone who joined me over the weekend and especially to Don for enabling it to happen. Every drag racing fan should make the pilgrimage to this museum. Don is usually available for a chat. There are some really historic drag racing cars. It's not just the cars that Don has driven, built or been involved with in one way or another - although they do form the focus of the exhibits because Don has dominated the sport for so long. There are many other famous cars on display and even a separate Classic and Vintage Car Museum. I would have liked to stay for the Gatornationals but I could not locate a book retailer at the track and without that I had no books to sign. I also had Ally at Race Retro so Coventry won out over Gainesville in the end. ©Eurodragster.com Showing the car at Race Retro last weekend prompted much interest in the restoration project from visitors and the press. I was only able to attend on the Sunday and we sold a few signed copies of Crazy Horses plus a couple of prints. Had I been able to attend all three days I'm sure we could have sold more of both items but we can only do what we can do and there was no way I could get stocks up to Coventry beforehand. Bob Roberts and Phil Brown covered the first two days, logging enquiries that I was able to follow-up, and Syd McDonald helped me out on the Sunday. Jerry Cookson and the Wild Bunch team also kept an eye on the car for us. One thing I have found most interesting is how people view the car now compared to when we first started to promote its restoration. Early comments were typified by "Isn't it ugly" because people did not understand why the car was designed this way and of course it bears little resemblance to modern dragsters. It is more common now for people to make comments like "Isn't she beautiful". Clearly a deeper understanding of its construction and importance plus its heightened celebrity status are all having an effect. You can read the full version of Brian's account on the Crazy Horses Blog on the Acceleration Archive at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk and on the Allard Chrysler web site at www.allardchrysler.org. Haynes back Xtreme Show. 17th March: The organisers of the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show 2010 at the Haynes International Motor Museum on 12th-13th June are delighted to announce Haynes Publishing as associate sponsors of the event. 2010 is a huge year for the company, one which will see the world-renowned publisher celebrates fifty years in business. "I've had the pleasure of working with Haynes Publishing for a number of years now on their design and marketing work", commented Dan Welberry of the Show team. "It's through this relationship that we were able to look at the museum as a possible venue for the revamped show. I'm delighted to have Haynes on board, particularly as this is such a major year for them. Their support includes a number of copies of the title Top Trumps - Extreme Wheels, which children will have the chance to win in a competition to be launched nearer the event. Bob Glassup and I would like to thank Sam Bacon and Jeremy Yates-Round for making this possible." Few people in the automotive world haven't heard of Haynes manuals and millions of motorists around the globe have bought them. This year, the company founded by John Haynes OBE celebrates 50 years of publishing. The success of Haynes Publishing is remarkable - approximately 150 million manuals have been sold throughout the world, including more than one million in the UK last year alone. There are now 300-plus UK car manual titles, as well as equivalent ranges in the USA, Australia and Sweden, and translations of many of the manuals into other languages have been done by publishers worldwide. Haynes' son, J Haynes, joined the business in 2001 after working for an investment bank in the City and gaining an MBA. He helped expand the portfolio of Haynes Publishing to include a huge range of non-fiction titles as well as manuals on everything from a Gibson Les Paul to the Avro Lancaster. In addition to car, motorcycle and van manuals, Haynes also publishes books on car DIY and tuning, car restoration, motor sport, military, aviation and general lifestyle – including biographies and MotoGP and Formula 1 racing season reviews. John Haynes, who received an OBE in 1995 for services to publishing, will step down as Chairman in June with Vice Chairman J Haynes taking over. Speaking about the company's fiftieth anniversary, John Haynes said "I was fortunate to hit on a business success early and then spend fifty very enjoyable years developing it into a global enterprise which I know will grow even more in J's hands." ©Eurodragster.com Web site updates. 17th March: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, multiple ACU UK Pro Stock Bike Champion and European record holder Dave Beck realises, as we all do at this time of year, that Easter suddenly appears to be approaching very quickly. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page ©Eurodragster.com Our good buddies Mathias Wienand and Markus Münch have launched a web site aimed to bring more drag racing coverage to German fans. The German-language Der Beschleuniger includes news, Blogs, photo galleries, event reports and more. Check it out at www.derbeschleuniger.de. We are very pleased to announce that the guys will be working together with Eurodragster.com on coverage of European Championship events; more information about that nearer the time. Staying with our German friends, Mathias has updated his Sideview Inn web site with photographs from the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville. You can take a look at Mathias' work at www.sideview-inn.ifp3.com. Swift snippets. 16th March: Geoff Martin, who heads up the UK's Tech Crew, says that after some leniency from scrutineers last year, a far more serious approach will be taken towards plastic kill switches in 2010. "No one wants to receive a Notice of Prohibition, and there is plenty of time before the Easter Thunderball to change any offending item", says Geoff. If you have any queries then you can contact Geoff at chassis1@onetel.com. Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 8 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry to both events, if accepted, is now subject to a penalty fee. Official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. ©Eurodragster.com Shakespeare County Raceway's track prep team are urgently in need of any Goodyear, Hoosier or Toyo drag slicks, A1 GP, or F2 circuit slicks for the track's rubber sled. If any racer has slicks with enough tread for track prep use can they please contact the Raceway office on 01789 720180 or E-Mail enquiries@shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk, or better still you can drop them off at the track if you're in the area. SCR would like to say a big Thank You to Supecharged Outlaw racer Richard Davies who has started the ball rolling with a much-appreciated donation of a set of old Hoosiers. The organisers of the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show at the Haynes Museum on 12th-13th June have released the first official flyer for the event (right, click on picture for A5 download). The flyer, designed by Eurodragster.com sponsor 3t Creative, will be available for the first time at this weekend's Fast Show at Santa Pod Raceway. Dan Welberry adds that it is not too late if you wish to display your car or bike at the Show; the organisers have had a number of queries, not all have resulted in entries but the sooner entries are received the sooner they can be used in promotional material. You can enquire via the web site. We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to Santa Pod Raceway timing crew member, Supertwin ET racer, Honorary Eurodragster.com Staff Member and general all-round good egg John Hackney. Have a great day Hackers. A Fast run at Santa Pod. 16th March: Petrolheads and car enthusiasts have never needed much excuse to attend Santa Pod's season-opening Fast Show this Saturday (21st) but, for 2010, there's yet another great reason to visit the world-famous quarter mile: to raise money for Sport Relief! During the lunch break, all guests will be invited down onto the Pod's hallowed tarmac to run the quarter mile track and its run-off, before turning around and running back. By asking everyone to donate a minimum of a pound towards Sport Relief whilst running a measured mile, Santa Pod hope to raise a sizeable sum on the day. "If you've ever wanted to run on our track, this has to be the cheapest way to do it!" laughed Santa Pod's General Manager David Lloyd Jones. "As the Fast Show fell on the day of Sport Relief's official day, we thought this would be a fun way to try and raise a little extra money for them - and allow our guests to jog off their lunch! We've also got the Eurosport and Motors TV camera crews here covering the event, so as well as doing your bit for charity, who knows? You might end up on the telly as well!" As well as the feelgood factor of the fund-raising activity, the show also has a lot to offer. From hot hatches and retros to full-blown supercars, everyone is represented at The Fast Show, making it easily the most diverse of all Santa Pod events, probably because everyone is desperate to get out and play with their cars after a long winter! With Run What You Brung, dyno and a handling track, you'll have a chance to press the pedal to the metal and stock up on pub ammo to fire at your mates, along with all sorts of activities off track including the hilarious Miss Fast Show, popular Show and Shine competition, traders, monster truck show and stunt shows. Weekend ticket holders can enjoy an extra day of Run What You Brung, and all weekend tickets include free camping and entry t o the new and improved Pod Palais - a heated nightclub with top DJs, plush furnishings and even exotic dancers on Saturday night. Tickets start from just £15 for a Sunday ticket and £25 for a weekend ticket. For more information, please visit www.santapod.com or call the team on 01234 782828. ©Eurodragster.com Dart product update. 16th March: Eurodragster.com sponsor Dart has taken the racing world by storm with their billet aluminum engine blocks. These fully CNC machined marvels allow racers and engine builders to create engines that only could exist in their wildest dreams before, but certainly at a price which guaranteed exclusivity. Dart Machinery now offers a Sportsman 5.000" bore space billet block and cylinder head package, making this amazing technology much more affordable. By standardising a design which incorporates the most commonly asked for features, limiting the options available in this package, and stocking components on the shelf, Dart is able to reduce the cost to racers by thousands of dollars. The Dart Sportsman Billet aluminum block features 5.000" cylinder bore spacing, allowing greater bore sizes than is possible with the standard BBC's 4.840" spacing. Deck heights from 11.000" to 11.750" are available, the camshaft location is raised 1.00" from stock, and .904" lifter bores are standard. The block has full water jackets and even an oil filter boss for wet sump oiling systems. A new 5.000" bore space cylinder head casting has been created to go with the Sportsman billet block. This new head is a 14 degree, spread port design which draws heavily on Dart's Pro Stock experience in order to provide awesome performance potential. The Sportsman Billet package from Dart makes billet block durability and performance more accessible to racers than ever! More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Gainesville pit notes IV. 15th March: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending pit notes from day four of the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville: After his superb runner-up finish in Pro Modified Micke Gullqvist explained his red light. "I was a bit over pumped, not nervous, just pumped, thought I saw the Tree - must have been something in the brain that failed". Micke pointed out that he probably couldn't have won anyway as when he hit the thottle it shook and blew the tires off, the driveshaft speed was way over normal. Despite the final round loss, Michael was very pleased with the performance of the car. The first round of eliminations had a safer tune-up, but the second round produced his carrer best ET of 5.827. The opportunity to drive this car came out a meeting he had with Roger Burgess in Hockenheim last year and Micke wanted to thank Roger Burgess, Al Billes, Bob Newbury, and all the great crew guys from R2B2 Racing and Pro Care RX who made the great weekend of racing possible. Despite the red light loss in the finals, Micke was quite pleased to qualify in this very difficult field and make it to the final round of this historic race, the first where Pro Mod was recognised as an offical NHRA class, and his first NHRA event. Micke's immediate plans are to stay in Gainesville for some possible testing today in the Corvette Pro Mod that Roger Burgess and then return to Europe to run this year's FIA circuit. There is a possibility that he could be back in the seat of the same car he drove at this event for the NHRA US Nationals at Indianapolis in September. Eurodragster.com sponsors Ulf and Jörgen Leanders were a bit disppointed with his first-round exit from Top Alcohol Funny Car as obviously they would like to have done better this weekend. The first run of 5.781 felt good but Ulf thinks there is some problem in the ignition as fuel is not burning properly and they should be making more power. The track conditions were very good but they could not get the wheel speed needed. Ulf feels it just a matter of finding the adjustment as they have all the parts and pieces necessary to make more power. Ulf feels they need another tenth and since they have run 5.6 at home that and more should be attainable on US tracks. Overall it was a fun weekend, he is not sure of future plans. The entire team will be heading home this week but the car will stay in the US for a while. They would like to do more testing and possibly run the NHRA race in Houston, but Ulf pointed out his credit cards are getting overheated and growing thinner from constsnt use. ©Eurodragster.com A few times this weekend they found a need for a part that they have readily available back home but didn't make the trip with them. The car passed NHRA tech inspection and body template inspection on Thursday but, as stated in the rule book, tech inspection is a constant process. Accordingly while waiting in the staging lanes, an NHRA inspector noted that their plastic steel core breather hoses were not from an approved manufacturer from the NHRA list and the brake lines lacked shielding. Ulf wanted to thank John Force Racing and Jimmy Prock for providing them with replacement hoses from the approved list. To compete in the Lucas Oil Alcohol Funny Car series, a Lucal Oil decal is required on the rear spill plate. Ulf told the inspctor he would have to show them where exactly, as they do not run spill plates on their car. A location on the rear quarter panel fender was chosen as a compromise. Ulf asked me to mention his congratulations to Michael Gullqvist for his excellent showing in Pro Mod this weeked. In association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport we have posted a gallery of Ed's shots from Gainesville plus a few received overnight from Roger. You can check out Ed's and Roger's pictures by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Malmgren signs new sponsors. 15th March: K&N Engineering of Riverside, California, is proud to announce a new partnership with Swedish Pro Stock team Malmgren Racing. K&N Engineering, manufacturer of K&N air and oil filters, feels that Malmgren Racing is a perfect candidate to represent the company in the FIA European Pro Stock Championships: We feel that Pro Stock is one of the classes to which our consumers can relate the most, and it provides great excitement on and off the track. Over the last few years we have worked closely with top Pro Stock drivers to develop our new line of hood scoops which not only help with increased air flow to the engine but provide an aerodynamic advantage over other similar products. We feel that Malmgren Racing will be a good ambassador for the K&N brand in Europe. Michael will have first-hand knowledge of the products which K&N make which he can relate to potential K&N consumers. ©Eurodragster.com Malmgren Racing have also signed a sponsorship deal with Winberg Crankshafts. Winberg Crankshafts was established in 1973 and manufactures crankshafts for the most élite racing teams in the world. Winberg cranks have powered nearly every class of racer to season championship wins in NHRA, NASCAR, IHRA, IMSA, ARCA, APBA, and many more. All operations are performed in-house, including heat treat and nitriding, resulting in tighter quality control. Through state-of-the-art technology, advanced processes, and practical engineering, Winberg has become one of the world leaders in crankshaft innovation and manufacturing. "We are very proud to add Winberg Cranks to our list of product sponsors, as they are known to be the best in the industry when it comes too crankshafts", says Michael Malmgren. "This deal came about as I I know V Gaines, a well-known top US Pro Stock racer and a highly-respected businessman. He owns Winberg Cranks as well as GRP rods who also sponsor Malmgren Racing, and several other companies." Gredzinski in print. 15th March: It's been a short while since we last heard from UK photo-journalist Mark Gredzinski, but Mark tells us that he has been quietly beavering away flying the flag for drag racing: I have had a four page drag racing nostalgia feature in this month's Custom Car to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the magazine. Also in there is a four page feature on the new Dorset Horn A35 altered, which has gone down well with Dick Sharp and crew. Meanwhile in American Car World I had a pair of six-page features. These depict the Nosferatu Super Pro Firebird of Vince Gibbs and Ray Eldred (I also have the cover shot), together with a piece on Steve Henry's Chevelle. I thought I'd better mention my twenty-page efforts just to show that quietly behind the scenes I'm doing my photo-journalist bit for drag racing in the UK. I'm also preparing some scale dragster models for a new UK modelling publication and will have some work in the United States soon. Gainesville pit notes III. 14th March: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending pit notes from day three of the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville: I finally found Eurodragster.com sponsor Michael Manners' Top Alcohol Dragster pit, and I don't feel bad about my failure to locate it earlier any longer. Mike arrived at soggy Gainesville early Thursday morning, just as a Pro Stock rig was hopelessly stuck in the mud. NHRA decided not to attempt to park any more rigs and directed Mike to a location outside the fence, a considerable distance from the usual pit area. Despite having directions from another TAD team, I might still never have found him except for the fact that, due to yesterday's crowds and still-soggy and unusable parking areas, I had been directed to an overflow parking area somewhere between Santa Pod and Gainesville and passed Mike's pit on my epic journey to parking. Michael told me he has been running the new IHRA Pro Fuel class on 100% nitro and can feel the difference in power. He plans to run the full IHRA schedule, with the exception of the race in Canada, in addition to his usual NHRA schedule. Finding a set-up for the 100% class has been tricky as a conservative approach has led to tyre shake and moving it up in power blows the tires off on the tricky tracks. Other racers have tried staying with known 94% nitro tune-ups but have had similar problems. For his qualifying runs so far at Gainesville Mike has hit tyre shake almost immadetely, and was hoping to find a tune up for a low 5.30 high 5.20 but the problems continued and Mike ultimately made a first round exit in eliminations. After qualifying for a very tough Pro Mod field with a 6.11 on Saturday morning, Adam Flamholc and crew had a very intense thrash due to piston damage on the run. They answered the call for round one of eliminations on Saturday afternoon, only to go down to the number one qualifier and take out a timing block in the process. Adam said he left well with a .019 light and was on a pretty good pass when the car made a strange move at 1000 feet. It may have been due to the incredibly high gusts of wind which came up at twilight. He shut it off as soon as it hit the cone. Despite the round loss, Adam was pleased to have qualified considering some of the impressive names on the DNQ list. He plans to ship the car back to Europe on Monday and will contest the entire FIA Tour this year. Fellow Pro Mod racer Mike Gullqvist said that they got greedy during the second and last qualifying session, not wanting to just run another 5.9, and overpowered the track early in the run. I was allowed access to shadow Micke and his team during the preparations and successful completion of round one of eliminations. I will have a report and photo gallery of that great experience later. After his first round win at 5.852, Micke commented that the car shook at the top of first gear going into second and he was quite surprised it was such a good run, his career best in ET and MPH at 248.84. He will face his car owner Roger Burgess in round two. Eurodragster.com sponsor Ulf Leanders commented after his second and final Top Alcohol FC qualifying pass that the car was fine and ready for eliminations, but that they could really have used one more qualifying pass to set up the car for optimum performance. Ulf put down a 5.8-second pass in the first round of eliminations but it wasn't enough to get past Todd Veney. ©Eurodragster.com In association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport we have posted a gallery of Ed's shots from Gainesville. You can check out Ed's pictures by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Eliminations take place today and you will be able to stay bang up to date with Micke Gullqvist's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Drags and more at Race Retro. 14th March: This weekend's Race Retro Show at Stoneleigh had much to interest those who follow historic motorsports, writes Bob Roberts: The Allard Chrysler Action Group had stand space to show the Allard dragster and seek further support for the restoration project. There was a lot of interest in the car and several people arrived clutching black and white pictures of the car in action. It's becoming clear that it was present at quite a number of events prior to the Dragfests and was better known than we had thought. The Wild Bunch, who had space right next to the Allard, were represented by Dexter and Adam Price with their Topolino and Keith Crampton with his slingshot. They also attracted a lot of attention, particularly on Saturday when a couple of models joined Team Gridlock. Elsewhere in the halls Santa Pod had a stand promoting their own retro event with the incomplete Motor Psycho Fuel Altered as an eye-catcher. For fans of two wheeled machinery there was the Keith Parnell Rouge et Noir bike under the watchful eye of Phil Steele. ©Eurodragster.com As usual the main halls were dominated by circuit racers but I do have a soft spot for the Super Saloons from the 1970s: what's not to like in a Beetle body on a Formula 5000 chassis with Chevy engine in it or a Daf with a Pontiac V8 (How long have you got - Ed)? Web site updates. 14th March: The official web site of Tricky Thörnäs Racing at www.corvette63.com has been updated with pictures from the dyno room of Nilséns Performance where our good buddy Patrik Jacobsson tells us the team 2000+ bhp from their twin turbo methanol burning Small Block Chevy. "We want to say a big Thank You to Emil Nilsén and Joakim Mellberg for their amazing job tuning the engine", says Patrik. ©Eurodragster.com In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, Luke Bennett of the Bennett Racing blown-alcohol altered team gives us a run-down of the team's sponsors for the 2010 season. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Gainesville pit notes II. 13th March: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending pit notes from day two of the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville: I spoke to Micke Gullqvist after his 5.933 run in Pro Mod qualifying. He felt it was a good first pass, clean and straight down the middle of the lane. He waited to see if there would be shake or any drama when he shifted out of first gear, but since it went smoothly he kept his foot in it. The announcer had just made a big deal about what unpredictable beasts Pro Mod cars were and after Michael's run he said he had just made a liar out of him as the run was straight as an arrow. Michael thinks the sixty foot time of 0.996 can be improved upon and is looking for a quicker pass down in the 5.8 range tomorrow. Fellow Pro Mod racer Adam Flamholc was disappointed with his run as he hit shake and got out of it 1.5 seconds into the run. He feels the data from this run should give them a baseline and hopes to run 5.92-5.98 tomorrow. Eurodragster.com sponsor Ulf Leanders felt his 5.781 in Top Alcohol FC qualifying was a good opening pass as the run felt good and nothing was hurt on the car. He noted that the shift light seemed really bright due to the fact that Gainesville's night lighting is not all that bright. This gave him a sense of urgency in shifting to put the light out quickly. Ulf thinks they should be able to step up to a 5.6 tomorrow. I started the day looking for Eurodragster.com sponsor Mike Manners in the Top Alcohol Dragster pits. When I couldn't find him I asked several other TAD drivers and crew if they knew where he was pitted. They all replied they had not seen him and didn't think he was there. I was therefore shocked to see him make a run in the darkness last night (Gainesville had the worst lighting of all NHRA tracks, they never intentionally schedule night racing). I will find Mike first thing in the morning, although I can't imagine where he is. I have walked the entire Sportsman pits and a TAD car is difficult to hide. This mystery has me puzzled and I can't wait to solve it! ©Eurodragster.com In association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport we have posted a gallery of Ed's shots from Gainesville. You can check out Ed's pictures by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. There are plenty of racers for European fans to cheer on at Gainesville this weekend as Eurodragster.com sponsors the Leanders Brothers (Top Alcohol FC), Micke Gullqvist and Adam Flamholc (Pro Modified), and Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com sponsor Cosmo Residences (Top Alcohol Dragster) are all contesting the race. Qualifying continues today and as ever you will be able to stay bang up to date with our guys' progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Introducing the Stig Neergaard Trio. 13th March: Denmark's Stig Neergaard plans to field a three-car Top Fuel Dragster team on the FIA European Championship Tour in 2010. As already revealed here on Eurodragster.com, Stig and Sweden's Jöran Persåker planned to run as a two-car team, but they are now to be joined by Sweden's Rosie Millberg who longtime fans will remember raced in Pro Comp in the 1970s and who has been working on a return since 2008. ©Eurodragster.com Stig told Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell at Gainesville yesterday that he will drive the same dragster as last year whilst Jöran will be running his Murf McKinney dragster. Rosie will be driving a third car and will be starting her licencing runs in Denmark on the weekend of 17th-18th April. The US' John Smith will return to tune for the entire season including testing. Tommy Rostgaard will not drive this year but will be Crew Chief on one of the dragsters. After the FIA season, three cars and a trailer will be shipped to the USA for the NHRA National event in Las Vegas. Stig and Jöran will race and the third dragster will be a spare. 2010 European Top Gas calendar. 13th March: Many thanks to Herman Jolink for sending us the calendar for the 2010 European Top Gas Series: ©Eurodragster.com 8th-9th May: Drag Day, Hoskovice, CZ 18th-20th June: Drachten Nationals, Drachten, NL 9th-11th July: Drachten Internationals, Drachten, NL 28th July-1st August: Veidec Festival, Mantorp Park, S 13th-15th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, D 20th-22nd August: Dutch Finals, Drachthen, NL 2nd-5th September: Mosten Race Days, Mosten, DK (eighth-mile sprint) "The best six of seven rounds will be counted", says Herman. Swift snippets. 13th March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 7 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry to both events, if accepted, is now subject to a penalty fee. Official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. ©Eurodragster.com The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com shows, we are told, Filippa at the wheel of an ex-Comp Eliminator dragster destined for Super Comp in 2010. 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. Dart product update. 13th March: Eurodragster.com sponsor Dart's Special High Performance (SHP) small-block is designed for high-performance and heavy-duty applications producing up to six hundred horsepower. The SHP block is the ideal starting point for hot rodders, drag racers, circle track competitors, off-roaders, and high-performance marine enthusiasts. Made in the USA on all-new tooling, the SHP block delivers exceptional value. Priced hundreds of dollars less than a full-race block, the SHP block eliminates the time and expense of rebuilding a junkyard core. The SHP block is tailored to the most popular performance and racing applications, with 350 main bearings and a choice of 4.00" and 4.125" cylinder bores. New features include the option for a one-piece rear main seal, enabling use of a broader array of crankshafts and components. SHP blocks are manufactured on Dart's in-house CNC machining centers to precision tolerances. The SHP block's siamesed cylinders have a.230" minimum wall thickness at 4.165" bore diameter. Other features include a true priority-main oiling system that ensures reliable lubrication at high rpm, ductile iron main bearing caps (with splayed four-bolt caps on the center mains), .625" thick decks with blind head bolt holes, and clearance for long-stroke crankshafts. The SHP block retains the first-generation small-block's original dimensions and is compatible with stock components, including OEM-style hydraulic roller lifters and camshafts, steel and plastic timing chain covers, side and front motor mounts, clutch linkage pivots, and mechanical fuel pumps. More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Obsession misses Show date. 13th March: UK Super Modified racer Craig Gibbs writes with a heave heart to announce that, for personal reasons, the Gibbs family's Obsession Camaro will not be attending June's Xtreme Wheels Motor Show. "This is a very difficult decision for us as a family" says Craig. "I wanted nothing more than to take Obsession to the Show which my father first of all dreamed of, put the wheels in motion, and promoted for the first three years of its young life before he passed away, and the show at which Obsession in Super Modified guise made her début in 2004. ©Eurodragster.com "We were all really looking forward to going this year. I am sure it would have brought back lots of fond memories, and it would have been great to have honoured my father by being able to take his pride and joy to the event he loved to promote the most. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, it is not to be. As many people know my father was involved in many custom- and drag-related events over the years either as an exhibitor, racer, or promoter, but this was the event in which he took the most pride. "I would like to thank Bob Glassup and the team for naming the top award in the show after my father, which is a really great gesture, and we wish Bob and the team all the very best for the Show, for this year and the future." Gainesville pit notes I. 12th March: Many thanks to Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell for sending pit notes from day one of the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville: I spoke to Ulf Leanders before I read today's news update on Eurodragster.com. Ulf basically told me what was already posted...damn, scooped by my own News Editor! Ulf was very busy chasing parts and getting ready to have the Top Alcohol Funny Car tecched by NHRA. Michael Gullqvist is very anxious to get out on the track and feels the pressure not only to qualify for what will be a tough field, but to qualify in the top half, as his three teammates have some of the fastest Pro Mod cars on the property and he wants to avoid the possibility of facing a teammate in the first round. Michael was getting ready to attend a mandatory NHRA class on the proper disposal of hazardous waste materials. I visited Adam Flamholc's rather soggy Pro Mod pit - it has been raining here the past few days - and he was working on assembling some connecting rod assemblies. He hadn't taken the Camaro out of the box yet as they are waiting for the pit area to dry out a bit. ©Eurodragster.com I don't believe that Michael Manners has set up his pit area yet. The drive down from Washington DC (2:00 am-2:00 pm) featured many periods of heavy downpours, but hopefully all the precipitation is out of the way for racing tomorrow. In association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport we have started a gallery of Ed's shots from Gainesville. You can check out Ed's pictures by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. There are plenty of racers for European fans to cheer on at Gainesville this weekend as Eurodragster.com sponsors the Leanders Brothers (Top Alcohol FC), Micke Gullqvist and Adam Flamholc (Pro Modified), and Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com sponsor Cosmo Residences (Top Alcohol Dragster) are all contesting the race. Qualifying starts today and as ever you will be able to stay bang up to date with our guys' progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. A rare oildown for Carter. 12th March: Roger writes from Florida that FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter joined Don Garlits at his Museum in Ocala on Wednesday evening to help with the pre-Gatornationals Garlits Cacklefest: There were around a half dozen cars including several of Don's, and all were fired up and run for the keen group of fans who attended. Not all had a successful fire-up including the car in which Andy Carter was sitting, the old Swamp Rat 2 car which ran in England way back in 1964, spat out an oil filter seal just after it had been fired up leaving Andy to shut off very frustrated. "I was really looking forward to that although I was very nervous", said Andy. "The cars are not fired up often so the seals aren't at their best, and of course it was mine which failed and oiled the car park!" The Birdy and a Flying Dutchman. 12th March: The Netherlands' Wilco Sijm and Mathijs Kraetzer plan to race their Birdy and Flying Dutchman altereds in Super Pro ET at the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway in May. "We are really busy on the altered's exterior", says Mathijs of the Birdy altered. "The body is still in the paint shop waiting to be finished and it's going to be a real Ol'skool hotrod. I don't think you'll recognise it! When it's finished you will be get a picture. ©Eurodragster.com "The motor is basically the same. Wilco however has really been working on the go-faster stuff! On his first weekend last year with the new blown 598 he went 7.7/175 feathering the throttle. But chassis problems caused him to go home early. "We've already booked the ferry for the Main Event. Wilco and I have been planning to come to Santa Pod for a long time but it just didn't fit in our budget last year. Now we are just hoping for a rain-free weekend. We will have fun anyway and 2010 is going to be a great year." Swift snippets. 12th March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 6 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry closes today (12th); late entry after today, if accepted, will be subject to a penalty fee. Official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. ©Eurodragster.com The organisers of the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show at the Haynes Museum on 12th-13th June would be pleased to hear from any company which would be interested in sponsoring a cut glass trophy for £50. The Best of Show award is also available for sponsorship for £100. "All trophy sponsors will have their company name listed on our site with a link to their and their contact details", says Dan Welberry. "A specific press release will be issued, obviously each award will be announced at the event using the company name ,and the name will be on the award. Sponsors have the option to present the trophy too". If you are interested then please drop Dan a line at dan@xtremewheelsshow.co.uk. Web site updates. 12th March: Our good buddy Alan Currans has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive with a second page of photographs taken by Alan Holland-Avery at the 1972 Easter meeting at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Alan's pictures on Alan's site by following the What's New? link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Leanders invade Gainesville. 11th March: Sweden's three-time FIA European Top Methanol Funny Car Champions and Eurodragster.com sponsors Ulf and Jörgen Leanders have their sights set on running Top Alcohol Funny Car at this weekend's NHRA Gatornationals. The Leanders Brothers manufacture their own clutch which provides the performance that they need to get the power to the ground in their Top Methanol Funny Car. Many other top competitors run the Leanders Brothers clutches including 2009 ADRL Pro Extreme World Champion Todd Tutterow. The Leanders sent their Top Methanol Funny Car from Sweden to the Yadkinville, NC, home of WYO Motorsports / Todd Tutterow back in November. The Leanders and crew arrived in the first week in March and have been thrashing to get the Funny Car ready for testing. Their sights are now set on the NHRA Gatornationals. When asked why they wanted to run at the Gatornationals, Jörgen Leanders replied "Our dream has always been to race in the USA, the home of professional drag racing, and now we are here!". The Leanders Brothers would also like to thank Tony and Tisha Wilson Motorsports for hauling the race car to the track, Hank Thomas Performance and CAM 2 Motor Oil for their sponsorship and help. A special thank you to Todd and Denise Tutterow for letting the team use their 'shop and for all they have done for them. ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 11th March: There are plenty of racers for European fans to cheer on at Gainesville this weekend as in addition to the Leanders Brothers (above), Micke Gullqvist and Adam Flamholc are running in Pro Modified and Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com sponsor Cosmo Residences is contesting Top Alcohol Dragster. In all cases qualifying starts tomorrow (Friday) and as ever you will be able to stay bang up to date with our guys' progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger is on the facility as is US Correspondent Ed O'Connell who plans to send pit notes and pictures starting tomorrow. 12:45 Jörgen Leanders has just been in in touch to tell us that two days of testing in Bradenton went really well for the FIA European Top Methanol FC Champions. "We had made some big changes to our fuel system so we started with some 330-foot passes", he said. "Everything looked nice so on the last run yesterday Ulf made a full pass and that resulted in a 'low power' 5.73, so we feel very confident for this race." If you would like to get in some testing before the season starts then don't forget that Eurodragster.com sponsor Webster Race Engineering are holding a Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway next Friday (19th). WRE Test Days feature a track prepped to National Event standard, full safety cover, and WRE staff on hand for help and advice. Entry is limited to guarantee maximum track time. For more details or to book your place, download the entry form (Word format) from www.webster-race-engineering.co.uk or download the form directly at www.webster-race-engineering.co.uk/test_day.doc. Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 5 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry closes this Friday (12th); official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. ©Eurodragster.com Eurodragster.com sponsor VP Racing Fuels are preparing to announce a new UK distributor who will have all the popular VP blends available. A formal announcement is expected within the next few days, but in the meantime interested racers should write to uksales@vpracingfuels.com. The organisers of the Xtreme Wheels Motor Show at the Haynes Museum on 12th-13th June would be pleased to hear from any Eurodragster.com reader who could help with the supply of a set of pedestrian traffic lights to assist in crossing the public from the car park to the event venue. "By law, we have to have this in place" says Dan Welberry. "Hire fees are huge so we were wondering if any reader may be in the game, or know somebody who may have some, and have a set we can borrow or hire at a realistic rate". If you can help then please drop Dan a line at dan@xtremewheelsshow.co.uk. Further to his Swift Snippet of 4th March, Mike Chadwick of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Custom Cruisers UK says that his next shipping container leaves Daytona Beach on 15th March. For more information check out the original Snippet of 4th. Chris and Mark Hartnell and asked us to send their love and best wishes for a very Happy Birthday to tireless Wild Bunch Race Co-ordinator Claire Meaddows. We are very pleased to do so; have a lovely day Claire. We also have a birthday amongst the Super Street Bike fraternity, namely the King of Naughtiness himself, Graham Dance. Have a great day G. Lee's bike book update. 11th March: Keith Lee has been in touch with news of progress on his book on drag bike racing covering the first twenty years of the sport in Britain: Alan Currans is kindly hosting a blog on the excellent Acceleration Archive, which I hope to keep updated with information and pictures over the coming weeks prior to publication in September. You can find the blog at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk/keith/lee_blog.html. I have been busy contacting many of the racers of the period, which has been a very enjoyable part of the process. Thankfully most remembered me - apart from one, but I will not hold it against him! There are a couple of riders I have not been able to trace, so I am hoping that one of Eurodragster.com's many readers out there is in contact with either Jeff Byne or Alan Thompson. If so, can they please let me know at info@keithleeimages.co.uk as I would like to clarify a few things with them. The book is being published by Veloce Publishing, and is listed on their web site, as well as worldwide on Amazon, ahead of the September UK publication date. ©Eurodragster.com Procharger advice on video. 11th March: Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Jason Weir has been in touch to recommend the new Procharger videos available from Steve Morris of New Era Racecraft: These technical videos are for anyone considering changing to or running a Procharger, having problems with their existing Procharger system, or who is interested in how a street or full race Procharged system works. These videos will save you time and money. The videos cover everything associated with a Procharged engine from system design, carb and fuel systems, water/methanol injection and air and water intercoolers, engine dyno and tuning, and Procharged race car videos. ©Eurodragster.com Even though we have been running a Procharged motor for a few years now, we have found these videos invaluable to extend our knowledge to get more horsepower from our motor and to keep it running safely. You can find out more at www.prochargervideos.com. Dart product update. 11th March: Eurodragster.com News sponsor Dart has introduced a new cast aluminum valve cover design for Big Block and Small Block Chevrolet engines. The new design features an inverted mounting flange which allows the side walls to be moved outward, increasing clearance for long-ratio rocker arms and racing valve train components. Dart's cast aluminum construction provides extremely rigid rails for improved sealing and durability. The all new foundry tooling has been enhanced to produce cleaner, more attractive castings. A contrasting raised Dart logo with a machined finish stands out and dresses up your engine. These new inverted flange valve covers offer show car looks with race engine performance design offering the best of both worlds. More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Going Fast at Santa Pod. 10th March: The first few days of sun have arrived, and the start of spring can mean only one thing… no, not Easter eggs, the Fast Show is here! Santa Pod Raceway's season-opener takes place on Sunday 21st March, and the show is packed to the seams with quality entertainment. The show has its largest-ever club contingent booked in, so before a wheel has turned we can guarantee that there will be loads of quality club displays to check out, we have huge entries in the Euro Sports Compact series, and the fastest modified cars in Europe are back for Round 1 of the HKS Drag Series. New additions for the 2010 event include the mile run on the fabled quarter-mile in support of Sport Relief, a packed schedule of events in the all-weather Live Action Arena including the world's best stunt driver, Terry Grant, drift displays, passenger rides and monster truck shows. We haven't forgotten the essential Santa Pod ingredient of speed, and the Run What You Brung competition, dyno and a handling track will give you a chance to press the pedal to the metal and stock up on pub ammo to fire at your mates. All sorts of activities will be taking place off track, including the hilarious Miss Fast Show, popular Show and Shine competition, traders, catering and bar. Weekend ticket holders can enjoy an extra day of Run What You Brung, and all weekend tickets include free camping and entry to the new and improved Pod Palais - a heated nightclub with top DJs, plush furnishings and even exotic dancers on Saturday night. Tickets start at just £15 for a Sunday ticket, and £25 for a weekend ticket. See the official web site at www.TheFastShow.com for full information, or call 01234 782828. ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 10th March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 4 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry closes this Friday (12th); official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Wayne Jackson tells us that he and his son, Junior Dragster racer Brad Jackson had a good day testing and setting up their car at Santa Pod Raceway on Sunday. "Laura Turburville was there and we ran side-by-side all day", says Wayne. "Brad's very first side-by-side run was a very close and exciting race! He improved all day with a best time of 8.1/83.17 so I think he's getting there". Sounds that way to us, well done Brad. ©Eurodragster.com Congratulations to Graham Beckwith who was the first to get in touch having spotted the reference casually dropped in to yesterday's news update, in this case a line from Monty Python's Flying Circus. By way of recognition a Photo DVD will be winging its way to Yorkshire very shortly. We have added a couple of events to Eurodragster.com's Event Coverage schedule for 2010. The first is next Friday's (19th) Webster Race Engineering Test Day at Santa Pod Raceway, and the other is July's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro. As ever, our coverage will be presented in association with American Car Imports and the webcam in association with Webster Race Engineering and a new sponsor whose identity will be revealed here shortly. You can check out our 2010 coverage schedule by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. A gentle reminder to those Eurodragster.com sponsors who have not yet sent their 2010 payments that, with the exception of late additions and those who have been in touch about arrangements, payment was due on Monday of last week (1st). If you need another copy of your invoice, or if you need our bank account details, or if you have any queries then please drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com. Alternative Energy Racing III. 10th March: Santa Pod Raceway, the home of European drag racing, is once again throwing open its doors to motorsport's greenest event, the Alternative Energy Racing day on Friday 23rd April. Motorsport doesn't at first seem like the obvious place to showcase vehicles for a more sustainable lifestyle, but there is only one future for all of us, and that's cleaner and greener... motorsport included. Alternative Energy Racing is entering its third year in 2010, and it has been developed as an event exclusively for vehicles which do not burn fossil fuels. That means for one afternoon a year, petrol and diesel is banned from the petrol-head Mecca of Santa Pod Raceway, and alternative fuel and electric vehicles will hit the dragstrip on Friday 23rd April. You don't have to believe in global climate change to realise that burning fossil fuels is a bad thing. There are all sorts of good reasons to look to the future for personal transport and racing right now and prove that performance doesn't have to mean pollution. Alternative Energy Racing is here to bring together people working in the field of alternative fuels, racing and future transportation, and put the technology through its paces on the proving ground of the Santa Pod's hallowed quarter mile. The event is open to companies, individuals, universities, colleges and clubs, and all types of vehicles are welcome, provided they are powered by energy which can be produced in a sustainable manner. That could include cars, bikes and trucks using biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, electric, hydrogen, compressed gas, and even synthesised fuels. Entry and tracktime at the event are free for all suitable entries registered through the official web site. Taking part is fun, free, and can be an important way to test vehicle performance. Registration forms and full event info are available on-line at www.AERacing.org or by contacting Santa Pod Raceway. For more information, please visit www.santapod.com or contact Rick Cuthbert by phone on 0208 852 5005 or by E-Mail at rick@santapod.com. ©Eurodragster.com Roger goes to Ocala. 9th March: The Crazy Horses book signing at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing was not such a hectic affair as a few weeks earlier at the NHRA Wally Parks Museum. Gathered below left on Sunday were from left to right Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe, FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter, Don Garlits, Swedish Pro Mod racer Micke Gullqvist, and Sarah and Albert Carter alongside Crazy Horses author Brian Taylor. ©Eurodragster.com "This was my first time at this museum site", said Roger. "I went to Don's previous museum way back in 1982 and met a very uptight D.G. who grudgingly allowed me to view the place even though it was not officially open then. Today though, it was great to meet a very relaxed and friendly Don who took time with me to recall his move from one museum site to the present, a feat he did himself, each car individually. "I was hoping to see the car which Don raced at Santa Pod Raceway in the mid-seventies and I supplied him some photos of his visit, but unfortunately that car was on loan to another venue". The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is a must for any visiting race fan and can be found just off Exit 341 on the I-75 at Country Road 484, Ocala, Florida. Swift snippets. 9th March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 3 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry closes this Friday (12th); official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. This year's European SFI Tour concluded at Santa Pod Raceway yesterday (Monday). SFI Foundation President Arnie Kuhns told us that the number of parts inspected (below left) by Tim Hyatt, Murf McKinney and Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson was up eleven per cent on 2009. ©Eurodragster.com Not exactly a spy picture but we'll be showing more of the above right picture of an appropriately-red car unless we hear from KC. The Mongoose Performance Exhausts / Pennzoil Fuel FC team have had to postpone the début of their new Funny Car as it will not be ready in time for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway in April. The Fuel FC count at Easter has not changed, however, as the Showtime Fuel FC team entered the event today. Web site updates. 9th March: Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog has updated his Fotopic gallery with pictures from Saturday's Workshop Visit to Eurodragster.com sponsor Chris Isaacs Race Cars as well as pictures from yesterday's UK SFI Day at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Tog's pictures at eurodragster.fotopic.net or www.togsdragracing.com. ©Eurodragster.com Feature: Chris Isaacs workshop visit. 8th March: We are very pleased to announce that Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport are the new sponsors of Features and Interviews on Eurodragster.com. "'I am happy with the brand awareness which Lucas Oil gain from the banner on the News page", says FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter. "This seems an ideal opportunity to add to that by taking advantage of the hits which the Features pages get. I've worked with Eurodragster.com since day one and I hope to carry on the relationship for a long time into the future. Tog, Simon, Roger, Kirstie and Ed do a fantastic job promoting European drag racing". We would like to say a huge Thank You to Les Downey of Lucas Oil UK and to Andy Carter for their increased support of Eurodragster.com. ©Eurodragster.com Our first Feature to be presented in association with Lucas Oil Products and Carter Motorsport is a visit to the Wickford workshop of race car builder, UK Tech Committee and Santa Pod Racers Club Committee member, racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Chris Isaacs. Tog and Kirstie found a good representative cross-section of race vehicles in the Chris Isaacs Race Cars shop and also had a word with Chris about his racing career, his customers, and the return of his immaculate and much-missed Standard Vanguard. You can check out the Chris Isaacs Race Cars workshop visit by clicking here, or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Swift snippets. 8th March: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words "Almost ready except for some small jobs and hoping for a début at Easter". 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 A gentle reminder to those Eurodragster.com sponsors who have not yet sent their 2010 payments that, with the exception of late additions and those who have been in touch about arrangements, payment was due last Monday (1st). If you need another copy of your invoice or if you need our bank account details, or if you have any queries then please drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com. Of uniforms and race reports. 8th March: Vicci, the USA's premier motorsport uniform company, is working with Speedgroup and the European Drag Racing Championship Contingency Sponsorship programme. Teams which wear Vicci's custom uniforms will have an opportunity to earn cash when on the podium. Also, Vicci is offering all teams a special price on their initial order and an opportunity to enter into a three-year agreement for an additional discount on uniforms. Use these professional looking uniforms to help you get more sponsorship by giving your sponsors the visibility they deserve at the track. For more details click on the picture at left. Vicci manufactures custom caps, shirts, jackets, pants, merchandise products and everything else your team will need to be outfitted in a professional manner. For more information contact Dave at dave@vicci.com or call +1 707 971 0352 (mobile) or +1 707 782 0139 (office), or via www.vicci.com. Meanwhile the Speedgroup web site at www.speedgroup.eu continues to expand. For the historically-minded, qualifying and elimination details from 2009 European Drag Racing Championship events have now been posted, together with eye-witness reports from Hockenheim's NitrOlympX and Santa Pod's FIA European Finals. Real stats fiends will even find a PDF version to save or print at the bottom of each page. With the web site now functioning properly, race results are expected to appear somewhat sooner in 2010. Junior Bikers backed in 2010. 7th March: Sharron and Jerry Collier write with great news for the UK's Junior Drag Bike racers: We have managed to secure a sponsor for the class for the whole of the 2010 season. A big Thank You and and Welcome to Ian and Dorothy Connop of CC Medical Services who will be supporting us this year: take a look at their web site www.ccmedicalservices.co.uk. We are very pleased to be in partnership with such a prestigious and respected company and we are sure that our little guys and girls will do them proud. A big thank you also to Anthony, Julie, Jerry and everyone at Shakespeare County Raceway for continuing to support Junior Drag Bike. We always had faith in the class and so did they. We have around ten riders this year, the biggest field ever in JDB, and more in the pipeline. This is going to be a good season! Junior Drag Bike is for children aged between eight and sixteen years of age, and is run on a dial-in system to keep things as safe as Take a look at our web site at www.juniordragbike.co.uk and also on Facebook for all construction regulations, class rules, rider information, 2010 calendar and lots of other information. If anyone wants to know anything at all please give us a call on 01246 570304. ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 7th March: UK Topspeed Autmotive Street Eliminator racer Ron Haslett has identified his wild Cortina as the subject of one of Thursday's spy pictures. The paint is now finished and Ron wheeled the car out of the workshop to get some snaps. Click on a picture to see another angle. We have two spy pictures for you today. The picture below left came with the words "14.71 into 28 = 6.80"... ©Eurodragster.com ...whilst the picture above right shows a car "In its new home". 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. The UK's largest class, Pro ET, probably also has the UK's best class sponsorship scheme offering cash and a trophy to the number one qualifier at each UK National Championship round. This year's sponsors have been announced and you can read more about the Pro ET Sponsorship Scheme at web site at www.pro-et.co.uk/sponsor.php and read a run-down of this year's sponsors at www.pro-et.co.uk/classsponsor.php. We would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to UK Sportsman ET racer and honorary Eurodragster.com staff member Spencer Tramm. Have a great day Spencer and you'll be pleased to hear that the top plate stayed in place. Dart product update. 7th March: Eurodragster.com News sponsor Dart's new nine-degree cylinder head delivers the airflow normally associated with exotic canted valve designs, but in an easy to use in-line valve package which is also much lighter in weight than canted valve heads. Developed in conjunction with renowned NASCAR cylinder head expert Don Losito, this new casting was designed to maximise the advantages of an extremely reduced valve angle. Increasing the overall height of the cylinder head allowed the ports to be raised for more direct line of sight entry to the valves. The valve cover rail has been widened to accommodate long ratio rockers and simplify valve train adjustments. Dart produces both a standard 4.400" bore space version and a 4.500" spread bore version of the new nine-degree cylinder head. Provisions for extra head bolts are added to each end for improved clamping and gasket sealing. The new Dart nine-degree small block head is ideal for late models, sprint cars, dragsters and off road trucks, where massive horsepower and solid reliability are needed. More information at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com Play with your Pal in your Pocket. 7th March: With this year's drag racing season just around the corner it's time to brush up on those start line hand to eye coordination and reflexes, and what better way than to use a Pocket Pal Practice Tree available now from Portatree Timing Systems Inc. Just when you thought that a drag racing practice tree couldn't get any better Shakespeare County Raceway, in association with Portatree Timing Systems, have a limited number of this very versatile and robust of pocket pals as used by all the leading Professional and Sportsman drag racers competing in today's NHRA and IHRA races. It's so small that it even fits in your workday shirt pocket! Packed with all manor of functions the Pocket Pal runs off two AA batteries or the same AC or DC adaptors used for the Eliminator Super 2000 Practice Trees. Tree sequences can be preset to run full Sportsman or Pro with .400 or .500 speeds with .000 Perfect Lights, adjustable delay box settings, rollouts and auto starts, and all from a single hand control button. Pocket Pal will even work as an alarm clock for those early morning starts at the track or can be set up as a stop watch and lap timer. Ideal for practicing in your race car as we all know nothing else compares to being in your race car when you are seriously practicing. Al Smyth, founder of Portatree, not only races but he also builds timing systems for many race tracks. He has a complete understanding of rollouts, how drag racing starting lines are setup, and the timing between tree and track. That's knowledge that other companies can't give you. Priced at just £65 (includes postage) there is a limited number of Pocket Pals available to UK racers so you had better get in there quick to reserve yours in time for Easter. For further information E-Mail enquiries@shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk or wayne.schreier@virgin.net. ©Eurodragster.com The Kings are back in town... 6th March: Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Urs Erbacher has announced that he and his team will rejoin the FIA European Top Fuel Championship in 2010 and that Lorenz Stäuble will participate in every race of the 2010 UEM European Drag Bike Championship. Their goal? There can only be one goal when these two racers line up with their Pro Crews: win the Championship! Kings of Nitro Urs and Lorenz have both won the European Championship in their class and they want to continue the story which ended in 2007 when Urs, Lorenz and Sascha became Champions. Then Urs decided to race in the USA. After successful races - Urs is the most successful European Top Fuel Racer in the NHRA - and with all the experience from the NHRA operation, Urs will line up again at Santa Pod for the first FIA race of the season. He is looking forward to a thrilling season, to racing his old buddies in the old world and to meeting all his friends and fans again in the pits and on the track. Everybody knows that Urs is racing for one reason: to be the best on the track, to deliver the best performance for the fans and his sponsors. His crew, who have been with him now for nearly a decade, is one of the most experienced at the track. They are looking forward to hitting European racing ground again and challenging the other teams with fast turn-rounds, consistency and excellent pit work. Lorenz Stäuble missed the Championship title last year due to a technical failure in the last race. You bet that he will do everything to make it work this year. After a year of hard work, the performance and the speed are back and the Supertwin bike is ready to win races again. With an early start for the Championship at the end of April and seven races the bike competition will be tight and challenging. Just what Lo and his crew like: a tough fight on the track and a good time off the track. The experienced bike crew, working hand in hand over many years is the guarantee for consistency and will make the difference. The Fat Attack team will be appearing at the following events: 27th March: Top Fuel Welcome Back Party, Fat Inn, Arlesheim, Switzerland 24th-25th April: Fat Attack Spring Exhibition, Fat Inn, Arlesheim, Switzerland 30th April-2nd May: UEM Championship 1, Kunmadaras, Hungary (TF show, STTF) 13th-16th May: Tuningworld, Friedrichshafen, Germany 28th-31st May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway, UK (TF,STTF) 1st-4th July: FHRA Nitro Nationals, Alastaro, Finland (TF,STTF) 29th July-1st August: Veidec Festival, Mantorp Park, Sweden (TF, STTF) 6th-8th August: Sunoco Drag Challenge, Gardermoen, Norway (STTF) 13th-15th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany (TF, STTF show) 9th-12th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway (TF, STTF), UK ©Eurodragster.com Swift snippets. 6th March: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall for forwarding Version 2 of the official entry lists for the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball (2nd-5th April) and the Fast Show (21st March) at Santa Pod Raceway. Click here for the Easter Thunderball entry list and click here for the Fast Show entry list. Entry closes next Friday (12th); official entry forms can be downloaded from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences is back on 100% nitro this weekend as he contests Pro Fuel at the IHRA Mardi Gras Nitro Jam at State Capitol Raceway in Louisiana today and tomorrow. 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 The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with no words. 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. The UK's Top Banana team are seeking the use of a race car for for Pro ET competition at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball as they have sold one of their race cars and the other car will not be ready in time. If you can help with the rental or loan of a race car for Easter then please call Lee Huxley on 01905 640892 or 07967 157899. Easter Thunderball, Fast Show entry. 5th March: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall has been in touch to remind racers that next Friday, 12th March, is the official closing date for both the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway on 2nd-5th April and the Fast Show at Santa Pod Raceway on Sunday 21st March. Entry after Friday 12th, if accepted, will be subject to a late entry penalty. ©Eurodragster.com You can download the official Auto Trader Easter Thunderball and Fast Show entry forms from the Entry Forms page of the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. You can check out Version 1 of the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball entry list by clicking here and Version 1 of the Fast Show entry list by clicking here. Swift snippets. 5th March: UK Outlaw Flat Four racers Adele and Steve Woodbridge are pleased to announce that Opie Oils has signed up as a sponsor for the 2010 season. Opie Oils is the home of the oilman and the UK's number one performance oils specialists, supplying an unmatched range of engine oil, gear oil, brake fluid and lubricants from Silkolene, Castrol, Fuchs, Millers, Motul, Mobil, Amsoil and Redline along with a full range of car care products from companies such as Meguiars and Muc-Off. You can find the Opie Oils web site at www.opieoils.co.uk. Opie Oils joins the Woodbridges' other sponsors NGK Spark Plugs and Direct Plastics. ©Eurodragster.com Ex-pat UK Top Alcohol Dragster racer Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Cosmo Residences is back on 100% nitro this weekend as he contests Pro Fuel at the IHRA Mardi Gras Nitro Jam at State Capitol Raceway in Louisiana tomorrow and Sunday. You will be able to stay in touch with Mike's progress courtesy of our colleagues at Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Congratulations to Alex Hope and his partner on the birth of their daughter Phoebe last weekend. Phoebe weighed in at 8lb 7oz. Congratulations also to Chris and Lynn Hope on becoming grandparents. Herbert to visit Santa Pod. 5th March: As Easter approaches, US Top Fuel Drag Racer Doug Herbert is looking forward to his first visit to a European drag race. Herbert, a ten-time NHRA National Event winner and four-time IHRA Champion is excited about the Santa Pod races. "I remember seeing pictures of Garlits and Ivo racing at Santa Pod back in the 60s so I know there is certainly a lot of drag racing history in England, not to mention it is the F-1 capital of the world", said Herbert. "Maybe we can figure out a way to bring my Top Fuel team over some time, but for now I guess I will just have to be satisfied to watch all the competitors at the Easter weekend." Over the years Herbert has made several trips to the UK and visited many of the famous race shops including Cosworth Engines, Pi Computers, Renault F1 and others. Several of his Herbert Performance customers are also located in England, and Herbert enjoys the time to visit with these friends and customers including Jeff Bull, Ken Coleman and Clive Bond. "Over the years I have made a lot of friends in the UK so I am really excited to actually be able to watch some of them race at Santa Pod. Actually I think that some of my former Top Fuel cars have done pretty well at some of these races too". said Herbert. "My wife Ginger has never been to England so I am looking forward to being able to introduce her to some of my friends and maybe treat her to some good, old-fashioned English fish and chips." Herbert, who lost his two sons Jon and James in a tragic 2008 car accident, will also spend his time in England promoting the non-profit foundation he started in their memory, B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe). The organisation provides hands-on, behind-the-wheel training for teens to make them safer and more responsible drivers. "Over the past two years I have really dedicated a lot of my time to forming and growing B.R.A.K.E.S.", added Herbert. "The B.R.A.K.E.S. Teen Pro-Active Driving School, which teaches defensive driving techniques free of charge, has already taught hundreds of teenagers and will teach over one thousand more this year! I also visit high schools to speak with teenagers and I hope that while we're in England I will be able to share my story and talk with some young drivers about how important it is to be safe and responsible behind the wheel." ©Eurodragster.com Introducing ProStreet Busa UK. 4th March: The UK's Dave Holland has announced the launch of ProStreet Busa UK, a new Super Street Bike team. Dave, Wayne Saunders, and SSB newcomer Bernard Dorgan have been working through the off-season to prepare the three-bike operation. "Wayne's new bike is of course state-of-the-art and will be a force to be reckoned with straight out of the crate", says Dave Holland. "Wayne's racing experience and history of success are undoubted. My own bike has undergone a complete rebuild over the winter and with the arrival of full Catalyst Pro Street bodywork has been brought up to date for the 2010 season. After the recent acquisition of Brad O'Connor's very successful turbo Busa our third rider Bernard Dorgan will be taking a relaxed start while he makes the transition to the new class. "We are very proud to welcome Brad O'Connor of BTC Motronics as our technical adviser aided by Brian Jolley, my long-standing technician from my Super Street and Funny Bike racing. Ken Cooper will again be looking after mechanics and will be aided by my other long-suffering crew member Stuart Youldon. ©Eurodragster.com "Crescent Suzuki have confirmed their support for all genuine Suzuki products. We are actively seeking sponsors in preparation for the production of team livery, with logos and graphics due for completion in time for the first round. "Our goals are very clear: to push the bikes to the limit and race hard, constantly learning and improving from the data which we collect, pushing the envelope for both ET and speed, and capitalising upon the vast technical abilty of BTC Motronics, Cooperized Racing and Sebastian Domingo of NLR, taking the class further towards the pro status which we believe it deserves, and providing our sponsors with the coverage they expect, whilst enjoying the camaraderie off-track. "The team looks forward to what promises to be a season to remember!" Linda Thun sits out 2010. 4th March: Norwegian Top Fuel Dragster racer Linda Thun Tønseth has announced that she will not be racing in 2010. Linda told Eurodragster.com that there are a number of reasons. "Last year we only went halfway with just three races in the FIA European Championship", said Linda. "We had very little money, and I passed on several qualifying runs to save parts. So now I have decided that if I am to drive again I want to do it right. By that I mean do the whole season with enough money and with a proper crew. "Although I haven't got all the money I need, that is not the biggest problem. The problem is getting a crew that can work together for the whole season. There are many good guys out there who want to work with me, but no-one is able to attend every race, which is a big problem. Another issue is that it's hard to give anything back to those sponsors I already have when I can't race the whole season, so I'd rather pass on this year and get everything sorted for next season. ©Eurodragster.com "The good thing about taking a season off is that I can actually go to a race meeting with my son Patrick and not have take a babysitter, so we can have some fun together. I will also have more time to concentrate on my studies before I go in to my last year at the BI Norwegian School of Management. "I promise that I will be present at several races during the summer, but not at the Easter Thunderball or FIA Main Event due to my exams. "I want to thank my sponsors Shell, Sande Gård, Snickarn AB, Thures Plåt, Wellco, Energisvets, Thunbergs Bil Gävle and Dekor Cut who have been supporting me so far. I hope that we can continue our co-operation. See you all soon race friends, I'll be back!" Swift snippets. 4th March: Top Fuel Dragster team owner Rune Fjeld has confirmed that Top Fuel Dragster racers Risto Poutiainen, Jari Halinen and Janne Ahonen will be taking part in the Top Fuel v Fuel FC Pro Fuel Shootout at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway next month, and that Risto, Jari and Janne will be contesting the entire 2010 FIA European Championship. "Risto will have a new Hadman chassis for the FIA tour", added Rune. "It will arrive after Easter". Risto is also seeking two crew members for his Top Fueller; if you are interested then please contact Rune Fjeld Motorsport at rune@rfmotorsport.com. On the Fuel Funny Car side of the Pro Fuel Shootout, Santa Pod Raceway have confirmed that the Shockwave Fuel FC will be taking part at Easter, whilst Gary Page said here on Eurodragster.com News on 20th February that the new Mongoose Performance Exhausts/Penzoil Fuel FC team aim to make the event. Thomas Nataas has told Eurodragster.com that the Batmobil Fuel FC will not be participating. You can read more about the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball on Santa Pod Raceway's web site at www.santapod.com. We have two more spy pictures for you today. The picture below left came with the words "Last of the paintwork finished, now for lots of polishing"... ...whilst the picture above right came with the words "A small pork pie to the person who can work out who this belongs to". 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 Carla Pittau has asked us to say a big Happy "er...30th" Birthday to her husband, UK Pro ET racer Rick McCann. "Time flies when you are enjoying yourself!", says Carla. Have a very Happy Birthday Rick. Dutch Top Gas racer Herman Jolink tells us that this will be his thirty fourth year in drag racing. Herman, who kindly supplies Top Gas race reports to Eurodragster.com News, has run a best of 8.479 seconds and 257 kmh on his Ducati 999 RS. You can find out more on Herman's Dutch-language Blog at jolinkdragracing.web-log.nl. UK Junior Dragster racer Laura Turboville is the subject of an excellent article on the This is Nottingham local news web site, which you can check out by clicking here. Laura's own web site can be found at www.turboville.com. Ove Kröger of Germany's Hotrodove Dragrace Team has put his 1932 Ford Roadster up for sale. The roadster has a full tube chassis certified for 7.50 seconds and has run in both Super Comp and Super Pro ET with a best so far of 8.40 seconds and 249 kmh. For more details check out www.hotrodove.de/racecar.html. Mike Chadwick of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Custom Cruisers UK says that he has room in containers shipping parts from Daytona Beach. "I can do cheap deals for shipping crated motors, big body panels you can't afford to get damaged, stainless truck and car exhausts etc if anyone is interested, motorcycles, anything we can get in", he says. "I also have friends in Phoenix and Daytona can source new and used parts. We also have some half-priced MSD ignitions coming in for Top Fuel and saloons plus Superchips tuners all at great prices". If you are interested then you can contact Mike through his web site at www.simpson-helmets.eu. A garden ornament revealed. 4th March: Claire Meaddows of the UK's Backdraft Wild Bunch team has revealed the identity of the "garden ornament" depicted in a spy picture here on Eurodragster.com News last Sunday. ©Eurodragster.com "It's the old front half of our dragster - the original 1969 Malibu Express - which Chris Hartnell bent at the 2008 Yanks Weekend at Shakespeare County Raceway", says Claire. "After the event Chris stripped the dragster and took the old chassis to Roy Wilding, and together they front-ended the car. Roy fabricated the tubes and Chris welded. Chris reassembled the dragster and we appeared at the Summernationals at Santa Pod Raceway just two weeks later! He ran quickest ET for the Wild Bunch that weekend, with a 9.132. "We definitely didn't want to throw the old front half away, as it is very special to us. So Chris made a garden feature out of it, adding a defunct block, distributor, coil, damper, timing cover, rocker covers, sump, heads, etc. He fabricated headers, bug catcher and a fuel tank to look more realistic. "We might add that the back half of the car is still original, with added extra tubing for the SFI spec where necessary." Web site updates. 4th March: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent A Car, Pro Stock Bike racer Karl Lyrén explains why he doesn't want to touch his PSB frame and brings us up to date with the latest work to prepare Team VEIDEC for the new season. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. ©Eurodragster.com The official web site of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Peter Walters Race Design has been completely revamped ready for the 2010 season. "There are a few new bits of work, although some of the 2010 stuff can't be shown", says Peter. "We are now producing completely vectored T-Shirt artwork ready for printing, and we are also producing a sponsorship proposal package - contact us for more information". You can find the Peter Walters Race Design web site at www.pwrd.co.uk. ©Eurodragster.com Carter confirms Gators withdrawal. 3rd March: Further to our Swift Snippet last week, FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter has confirmed that he will not be contesting the 41st Annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville. The Gatornationals would have been the third of Andy's planned three-race NHRA Tour before he headed back to Europe to start the heavy show tour and to defend his European Championship backed by Lucas Oil: The Gators was the one we were all really looking forward to. After a disappointing Winternationals, the team worked tirelessly in very difficult circumstances to put the dragster in the field in Arizona, where a 3.94 against Tony Schumacher was not enough to get Andy into round two. Andy will still be making his planned appearance at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing this weekend where he will take part in Brian Taylor's Crazy Horses book signing. ©Eurodragster.com "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the crew Eddie Corr, Ben Allum, Richard Bruton, Steve Porter and Neil Collins who worked so hard in the USA, often working fourteen-hour days", said Andy Carter. "I would also like to thank my sponsors and at the same time apologise to them for the terrible performance at Pomona. It was a little better at Phoenix." The two races would not have been possible without Don Garlits, Roger Burgess of ProCare Rx, Steve Wheatman of Hol Taj, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, BMRS, Prothings, Hurleypalmerflatt and Gatorwrap. Swift snippets. 3rd March: We have two spy pictures for you today. The picture below left came with the words "No idea where it's from"... ...whilst the picture above right came with the words "Another new face for Junior Modified Advanced or an old face with a new look?". 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. Stay tuned as we have another spy picture for you tomorrow as well as the story on Sunday's "garden ornament". ©Eurodragster.com It came too late for yesterday's news but a very Happy Birthday for yesterday (Tuesday) to Swedish Fuel FC racer Leif Helander. Hope you had a great day Leffe. Leif tells us that he hopes to take delivery of his new Funny Car chassis from ME Racing Services next week and that if he has any money left he hopes to run at the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway in May. Leif tells us that "I don't know yet" about the body on the new car. Brian Taylor tells us that the Allard Chrysler Dragster will be on stand N144 in Hall 3 at the Race Retro Show at Stoneleigh on 12th-14th March. "Bob Roberts and Phil Brown will be manning the stand on the Friday and Saturday and I will be there on the Sunday", says Brian. "Tony Beadle, Jerry Cookson and Dex and Adz Price and the Wild Bunch gang will be helping out when they can". The ACAG web site at www.allardchrysler.org has been updated with a Roll of Honour of those who have contributed to the project. Dave Cox has been in touch with a reminder that the National Street Rod Association are holding their 21st Swap Meet at the Arena Essex Raceway this Sunday, 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. 2010 Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards. 2nd March: We are pleased to announce that the Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards Scheme will again run in 2010. Speedflow remain as sponsor of the Perfect Light Award, and Gold RV remain the sponsor of the Perfect ET Award. Both Awards will continue to work to the third decimal place. The Perfect Light Award is presented in association with performance hose and fitting manufacturer Speedflow, whose web site you can find at www.speedflow.co.uk. The Award will be presented to the first racer at an event to record a 0.000 Reaction Time. The Award will start at £50 and if not claimed will be increased by £25 at each subsequent event until won. If the Award is won then it will be reset to £50 at the next event. The Perfect Light Award is available to all racers in all classes but will only be awarded to the first racer at an event to record a 0.000 Reaction Time. Decals are not formally required for the Perfect Light Award but of course we appreciate it: you can get Eurodragster.com decals at the track from any Eurodragster.com staff member. ©Eurodragster.com The Perfect ET Award is presented in association with RV sales and service specialists Gold RV, whose web site you can find at www.goldrv.co.uk. The Award will be presented to the first racer at an event to run to the thousandth on their index or dial-in. The Award will start at £50 and if not claimed will be increased by £25 at each subsequent event until won. If the Award is won then it will be reset to £50 at the next event. The Perfect ET Award is available to racers in all index and dial-in classes, but will only be awarded to the first racer at an event to run to dial-in or Index. To be eligible to collect the Perfect ET Award, racers will be required to carry decals, one on each side of the vehicle whether car or bike. The decals (left) will firstly be available at signing-on at Santa Pod Raceway for the Autotrader Easter Thunderball and Big Bang and then at the Springspeed Festival at Shakespeare County Raceway, and at subsequent events at both tracks. Please note that, as is usual with contingency schemes, racers are responsible for requesting or picking up decals when signing on. A list of required decals per class is always on display in signing-on. The provisional calendar of events for the 2010 Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards is as follows: 2nd-5th April: Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway 23rd-25th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Festival, Shakespeare County Raceway 28th-31st May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway 26th-27th June: UK Truck Show, Santa Pod Raceway 1st-4th July: FHRA Nitro Nationals, Alastaro 23rd-25th July: Bug Jam, Santa Pod Raceway 29th July-1st August: Veidec Festival, Mantorp Park 13th-15th August: NitrOlympX, The Hockenheimring 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 9th-10th October: Extreme Performance Bike Weekend, Santa Pod Raceway* *Straightliners classes included in the Awards scheme Many thanks to Fay Fischer of Speedflow and Derek Flynn of Gold RV for their continued support both of drag racing and of Eurodragster.com. Swift snippets. 2nd March: We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to Santa Pod Racers Club official and occasional cake supplier to Eurodragster.com Yvonne Tramm. Have a great day Yvonne. ©Eurodragster.com PDRC do the honours. 2nd March: Pennine Drag Racing Club Chair Alan Perkins writes that the Club held its AGM and Nite of Champions presentation last Saturday. "We had a good turn out for the AGM", says Alan. "Following the meal we held our thirty fifth presentation to class winners etc". Congratulations to: ©Eurodragster.com Ronnie Picardo Trophy (Marshall of the Year): Andy Leigh and Andy Outhwaite Jack Fletcher Trophy (Most Consistent American Car): Martin Hough Competion Secretaries Award (Services to PDRC): Ian Kerr Yorkshire Post Trophy (Best Performance by a British Engined Car): Sag Steve Murty Award (Enthusiasm for PDRC): George and Pete Chiles PDRC Endeavour Award (Sustained Efforts for PDRC): Dave Rushforth B&H Autokraft Award: (Best Engineered): Pel Norman (Shogun Capri) Dave Grady Memorial Award (Fastest Doorslammer at York): Andy Hadfield Roy Wilding Quickest Comp. Car: Chris Hartnell Pennine Raceway Trophy (Most Outstanding Performance): John Sleath Blue Bar Trophy (Entertainer of the Year): Nigel Hull Duggie White Memorial Trophy (Crew Chief of the Year): Team Shogun Chairman's Award (Most Promising Newcomer): Derek Beck Rescue Unit Trophy (Services to Motorsport): Steve Murty/IOPD TEST Trophy (Most Consistent Reaction Times): Dan Houlston Tony Murray Award (Services to UK Drag Racing): Darren Chandler Brian Lewis Memorial (N/A Powered car): Pete Youhill Racers' Choice (Voted by Racers): Andy 'Bozzy' Bosomworth Danger Zone Trophy (Hard Luck Award): Stuart Hodgson Street Shootout (Sportsman ET): Lee Chiles, runner-up Des Taylor Hot Rod Challenge: Derek Beck, runner-up Adam Cuthbert American Super Stock: 1. Ashley Rawson, 2. Scott Billadeau, 3. 3rd: Dan Houlston Pro ET Shootout: Pel Norman, runner-up Darren Chandler Air Cooled Eliminator: 1. Richard Johnson, 2. Adam Proctor, 3. Craig Perry Glen Jarvis (Car Points Champion): Lee Chiles You can find out more about York Raceway and PDRC including this year's calendar at www.yorkraceway.org.uk. Web site updates. 2nd March: Alan Currans has added a ninth page of pictures to the Lawrie Gatehouse Collection on his excellent Acceleration Archive. "This page contains thirty two images almost equally split between shots taken on one of Lawrie's many visits to the USA and a little-known sortie to South Africa", says Alan. "There are plenty of interesting pictures but I think the best is of an alcohol-burning dragster which was urged on by a supercharger and two turbochargers!". Check it out via the What's New link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. Thanks to Paul Fischer for passing on news of an amazing YouTube find, a Ford Motor Company documentary which includes footage of one of the Dragfests which took place in the UK in the early 1960s as well as racing at Pomona and elsewhere. The documentary comes in several parts but you can find part one at www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDRe77Zy9WI or all seven parts embedded on Jon Spoard's excellent UK Drag Racing Nostalgia Forum at www.ukdrn.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1964. ©Eurodragster.com UK Event Safety are pleased to announce the launch of their new web site. The site has been carefully engineered by David Bushnell and the guys over at The One Point IT, Media and Communications experts. Promoting the Safety with a commonsense approach ethos, the new web site has been designed to be pleasing on the eye and easy to use, giving an overview of some of the services which UK Event Safety cab provide to any promoter or organiser whether their event is a garden fête or a huge international festival. Check it out at www.uk-event-safety.co.uk. Eurodragster.com sponsors 2010. 1st March: As we did in 2009, we approached the 2010 sponsorship round with some trepidation but Eurodragster.com's sponsors have stepped up to the plate with most staying with us for another year. We are also very pleased to welcome the following new sponsors (in the order in which they signed up): Sponsoring our Racer Blogs this year are Alamo Rent A Car. With a global network providing access to over 8,800 rental locations in ninety countries worldwide and over 1,680 European locations, including at every major airport, Alamo offers a wide range of vehicles and optional extras for leisure travellers, making it the ideal partner for drag racing fans. Alamo are sponsoring UK Junior Dragster racer Paige Wheeler this year with funding to attend the year's UK Championship events and branding and supporting her dragster, safety gear and team. To celebrate their sponsorship Alamo 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. For more details, check out the Eurodragster.com News update of Monday 22nd February, or 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. Thanks very much to Paige's dad Andy for his help in putting this deal together. Joining us on the Eurodragster.com News page is the latest business venture of UK Pro Modified racer Graham Ellis, the Rak Chang restaurant in Leigh on Sea, Essex. Rak Chang, which Graham tells us translates to "Love elephants", offers the best Thai Cuisine and the most varied menu in Essex. The newly-decorated and comfortable restaurant offers facilities for the disabled and can be found at 93 The Broadway, Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 1PG. For reservations call 01702 711180 and for an idea of the menu check out the web site of Graham's previous restaurant at www.bargu.net - the Rak Chang web site will be on-line soon. Many of America's most successful companies can trace their roots to basements, tool sheds and spare bedrooms. Like Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, and Apple Computer, new Eurodragster.com News sponsor Dart Machinery began in humble surroundings. Richard Maskin founded Dart in 1981 in a two-car garage in Oak Park, Mich. In the years since Maskin started his business with desk and a telephone, Dart has become the leader in aftermarket cylinder heads, intake manifolds and engine blocks. The company's first products were aluminum Hemi cylinder heads that dominated the Top Fuel and Funny car categories. These purpose-built heads provided the power that ultimately broke drag racing's 300 mph barrier and produced the first four-second Funny Car elapsed time. Today Dart is a recognized leader in the performance automotive industry. Why are Dart components the best in the business? Because we are committed to excellence at every step of the manufacturing process. Knowledge and Experience: Dart has been an avid member of the racing community since the company was founded in 1981. Dart power has won three NHRA Pro Stock championships, sat in pole position at the Indianapolis 500, achieved sixteen combined Top Fuel and Funny Car Championships, captured NASCAR victories, off-road and short track Championships and countless Sportsman racing wins in a multitude of classes and sanctions. At Dart, we are racers, and we design Dart products with the experience and expertise that only serious performance enthusiasts can bring to the table. Research and Development: True innovation is born of a refined research and development process. We make extensive use of some of the most advanced equipment and some of the best minds in the industry to ensure that our new products are truly cutting edge and will remain relevant for years to come. Our wet-flow bench allows us to go beyond the dynamics of simple airflow and to measure and observe the flow and behaviour of air/fuel mixture, more closely emulating the way that a cylinder head operates under real conditions. Our spintron machine, computer controlled dyno cell and extensive at the track testing allow us to tweak our designs and configurations through countless hours of analysis. And of course, Dart employees are racers, performance enthusiasts and engine builders at all levels, it's in our blood to create components that are the industry standard, not just for awesome power, but for ease of use as well. With powerful innovations like priority main oiling for blocks, spread bore pattern heads, improved chamber design for superior combustion properties, wet-flow cylinder head analysis and many more on the horizon, Dart heads, blocks and manifolds are designed to set the bar for racing and street performance engines alike. Manufacturing: Manufacturing is our business at Dart, and as an aftermarket leader we take it very seriously. We use high quality, durable iron alloys and virgin aerospace aluminum to ensure that Dart components are able to maintain structural integrity and optimal thermal properties even in the demanding applications that professional racers require. Our primary machining centers are a far cry from the smaller maching centers typical of the aftermarket industry. Instead we employ the heavy duty Makino machining centers used by the aerospace and automotive industries to ensure consistent, high quality machining and exacting tolerances. The true five-axis CNC machining centers used in our porting operations produce complex ports and chambers with accuracy that is simply not possible by hand or by a fixtured five-axis machine. At Dart, we support our committment to excellence with more than just words, we support it with the best equipment and people in the business. Dart Quality and Service: Every Dart component is held to strict quality standards. We use an extensive inspection process to ensure that when you order a Dart cylinder head or engine block, you're getting one of the best components money can buy. And when it comes time to stand behind our product, we're there 100%. We appreciate all our customers and are proud to offer support and answers whenever they might be needed. All of us here at Dart invite you to experience world class power, quality and service. Experience Dart at www.dartheads.com. ©Eurodragster.com New Eurodragster.com News sponsor Jacksons MOT and Service Centre is owned and run by Sportsman ET racer Ian Jackson and fiancée Carol Topper: we are based in Bracknell, Berkshire which is easily reached from the M3 and M4 motorways. We are a small MoT testing station and workshop for Class 4 cars and light commercial vehicles, and we service all makes and models.We have three mechanics and two MoT testers We are members of the Good Garage Scheme and local Trading Standards approved. Don't forget to mention Eurodragster.com for some great discounts. You can find us at Unit 31, Great Hollands Square, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 8UX or call us on 01344 427060. A web site will follow but in the meantime you can check out the Jacksons MoT and Service Centre entry on the Good Garage Scheme site at www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/search_detail.php?recordID=4331. New Eurodragster.com News sponsor Furlong Tyres was established in 1976 by Fred Furlong, dealing solely in motorcycle tyres and one of the first companies in the UK to specialise in two wheels. All makes of tyre are supplied including Avon, Bridgestone, Conti, Dunlop, Metzeler, Michelin, Pirelli, Shinko and Mickey Thompson to both trade and retail customers. On the drag racing side Fred is the authorised Mickey Thompson Motorcycle dealer trackside, Shinko Importer and Michelin Business Partner for the Power One Drag tyre. Fred races in 9.50 Bike with some success twice having won the UK National Championship using the MT brand. Tyres can be collected from the shop in Yeovil, fitted free to loose wheels including valves and balancing or delivered to the track at no extra cost. To mark his sponsorship of Eurodragster.com Fred is offering the 190/50R17 MT MCR2 post free on all tyres currently held in stock. You can find the Furlong Motorcycle Tyres web site at www.furlongtyres.com. Following a successful 2009, with several customers again winning Championships, Eurodragster.com News sponsor MotorShack are constantly being adding new produts to their range. Timo Habermann used the MotorShack Racing Methanol to good effect, winning Top Methanol Dragster last year, and this year new customers will include reigning ACU UK Funny Bike Champion Kev Charman, and Wayne Allman of the Intergalactic Custom Shop who should be taking to the track in his wild Keith Black-powered creation Mental Breakdown. In addition MotorShack has also signed up to the Speedgroup Contingency Sponsorship Scheme for both Top Methanol Dragster and Top Methanol Funny Car. Outside drag racing, UK Tractor Puller David Jones has also had major success with the MotorShack methanol in competitions throughout Europe. New MotorShack products for 2010 will include a new Race Fuel Concentrate tested over the four rounds of the UK supercross this year, and even a power product for diesels. There are also many additions to the usual array of parts and consumables, and improvements to the nitrous filling service and some new services that represent the famous Motorshack trackside service. In addition to the trackside service MotorShack continues to support drag racing wherever possible, by track sponsorship at Shakespeare County Raceway, support of classes such as Pro ET, and by support of individual racers. Please support Motorshack at the track or call in to the trade counter. Visit www.motorshack.com, call 01926 633379, or E-Mail support@motorshack.com. We would like to welcome all of Eurodragster.com's new sponsors and we thank them very much for their support and for the discounts on offer to our readers. A huge Thank You also to those sponsors who have stayed with us. We are very proud that Eurodragster.com's roster of sponsors can provide anything a racer or race fan could need whether a complete race car or bike, a tail light bulb, anything in between, a hire car to go to the races, fuels and oils to keep everything going, and a good meal! We are sure that all of our readers will help to repay that support by considering Eurodragster.com's sponsors when shopping for products or services. This year we have had to say goodbye and Thank You to Goodridge UK, Grandstand Motorsports and Hubraum Brothers from the News page, to Andy Robinson Race Cars and Stroud Safety from Features and Interviews (although ARRC are of course continuing to sponsor the Home and News pages), and Lex Joon Racing from the webcam. We are very grateful indeed to these companies and indiciduals for their support of Eurodragster.com, over a number of years in the case of Lex Joon Racing; the backing and loyalty of all of our sponsors is very much appreciated and helped in the success of Eurodragster.com. We have already signed up new Webcam and Features sponsors whose identity will be revealed shortly, but we always have room for advertising on Eurodragster.com News. If you are interested then please drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com. If representatives of ALF Racing, Fat Attack Custom Bikes, and Leanders Brothers Performance Products are reading this then please get in touch with us at tog@eurodragster.com to let us know whether you would like to continue with your sponsorships - we have tried contacting you but have not yet received a reply about your intentions. 2010 Wild Bunch calendar. 1st March: The UK's Wild Bunch Nostalgia Drag Racing Club held their AGM in Swindon last weekend and race co-ordinator Claire Meaddows has been in touch with details of the Wild Bunch Series Dates for 2010. The Wild Bunch will be running a ten-round Series for their main contingency sponsor Real Steel Performance Automotive Products (RS), with the results decided on the best nine of ten rounds. This is the tenth year that the Real Steel Series has been run, so the Club are celebrating that milestone. Six rounds are run as the Wild Bunch Series (WB), which decides the Top 4 placings, with results decided on the best five of six rounds. 2010 is the fifteenth anniversary of the Wild Bunch Series, so another proud landmark for the Club. They also run the three-event Roy Wilding Nostalgia Race Cars Series (RW), for all rounds count. The 2010 Wild Bunch calendar is as follows: ©Eurodragster.com 2nd-5th April: Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway (RS1) 1st-3rd May: Springspeed Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway (RS2) 15th-16th May: Public Track Days, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB1, RS3) 29th-31st May: Yanks Weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB2, RS 4) 19th-20th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway (RS6, RW1) 26th-27th June: Nostalgia Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB 3, RS 6, RW 2) 10th-11th July: Mini Showdown, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB 4, RS 7) 7th-8th August: UK Northern Nationals, York Raceway (WB 5, RS 8) 28th-30th August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway (RS 9, RW 3) 25th-26th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway (WB 6, RS 10) The Wild Bunch are very grateful to Real Steel who have, for the tenth year, provided contingency sponsorship available at all ten rounds. There is £350 in vouchers to be won for the Top 4 in the Series. In 2010, the Wild Bunch are again running an MSA Event Challenge over the five MSA permit rounds in which they are competing; the prize for the winner is one free event entry in 2011. Further details can be found at www.the-wild-bunch.co.uk. The Wild Bunch are really looking forward to the coming racing season, and will be welcoming some new members as well as some returning members with their rebuilt cars. They would like to thank in advance APIRA, SPRC and PDRC, all marshals, officials, track and safety crews, track managers, promoters, Eurodragster.com staff for all they do (Thanks - Ed), photographers, media, and event organisers for all their hard work, time and effort. We wish every racer all the best for a quick, safe and sunny 2010. Have a great season at the drags everyone! HARA eV honour 2009 Champions. 1st March: Germany's oldest Drag Racing Club the HARA eV honoured its 2009 Club Champions on Saturday evening, writes Andrea Kloss: The highlight of the evening was when Hockenheim Race Director Jerry Lackey and FIA representative Rico Anthes presented 2009 FIA European Top Methanol Dragster Champion Timo Habermann with his FIA Championship trophy. Timo was not able to attend the Bilsportgalan in Sweden to receive his FIA Championship Trophy. Congratulations to the 2009 HARA eV Club Champions: 2009 Club Points Champion Timo Habermann Top Sportsman (Competition and above) 1. Timo Habermann (TMD) 2. Dennis Habermann (TMD) 3. Patricia Kästner (Comp Eliminator) ©Eurodragster.com Super Comp 1. Gerd Habermann 2. Bert Gorselitz 3. Marc Henney Super Gas 1. Jan Hardekopf 2. Guido Uhlir 3. Gerd Habermann ET Bracket 1. Norbert Schneider (Super Pro ET) 2. Bert Gorselitz (Super Pro ET) 3. Danny Burger (Super Pro ET) Frost fits another sponsor. 1st March: Andy Frost and the Red Victor 3 Pro Mod team are proud to announce a partnership with U-fit. U-fit specialise in DIY conservatories and have been in business since 1994, but they are also avid car enthusiasts. "At U-fit we've always tried to sponsor individuals who are prepared to go up against it - local Boxer Baz Carey's amazing 12 rounds with Amir Khan for example", says Managing Director John Armstrong. "So when we saw on the internet that Andy was building a new car to wrestle the world's fastest street car title back to England we just knew we wanted to be involved. ©Eurodragster.com "We could see straight away the kind of guy Andy is, and call us patriotic but when someone actually does what we all dream and can only talk about, we have to support them! It must take an amazing amount of self-belief and commitment to go build another world-beating car and we feel pretty privileged to be able share in that vision, and of course to see our smiley pink logo on the world's fastest street-legal car! All the best from everyone at U-fit." Andy and the team are honoured that U-fit are supporting the team in its quest. "We look forward to partnering U-fit and to giving them plenty of media exposure for the long term", says Andy. Web site updates. 1st March: Jon Spoard has been hard at work on media files again, committing you YouTube the full version of Ian Turburville's 16mm film documentary made at Santa Pod Raceway in 1972. This little gem is most quickly available via the excellent UK Drag Racing Nostalgia forum at www.ukdrn.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1955 ©Eurodragster.com Earlier news