For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted
for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their
winners.
This week's category is Best Appearing Bike. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:
Phil Baimbridge Racing (rider Al Smith)
Top Fuel Bike
For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same
nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising
mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified
and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will
result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all
the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line
at ar@eurodragster.com.
Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct
rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content
of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.
The next voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be Most Professional Appearing Team.
We had numerous setbacks with the motor but he kept the faith, although I am sure he wondered how on earth he got involved in the project sometimes. So
confident was he about the motor that we never test-fired it. Just clicked it over a few times. We got to Bonneville and Sparky told me to get in the
race car. The motor was turned to get oil pressure, then it burst into life. We all had tears in our eyes... it really was a testament to his abilities.
The motor sounded amazing.
On the fifth pass he told me that I "Had to get after it", that is get my foot down in the early part of the run. I went through the third mile at 265
mph, and having already run 251 mph and that meant I had the record at 258.679 mph.
Little did any of us know that Sparky was actually quite ill. Never once did he moan about it. Not once. But sadly at 7:00 pm Los Angeles time last night
(Thursday) Sparky passed away. Words just fail me, because I cannot find the right words to say "Thank you" to Sparky. So on behalf of the 7707 Salt Shaker
Land Speed team: "Thank you Sparky". Not only will you be missed, but so will your humour, your wit and your skills. God bless my friend.
We are pleased to present Drag Racing Unplugged XX, the 2018 collection, which you can check out by
clicking here, or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand
side of any Eurodragster.com page.
2018 Champions' Champions. 24th December: Honorary Eurodragster.com staff member Andy Marrs and our own Simon have again been hard at work to compile
lists of European and UK Champions' Champions. The Champions' Champions
tables show the all-time highest points earners since the FIA and FIM European Championships began in 1996 and 1992 respectively, and since the
UK National Championships began in 1999.
Andy writes that in All-Time FIA European Drag Racing Championship points Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren, who remains in #1 spot, and
FIM European Pro Modified Champion Jimmy Ålund, who moves up to #2 from #3, both passed 7000 career points.
Pro Modified racer Micke Gullqvist moves up to #5 from #6 and FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Anita Mäkelä moves
up to #7 from #9. Jimmy Ålund also amassed the highest-ever points total in a Championship year.
In FIA Top Fuel Dragster Anita Mäkelä earned the most points and had the greatest number of round wins in a Championship.
Anita's career points also passed 4000. Antti Horto moved up to #8 from #11 and also passed 1500 career points. Maltese Lion Duncan Micallef
moved up to #10 from #14, whilst Liam Jones passed 1000 career points.
FIA European Top Methanol Champion Dennis Habermann earned the most points, had the greatest number of round wins, and set the
most Low ETs in a Championship. Eurodragster.com sponsor Sandro Bellio moves up to #3 from #4 whilst Ari Pietilä moves up to #6
from #8 and Linn Engan Karlsen moves up to #7 from #9.
In FIA Pro Modified, 2018 European Champion Jimmy Ålund earned the most points, had the greatest number of round wins, and
had the widest winning margin in a Championship, also passing 1000 Pro Modified career points. Roger Johansson moved up to #4 from #5 and
Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson moved up to #5 from #6.
Michael Malmgren passed 7000 career points and Jimmy Ålund 6000 career points in FIA Pro Stock. Tommy Leindahl and Magnus
Pettersson have moved up to joint #10 from #11 and #12 respectively.
You can check out the FIA Champions' Champions, Championship summaries, and analyses of qualifying results and round wins by
clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions
link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com.
in All-Time FIM Europe Drag Bike Championship points, Pro Stock Bike racer Len Paget moves up to #10 from #11.
Steve Woollatt moves up to #4 from #6 in the FIM Europe Top Fuel Bike Championship, whilst in FIM Europe Supertwin
Martijn de Haas moves up to #9 from #11. Gert-Jan Laseur became the fiftieth racer to win a round of FIM Europe Supertwin when
he took the stripe in E1 at this year's NitrOlympX at Hockenheim.
Congratulations to 2018 FIM Europe Super Street Bike Champion Rick Stubbins who has also taken over #1 spot in the
all-time Super Street Bike standings. Steve Venables moves up to #2 from #3 whilst Mogens Lund moves up to #3 from #4 and
Erich Gruber to #9 from #10. Daniel Donat Lencses passes 1000 career points.
The FIM Champions' Champions analyses now include Junior Drag Bike which completed its first season as an FIM Europe Championship
class this year, and congratulations again to Meggie Talbot on the historic first European title.
You can check out the FIM Champions' Champions, Championship summaries, and analyses of qualifying results and round wins by
clicking here or by clicking on the Champions'
Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
If you have any queries about the FIA and FIM Champions' Champions and analyses then you can contact Andy at
andy.marrs@outlook.com.
Simon writes that scoring for the UK National Championships Champions' Champions is based on an event having to be
completed for a win to be registered. Race wins are ranked by number based on the driver or rider. Points however are
scored and ranked on a team basis, as are numbers of Championships. For teams with multiple cars or drivers changing
teams during or between seasons, the compiler's decision is final.
2018 suffered two rain-offs, and also the loss of two National Championship rounds following the closure of Shakespeare County
Raceway. It is certainly good news for the Championship that Santa Pod Raceway has taken over the running of these two rounds,
so that the number of rounds for most car classes will go back to seven. The bikes were treated to two Championship rounds in
one weekend with the Redline Rumble; it is an interesting point, and possibly one for sports psychologists, that five of the
six bike classes contested had repeat winners in the Sunday eliminations.
We had first-time Champions in seven UK classes, compared with two last year and a record eleven in 2015. The number of back-to-back
Champions was seven, compared with a record nine in 2017.
Congratulations to repeat MSA Pro Modified Champion and Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson who leads numbers of Championships
with seven, event wins with nineteen, and also career points. For his achievements in the class and in construction of race cars, Andy
was inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2018, and joins a very select group of BDRHoF members who are still active in
the sport. Fellow Eurodragster.com sponsor Chris Isaacs enters the points total for the first time as Isaacs & Tramm Racing.
Brad Jackson won his first Gearhead Garage Super Pro ET Championship in a tough class and congratulations to him. Brad's title was
aided by an event win at the FIA/FIM European Finals. Scott Hauser leads the Championship count with three ahead of other Championship
winners Martyn Jones, Steve Green and Ian Tubb who have had two Super Pro Championships each since 1999. Barry Giles leads event wins with
fifteen in total and, as Giles & Hartley, continues to lead aggregate points, ahead of welcome returnee Steve Johnson. Billy Gane enters
the top twenty points tally for the first time.
Team Paul Brown Motorsport won their second Modurstang Pro ET Championship, the first coming in 2012. Team Dark Horse (Brian and
Lee Huxley) have five Championships in the period under review. Lee Huxley added one event win to make his total thirteen over the last twenty
years, more than twice as many as any other racer. The Huxleys continue to lead the points tally ahead of Team Heaven & Hell.
In Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET Felicity Gibbs won her first Championship and congratulations to her. Craig Wright, Geoff
Cowley and Team Rainy City Lightning (Eurodragster.com sponsor Al and Linda Platt) each have three Sportsman ET Championships. Craig,
with ten event wins during his time in the class, leads Geoff Cowley and Rick Denny who both have seven wins. Team Rainy City Lightning still
lead the points aggregate, with Felicity Gibbs and Gill Medley entering the top twenty points scorers for the first time.
Stuart Doignie continues to break records as he won his fourth consecutive Super Gas Championship and his fourth double with Super Gas.
No other UK Sportsman car racer has won more than three Championships on the trot, let alone in two classes. Stuart now leads Brian Pateman
for the most Super Comp Championships, Brian having three in the period under review. Brian has most event wins with thirteen, and the most
points over Pete Cresswell.
In Super Gas, Stuart Doignie joins Jon Morton and Tim Adam with four Championships apiece. Jon and Frank Mason both have twelve event
wins in the period, whereas Frank continues to lead points scored. Stuart Doignie won two events during the year in each of his two classes.
Congratulations to Dave Cherrett on his first Super Street Championship, winning all three events completed. Leigh Morris continues
to lead in all three categories with six Championships, twenty two event wins, and the aggregate points lead from Bob Lees.
Congratulations to Caitlin Wilson on her first Lucas Oil Junior Dragster title, including an event win at the FIA/FIM European Finals.
Joe Kellett has the most Championships with three, Nick Mugridge continues to have the most event wins with nine, and Joe Kellett leads
aggregate points over Billy Everitt.
In Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator, congratulations to Joe Stevens who won his first title, with two event wins along the way;
Steve Pateman still dominates the overall listings with five Championships, seventeen event wins the lead in aggregate points over Ian Hook.
You can check out the UK car class Champions' Champions by clicking
here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
Jake Mechaell, with three event wins this year, won his third Championship in the UK National 8.50 Bike Championship and continues
to lead the event win total with thirteen, and the points total over Mick Winyard. Jake now equals Mick Winyard's tally of Championships
won with three.
In the UK National 9.50 Bike Championship, Rick Sawatzki scored his seventh Championship, with two event wins to runner up Dave Bowe's
three. Rick leads the number of Championships won from Fred Furlong. Rick's twenty two event wins head Fred's eleven, and Rick continues with
the overall points lead over Fred.
We cover the UK National ET Bike Championship for the first time after its second year as a UK Championship class. Phil Pratt has won
back-to-back Championships, an impressive achievement in a competitive and diverse class, and heads Gary Hester in event wins with seven compared
to Gary's two, and also leads Gary in aggregate points.
Steve Woollatt scored his thirteenth ACU UK Top Fuel Bike Championship over the period covered (the seventeenth overall), and his twenty nine
event wins and aggregate points lead are unlikely to be challenged any time soon. Steve capped his season with a new ET record of 6.147.
Congratulations to Lorcan Parnell upon winning the ACU UK Funny Bike Championship, setting new class marks of 6.676 seconds and 206.93
mph. Neil Midgley continues to lead all three categories with five Championships, seventeen event wins and a sizeable points total.
Congratulations also to The Netherlands' Margot Schmidt who won the ACU UK Competition Bike Championship, an event win at the UK National
Finals helping her to achieve her goal. Phil Leamon and Ivan Birch each have three Championships, both have ten event wins, and Phil also leads
the points over Stu Crane.
Steve Venables won his eighth ACU UK Super Street Bike Championship, with a win at the UK National Finals. Ven continues to lead the number
of Championships, has twenty seven event wins, and leads the points total by a substantial margin from The Daddy Graham Dance who still lies second in
Championships won with four, and event wins with nineteen.
Blade Dummer won his second ACU UK Junior Drag Bike Championship, once again with a win at the National Finals. Blade joins Liam Holgate, Louis
Davies, Jordon Bissell and Harry Stedman who have two Championships apiece. Scott Collier leads the total of Championships with four and event wins
with ten. Scott also leads the points tally over Louis Davies.
You can check out the UK bike class Champions' Champions by clicking
here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
If you have any queries about the UK car or bike Champions' Champions then you can contact Simon at
simon@eurodragster.com.
Swift snippets. 24th December: No news update yesterday, not least because we were preparing and coding up today's
update, so we were unable to say a big Happy Birthday to our good buddy Jerry Cookson. Hope you had a great day
Jerry and we look forward to our slice of cake.
Thanks to Mike Collins for sending us the usual preview of his column in the latest issue of Street
Machine magazine, plus bonus material exclusively for Eurodragster.com readers. Click on the images above for the
PDF downloads.
Eurodragster.com Christmas lists. 24th December: We will now be taking our Christmas break. News updates and postings to our
Jeff Bull Race EnginesSwap Meet will resume at the end of this week, but votes for the
SPRC Perpetual Awards will of course still be accepted. Keep those
news items coming to us at news@eurodragster.com and we will post
them after our break.
In the meantime we have compiled our usual requests to Father Christmas, together with our New Year resolutions. As well as the core team we
have also asked Off-Track Photographer Diana Macrae for her thoughts:
Top of Kirstie's Christmas list: A new Personal Best, hopefully into the 12s!
Top of Simon's Christmas list: Any of my previous three Christmas present lists to actually happen.
Top of Julian's Christmas list: A camera that nails the focus every time no matter how fast or erratic the subject, or how dark it is.
Top of Tog's Christmas list: First prize in a massive Norwegian, British Airways or Hertz give-away. Or all three.
Kirstie's New Year resolution: To wash the Camaro myself before an event.
Simon's New Year resolution: To be careful what I wish for.
Julian's New Year resolution: To stop giving Tog silly excuses as to why my pictures are fuzzy when it's obviousely the camera's fault.
Tog's New Year resolution: To continue to select whichever camera I please.
Top of Diana's Christmas list: To reach for my dreams and achieve them all.
Diana's New Year resolution: Maybe not drink so much at meetings, I never know if it's me that's blurry or my lens.
Diana adds: I've had the most amazing first official year working for Eurodragster.com, Thank You Tog for believing in me. I've met so many lovely people
and had so many laughs. Secondly a big Thank You to those that made last year's wishes come true... sitting in a Funny Car, Jason Phelps and Steve Ashdown.
Also a big Thank You to all the teams that supplied me with coffee over the year and to Cath and Tig for the alcohol.
Kirstie, Tog, Simon and Julian would like to wish all Eurodragster.com readers and their families the very Happiest of Christmases, and to
thank everyone who has sent us personal Christmas wishes and cards. Have a great time.
For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted
for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their
winners.
This week's category is Best Appearing Car. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:
Andy Bond
Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator
Frankie Fordham
Lucas Oil Junior Dragster
David Fulton
Super Comp
Thomas Haas
Gearhead Garage Super Pro ET
James Oliver
Modurstang Pro ET and UK Nostalgia Superstock
For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same
nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising
mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified
and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will
result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all
the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line
at ar@eurodragster.com.
Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct
rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content
of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.
The next voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be Best Appearing Bike.
Just months after opening a new state-of-the-art warehouse in the West Midlands, major motorsport distributor Old Hall Performance has been confirmed
as a specialist partner to fuel technology expert VP Racing Fuels. The agreement will see Old Hall become the approved importer of VP's ever-growing
range of consumer products for the UK and Ireland.
Since opening its doors in 2005, Old Hall Performance has harnessed its market-leading knowledge of the motorsport and high-performance automotive
market to create a compelling proposition for consumers. From its new spacious warehouse in Coventry, the company will hold and distribute the extensive
range of VP's consumer products.
Miles Corrick, sales and business manager, Old Hall Performance, commented "The VP Racing range of consumer products complements our offering
perfectly and enables us to offer an even wider choice to customers. The VP brand is synonymous with quality and with success in motorsport throughout
the world. We can now offer VP's fuel jugs, speciality products, and Madditives to customers, helping them really harness their performance. It's a real
privilege to be representing the VP brand."
Peter Coleman, business development consultant for Europe at VP Racing Fuels, added "Old Hall Performance is a leader in its field, with an unrivalled
legacy across motorsport to lean upon, driven by passionate racers. The reach and knowledge across retail at Old Hall Performance, combined with their
logistics and warehousing facilities, gives us the perfect partner to service consumer demand in the UK and Ireland. We look forward to building a long-term
partnership with the business, as we seek to bring our developing product portfolio to our customer base."
For more information about VP and its products for racers, enthusiasts, and general consumers visit
vpracingfuels.com.
There have been a couple of tweaks to the rules in some classes (notably a change to the tyre ruling in True Street) but fundamentally
the popular format will remain the same. There has also been an increase to the already impressive prize fund. Following the massive
number of entries in the 4 Cylinder and FWD classes we've thrown another £2.5K into each of those pots taking the total prize
pot to a staggering £80k.
The first couple of entries are already in, so please keep them coming and we look forward to the event being even bigger and better in 2019!
Please note that although you're welcome to send entries through and pay via PayPal, we won't be able to process them until after the
festive period, on Wednesday 2nd January, so don't panic if you don't receive an instant response.
Swift snippets. 18th December: If you want to know what you're letting yourself in for vis-a-vis The Doorslammers,
or if you would like to get hold of nine other great drag racing DVDs in time for Christmas, then 15:00 UK time this
Thursday (20th) is the deadline to get your orders in to Zeon TV. You can check out our review of this year's
season and event DVDs on last Friday's news update, or you can order
your DVDs at www.quartermilehigh.com.
Early on in this year Rex Sluggett contacted me to ask if I could help him to find a suitable artist to do a painting of Tudor Rose, as it
was coming up to the fiftieth year since he broke the European speed record in the car: 182.82 mph on 6th October 1968. Rex always wanted a nice
picture of the car and after all these years he felt it needed to be done.
After thinking about it for some time I remembered Rick Goodale, one of the founding fathers of the BHRA, the first editor of Kool Kams, and
a contributor to the drag racing magazines of the day. Rick ran a successful illustration business in London, and remembering that he did paintings I
managed to track him down in Bournemouth running an upmarket Bed and Breakfast.
Rick doesn't paint any more, but did put me onto another well-known artist by the name of Terry Pastor up Norfolk way. Terry (above left) is well-known for
producing album covers including David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and book covers including books by Arthur C Clarke and Len Deighton.
Terry produced us a beautifully-presented piece of wall art based on the December 1968 Issue of Drag Racing & Hot Rod magazine, illustrating
Tudor Rose. The master copy was presented to Rex earlier in the year and holds pride of place on Rex's office wall at his home in Long Beach, California.
The wall art is 61 cm x 80 cm including the white surround. We are making it available as a limited-edition fund-raiser for the restoration of Tudor Rose
at £200 all in, individually numbered and hand signed by the artist. For the full story, and to order your copy, visit the John Woolfe Racing web
site at www.woolfe.com.
For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted
for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their
winners.
This week's category is Most Promising Newcomer. Nominees for SPRC Most Promising Newcomer have impressed whilst contesting their first full season
or making their on-track début in 2018.
The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:
For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same
nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising
mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified
and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will
result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all
the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line
at ar@eurodragster.com.
Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct
rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content
of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.
The next voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be Best Appearing Car.
Perpetual Award trophy return. 16th December: Further to the above, current holders of the SPRC Perpetual Awards are asked to
return their trophies as soon as convenient.
Trophies can either be returned to Santa Pod Racers Club or handed in at Santa Pod Raceway's office. To arrange return
to SPRC please call Ian Marshall on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) or E-Mail
ian.marshall@btconnect.com.
Zeon TV DVDs review. 14th December: This year, there are no less than ten
Zeon TV DVDs covering UK drag racing and we
are grateful to Helen Todd and Dave Coleman of Zeon for supplying review copies. Simon writes:
We'll start with the four-class oriented DVDs and then go through the six DVDs covering events in their order.
The Pro Modified DVD is covers each of the five rounds of the Championship in which racing took
place at Santa Pod Raceway. The DVD is indexed for qualifying and eliminations separately for each round.
A wide variety of camera angles is utilised including the top end cameras on the gantry,
Eurodragster.com's Webster Race
Engineering/Nimbus Motorsport webcam,
pit footage and in-car shots from Eurodragster.com sponsor
Andy Robinson's Camaro. Most drivers
are interviewed at each Championship round. There is also a build-up feature about ICE Automotive's new
turbo Firebird. This DVD is a very complete account of a Championship year which had its highs - new track
records and PBs - and lows - Andy Robinson's devastating but thankfully non-injury crash in the last race
of the Championship. Commentary is by Darryl Bradford.
Super Street Bike as a class has its second DVD this year, and it covers all four of the races held
at Santa Pod Raceway in two Championships, the FIM-E Super Street Bike Cup (which also has rounds in Germany
and Hungary) and the UK-based ACU Championship. The rounds held were at the FIA/FIM Main Event, SPRC
Summernationals, FIA/FIM European Finals and UK National Finals, fields being large for each round and
exceptionally so for the two European Championship rounds. There is a wide variety of interviews too, as
each round attracts an international field of racers. This DVD is a must for Super Street Bike racers,
fans and anyone who loves close racing and surprise wheelies. Commentary is by Bryn Lucas.
Nostalgia Superstock and Hardcore Street showcases two stock-bodied Doorslammer classes
of UK drag racing, with the five rounds of UK Nostalgia Superstock held at SPR including both 'lifestyle'
and MSA Championships. Four Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator rounds are also included. Car count in
UK Nostalgia Superstock has increased whereas Street Eliminator has suffered some attrition between 2017
and 2018, as well as new and returning entrants during the season. Commentary is by Colin Theobald, who
incidentally would be eligible to race in both of these classes with his Camaro Bruce, and Paul
Venners. Here are over two hours of great track action.
The Wild Bunch covers four of the five class Championship rounds held in 2018: the NSRA Nostalgia
Nationals, SPRC Summernationals, Dragstalgia and the UK National Finals. Car counts were high at the two
lifestyle events and competition was intense at both these and the two MSA Championship rounds. There is
also coverage of the Slingshot Showdown at Dragstalgia. Much detail and lists of special awards at each
race is supplied by class organiser Claire Meaddows. Colin Theobald is the commentator, and there are
also interviews with Steve Bingham, who describes the provenance of the historic chassis for the Sneaky
Blinder Topolino, and Chris Manning in the Villain slingshot. This is a wonderful presentation
of the UK's original Nostalgia class.
The NSRA Nostalgia Nationals DVD, which also covers the Hot Rod Supernationals held at Old Warden
in August, is indexed between Show and Shine, Superstock, Run What You Brung, cruising, eliminations, Wild Bunch
and finals. Despite the Nostalgia tag, there are actually many cars at this race which aren't at Dragstalgia,
due to the hot rodding theme. Interviews include Tri Chevy Shootout racers Steve Murphy with his '55 Nomad
and Rob Smallworth, Ross Norris with his '32 five window, and Hannah Thomas from NSRA. Classes running
include UK Nostalgia Superstock, Wild Bunch, Gasser Circus, Outlaw Anglia, Supercharged Outlaws and a
healthy field of Run What You Brung. Knowledgeable commentary is provided by Graham Beckwith. This DVD is
an hour and thirty seven minutes of hot rodding show and go.
The Doorslammers was one of the most exciting events, being new and attracting a diverse and quick
field of door cars. On-line betting with Red Zone Sports and a big prize fund attracted a lot of radical
machinery. Zeon's presentation is superb, and the sheer number of interviews with runners in every class
is impressive. It's a great chance to catch up with classes which are not usually seen in traditional
Championship racing such as Front Wheel Drive, and racers loved running alongside vehicles which they
wouldn't normally meet. It was also the first meeting at which Pro Mods ran on the new SPR track, and
there was some heart-in-the-mouth action. Commentated by Colin Theobald, this DVD is a wonderful record
of a tremendous début event, for whose econd running we can't wait for in 2019.
The FIA/FIM Main Event DVD is the first Zeon DVD covering an FIA/FIM race in its entirety. It
concentrates on the FIA and FIM classes, with great action and many in-depth interviews with top racers.
As it's the first event of the year with little testing before, it's fascinating how the racers face
their set-up issues during a Championship race, with some wild action the result. There were plenty of
PBs as well. This DVD gets the viewer much closer to the upper echelons of the sport and is highly
recommended, even if the viewer has seen the Web TV coverage on YouTube, because of the off-track
coverage and start line close-ups.
Dragstalgia is perenially popular for close nostalgia racing, the social interaction, and the
sheer variety of cars and bikes competing. Action from all three days is included, with the usual
classes and Nostalgia Pro Stock Bike. There was another Swedish Invasion and Kjell Andersson and Stefan
Flodel show their enthusiasm for their Gassers and the event as a whole, then giving some amazing
burnouts. Pike Murray talks about the development of the Willys Wars, which has expanded enormously
over the years with over sixty cars registered. The camera position at the top end only adds to the
spectacle. The historic NSA bikes are described by Dave Clee and Chris Illman, which adds a new
dimension to the coverage. Other interviews include Jim Usher, Matthew Wright, Bob Glassup, Troy Martin
and Doc Stinger. And with coverage of the Funny Car parade, fire burnout and Cacklefest, this is a
comprehensive survey of a wonderful event.
The Mopar EuroNationals, celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, is one of the longest-running
annual Zeon DVDs having first come out in 2004. Graham Beckwith is, as ever, commentator (Thanks for
the plug, Graham - Pit Reporter). Race coverage includes RWYB, UK Nostalgia Superstock, Gasser Circus
and Pro Modified but the Mopar Euronats has a strong lifestyle segment with the Show'n'Shine, cruise,
and burnout competition. Plenty of Mopars run at the event, and other makes are also allowed on the track.
The Cruise is a largely Mopar domain though. Despite Sunday being rained out for racing, the burnout
competition was still run, and there was enough footage to fill a one hour thirty minute DVD. Here's to
the next twenty five years, crew!
The FIA/FIM European Finals DVD is in the same format as the FIA/FIM Main Event, concentrating
on the Pro car classes and bike classes. So no Sportsman racing, but some very close Championship
finals took place at this event, and interviews with the main contenders has them reflect on their
season. On track, the tight editing of the racing makes for a high adrenaline experience, ideal to
keep one awake after all that turkey on Christmas day. At one hour fifty three minutes, this is a
superb record of a wonderful season of drag racing. Commentary is by Colin Theobald.
One thing apparent on all of these DVDs is how smart Santa Pod Raceway looks, with its new concrete
surface and tidy spectator areas and gantry. All the racing is from SPR due, of course, to the
unfortunate closure of the much-loved Shakespeare County Raceway. As well as David and Helen, Cameron
Rennie, Callum Pudge and Gladston M should be congratulated on their camera work, and David and Joe
Oksien for excellent interviews. The production is, as ever, excellent with full qualifying lists
and points standings after each race.
You can purchase any or all of these superb Zeon DVDs for £14.95 each plus £1.50 postage
per order to the UK and £1.75 to anywhere else in the world. All DVDs are region free and in
PAL format, which means you can watch them on a computer anywhere and on a TV that can display 625
lines at 50 Hz. Various deals are available for the purchase of multiple titles. You can view trailers
and order on-line at www.quartermilehigh.com
As of 31st December 2018 Snell 2005 and SFI 31.1A and 31.2A crash helmets will no longer be legal in any
class for UK drag racing.
Would racers please check their current crash helmets, as helmets marked Snell 2005 or SFI 31.1A and 31.2A will not be accepted
during the 2019 season and beyond.
The only exception to the above rule is for Snell K2005 helmets which are still legal for Junior Stock Dragster only.
If you have any queries then please call Ian on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) or E-Mail
ian.marshall@btconnect.com.
As we look back, much water has gone under the bridge and memories of fifty years ago have somewhat faded. However, an abundance
of photographs, notes and articles, preserved in the John Woolfe Racing Archives, bring back into focus the true history of the day.
In this interesting Grand Opening Day press photo, taken by the Hunts Post, we see pictured from left to right the 24-year-old
American import Dave Riswick, one of John's associates, David Knowles (who is believed to be responsible for creating the famous
John Woolfe Racing wolf head logo pictured below), and the man himself John Woolfe, cutting the ribbon with an appropriate pair
of tin snips. To John's left is his chief mechanic, Mike Treutlein, well known owner and future driver of Pete Millar's dragster, Chicken
Coupe, followed by Colin Saunders, mechanic and reluctant driver of Mark Stratton's twin Chevy V8 dragster Hustler II.
Just a week after the Grand Opening, John's wedding ceremony was held at Claridge's in London where he married Jane Burton of the
tailoring family. To mark the occasion, John arranged to whisk the bride away in his '68 Le Mans entry Chevron F-1 powered B12 .
Earlier on in this Grand Opening year John realised that he had many race vehicles to transport and when he was invited to Silverstone
Circuit to do a feature for Motor agazine, he arrived in fine style with his newly-acquired Fiat Race Transporter.
Later this provided a grand viewing platform for the team and friends when it made its début at Santa Pod Raceway.
John Woolfe was convinced that drag racing would take hold in a big way in the UK and was keen to contribute. However as already
covered in Chapter II, John lost his life while competing in the 1969 Le Mans 24-hour race. At that crossroad of time, little did one
know where one would end up. John Woolfe was a striver and his inspiration set the pace for the next 50 years.
Swift snippets. 12th December: Our good buddy Remco Scheelings is continuing his series of Features on the Drag Racing Europe Blog.
Remco's latest victim is Pro Modified new boy Per Magnusson and you can check out Remco's Feature by
clicking
here.
Another award for VP. 12th December: Eurodragster.com sponsor VP Racing
Fuels, recognised around the world for performance fuels and chemicals, has been awarded the coveted PRI Global Media Award for its new
Stay FrostyRace Ready Coolant.
Motorsports journalists from the United Kingdom and Canada, tasked with identifying and discovering what new products are likely to succeed in their
home countries, selected Stay Frosty.
"The journalists who make up the PRI Global panel are highly respected" said Bruce Hendel, VP's Vice President, North America Sales - Race Fuels
and Consumer Products. "Their opinions really matter because they know their markets. With the help of this endorsement there's an even stronger
probability Stay Frosty will do well in North America and overseas. With the extensive distribution network we have in place it will be very easy
for racers and enthusiasts to keep cool and Stay Frosty when it counts."
The PRI Global Media Award is the second prestigious award VP and Stay Frosty have received for 2019. In November, the Specialty
Equipment Manufacturers' Association panel of international media voted Stay Frosty one of the best new products at the SEMA Show.
For more information about VP and its products for racers, enthusiasts, and general consumers visit
vpracingfuels.com.
Swift snippets. 11th December: If you are considering getting your local race fan a copy of Keith Lee's excellent
book Mister Six: The Story of Drag Racing Legend Dennis Priddle for Christmas - and we get the idea that
there are as many excited adults than children this particular festive season - then it is worth getting your order
in very soon to allow in-time delivery. You can order at mistersix.co.uk,
and for our review of the book check out our news update of 27th
November.
Our review will be posted here very shortly but, similarly, it is worth getting in your orders in for Zeon TV's superb
Season Review DVDs. DVDs are £14.95 apiece plus £1.50 P+P but some great offers are available if buying
more than one. You can check out trailers and order your DVDs at
www.quartermilehigh.com
The annual vote for the 2018 SPRC Perpetual Awards will be starting here on Eurodragster.com very soon.
Unloading began on Wednesday by which time the team increased by a further two with the arrival of Helzapoppin's engine
builder Kenny and Bev Coleman from EDA. Kenny would also look after "his" engine for Helzapoppin' during the event.
Thursday 22nd November, Test Day at Hal Far: Signed on, scrutineered and with the cars ready for action we lined up
side-by-side for our first experience of Hal Far, which was also the first run for Helzapoppin' after its rebuild.
An eighth-mile checkout pass for Helzapoppin' with "A Roy named Sue" at the wheel went to plan, however after a hard
launch from Banzai the car veered sharply right! After snaking down the track a low nine-second quarter was recorded.
It felt good to get our first run out of the way. With a change of lanes for both cars, Helzapoppin' launching in
second gear ran the eighth in 5.41/111 before taking it easy to the quarter mile. Banzai was on a better run than
the first with an 8.48/164 but still fighting for grip. After completing the first day of racing at Hal Far, the general
opinion was that the track was as good if not better than Shakey ever was.
Friday 23rd November, Open 6 qualifying: As very different cars from what is normally seen at Hal Far we were in
the Open class, up against six-second rear-engined dragsters so we didn't really stand much chance of winning. However
we were there to put on a show and enjoy ourselves which is exactly what we did. We were having a blast!
Roy at the wheel of Helzapoppin' was getting to grips with the car with it running quicker every run. There was a problem
with a slight weep from the rear main seal but as the car has a full belly pan any oil was easily contained.
Banzai on the other hand just could not get a handle on the launch. Picking the wheels up and carrying them past
sixty feet was good for the crowd but the pull to the right each time left no option but to lift.
Saturday 24th November, Qualifying then the start of eliminations late in the day: With Banzai up against
J Aquilina in his six-second dragster we did not expect to move into the next round, however his red light gave us the win.
Banzai with a great launch, PBs of 1.22 to sixty and 5.09/136 to the eighth, it finally looked likely to be running
the seven for which the team have been looking. However at two-thirds the engine began to smoke from the right bank so I
lifted early to a new PB 8.01/159. Back in the pits the problem was looking serious as the block wsa found to be cracked
by a core plug. With the pan off there appeared to be no internal cracking so the team decided to clean and patch up the
outer block with liquid metal in a vain attempt to continue racing. Helzapoppin' had also moved into the Sunday's
eliminations.
Sunday 25th November, Open 6 semi-finals: Helzapoppin' was up against Banzai. With a patched up 392
against the EDA-built Donovan there was really only going to be one winner. Both cars left well but instant smoke from
the wounded Hemi gave me no option but to pull Banzai off the racing surface, coasting through to the finish in
sixteen seconds. There was to be a twist in the tail as "A Roy named Sue" redlit putting Banzai into the final
against another six-second dragster, the Borg Brothers who also run an EDA engine!
The final would be a bye run for the Borg Brothers as the damaged block in Banzai ended our dream. With everything
packed back into the container the teams partied with the locals, said their goodbyes and headed off back for a well-earned
rest.
What a blast! The whole two-week trip lived up to all expectations with PBs, oodles of track time, meeting new friends
and plenty of sunshine. The teams would like to say a huge thank you to Charlie Camilleri, Reuben Micallef, and all the
MDRA members as well as a special Thank You to Jamie Felice whose help before, during and after the event was invaluable.
We are indeed very grateful.
Will we be back next year? Too right we will, if we can find the funds.
It so happens that today (Sunday) is Ian's birthday so a very Happy Birthday to him. Have a great day Ian.
Swift snippets. 9th December: Our good buddy Remco Scheelings is continuing his series of Features on the 2018
European and EDRS Champions on the Drag Racing Europe Blog. Remco's latest victim is EDRS Pro Nordic MC Super Gas
Bike Champion Jami Oksanen and you can check out Remco's Feature by
clicking
here.
We would like to say a big Happy Birthday and Grattis to our good, albeit fired, buddy Christer Abrahamson. Have a
great day Christer.
However, racers should note that there is quite a significant change to the entry procedure: entrants are now required to submit an entry form, which can
be found at www.dragstalgia.co.uk. This also applies to any other events at which Santa Pod run
non-permit classes; the forms can be found on each of the relevant event web sites.
Applications are also open for the Custom Car Invitational. As in previous years, there is an application process in place for the class and so entries won't be
processed for this section of the event until applications have closed on Monday 3rd June 2019. Spaces are limited in this section so unfortunately not everyone
can be accommodated. Santa Pod will be offering places to those applicants with vehicles best suited to the event as selected by the team at Custom Car
magazine.
To enter, to apply for the Custom Car Invitational, or to find out more, visit www.dragstalgia.co.uk.
"We look forward to hearing from you!", says James Forster.
Anita collects her trophy. 7th December: Many thanks to Lars Pettersson of the FIA Drag Racing Commission for sending us this picture of
2018 FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Anita Mäkelä collecting her Championship trophy at the FIA Gala in
St Petersburg. Eagle-eyed viewers may spot UK Comp Eliminator racer Kev Perkins also apparently in the line-up. Congratulations
again Anita.
Silencing for UK Junior Dragsters, FCs. 6th December: For several years the UK Drag Racing Tech Committee have been discussing Junior Dragster noise limits,
and after two years of testing the Committee have taken the decision to mandate exhaust silencers or mufflers on all Junior Modified and Junior
Modified Advanced Dragsters and Funny Cars. Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall writes:
This regulation comes into force from 1st January 2019 and requires all Junior Modified and Junior Modified Advanced Dragsters and Funny Cars to meet the
113 dB noise limit. Junior Stocks will not require silencers at present, however if a team are running a methanol-fuelled engine - effectively a de-tuned
JM or JMA engine - to run in Junior Stock then they must also meet the 113 dB requirement.
Many Junior teams will have noted that Holley Marshall has been testing a JAC Race Exhaust item during 2018 to help us to simplify the transition
to silenced engines. During testing it was found that the silencer required little or no change to the car's set-up, although this does not preclude small
changes to your own combination. We saw a reduction in ET of only nine hundredths of a second over the eighth, but with increased consistency over the
first 330 feet and no detriment whatsoever to the running of the engine.
The engine was freshened by Hauser Race Cars at the beginning of this season, and then
re-checked, again by Hauser Race Cars, at mid-season. At the mid-season check there was no indication of any problem; the power levels and consistency of
the car have continued to prove this right through the final test session at the end-of-year Flame and Thunder Show.
Click here or click on the picture at right for
the report compiled by Geof Hauser on the condition of the engine during the mid-season check.
We would recommend that Junior teams use a silencer of all-stainless steel construction, with stainless wadding. In early testing we used a fibreglass-filled
silencer, but this failed due to the methanol causing a chemical reaction which hardened the fibreglass. The company which we used was:
JAC Race Exhausts
Unit 7
Plot 1
Wigwam Lane
Hucknall
Nottinghamshire NG15 7SZ
Tel. 01159 635 556 or 07812 191122
The person to whom to talk at JAC is a Wayne Jackson (not the Super Pro dad). If you get in touch with JAC and tell them that you are looking for a Junior
Dragster silencer similar to that used by Santa Pod Racers Club then they should understand.
The silencer costs around £115 plus postage, and comes with a rear clamp. We suggest a support bracket to the rear of the exhaust to carry the
weight of the silencer, rather than rely upon the four exhaust manifold bolts to take all of the weight. You will need to cut down your existing
exhaust to slip fit the silencer over the current shortened exhaust, and make sure that you make allowances for your EGT sensor to be retained on
the exhaust. You will also need a turn-down (part of the exhaust), and you will need to know the outside diameter measurement of your existing
cut-down exhaust, over which the silencer will fit.
Finally, although the JAC option is the route down which we chose to go, there is by no means a requirement to use JAC's silencer to the
exclusion of others. The JAC silencer is a very good piece of equipment, but if you have an alternative silencer which meets the decibel requirement
then you can of course take your own route to achieve the same results.
Overseas racers competing in the UK will be expected to meet the new requirements, as UK racers would be expected to do overseas.
If you have any questions then please call me at the Santa Pod Racers Club office on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) and I will endeavour
to help with technical questions.
Zeon TV 2018 DVDs now on sale. 5th December: Well in time for Christmas, our good friends Helen and David at
Zeon TV have released this year's Season Review DVDs. As can be seen below
there are no less than ten Reviews this year including both FIA/FIM European Championship events and the spectacularly-popular and
-successful RedZone Sports-sponsored Doorslammers. Eurodragster.com is as ever well-represented both with pictures on front and rear covers and
with the use of footage from our Webster Race
Engineering/Nimbus Motorsport webcam.
DVDs are £14.95 apiece plus £1.50 P+P but some great offers are available if buying more than one.
We will post the usual review in due course but as ever the Zeon TV name guarantees quality so there is no real
need to wait to order your copies at www.quartermilehigh.com
where trailers of some DVDs are also available for your viewing pleasure.
Web site updates. 3rd December: The Mad Welshman has updated his Flickr site with pictures from the 13th October Run What You
Brung at Santa Pod Raceway, which featured the final round of Outlaw Street. You can take a look at
www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman.
19th December: Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mafe Rotherham,
whose funeral took place yesterday. Paul Jackson writes:
