Freddy gets Funny. 30th April: The UK's Grabham and Carter Nostalgia Drag Racing Team are excited to reveal the new-look Freddy's Revenge: After copious amounts of hard work the team are pleased to announce that we will be running the Freddy II Austin A35 Nostalgia Funny Car body this season. We had planned to début the car at Dakota Raceway last Saturday, but in time-honored tradition we are still far from race ready. The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed last year that we had taken twelve inches out of the altered chassis; this was in readiness to accept the full body, which we have extended by five inches since we last ran her at the Donny in the Park event at Shakespeare County Raceway back in 2001. The blown-alcohol Donovan Chevy will feed power through the Crower clutch and the three-speed Lenco gearbox through to the Strange nine-inch Ford rear end. We are planning on running with the Supercharged Outlaws at the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals and Hot Rod Drags, and in the Nostalgia Cannonball at Dragstalgia. Robbie Grabham will once again be in the hot seat. In parallel with the work on the car, we commissioned Craig Dixon of Altered Tees Apparel to produce artwork for both the Topolino and the A35 Funny Car, and we are pleased to offer a range of apparel and merchandise for sale, featuring both artworks. Dye sublimation is handled in-house, whilst DTG printing is contracted to Craig. Darren West of Power Race Graphics has produced a design for our new 7.5-tonne transporter, which we are currently readying for the Nostalgia Nationals. Hopefully in the next few days we will find the time to update our web site and our Facebook page; we will let you know when. The Rat works its Magic. 30th April: Andy Dibley, former UK National Sportsman ET Champion turned Jon Morton Super Gas Shootout racer, was somewhat anxious going into the Festival of Power: I had a new car, in a new class, and had only made two runs. I was well and truly out of my Sportsman ET comfort zone. That said I had the best people around to help in the form of Jon Morton, Andy and Luke Robinson and all the other Super Gas racers. I'd taken the term "shakedown" a little too literally at a RWYB a few weeks earlier. After a few tweaks to the seating position and padding courtesy of Andy at Andy Robinson Race Cars we were ready for the first event.  We used the Thursday as a test day to gain my licence. I needed to do a launch, half track pass and then a full pass with chutes out, all of which also had to be off a transbrake launch. By the end of the day I'd only managed my half pass; at any point the car made a move I just got out of it. I spoke to many other racers who all told me "It's going to feel like it's moving about a bit, just keep in it!". Friday evening and I did just that. Full transbrake launch, no throttle stop and kept my foot in. The result an 8.60, just a hair off a breakout for 9.90 index. For good measure I chucked the laundry out too and that was licencing done. Saturday morning and our third qualifier, I backed it up with an 8.56 and an arrow-straight launch. The car felt amazing! In the last qualifier came I needed to actually run something on the stop. Dan Page helped with a number to put in and we ended up running a 9.85. I didn't care though, as it was like getting two launches for the price of one! In the first round of eliminations on Sunday we drew Dave Cherrett in the Dark Revenger. To be honest, I hadn't expected to make it this far in the weekend and had to pinch myself a bit thinking I was going into round one in the Jon Morton Super Gas Shootout. Both Dave and I were new to the class, and he doesn't run a throttle stop so judges the finish line. At the top end I just managed to put a wheel on him and take my first round win with a 0.010 margin at the finish line.  In the second round I drew Jon Turner in the Green Fish Barracuda, an absolutely stunning car! Jon had been giving me many tips over the weekend and I was grateful for his help. That said, I knew I'd have to cut a light against him, and in trying a new hand position on the transbrake my hand slipped off and left before the Tree ran. Oh well, I was over the moon all the same, and making it to the second round in what was meant to just be a test weekend made it all the more better! Well done to Simon Fulton who went on to win the event and to Dave Fulton who collected the number one qualifier trophy!  I have a Thank Yous: Dad, without you none of this would have been possible; Jon Morton, absolute legend, couldn't ask for a better mentor in Super Gas; Andy and Luke Robinson, for making the car work for me; Rich and Pete Walters, for designing and painting the car, it looks stunning; and Jeff Bull for building a kick-ass engine!  We're back again for Springspeed Nationals this coming weekend where my main aim is to work on cutting a good light and figuring out the throttle stop. No Prep returns to Lancaster. 30th April: Paul Marston writes that No Prep Outlaw Drag Racing True Street and Pro Street return to Lancaster Dragstrip for the second No Prep event of the year this Saturday (4th May): No Prep is Heads Up Doorslammer Racing, eighth-mile, flashlight Start, no time, no speed. At the first event at Lancaster on 13th April Rod Atkinson and his Procharged Chevy Nova walked away with the big trophy after some very hard-fought racing. The format for these events is quite unique to UK Drag Racing. Everyone runs everyone, so if for example there are sixteen competitors then you get fifteen races and it's done on a points basis. The points are posted after each session of races, usually three back to back. So the most consistent car that can make every round will have a good chance of beating a faster but less consistent car. There is plenty of cash prize money and some very nice trophies to be won. The first class is True Street which is for proper but very rapid street cars, treaded tyres, MoT etc. The second class is Pro Street which is more a streetable race car class, treaded tyres, tubbed etc. In both classes there are no limits on cubic inch, power adders or weight. It's Run What Ya Brung and hope you brung enough! We only enforce safety and cars are scrutineered. There is a noise limit of 105 db so full exhaust systems only please, no open headers - everyone passed last event. So if you fancy some proper heads-up action then you know where to come. The address is Lancaster Dragstrip, East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lancs PE23 4DE. Racing starts at 10:00. For entry details or the rules E-Mail [email protected], call or text me on 07831 650230, or visit the No Prep Drag Racing Facebook page. Spectators are very welcome, admission is a mere £5 and gates open at 08:00. Straightliners also run on the Sunday, so you can make a weekend of it if you wish. There is also the fantastic Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre which is well worth a visit. Special thanks to our hosts Trevor Duckworth and the Straightliners organisation, all of our race teams and supporters particularly Drag Race Engineering (020 8597 9484) and Gary Springford who sponsored the trophies at our last event. You can check out The Mad Welshman's gallery of shots from the first No Prep event at Lancaster on his Flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman. FIM Championships commence. 29th April: The 2019 FIM European Drag Bike Championships commence today (Monday) at the Autós Motoros Fesztivál at Kunmadaras in Hungary featuring the first round of FIM Europe Super Street Bike. You will be able to stay in touch with events at Kunmadaras at www.kunmadarasmotorsport.hu or on the Kunmadaras Motorsport Facebook Page. Perfect ET Award resumes. 29th April: We are very pleased to confirm that the Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award is to resume with a new sponsor. Courtesy of Supercharged Outlaw Chair and racer Andy Hadfield, aka Andy Fadster, the Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award supported by the Twister Race Team will be available from this weekend's Springspeed Nationals at Santa Pod Raceway. The Perfect ET Award of £50 will be presented in cash to the first racer at an event to record an ET +0.000 on index or dial-in. If not won at an event then the Award will be increased by £50 for the next event; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for the next event. There are no Perfect ET Award decals, but we would appreciate it if Eurodragster.com decals are carried. Eurodragster.com decals will be available in the Signing On office or from the Eurodragster.com office in Race Control (entry via Spectator Bank side stairs only). The Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award supported by the Twister Race Team will be available at the following events in 2019: Springspeed Nationals FIA/FIM Main Event SPRC Summernationals Dragstalgia (Gasser Circus, Nostalgia Super Stock) NB One-off £50 with no roll-over Bug Jam (VW Pro, VW Sportsman, Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET) Mopar EuroNationals (Nostalgia Super Stock, Gasser Circus) Green Light Nationals FIA/FIM European Finals UK National Finals At the weekend's Springspeed Nationals the Perfect ET Award will be available in Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure/Pete Walters Race Design Super Pro ET, Modurstang Pro ET, Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET, Phoenix Personnel Super Comp, Jon Morton Super Gas Shootout, Lucas Oil Junior Dragster (eliminations only), VW Pro, VW Sportsman, NMCN 8.50 Bike, 9.50 Bike, Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure Supertwin Top Gas, Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure ET Bike and In Posterum Junior Drag Bike, but will only be awarded for the first Perfect ET of the event. A big Thank You to Fadster, who says "Supporting the sport which has given me so much joy is an easy thing to do". Thank You also to Track Announcer Colin Theobald who posted a one-off Perfect ET Award at the Festival of Power which, unusually, went unclaimed. This weekend's Eurodragster.com/Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award has been increased to £75 after it went unclaimed at the Festival of Power. The money will be paid in cash to the first racer to record a Reaction Time of 0.000 seconds during qualifying or eliminations. All classes are eligible but the money will only be awarded for the first Perfect Light of the event. If not won, the Award will increase to £100 for the FIA/FIM Main Event; if won then it will be reset to £50 for the FIA/FIM Main Event. Decals are not mandatory for the Perfect Light Award but we would appreciate it if Eurodragster.com decals are carried. Eurodragster.com decals will be available in the Signing On office or from the Eurodragster.com office in Race Control (entry via Spectator Bank side stairs only). The Eurodragster.com/Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award is presented in association with Cath and Tig Napier of the Bad Habit Racing Modurstang Pro ET team. Swift snippets. 29th April: We would like to say a big Happy 16th Birthday for today (Monday) to UK Junior Dragster racer Thaliah Gibb. Have a lovely day Thaliah. ...and a step to the right. 28th April: Work commitments kept UK Modurstang Pro ET Team Capricious out of the mainstream last season, and Paul Baynton had not driven the Capri at Santa Pod for four and a half years before last weekend's Festival of Power: We had had a few handling issues and an engine problem in 2018, so for the Festival of Power I needed to give it a go to try to see where the problem was. Run 1 of the weekend was in the left lane. The Capri launched well even if the sixty foot time was down a bit, we ran 10.48 on a 10.45 dial-in with a 0.07 light. I was pleased with that considering that it had been so long since I had driven at Santa Pod. On our second run on Friday the car launched OK but then turned right and I aborted the run. Saturday morning and back to the left lane and this time the Capri turned right again after about two hundred feet and then the back snaked a bit so again I lifted and coasted. Nic Williams had a look and we decided to take the rear shocks up a couple of clicks stiffer and to lower the tyre pressures slightly. Nic said he would try to watch this time. For the third run in a row we somehow lined up against James Oliver but Nic still came over to watch the run. The Capri hooked up this time, running a 10.52. Ollie came flying past me and I could see he couldn't stop, he flew into the field at a hell of a rate and in a huge cloud of dust. I turned off the track as quickly as I could so that the safety crew could give chase. After a few minutes I found out that everyone at the start line thought that it was me who had had the problem after my two previous runs. Fortunately Ollie and his car were fine and we seemed to have a car with which I could race. My first round of eliminations was against Andy Thetford. I pulled a 0.07 light and lifted at the top end, taking the win light with a 10.70 on a 10.50 dial-in. Round 2 on Sunday morning was against Bob Molden. All the years we've both been racing and I don't think we've ever managed to race each other. I dialled 10.50 again but was too eager on the start and went red by 0.01 and ran 10.52. I was gutted but pleased that we were heading in the right direction. It was good to be back in the Capri again and with reaction times of 0.07, 0.05, 0.02, -0.02, 0.07 and -0.01 there's still life in the old man yet! Laura will be back behind the wheel at the Springspeed Nationals. Thanks to Nic and to everyone else who offered advice on set-up changes. Swift snippets. 28th April: We were sorry to hear from Geoff Stilwell of the death of Gloria Gibbs, mum to Cindy, Debbie and Stephanie and wonderful wife to Steve Gibbs, who has passed away after a battle with illness. "On behalf of my family, all UK racers and the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame we send our condolences to the Gibbs family", says Geoff. Multiple ACU UK Top Fuel Bike Champion and record holder Steve Woollatt has announced a sponsorship deal with GSF Car Parts who supply parts, accessories, batteries, tools and oils in their large chain of stores and also on-line. "It's great to be associated with such a big company", says Steve. The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com (right) is billed as "A teaser". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. Many thanks to Yvonne Tramm and our own Simon for passing us the post-Festival of Power points standings in the UK National Drag Racing Championships and SPRC Club Championships. You can check out the points on our OCS Paint-sponsored Points Standings page by clicking here or by clicking on the OCS Paint Points Standings link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Thanks also to Andy Marrs for passing us the official timing data from the Festival of Power, which you can check out by clicking here or by clicking on the Timing Data link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. We would like to say a big Happy Birthday with hugs to Melanie Bond. Have a lovely day Melanie. Web site updates. 26th April: Paul Lister has updated his Drag Car Anon site with pictures from the Festival of Power. You can take a look at www.dragcaranon.co.uk. Event entry update. 26th April: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 5 of the official entry list for the FIA/FIM Main Event, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 24th-27th May and which is a round of the FIA European Drag Racing and FIM Europe Drag Bike Championships plus a round of the UK National Drag Racing Championships for certain classes. You can check out the FIA/FIM Main Event entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. FIA/FIM Main Event entry closes tomorrow (Saturday), after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. Update 20:30: Sportsman racers please note that due to pit space restrictions this Monday (29th) is the absolute closing date for entry. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Please note from yesterday's news item that entry forms sent as mobile phone camera pictures will be rejected. If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). This week, in The Dead Zone... 26th April: UK Pro Modified racer Nick Davies, Rob Loaring and the the ICE Automotive team had an eventful weekend at the Festival of Power. Not only did the still-under-development Firebird clock new bests but it also took Nick on a trip to familiar territory: In the very distant past, 2006 to be exact, we discovered the value of wind tunnels by virtue of the fact that, without one, the movement of air behind a race car and what has become known as a potential dead spot is very difficult to identify, let alone quantify. Its effects were far more apparent as its prevention of the blossoming of parachutes behind the Havoc altered resulted in a journey into the field at the end of the fabled Santa Pod quarter mile. Damage was, thankfully, limited although as anyone who has had a similar experience will undoubtedly confirm, the post-extraction cleaning exercise is lengthy and not huge fun. Fast forward to the Festival of Power and the proper début of the ICE Automotive/USAutomotive/BUA Motorsports '68 Firebird. The car had undergone some cursory testing at the tail end of 2018, but at the start of the season it hit the track, resplendent in its new PWRD-designed and Roberts Motor Bodies-executed grey, gold and black livery. The team of Nick Davies, Rob Loaring, Scott Barnes and Dave Read had high hopes of continuing the development of the car, which ran 6.86 at the 2018 UK National Finals, despite the wing-clipping introduction of a 20% reduction in boost mandated by the FIA since the 2018 season - a rule change which surprised the team, given the relative uncompetitiveness of the turbo faction in Europe over the past ten years. After missing both the pre-event Test Day and the first qualifier, the next couple of sessions were used to test a number of Winter initiatives, each of which showed some promise. This left just one qualifying session on the Saturday afternoon to make a representative pass. A 6.44 dropped the PB by nearly four tenths and put the team firmly in the #5 slot for a first round date with old adversary Bert Englefield in the BA Racing Hot Rod. The extraordinary weather continued on race day. We were put in the right lane, burnouts completed and into pre-stage. The staging technique for a turbo car can be a little problematic and our choice to run a clutch instead of the tried and tested converter route hasn't especially helped and is an area which we need to refine. A slow sixty foot resulted in the blower car building quite a lead. The Firebird moved around a little in the front half but by mid-track was starting to haul. By 1000 feet the speed differential was apparent, but would there be enough track left to get by the black and flamed Hot Rod? The win light in our lane gave a brief moment of euphoria, quickly followed by the realisation that the parachutes weren't pulling much speed off. It seems that, once again, we have a car with a dead spot and the chutes failed to blossom. Carbon brakes are great but they were not great enough to stop the Firebird going a fair way into the field at the end of the track. Damage was limited largely to bodywork which good friend Bryan Whitfield at Roberts Motor Bodies in Sheffield will undoubtedly be able to address. It would have been more extensive, but for the extraordinarily sympathetic manner which the Santa Pod Safety Safari adopted to extract the car from the field. They were so careful that it was just a matter of a clean-up and some running cosmetic repairs which enabled us to make the semi-final against number one qualifier Kev Slyfield. We were in the same lane for the semi-final, and although our car ran marginally quicker we were no match for Kev, who ended a worthy winner of the event. Huge thanks to our partners for 2019, without whom our achievements so far would not have happened: USAutomotive, BUA Motorsports, Roberts Motor Bodies, Tony Thacker and Friends and long-time friend Lawrie Gatehouse. See you at the Main Event! From sixteens to Super Gas. 26th April: UK Pro ET racer Sara Unsworth says that had you told her and husband Steve ten years ago that their Mustang would be in Super Gas territory they would never have believed you, but that is exactly what happened at the Festival of Power: We started back in 2007 with Steve racing in Sportsman ET, running sixteen seconds and chipping it away to the twelves. After a drunken conversation in 2010 Steve encouraged me to enter Sportsman ET. A few more modifications, a rod through the block, damaged pistons, broken springs, ECU issues, two engines and two gearboxes later and we made Pro ET, running elevens before finally reaching high tens and Super Street. Who'd have thought our little stick-shift Mustang would be running in the tens, you have no idea how wowed we were. Healthy marital competition and the excuse to give each other engine parts for birthdays and Christmas (better than diamonds and, besides, he wraps them in girly paper for me) has resulted in Steve becoming accomplished within the SN95 modular engine world. It's not been trouble free, trashed gearboxes and damaged internals have made it an uphill battle to finally prove that our little 2v 281 ci engine was capable of big things, something we always knew. It was just a case of getting others to realise! Yes we're manual, which adds to the challenge, apparently it's not the way to be competitive? but two 10.900 tickets in the same meeting say different. It's a steep learning curve now that we're running with the big boys, dare we say tongue-in-cheek that it takes more skill to drive a stick? Following an self-enforced eighteen-month sabbatical the team attended a Run What You Brung back in March, at which we had an indication that the new set-up was going to make 2019 interesting. Fast forward to last Thursday's Pro Peak Performance Day, and after a couple of mid ten-second runs it seemed that the new set-up and the driver were coming together, with a 10.03 to the team's surprise! Everyone was over the moon: we'd reached the low tens without really trying and still with slow shifts. Onto the first round of Pro ET qualifying on Friday and I'll be honest and say that I was very apprehensive thinking that I'd not get it below ten seconds, but again the current set-up was outperforming everything which we and most other people thought possible. The first qualifying run was a 9.94! Words cannot even start to express how ecstatic we are!  Our plan now is to continue to run in Pro ET and to gain more experience with the set-up. It turns out that we're quick enough for Super Gas - we used to watch that class in awe back in the days of Frankie Mason, never for one second dreaming we could be quick enough - but currently we're only tagged for 10.00 so a new cage is required. We'd love to push it in competition to see how far into the nines we can get it. This will have to wait until further funds allow so if there are any chassis/cage builders who would like to get involved we'd love to hear from you... those big steel doors have room for a logo! We're told we are now the quickest modular-motored Mustang in the UK and the quickest 2v stick-shift Mustang too, we're hoping that anyone who knows any different will let us know. None of this would be possible without the skill of the other half of Team Gecko, my husband Steve who is going to drive too once he's happy with the set-up… I feel like a test guinea pig. He has toiled away in the garage building what I can only describe as a bit of an animal! His knowledge of the modular motor and skill is amazing. Thanks must go to Crew Chief Barry Halliwell for all his help and electrical support, Dave Withington from GFX Power Ltd for the electronic set-up, Sally Halliwell for all the cake and behind the scenes support for all of the team, to John Sleath for his advice and tuning skills. Thanks also to sponsors Mammoet Cranes UK, help and support from the guys at FAST for helping to resolve electrical gremlins, and Spec Clutches for shipping in record time. We appreciate all of the comments and congratulations on our achievement. Swift snippets. 26th April: Lauren Molden asked us to say a big Thank You to her mum and dad for arranging a Two Seat Dragster ride for her birthday. "A big Thank You goes to Darren Prentice, Steve Warner and all the Thrill Ride team for making it an amazing experience!", says Lauren. "Thank you to everyone who came and supported/cheered etc, and a special thanks to Sarah and Darryl Howells for my personalised trophy!" We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to longtime Eurodragster.com reader and occasional contributor Stephen Billings. Have a great day Stephen. We were only able to post an emergency news update yesterday so we were unable to say Happy Birthday to Maikel Gloudemans of our streaming service provider Doyousee.me. Hope you had a great day M@ik. Web site updates. 26th April: Paul Bryan has updated his Flickr gallery with over 300 pictures from the Festival of Power. You can check out Paul's great pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/paulbryan_photopedia. SPRC: No phone camera entries, please. 25th April: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall has asked us as a matter of urgency to remind racers that SPRC cannot accept entry forms submitted as mobile phone camera photographs. "The resolution on phone pictures is not good enough for printing", says Ian. "When you have downloaded and filled out your entry form please either scan it and E-Mail the scan to me, or fax it to the office, or put it in the mail to us. We will turn away entries submitted as phone camera pictures." If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). Welcome Kejja Motorsport. 24th April: We are very pleased to welcome classic and retro car restorer Kejja Motorsport as a sponsor of Eurodragster.com News. Kevin Wray writes: Kejja Motorsport was set up in early 2015 with a desire to transform battered and bruised classic vehicles and give them a new lease of life. By using all of Kevin's various car-related skills and then building a team around that we can offer a unique and personal touch to each car that graces the workshop floor of Kejja Motorsport. With our combined knowledge there is no job too big or too small. Be it an axle rebuild or a full ground-up restoration we've got you covered. Operating from our fully-equipped workshop in Northamptonshire we have our own dust free engine rebuild room on-site as well as our recently opened unit which caters purely for bodywork restoration. For any of your automotive needs when it comes to classic and retro vehicles give Kejja a call on 01536 762170 or pop into our workshop... the kettle is always on! You can visit the Kejja Motorsport web site at www.kejjamotorsport.co.uk. A big Thank You to Kevin for his support. Please support those who support the sport by considering Eurodragster.com sponsors for your goods and services. Event entry update. 24th April: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 3 of the official entry list for the FIA/FIM Main Event, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 24th-27th May and which is a round of the FIA European Drag Racing and FIM Europe Drag Bike Championships plus a round of the UK National Drag Racing Championships for certain classes. You can check out the FIA/FIM Main Event entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. FIA/FIM Main Event entry closes this Saturday, 27th April, after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Thanks also to Ian for forwarding us a tweaked final version of the official entry list for next week's Springspeed Nationals at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out the Springspeed Nationals entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). Super Gas Shootout update. 24th April: Brett Featherstone has been in touch with an update on the UK's Jon Morton Super Gas Shootout: After Friday's qualifying the Super Gas racers held a meeting to discuss how this season's Shootout should progress. It was agreed by all racers who attended that class needs to be more open to racers wanting to double-class. Everyone agreed that the class will only grow if was to become more accessible to everyone including our European friends. You are all welcome at any event. Shootout entry will now be £30 per team, for only those events which you wish to enter, pay at the event. It was also agreed teams must enter before first round of qualifying. The money will go towards a 75%-25% split winner/runner-up. The entry fee also allows a team to become eligible for the number one qualifier prize sponsored by Silverton Aggregates - trophy only if not paid in to the Shootout. In the event of a non-entered team getting number one spot the £100 will go into that event's prize pot. The prize fund will be split on a eight-car field and above, below eight cars and it becomes winner takes all. A trophy will also be awarded for closest to 9.90 off the trailer in the first qualifying session, similar to other classes. Anybody wishing to add a small fund to this would be very welcome by all the teams. A thank you to those who have kept the class going, Jon Giles for arranging for the Shootout series to start again, Stuart Doignie for not entering this year, Sharron and Simon Gough for convincing Debbie and I to keep this going, Jeff and Belinda at Jeff Bull Race Engines for all their hard work behind the scenes helping many racers in this class, to long time racers Jon Morton, Tina and Tim Moore for ongoing support for all the newbies, and to all the past and present sponsors who help make this amazing class just a little bit more appealing. A big Thank You to all the race teams who participated in every class at this weekend's Festival of Power, what a great event, and to the unsung heroes who keep the race track in great shape throughout the event: you guys and girls work so hard to give us a safe track even though most people cannot see what you are doing after the finish line. See you all in two weeks. Swift snippets. 24th April: UK blown-alcohol altered racer Des Taylor asked us to say a big Thank You to Daz Chandler at DC's Hotrod'n'Race Shop. "Daz has been really generous in giving up his spare time to strip and freshen our Big Block Chevy and has got it ready so we can get the car out at the Nostalgia Nationals", says Des. "Without his help and enthusiasm we would have really been struggling. If anyone needs a first-class hot rod, race car or motorcycle engineer I highly recommend Daz. It's good to support the people who support drag racing." UK Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Graham Smith made a little bit of history and kept a promise to Roger Butterworth when Snow White became the UK's first eight-second street-legal '57 Chevy in the class final at the Festival of Power (below left). Starting with a 9.24 Graham went 9.19, 9.15, 9.03 then 8.97 in the money round with Joe Stevens. "The whole team are elated", says Graham. "Huge thanks to our sponsors Brantwood Tyre Specialists, Serck Motorsport, Lucas Oil Products, Brentacre Specialist Insurance, US Automotive and to so many others." Thanks to Mike Collins for sending us the usual preview of his column in the latest, 40th Anniversary issue of Street Machine magazine out now. As is often the case Mike has included something for the Nostalgia fans. Click on the images above right for the PDF downloads. We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to our good friend and Honorary Eurodragster.com Staff Member Colin Roaf. Have a great day Colin. Happy Birthday also to Super Street racer Christer Gustafsson. Grattis Christer. Festival of Power results. 22nd April: Congratulations to the winners at the weekend's Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway: European Nitro Funny Car Series: Kevin Chapman 4.4514/282.18 def. Kevin Kent 4.2360/286.49 Motorsport UK Pro Modified: Kev Slyfield 6.2668/219.08 def. Marck Harteveld 8.7245/106.51 DQ red light Secret Worx Comp Eliminator: Andy Hone (7.90) 7.4456/184.35 def. Robin Orthodoxou (7.45) 7.0312/189.59 Bloodwise/Another Small F Super Pro ET: Joe Kellett (7.85) 7.8627/169.76 def. Dave Catton (7.58) 7.6147/177.04 Modurstang Pro ET: Ben Newsome (11.65) 11.6678/114.75 def. Paul Brown (9.03) 9.0153/146.62 DQ breakout Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET: Gary Lake (14.32) 14.5506/84.72 def. Ashley Symons (13.60) 14.0227/99.90 Jon Morton Super Gas Shootout: Simon Fulton 10.0142/132.92 def. Jon Turner 9.9097/142.04 Phoenix Personnel Super Comp: Leah Kellett 8.9154/164.85 def. Pete Creswell 11.0943/82.72 DQ red light Lucas Oil Junior Dragster: Matthew Dowdy (8.17) 8.2064/77.78 def. Frankie Fordham (8.00) 7.9988/78.83 DQ breakout Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator: Joe Stevens 8.2075/175.75 def. Graham Smith 8.9781/149.56 VW Pro: Ed Keech (11.99) 12.5955/96.47 def. Paul Jordan (11.00) 11.8582/137.68 DQ red light VW Sportsman: Jon Crawford (15.93) 16.2839/70.38 def. Paul Walklate (15.15) 15.3637/89.08 Wild Bunch: Keith Crampton (10.83) 10.8830/116.73 def. Callum Swinchatt (9.05) 9.0317/144.38 DQ breakout Banks Nightclub Top Fuel Bike: Steve Woollatt 10.0380/77.64 bye, Neil Midgley no show Funny Bike: Jiri Lukes 9.0587/135.63 def. Kars van ven Belt 15.1001/58.82 Super Street Bike: Steve Venables 6.8363/198.99 bye, Garry Bowe shut off (fluid) Comp Bike: Louis Davies 7.6351/167.29 def. Phil Leamon no time broke NMCN 8.50 Bike: Ian Chrichlow 8.6290/160.77 def. Alan Morrison 8.4860/158.58 DQ red light 9.50 Bike: Adam Burns 9.5085/128.30 def. Alan Morrison Jr 9.5614/127.33 Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure Supertwin Top Gas: Les Harris 9.7385/133.27 def. Michael Gooding 11.0812/138.21 Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure ET Bike: Gary Hester (10.62) 10.6659/121.39 def. Jordan Kenway (9.80) 9.8196/135.68 In Posterum Junior Drag Bike: Meggie Talbot (9.64) 9.7913/66.77 def. Blade Dummer (8.80) 9.5309/72.61 Subject to official ratification the following records were set: Fuel Funny Car ET: 4.236 seconds, Kevin Kent Fuel Funny Car speed: 286.49 mph, Kevin Kent ACU Top Fuel Bike ET: 6.062 seconds, Steve Woollatt ACU Super Street Bike ET: 6.815 seconds, Steve Venables ACU Super Street Bike speed: 211.92 mph, Steve Venables The Eurodragster.com/Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award was, unusually, not claimed so has been increased to £75 for the Springspeed Nationals at Santa Pod Raceway. Thanks to Track Announcer Colin Theobald who put up a one-off £50 Bruce/Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award although it went unclaimed, also unusually. You can check out our John Woolfe Racing-sponsored Festival of Power reports, results, pit notes and galleries by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Stoneleigh does Nostalgia. 19th April: If you can't make it to Santa Pod this weekend but want something to satisfy your automotive cravings, then Alan Martin suggests that you visit the Nostalgia Drag Racing stand at the National Hot Rod, Custom and American Car Show which takes place on Saturday and Sunday at the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre, Stoneleigh CV8 8LZ: So that we can showcase what the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals and Hot Rod Drags are all about, our thanks must go to Ken and Bradley Cooper for allowing us to display their Back to the Past nostalgia Ford Flathead-powered slingshot, and Steve Ellis and Jim Usher for pulling out all the stops to bring Hemi Hunter to the party. Other exhibitors include the NSRA, Outlaw Anglia and Willys Wars. What's not to like? It's a huge show, both indoor and outdoor, and promises to be a great action-packed weekend. If you're in that neck of the woods then stop by and have a chat. We'd love to see you. Festival of Power racer update. 16th April: Many thanks to Ian Marshall for forwarding us details of the arrangements for this weekend's UK National Finals at Santa Pod Raceway: Thursday 18th April 08:00 Gates open for the duration of the event 10:00 Signing On office opens 10:00 Car scrutineering commences, no specific order 16:00 Bike scrutineering commences, no specific order 18:00 Signing On office closes Friday 19th April 07:00 Signing On office opens 07:00 Car scrutineering commences: sign-on/scrutineering details 07:00 Bike scrutineering commences: sign-on/scrutineering details 09:30 Track opens for qualifying Saturday 20th April 07:30 Signing On office opens 07:30 Car scrutineering commences 07:30 Bike scrutineering commences 09:30 Track opens for qualifying and eliminations Sunday 21st April 07:30 Signing On office opens 07:30 Car scrutineering opens 07:30 Bike scrutineering opens 09:30 Track opens for qualifying and eliminations Wild Bunch and Supertwin Top Gas racers please note that your schedules have changed. The provisional running orders are now available and can be checked 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. Please note as ever that running orders are subject to change due to weather or track conditions or for any other reason deemed necessary by race officials. No race vehicle motors are to be fired up before 09:00 or after 20:00 on any day of the event including Thursday's Pro Peak Performance Test and Tune Day. Before 09:00 vehicles should be pushed or towed to Scrutineering, not driven or ridden. Non-observation of curfew will result in exclusion from the event. Junior Dragster and Junior Drag Bike racers please remember the rule about pushing vehicles back to the pits once through the arch beside Scrutineering. Only race officials and SPR staff are allowed in Race Control whilst racing is underway. Should racers wish to raise any matter with race officials then please do not visit Race Control; please firstly see the Race Secretary who is based in Signing On. Colour commentators are requested to come to Commentary only when their class is at the head of the lanes, to vacate Commentary as soon as their class has run, and not to bring guests to Commentary with them. At the request of SPR management the Eurodragster.com office at the Bankside end of Race Control is similarly out of bounds during racing except to Eurodragster.com staff, Zeon TV crew and racers or crew collecting the Eurodragster.com Perfect Light Award. Thirty Nicholson years. 16th April: Belinda Nicholson tells us that her husband, UK Motorsport UK Pro Modified racer Wayne Nicholson, started racing thirty years ago this weekend: My then-boyfriend Wayne started racing in a Ford Pop called Born To Run. He was entered into the Rover V8 Challenge, and this is where we started our future together as a racing family. Little did we realise that thirty years on Wayne would end up running a Pro Modified Corvette which would reach speeds in excess of 220 mph and run low sixes. Even when our children Gareth and Joe came along we still managed to race as a family and the boys grew up around the track, making lots of friends whom we now know as family.  Drag racing is an integral part of our lives. The Santa Pod team and crew, plus all the racers and their families all make up our extended family. We truly feel blessed to be part of this amazing sport. Wayne has always said life is not a rehearsal. Drag racing is hard work, blood, sweat and tears, quite a few cross words... but when it all goes right there is nowhere on earth you would rather be. Working until early hours of the morning to get the car ready for the next day's qualifying rounds, leading onto eliminations and having that one PB which allows the whole team to join in the exhilarating mind-blowing adrenaline rush known as drag racing! I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our fans, all of the Santa Pod team, and all of our crew past and present. Over the last thirty years you have all helped to make my husband's dreams come true, enabling him to run Pro Modified racing team. Thank you from Belinda Nicholson and all of the Lucky Devil team. Perfect Light Award continues. 16th April: UK Modurstang Pro ET racers Cath and Tig Napier have confirmed the renewal of the Eurodragster.com/Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award for the 2019 season. £50 will be available for the first 0.000 Reaction Time at the following events, all at Santa Pod Raceway: Festival of Power Springspeed Nationals FIA/FIM Main Event SPRC Summernationals Dragstalgia Bug Jam (Fuel FC, VWs, Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET, Outlaw Anglia, Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator) Mopar EuroNationals (Motorsport UK Pro Modified, Nostalgia Super Stock, Gasser Circus) Green Light Nationals FIA/FIM European Finals UK National Finals The money will be paid in cash to the first racer to record a Reaction Time of 0.000 seconds during qualifying or eliminations. All classes are eligible but the money will only be awarded for the first Perfect Light of the event. If not won, the Award will increase by £25 for the next event; if won then it will be reset to £50 for the next event. Decals are not mandatory for the Perfect Light Award but we would appreciate it if Eurodragster.com decals are carried. Eurodragster.com decals will be available in the Signing On office or from the Eurodragster.com office in Race Control (entry via Spectator Bank side stairs only). Cath Napier tells us that despite temptation she and Tig will not be insisting upon Pentastar decals. A big Thank You to Cath and Tig Napier for their continued support. VWDRC Heads-Up result. 14th April: Congratulations to Sam Chisholm-Brown who won the inaugural VWDRC Heads-Up race at today's GTi Spring Festival at Santa Pod Raceway: Sam Chisholm-Brown 10.6461/134.82 def. Samir Lukac 19.3504/51.99 Sam qualified #1 with a 10.5502/137.70 from his Golf and met #2 qualifier Samir Lukac in the final. You can check out VWDRC Heads-Up qualifying and elimination results and view our GTi Spring Festival photo gallery, which are presented in association with John Woofe Racing, by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. You can check out a photo gallery from our other weekend coverage, Saturday's VHRA Vintage Nationals also at Santa Pod, by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Dahl opens 2019 account. 14th April: Having left the Sunshine Express Top Fuel Bike with Bill Hahn Jr at the Hahn Racecraft HQ since the 2018 Manufacturers Cup World Finals 2018, Norway's Sverre Dahl and the team returned to South Georgia Motorsports Park to contest round one of this year's series. Marcus Möller writes: During the 2018 Finals Sverre won a "pedal" fest in E1 against Dave Vantine but got defeated in the semi-finals against Mitch Brown. The 2019 Manufacturers Cup kicked off at the same track. Sverre and the team arrived Hahns Racecraft a week before the race, packed up and went to the track. Due to rain there was no qualifying on the Friday, but there were three runs on the Saturday although only two participants in the third round. Q1 took place at noon on Saturday and Sverre went 6.11/218! A couple of hours later Q2 took place and Sverre ran 6.12/222 which was the last run for the team this time. A rod bearing failure, with a broken rod and crank as result, put an end to this journey. Regardless of the outcome of this race the Sunshine Express team's plan was to pack up the bike, spare parts, tools and so on and to send it back to its home in Norway and to continue their schedule for 2019 which is to go to Gardermoen and the two events at Tierp Arena. Sverre and the Sunshine Express Top Fuel Bike Team would like to thank Romerike Drag Bike Klubb, Hahn Racecraft (US), NMF, Gigant Norge, Videoutstyr AS, Tools AS and Tommy Holte, all of whom made this journey possible. Adding up to a great season. 14th April: Andy Thetford, UK Pro ET racer and sponsor of Nitro FM, has been in touch to thank Thompson Elphick Chartered Accountancy for their continued generosity in sponsoring the Insanity Drag Racing Camaro for the 2019 season: Thompson Elphick's enthusiasm for drag racing is absolutely infectious. With their help we are now able to campaign in a full year's racing, as well as being able to compete in The Doorslammers, possibly Europe's biggest cash drag racing event of the year. Thompson Elphick, of Aylesford in Kent, are able to assist in all forms of accountancy from individuals to large companies, Call them for a friendly chat on 01622 790052 or E-Mail [email protected]. Salt with your Top Fuel. 14th April: Having set a new class recordof 258.679 mph at Bonneville Speed Week last August, Geof Stilwell and the 7707 Salt Shaker land speed racing team have started work on updating the car for the 2019 regulations. Geoff writes: On our last run, made to back up the record, we suffered a series of issues which led to some pretty major damage. What we did not know was that the car had caught fire and in fact the inlet manifold between the supercharger and the engine block had cracked and then the fuel had caught fire burning a hole where into which you could put three or four fingers. So, with the fuel burning it made the mixture go weak on that cylinder. The piston got very hot and seized in the cylinder causing the con rod to snap and then try to escape through the wall of the block. The motor had also developed an oil leak from somewhere which had also caught fire. At the same time again what we did not know was that with all the extra horsepower we had with this motor it had actually broken off at least five of the pinion teeth. To coin a phrase, we were extremely lucky. The repercussions of the fire were pretty serious in that the fire had been quite intense so not only had it destroyed magnesium inlet manifold, but it had melted the secondary parachute cable, the parachute packing and the transmission blanket. All this was going on behind me and I had no idea at all the car had been on fire. But the point was we got the record. To comply with the 2019 rules meant changing all the tubing around the cockpit. The car has a new home now in Pomona, Los Angeles with full workshop facilities which makes life much easier with welding, grinding etc etc. In changing things around we have completely redesigned the cockpit making it more comfortable to drive and easier to get in and get out of. We have put the chute buttons and the shift button on the steering wheel. The chutes now have an electronic ejection system so I don't have to take my hands off the wheel. In addition we have changed the rev counter as the digital counter is actually quite difficult to read when going over the bumps at Bonneville. A new Racepak on-board computer system has been ordered. Safety is a real factor and we have decided to increase the on-board to four instead of the usual two, that way we have two on the motor and two on me. Now to the most important part: the heart of 7707 for 2019 will be a Brad Anderson billet block and heads with a 14/71 supercharger and twin 44 amp magnetos. This is being put together by well know land speed racer John Beck of Vintage Hot Rods. Running on a diet of 70% nitro and kicking out approximately 5000 bhp it will in efectbe a detuned current Top Fuel motor. This baby is going to kick some butt. So what are the targets for 2019? If the weather and salt are good then it is our intention to increase the record from 258.679 mph and to try to go 300+ mph. We also have some sponsorship opportunities so if your company or business would like to be part of this record-setting team in 2019 please contact me during UK office hours on +44 1622 755647. You can also keep up to date on Facebook at Saltflat Racer. Web site updates. 14th April: The Mad Welshman has updated his Flickr site with his first gallery of 2019, from the pre-Fast Show Saturday Night Special at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Mad's pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman. Event entry update. 11th April: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 5 of the official entry list for the Springspeed Nationals, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 4th-5th May and which is a round of the UK National Drag Racing, ACU UK Drag Bike and some Club Championships. You can check out the Springspeed Nationals entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Springspeed Nationals entry closes tomorrow, Friday 12th, after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Thanks also to Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 1 of the official entry list for the FIA/FIM Main Event, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 24th-27th May and which is a round of the FIA European Drag Racing and FIM Europe Drag Bike Championships plus a round of the UK National Drag Racing Championship for certain classes. You can check out the FIAA/FIM Main Event entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. FIA/FIM Main Event entry closes on Saturday 27th April, after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). FAO racers and crew: SPR pit passes. 10th April: Santa Pod Racers Club's International Race Director Carole Ismail has been in touch with an important message for both racers and crew about the use of pit passes: As from next week's Festival of Power we will be checking all pit passes. The only passes which should be used are the two passes which SPRC issue with your entry tickets. Anyone found to be photocopying or using passes in the incorrect manner to gain access to the pits will be asked to vacate the pit area and will be dealt with by both Santa Pod Racers Club and the track. The same will apply to anyone found in the pits with no pass. You must all appreciate that we can only allocate two pit passes to each team due to safety and the space available in the pits. Please help us to help you in maintaining a safe pit area with easy passage. Post-Main Event Test Days. 10th April: A regular feature of racing in the USA is a track remaining open for testing on the day after an event. This concept has now arrived in the UK as Santa Pod Raceway has been hired for testing on the Tuesday and Wednesday immediately after the FIA/FIM Main Event (28th-29th May). The organisers are now inviting racers to join them. The Test Days are open, at a fee, both to racers who wish to stay after the Main Event and to those who wish to drive or trailer in on either or both days. All classes are welcome, both car and bike, with the exception of nitro-fuelled cars and bikes which cannot be accommodated. Slicks or Drag Radials are preferred; vehicles with street tyres will all have to use a particular lane. Spectators are also permitted to attend, again for a small fee. The track will be prepped and safety cover will be provided. If you would be interested in attending then please contact Thorsten Appel either at [email protected] or via Facebook. Ten years, still going stronger. 10th April: Jade Race organiser Michael Behrens is proud to announce that the tenth running of the Jade Race will take place on a newly-laid quarter mile at Jade Bay near Wilhelmshaven, close to the North Sea in Germany, on 19th-21st July. After humble and troubled beginnings - three rain-outs in a row - the Jade Race has evolved from a RWYB airport race to the second official NEAFP Sportsman race in Germany. The local officials liked the event from the start and have now clubbed together to finance a long-awaited track renovation on Mariensiel Airport, from which both pilots and racers will profit. Earthworks will start in April and will be followed by track prep by the Jade Race Crew. Michael has built his own rubber sled and tyre rotator which proved a success at the NitrOlympX. In the pits at Hockenheim last year fans may have wondered what an altered was doing with huge tubework on the sides. It was not rocket science but a showpiece from Schrage Conveying Works, a company which is located close to Jade Race and whose board members have been long-standing fans and sponsors of the event. For 2018, they bought and reworked the blown altered as a rolling showcase, and had their own VIP grandstand and catering area at Jade Race and highlighted their Summer Fest with some impressive runs with Super Pro ET racer Dominik Reinhardt in the seat, as can be seen in this video. Schrage Conveying Works also presented the altered at several trade shows in late 2018. Michael Behrens would like to thank Schrage for this spectacular co-operation benefitting both parties, and hopes for a record entry to celebrate ten years of the Jade Race. Registration and entry will soon be on-line at www.jade-race.com. Street Racers return. 10th April: Continuing its quest for drag racing venues and events, the Nomad Drag Racing Club is thrilled to announce the revival of the Street Racer Championship. Howard Homes writes: It is something of a misnomer to call it a Championship. This must surely be the quickest and most furious drag racing event on the calendar for street cars. It's a really beastly thrash, with a sixteen-car field of some of the UK's quickest genuine street cars in a rapid-fire shootout. Following a brief respite since the closure of York Raceway, the Street Racer Championship now returns with a date and distance not too for from its origin, at Elvington on 27th July. All cars must have Road Tax, MoT and insurance, they must be in road trim. The sixteen contenders are drawn from the hat and paired up. The winner from each round then returns to the fire up lane for the next round. Cooling down, downloading the data, reapplying your toupée; none of this is going to happen. If you win, you have to keep going, through to the final. And, traditionally, bad weather doesn't stop play either. The Street Racer Championship is for truly fast true street cars. So when the heat is on, red lights and fan belts can get thrown, stuff happens. So the event can often be a great leveller. The fastest car may not be the winning car; anyone can get lucky. But to win, you have to enter, or rather pre-enter for this event, for your chance to be the 42nd winner of the Street Racer Championship. The previous trophy winner needs to be located. And if we can't, then we'll build a bigger and better one! The Street Racer Championship was originally an idea attributed to drag racing legend Dave Grady and we are honoured to continue the tradition. Follow us on Facebook. Not too late to go No Prep. 10th April: The 2019 No Prep Outlaw Drag Racing season kicks off this weekend, Saturday 13th, at Lancaster Dragstrip, East Kirkby Airfield (PE23 4DE). Paul Marston writes: This event features two brand new classes, True Street and Pro Street. By definition they are both for roadgoing cars. The format is heads up drag racing, everyone gets to race everyone else in their class. So for example if there are eight cars in True Street then you get seven races, and the competitor with the most wins/most points will be the winner. The entry list is not yet full, which we did expect: after all, it's a pretty early date in the calendar, a lot of cars are not yet back in one piece, and this is a pair of new classes. There is still time to enter and if you wish you can turn up on the day, register, join the Straightliners Club and get your IOPD Race License or use an MSA licence if you have one. Once completed you are in for a full day's worth of action packed No Prep Outlaw Drag Racing, with plenty of track time available. With up to £750 up for grabs for a sixteen-car field there is plenty to play for. We are also looking forward to also seeing the Nostalgia Super Stock guys at East Kirkby on Saturday. Gates open at 18:00 Friday for competitors and at 08:00 Saturday for spectators. Admission is just £5.00. The action starts at around 10: 00 and there will be plenty of track time available for competitors. Remember: this is an event run by racers for racers, it's a street car event. And if you are coming then let us know if you can - we know that a few of you are burning midnight oil to make it, we hope to see you all there. For more information E-Mail [email protected], call or text me on 07831 650230, or visit the No Prep Drag Racing Facebook page. Many thanks to all of sponsors and supporters, in particular Eurodragster.com (Thanks, you're welcome - Ed). Magnussen's team grows to five. 10th April: Polly Magnussen Motorsport is teaming up with Top Fuel Bike rider Kristin Hegre to campaign a multi-bike and motorsport team for 2019. Polly writes: All of team members will be from Norway this year, with three racers in drag racing and two in motocross: Polly Magnussen: Super Comp Bike/Top Gas Bike Kristin Hegre: Top Fuel Bike Lea Nadine: ET Street Bike Tian Magnussen Dachert and Christina Mile: Motocross Team owner Polly Magnussen, who has been a part of the sport for some years, is racing on a US-built Top Gas Bike this season this year as well as managing the team. The latest racer to join the trio is a young Norwegian newbie Lea Nadine, who will make her licencing passes in May to become a ET Street Bike racer. This season may be Kristin's last, but the fifty five-year-old lady from the redneck hillbilly district of Toten in Norway is keen to go out with a bang and is aiming for big numbers this year. With the support of her trustd mechanic AK Nettum and PMM she should surely be able to do it. "We are racing at all of the National and Nordic races this year which means Gardermoen, Tierp and the new track in Finland", says Polly. "The goal is also to run Kristin at the European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway in September, but this needs some work. We might give RF Motorsport a call and ask for a favour on this front!" PMM would like to thank sponsors, friends and fans for all of their support. "We do this for the love of the sport", says Polly, "and because it's fun, nothing else. But it's a hard road to follow and we are so grateful that people actually care about us." JT backs the Mugridge clan. 10th April: Jan Mugridge tells us that neither Tim, Nick nor Luke Mugridge were going to be able to race this year due to personal circumstances but that we will now see Nick and Luke at next week's Festival of Power courtesy of a family friend: After having a catch-up with our good friend John Tebenham, who sponsored Nick's Super Pro ET dragster last year to help him gain his licence, he very kindly offered to sponsor not just Nick but Luke so that both can run at the Festival of Power.  We are very grateful for John's friendship and continued support. Nick would like John to know that he is deeply grateful for his support, that he admires his work ethic and outlook on life and is proud to race from the JT Racing camp. Plus of course Nick looks forward to racing alongside JT in Super Pro ET and to supporting his Pro Mod efforts. Can I also just remind prospective buyers that our complete Comp Eliminator outfit is for sale with the Wilson Doubledeck trailer reduced to £30,000 and Man tractor unit to £5,500. The Camaro is now available compete or as a roller. Engine and lenco are available separately. If you have any questions then please phone or see us in the Super Pro ET pits. Thank you to Ian Marshall, to all at Santa Pod Raceway, and to Eurodragster.com (Thank you! - Ed). Happy racing everyone. Mead and Sprout ready for 7.0s. 10th April: UK Taylor's Trophy Super Street Bike racer Steve Mead writes that he is ready to go: The set-up has not changed radically, as we were making good progress last year. I still have my friend and tuner Walter Sprout working with me this year and he'll be looking to get me into the 7.0s. With much of the Super Street Bike field already in the 7.0s and quicker we need to try harder. This year I have help from GT Motorcycles of Plymouth which was founded by Mike Grainger, no stranger to speed himself and known as Britain's fastest grandad! He runs at over 250 mph on his turbo Hayabusa. GT Motorcycles is probably the biggest motorcycle dealership in the south. A Kawasaki, Honda, Ducati and of course Suzuki dealer and will be a great help. Joe Elliott will be putting up with me again this year, with the difficult and important task of crewman.  I'm looking forward to the season ahead and the prospect of a new Personal Best. Pro ET sponsorship 2019. 10th April: Modurstang Pro ET class sponsor and racer Mike lacey writes with an update on the 2019 Pro ET Sponsorship Scheme: The class, and particularly myself, would like to thank all of our sponsors for this coming season's racing, which will be starting very soon at the Festival of Power. I feel very proud that I and a few others started this Sponsorship Scheme about twelve years ago, and that it is still running strong all these years later. A few other classes have noticed our success and have followed in our footsteps with similar schemes. Following on from this we also see class sponsorship as well, a great way to get your companies noticed for very little cost. With Pro ET we have been lucky enough to have companies supporting us for many years. Some have been with us from the start, fantastic support from some fantastic companies. Our 2019 sponsors are Hauser Race Cars, Engine Data Analysis,  NGK, Zannetec, the Supercharged Outlaws, Jon Turner Upholstery, Topspeed Automotive, Power Engineering, Full Tilt Racing, Daz Lift and Shift, VP Racing Fuels supplied by Santa Pod Raceway's shop, Double H Racing: Hunter and Hudson, two likely lads and Pro ET's own. Find them in the pits. We would also like to welcome back MPM Oil, a longtime supporter of drag racing. Great to see you back. They have brought along with them SES Autoparts, who are one of their outlets for their fantastic range of oils, and all things vehicle-related.  Finally my company Modurstang is the class sponsor. Thanks again to all sponsors present and past. If anyone feels that their company could benefit from class sponsorship, then please contact a representative of the class which you feel you could support. If it's Pro ET then either Lee Huxley or I will be happy to discuss anything you have to offer and get you on board with this fantastic sport which we all love. Swift snippets. 10th April: We have two birthdays today. Ladies first and a very Happy Birthday to UK bike racer Lizz Charman, have a lovely day Lizz. Happy Birthday also to Santa Pod Raceway Track Announcer and Bruce's dad Colin Theobald. Have a great day Colin. Event entry update. 8th April: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 4 of the official entry list for the Springspeed Nationals, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 4th-5th May and which is a round of the UK National Drag Racing, ACU UK Drag Bike and some Club Championships. You can check out the Springspeed Nationals entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Springspeed Nationals entry closes this Friday (12th), after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). FAO UK teams with multiple racers. 8th April: UK National Drag Racing Championship Co-ordinator Yvonne Tramm has been in touch with the usual reminder to racers who intend to field more than one racer in the same vehicle this season. If you will be fielding multiple racers in the same vehicle this season then please E-Mail Yvonne at [email protected] with class, race number, team name and racer names. Information must be submitted by Wednesday 17th April. If you have any queries then please contact Yvonne on the same address. Cause and a Cure campaign to launch. 8th April: If you have checked out the official entry list for the Festival of Power, or if you were tuned in to Eurodragster.com News last Monday, you will have noticed that the UK National Super Pro ET, Supertwin Gas and ET Bike classes are sponsored by Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure, a new campaign spearheaded by Eurodragster.com sponsors Derek and Fiona Flynn and friend and business partner Nobby Clark to support the blood cancer charity Bloodwise with particular emphasis on encouraging blood and stem cell donations. SPRC Chief Starter Ian Marshall will launch the campaign by driving Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure's Sportsman ET Audi S4 at the Pro Peak Performance Day at Santa Pod Raceway on Thursday of next week. "Even before I was diagnosed with myeloma I was inspired to support Bloodwise by the late Paula Marshall", says Derek. "Paula was instrumental in getting me into drag racing. I had done circuit racing but I wanted to go faster than 170 mph which I had done in my Porsche. Paula made it really easy for me. Bloodwise, which the racers adopted after Paula's death, are very grateful for the support of the community and they will have representatives at the track this season." Derek has a long history both of racing and of supporting the sport having sponsored a number of racers, Eurodragster.com, classes including Super Pro ET, Junior Dragster, Supertwin Gas and ET Bike, with a special interest in sponsoring classes in which he has raced in the past. He also sponsored the Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards Scheme for many years in the names of Gold RV, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Bloodwise, only withdrawing his backing after being hounded by an individual on social media. Having put a lot back into racing, Derek is now aiming to put something back into life by raising funds for Bloodwise and persuading the racing community to give blood and/or donate stem cells. The community has already responded generously to Derek's birthday fundraiser for Bloodwise on Facebook, with the original £250 target quickly overtaken and the total on his actual birthday – Saturday just gone - currently over £1300. Now a major effort is planned to encourage donations of blood or stem cells, both of which can also save lives. "The benefits of blood donation are obvious and well-known but a single donation of stem cells could save up to four lives", says Derek. "We would like one member of each team to give blood or donate stem cells. I have had a quiet word with a few people and everyone thinks that it's a great idea and have already pledged to help. John Everitt, for example, will be giving blood and will consult his GP about cell donation. Both Andy and Luke Robinson have agreed to give blood as have Laura Turburville and Andy Flavell. Those who give blood or stem cells will get a special decal to run on their car or bike." As well as Ian Marshall's drive in the Audi S4, SPRC Starter David Warren will ride Derek's Supertwin Gas Bike at the Pro Peak Performance Day. Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure will then be present at the Festival of Power to spread the word and to encourage blood or stem cell donations. "Santa Pod Raceway have kindly given us space in the pit", says Derek. "Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure HQ will be an Airstream with Bloodwise decals so won't be difficult to find. As well as racing, we will be on hand to answer any questions about blood or stem cell donation." If you would like to find out more about blood or stem cell donation, or if you would like to donate, then you can find the Bloodwise web site at www.bloodwise.org.uk. We are also very pleased to welcome Accelerate Your Marketing as a sponsor of Eurodragster.com. "Accelerate Your Marketing specialise in having fun and helping people to have fun", says Derek. "If someone wants their car prepared for a race track, or if they want to get a car then we are happy to help. We can provide consultancy on sponsorship and logistics (for example, trailers and RVs). A lot of our customers are involved in historic racing. If you have a look at our web site at www.accelerateym.comthen you can find out more and see examples of the cars we have sold. "We will be fielding a team in Sportsman ET in the name of Accelerate for a Cause and a Cure with Pete Walters and Nobby Clark driving the Audi. Nobby is a drag racer-in-waiting; he has previously been a circuit racer but is a longtime fan and has crewed." UK Super Gas update. 8th April: UK Super Gas racer Brett Featherstone has been in touch with an update on the class and a call to SG racers attending the Festival of Power: We have continued naming the Shootout after a legend of the class, and this year it will be known as the 2019 Jon Morton Super Gas Shootout. A vote between racers and friends of the class was held and Jon's name was rightly voted as the majority winner. It's good to see some new names on the entry list including Andy Dibley with Jon's former car (good luck with your new venture Andy) as we have also lost two more big hitters for this season, so come on guys/girls nows your chance to have a go at the Championship. We are pleased to announce that the number one qualifier award for each of the six rounds will be sponsored by Silverton Aggregates and Building Supplies, who have put up a trophy plus £100 per round, many thanks to one of East Anglia's leading aggregate and building supply companies. A list of all the class sponsors will be made available soon. Can all racers entered in the Festival of Power please meet up at the Nova Scotia pit area after Friday's qualifying so that the 2019 Shootout prize fund can be arranged. Swift snippets. 8th April: After a year of hard work, The Netherlands' Marck Harteveld and the Voodoo Hemi team held the official presentation of their Pro Modified Superbird which was badly damaged in a crash at Santa Pod Raceway in May 2018. "I would like to say a big thank you to everybody who helped us with this rebuild, whatever their contribution", said Marck, "but to all the Voodoo Hemi crew who spent so many hours in the workshop. Let's make it a great season". You can read more courtesy of our good friend Remco Scheelings by clicking here. We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to UK Super Gas racer and self-contained Package Simon Gough. Have a great day Simon. Eurodragster.com will commence its Jon Woolfe Racing-sponsored Event Coverage at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend with galleries and Webster Race Engineering/Nimbus Motorsport webcast from Saturday's VHRA Vintage Nationals and Sunday's GTi Spring Festival. Sunday's coverage will also include live results of the first VWDRC Heads-Up Race. You can check out this season's Event Coverage schedule by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Pro8 for Pro Mod. 7th April: Finland's Jere Rantaniemi and Team Pro8 will début in the FIA European Pro Modified Championship in 2019. The orange Pro Line Racing Hemi-powered 2013 Camaro will be seen in Sweden, Finland and Germany. In the last two seasons Jere ran in the Finnish national Top Doorslammer Series, winning the Championship in 2017 and finishing second in 2018. The team's first ever appearance abroad was at the Top Doorslammer finals in Sweden last September, a race that Rantaniemi won. "After the successful weekend at Tierp we began planning to compete in an international series", says Crew Chief Niko Putkinen. This will be an international series début for the whole team. Team owner Sami Hanhisuanto feels that the jump from TD to Pro Modified is surprisingly big, even though the JBRC Camaro was originally built for ProMod racing. There are major changes to the FIA Pro Modified rules for season 2019: Turbocharged cars will be equipped with a boost controller and the maximum allowed boost will be set at 36 psi. "To be more competitive we made a decision to go for a new power plant", says Sami. "We've already run two seasons with a Pro Line engine, the 481X, and it churned on like clockwork. Pro Line Racing has proven to produce some of the most powerful and simultaneously reliable motors on the market. The PLR Hemi has been engineered to provide massive power even at these lower boost levels the new rules mandate. I am happy that we managed to do this as it allows us to challenge the top teams in Europe." Experienced race driver and Pro Modified European record holder Andreas Arthurson of PPF Racing is excited that Pro8 has the equipment to mount a real challenge. "I will do my best to help the guys at Pro8", he says. "The crowds like turbos and Europe can certainly do with some more turbocharged Pro Mods on the grid. It will probably take a few races before they are up to speed, but they'll be a contender for sure." "We are on the right track with our partners PPF Racing, Pro Line Racing, Moran Motorsports and Jerry Bickel Race Cars", says Niko. "We will benefit from being PPF Racing's 'Junior' team tapping in on all their experience and support during the season. In return we hope to be able to help them on their road to becoming European Champion." For a team which has previously only raced in a National series, the coming season is going to be demanding. "Sure, it's going to be a challenge", says Jere. "But I believe we are up to it. Though I consider myself a mentally strong and seasoned race driver, I still feel a bit anxious. The competition in Pro Modified is extremely tough. Unlike other teams we're not familiar with most of the race tracks. However I have faith in my team and our equipment. Like most drivers on the verge of a new season I'm just itching to get behind that steering wheel." 2019 French ATD calendar. 6th April: Many thanks to Élodie Dubois for sending us the 2019 Association Trophée Dragster calendar for 2019, which takes in three dates at Clastres in France and to which all are welcome: "We look forward to seeing you", says Élodie. You can find out more on the Association Trophée Dragster Facebook page. Event entry update. 6th April: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 3 of the official entry list for the Springspeed Nationals, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 4th-5th May and which is a round of the UK National Drag Racing, ACU UK Drag Bike and some Club Championships. You can check out the Springspeed Nationals entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Springspeed Nationals entry closes next Friday, 12th April, after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Ian has also forwarded us a slightly tweaked final entry list for Festival of Power, 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. If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). Swift snippets. 6th April: We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to Derek Flynn, long-standing sponsor of both Eurodragster.com, and to former Top Fuel Dragster racer Kim Reymond. Have a great day, both. Santa Pod's new lane sponsor. 6th April: Independent energy consultancy The Energy Check has been confirmed as a new Official Lane partner at Santa Pod Raceway. Under the agreement the South Shields-based business will help to manage energy consumption and identify energy-saving opportunities at the home of the FIA European Drag Racing Championships. As official lane sponsors, The Energy Check's branding will also now feature prominently above the drag strip's left lane – to be known as The Energy Check Lane - for the duration of the three-year deal. Caroline Holden, Commercial Manager of Santa Pod, said "We are delighted to announce this new partnership with The Energy Check. We know how highly-regarded the business is across a range of sports and have been impressed with the work they have done in helping football, rugby and cricket clubs, as well as other events venues to improve their energy efficiency. We are sure that our partnership with The Energy Check will be similarly beneficial to us over the coming years." Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Energy Check, Shaun Martin, said "As one of the world's most iconic raceways, we are proud to have The Energy Check name associated with Santa Pod for the next three years. I look forward to seeing many victories for racers in the left lane!". Corporate Partnerships Manager at The Energy Check, Marcus Mellor, said "Over the coming months we will be working closely with the team at Santa Pod to help them in getting the best deal on their utilities and taking steps to reduce their energy consumption wherever possible." Allard picture sought. 5th April: Brian Taylor has been in touch on the hunt for a source for picture for Alan Allard, who is writing a book: The picture shows Alan and Norman Barclay splashing through the puddles at Blackbushe in 1965. I think it is a scan of a picture published in a magazine at the time and I used it in Crazy Horses, but only as a small image. Alan is looking for a higher=resolution version for publication in his book. I have tried the normal sources without success, I know that lots of fans collect magazines so we might be lucky and lead Alan to the photographer or a picure archive. If you can help then you can get in touch with Brian at [email protected]. American Super Stock returns. 5th April: Since the demise of York Raceway at the end of the 2017 season, the highly successful American Super Stock Championship had to sit out 2018. Howard Holmes writes that this won't be the case in 2019 and that American Super Stock is back: Wheels were set in motion initially by Alan Perkins (PDRC Chair), and subsequently by Dave Billadeau (A/SS stalwart) and Howard Holmes (A/SS and Nomad Drag Racing Club). Discussions commenced with Trevor Duckworth, the protagonist of two-wheel drag racing and sprinting with his Straightliners series. Trevor has offered American Super Stock a four-round championship at Straightliners events in 2019. These are: Round 1: Saturday 13th April, East Kirby, East Kirkby Airfield, Spilsby Lincolnshire PE23 4BP Round 2: Saturday 29th June, Church Fenton, Also known as Leeds East Airport, near Sherburn-in-Helmet. Navigate to LS24 9SE Round 3: Sunday 30th June, Church Fenton. Part two of this double-header weekend, overnight camping available on site Round 4: Saturday 27th July, Elvington Elvington is a big weekend event, with the final A/SS round on Saturday, but it's also worth stopping over and making a weekend out of it, there's much going on including the Ten Of The Best event. As in previous years, American Super Stock is a dial-your-own-handicap bracket championship. As such A/SS is not just about having the fastest car, indeed it has always been a very inclusive series in which any American vehicle is usually acceptable, but the more muscular, of course, the better. As long as a car (or truck) is in the spirit of the series, and it's safe, then it's OK. There are fewer rounds this year than in previous years when the Championship was held at York Raceway, where it had become a huge success and the halo series for the venue. "Now there is every chance Super Stock will return bigger and better, but for this year, it's great to be back racing again" says Dave Billadeau, no doubt looking forward to getting some fresh air under his front tyres again. "We're all looking for forward to the thrills and the fun and the competitive racing again." Just two questions are left: whose name will be added to the trophy at the end of the season? And who has been holding on to the trophy? We think we know the answer to the latter, but will he be retaining it? There are two previous American Super Stock winners already entered into the first round, so expect the same competitive racing to continue. You can find American Super Stock on Facebook. Seeing red at Warpspeed Racing. 3rd April: After a very eventful and expensive ten years in Pro Stock Bike the UK's Mark Smith, aka The Punisher, is changing classes to Top Fuel Bike. Mark has been in touch with an update on his new bike and those of his Warpspeed Racing team-mates: Mark purchased Paul Gast's Pro Stock/Pro Mod chassis, which then underwent a vast transformation by Stuart Crane at Warpspeed Racing. The off-season was spent making a few modifications to the chassis, installing a high pressure nitrous system, brand new Ward two-valve engine and re-wiring. The bodywork has been resprayed by MDH Body Repair Centre in beautiful 2013 Dodge Viper SRT red paint. Unfortunately for the team Mark chose to buy himself some new leathers, but you should easily be able to spot him at the track... what was he thinking. With the ongoing support of their sponsors Warpspeed Racing, Greens Plumbing, MPM Oil, Draper Tools and MDH Body Repair Centre, the team are hoping for a successful and cheaper 2019. Mark, Kerry and Greeno are all excited about the upcoming season, with a few nerves chucked in for good measure due to the steep learning curve of a new class and nitrous, but they are well up for the challenge. Bring it on! The Punisher's team-mates Stuart Crane and Dale Leeks have also had busy off-seasons. Stuart has made a few changes to his Pro Mod Bike: he has replaced his back tyre, replaced his gearing and fitted a new vacuum pump. The biggest change is that Stuart will be returning to a single stage of nitrous. Dale decided late December that he wanted to change the existing fuelling set-up on his Pro Mod Bike, from nitrous to methanol turbo. Dale and Stuart talked the idea over and contacted Dan Wagner of DTM Performance in the USA, who was more than happy to convert the bike. Dale and Stuart flew out to the States to collect the parts for the fuelling system upgrade. They have worked closely with DTM Performance and are now putting the finishing touches to the bike. Stuart has built a new Warpspeed turbo system and everything looks awesome. The bike is still 1640cc with an Owen Developments turbo and Hilborn injection system from DME. The final piece to the puzzle is the new Maxx ECU system supplied by tuning genius Steve Nichols in the USA. All being well, Dale hopes to test before the Main Event so he's all ready to please the crowd in the upcoming season. The Warpspeed Racing team will be at Santa Pod Raceway for the FIA/FIM Main Event in May, why not drop over to the pits and say Hi... you may get the added bonus of seeing Mark's delightful leathers, don't forget your sunglasses. Fingers crossed for a record-breaking year. Bike Gamblers open to all. 3rd April: Supertwin Gas racer Robbie Dobbie writes that although the National Association of Supertwins has been wound up, there is still plenty to race for with a second running of the Bike Gamblers' Challenge, open to all bikes, over three events at Santa Pod Raceway: Regrettably the decision to wind up the club was taken at the AGM which followed the Riders' and Drivers' meeting in February. With falling membership and the the closure of Shakespeare County Raceway, NAST's spiritual home for so many years, the end was inevitable. We would like to thank the tracks and everyone for the support which NAST had over its twenty five years. Last year James Forster of Santa Pod Raceway agreed to allow us to run a Gamblers' Challenge during RWYB Saturdays to celebrate NAST's 25th Anniversary. We will be running this again by kind permission of James. The format of the 2019 Bike Gamblers Challenge will be the same as same as last year. £10 in the pot and the winner and runner-up share the proceeds and each receive a trophy. Each event is open to any motorcycle or trike and will be run under ET class rules. Each round is stand-alone, no points carried forward, on the following Saturdays: 1st June: Das Auto Show weekend 20th July: BMW Show weekend 12th October: Straightliners weekend Please note that if you want to stay overnight at any of these events then you must buy a weekend ticket. The June and Julr events will finish at 17:00 and the October Saturday Night Special at 20:00. Submit your name and number the week before, and if you like it then why not take it seriously and race in ET Bike. Further details will be posted nearer the time on the ET Bike UK Facebook page, or E-Mail [email protected]. Swift snippets. 3rd April: Serck Motorsport are delighted to support the Quickest Reaction Time Award in Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator Championship this season. The team with the average quickest Reaction Time in qualifying will be awarded £50 along with a cheque presentation photo with their car. "Good luck to all competitors for the season", says Graham Smith. The official web site of the UK's Wild Bunch at www.the-wild-bunch.co.uk has had a make-over and now features a bright new layout, updated photo gallery, sponsors links and all the latest news from the club who will be celebrating their 24th season during 2019. "We would all like to thank webmaster Ed Yates for all his hard work in producing the new web site, which we are sure will be enjoyed by club members and fans alike!" says Co-ordinator Claire Meaddows. OCS/WBR back The Doorslammers. 3rd April: Santa Pod Raceway are delighted to announce the latest class sponsor for The Doorslammers which takes place on 17th-19th May. Following last year's success, The Doorslammers is back and the OCS Group/WBR Race Engines are continuing their involvement with the renewal of their Big Bracket class sponsorship. Brothers Nic and Dan Williams of the OCS Group said "After last year's incredible Doorslammers event, we are delighted and proud to continue supporting the event by sponsoring Big Bracket. We were staggered by the sheer amount of coverage this event gained last year which made our decision very easy to continue. We really do look forward to seeing the biggest field of cars entered and welcome fellow racers and fans to see our race winning sportsman engine programme all built and specified in-house. We will be on hand at the event to discuss any engine requirements." UK rules update. 2nd April: As the first round of the UK Championships approaches, Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall has been in touch with two important messages for racers: Following the regulation change to mandate the use of silencers on Junior Modified and Junior Modified Advanced Dragsters and Funny Cars, there is some confusion over the required length of the exhaust on Junior Dragsters. The limit of 27 inches has been removed from the rule book to allow for the turndowns on the silencers used by some cars, therefore there is now no limit on exhaust length. To scotch rumours of impending scrutineering issues: race numbers are required on all vehicles, however numbers and letters do not have to meet the Blue Book requirement of a minimum height of 6 inches as this is considered excessive. The Blue Book regulation is of course a requirement for circuit cars which must be identifiable from much greater distances than necessary in drag racing. The maximum required size for race numbers and letters in drag racing is 3 inches in keeping with the space available on some race vehicles. Should the timing crew have difficulty reading your race number then you will be contacted by a pit marshal. If you have any queries then please get in touch with Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). Event entry update. 1st April: Thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for forwarding us the final version of the official entry list for the Festival of Power, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 19th-21st April. You can check out the entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Thanks also to Ian Marshall for sending Version 2 of the official entry list for the Springspeed Nationals, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 4th-5th May and which is a round of the UK National Drag Racing, ACU UK Drag Bike and some Club Championships. You can check out the Springspeed Nationals entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Springspeed Nationals entry closes on Friday of next week, 12th April, after which a Late Entry penalty may apply. You can download the official entry forms via the Information link on the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. If you have any queries about event entry then please get in touch with Ian Marshall at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). UK class sponsors. 1st April: Ian Marshall of Santa Pod Racers Club writes to welcome back returning class sponsors and to welcome new class sponsors. Returning sponsors Modurstang Pro ET: Providers of performance parts and modifications for not just late-model Mustangs but all kinds of American vehicle servicing. Mike can be contacted on 01608 678818 or Mobile 07774 712000 and please check out their web site at www.modurstang.co.uk. Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET: Hutchinson and Dibley Ltd is a Buckinghamshire-based precision CNC engineering company specialising in the production of 'hard-to-manufacture' parts. The company has over fifty years of experience in most industries including defence, oil, gas and marine, as well as machining most common metals and plastics but also working with difficult materials such as titanium, magnetic iron and inconel. The shop facility includes CNC turning and milling as well as welding and fabrication equipment. The entire production is ISO9001:2008 approved and accredited. You can find out more at www.hutchinsondibley.com. New sponsors Secret Worx Comp Eliminator: Secret Worx specialise in drift cars and fast Japanese vehicles and many types of performance car work. They can be contacted through Facebook at www.facebook.com/secretworx. Phoenix Personnel Super Comp: Based in Brixworth, Northampton, Phoenix Personnel provide driver staffing for many of the UK's biggest transport companies, as well as driver training and CPC courses. Have a look at their web site at www.phoenixpersonnelltd.co.uk, contact Carole or Emma on 01604 881664 or E-Mail [email protected]. Bank Night Club Top Fuel Bike: The name says it all. If you find yourself in Maidstone, Bank Street is the place to head for your night's entertainment (18s and over only of course). You never know, you may bump into a famous Funny Car driver! Taylor's Trophy Super Street Bike: Kathy Taylor is a long-time supporter of all things Drag Bike, on this occasion taking the Super Street Bike title sponsorship as her way of putting something back in to the sport. NMCN 8.50 Bike: North Midland Construction, based in Nottingham, are specialist in water civil engineering projects. They have offices across the UK and can be contacted on 01623 515008. A big Thank You to Richard Newton for getting involved. Accelerate for a Cause & Cure Supertwin Top Gas and Accelerate for a Cause & Cure ET Bike: Derek Flynn is, as we know, supporting something close to his heart and those of many others around him. Accelerate for a Cause & Cure is about Bloodwise, a very worthy charity. More details will follow shortly here on Eurodragster.com about Derek's involvement and how others can get involved at the track. In Posterum Junior Drag Bike: A supporter of all things new and up and coming within the world of drag racing. The grass roots are very important to the whole grounding of the sport. "Santa Pod Racers Club would like to thank all of the returning and new title sponsors", says Ian. "Their sponsorship is a great help to all of our racers and also to SPRC." Swift snippets. 1st April: Ian Marshall also tells us that the Comp Eliminator index for the BB/AF Front Wheel Drive floor pan class will be 8.70 seconds. If you have any queries then you can contact Ian at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). Also mentioned above is Eurodragster.com sponsor Derek Flynn who tells us that a Bucket List item, a drive of a Funny Car, is to be crossed off courtesy of Super Pro ET racer Mark Flavell. We will bring you more on that when we have it. Allan Davies asked us to say a big Happy 18th Birthday for today (Monday) to Comp Bike racer Louis Davies. Our pleasure Allan, have a great day Louis. Turbo Technics back The Doorslammers. 1st April: Turbo Technics have been a partner at Santa Pod for several years so will be a familiar name to many fans and competitors - and they're back for more! The Northampton-based company were one of the first to sign up to the new Doorslammers event last year at Santa Pod and return as the primary sponsor of the Pro Street class in 2019. Said owner Geoff Kershaw "Developing turbochargers for motorsport applications is a complex business but one that Turbo Technics excels at. We have developed solutions for our own competition vehicles, engine developers and for major automotive manufacturers. Turbos have been in our blood for almost four decades so we understand racing. This is the perfect opportunity for us to be associated with the ultimate power that's needed in this no-holds-barred competition." With the first round of the National Drag Racing Championships looming at Easter, all eyes will be on these initial outings especially in the Street Eliminator class as this will undoubtedly spark a fresh wave of entries. With such a hefty prize pot up for grabs, the Doorslammers event is all about the winning so expect to see the best of the best. Earlier news