Saluting our heroes.
31st July: Having lined up an appearance at the weekend's Geiselwind Bike and Music Festival this weekend, the UK's MPM Oil / Marshall / Smokehead / Mapei / FGR Motorsport Funny Car team found themselves at a loose end between then and next week's NitrOlympX at Hockenheim. Richard Stevens of Eurodragster.com sponsor MPM Oil UK writes that the team had a great idea:

The team suggested that maybe we could possibly do something for the coalition forces. I remembered a conversation I had previously had with a friend of mine Jeff Kline, who is an amazing photographer who has produced some awesome imagery for us, not only in the USA but at the Pod also. I gave Jeff a call and he supplied us with the names and numbers of the people to whom we needed to start talking to make this happen. He put us in touch with the USO, a non-profit organisation whose main function is to fund-raise to assist soldiers following serious injury in the line of duty.

As luck would have it, there is a base a few hours away from Geiselwind: Ramstein, which has in excess of 50,000 coalition force personnel including their families. Following numerous conversations with USO representatives, an itinerary was put together for us to attend the base with the two Fuel Funny Cars and Thaliah Gibb's Junior Dragster. It later came to light that this is the base to which all the injured soldiers come back to be rehabilitated and treated following serious injury in the line of duty, so we pressed further to ensure that they were included in our visit.

We have now coordinated to bring the MPM Oil / Marshall / Smokehead / Mapei / FGR Motorsport Funny Cars and the Junior Dragster and we will set up static display just outside the doors of the KMCC Mall on the base on the morning of Wednesday 8th August. The static display will allow the Kaiserslautern Coalition Community to get up close to the vehicles, take photos, and receive an autographed card from the teams and drivers. We will also do our utmost to promote the sport but with the help of Jerry Lackey, the NitrOlympX promoter and organiser, assist in advertising the upcoming event at Hockenheim.

Later the same afternoon we move the display to the on-site hospital and rehabilitation centre, the LMRC, and set up the vehicle static display at the Warrior Centre. We will visit the bedsides of the wounded in the hospital and spend time with those MTD wounded at the USO Warrior Centre whom are not confined to their beds whilst they recover. Basically we want to say to say thank you for their efforts in keeping us safe, and protecting the innocent. I think it's the least we can do.

Hopefully all will go to plan, and we can make this an annual event to show our support to the boys and girls who have sacrificed their health to protect us.

Since we came up with this idea, we have also arranged to host twenty of the recovering walking wounded in our pits on the Saturday of the NitrOlympX. We have to thank Jerry Lackey for bending over backwards to help us make this element happen, and we can't express our thanks enough. I can assure you all that MPM / Marshall / FGR Motorsport / Smokehead / Mapei and the Shockwave team will make sure we give them the best day that we can. If you are attending the event, or see us showing them around the pits, then please please swing by or stop us and have a chat with these people whom have given everything in the line of duty.

We will keep you posted on how we get on, and hopefully we will do the European drag racing fraternity proud.

Swift snippets.
31st July: There is still time, just, to enter our NitrOlympX contest which is offering a day's trackside photography, a VIP package, and event tickets for next week's race at Hockenheim. For more details check out our news item of 13th July.

Racers' thanks.
31st July: Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Mark Todd asked us to say a big Thank You to Ron Haslett without whom he would not have taken part in Day 2 of Direct Plastics Top Sportsman at Santa Pod Raceway on Sunday. "One of my turbos ingested a foreign object and Ron brought me a replacement turbo", said Mark. "He jumped into his car and drove 140 miles from Portsmouth to the track. Salt of the Earth!"

After an eventful Bug Jam for the UK's Dark Revenger Pro ET and Super Street team, at which Dave Cherrett's van lost a wheel on the start line and suffer body damage, Stephen Cherrett asked us to say a big Thank You to SPRC's track crew track crew who stayed behind to help Dave and Stephen to the car into its trailer. "With their ingenuity and a loan of a Top Fuel dolly we got the car home safe and sound", says Stephen. "We should get the car repaired and ready for the Open Sport Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway."

Vehicles sought for Show.
31st July: Shakespeare County Raceway have been offered show space at the Milton Keynes Car Show, which takes place on Sunday 19th August, and the warwickshire track would be pleased to hear from racers or hot rodders who would like to display their vehicles. Jerry Cookson writes:

Based around the Suzuki Driving Challenges competitions the Show features a large selection of classic and modern car and motorcycle machinery, oval track racers, Buzz Sweets Rally Cars, freestyle Motocross and Junior Olley with the Dakota Thunder Jet Truck performing a fire and smoke show as part of the expected festival highlights. Also on display will be Rob Elsom’s Oldsmobile Cutlass Super Mod doorslammer, three Suzuki drag bikes from McClean Racing stable and the wild looking Morris Minor Traveller police car belonging to Pro ET racer Antony Wilkins.

Shakespeare County would like to hear from racers as well hot rodders who would like to assist in promoting August's Open Sport Nationals or September's Hot Rod Drags. If you are interested then please drop Shakespeare County Raceway an E-Mail at [email protected] or call 01789 720180. You can find out all about the Milton Keynes Car Show at www.miltonkeynescarshow.co.uk.

Bennetts on display.
31st July: Staying with the show theme, UK blown-alcohol altered team and Eurodragster.com Bloggers Bennett Racing will be attending the Outlaws Picnic at North Weald Airfield on 19th August.

Luke Bennett writes that the event should be packed as this is the NSRA's 40th Anniversary. "The event features flag starts, four-lane drag racing sessions over the eighth mile for pre-1973 cars, as well as burnout competitions and a show'n'shine", he says. "There are also trade stands, slalom course and kids' entertainment. Should be a very good turnout and a great family day out! Gates open at 9:00 am and it's £10 on the gate.

"We will be taking the Relentless Topolino altered, can't wait should be a cracking event! 

"We are pleased to say that we have been invited to attend Buster Lang's All American Classic and Hot Rod Show in Effingham, Surrey, on Monday 27th August. The event features Buddy Holly tribute, Surrey Jive demo, Californian surf competition, Rock'n'Roll Band Jezebel, Russ Carpenter's Daimler dragster, Ben Thompson Young Elvis Tribute, Dude v Food, the Sundaes Ladies Doo-Wop Group, bouncy castles and children's rides, and not forgetting Buster Lang's awesome trophies from the USA.

"Tickets are £5 per adult, under-twelves free, trade stalls £30. Tickets can be puchased on the gate or pre-purchase your tickets via the event web site at www.busterlang.com or via the ticket hotline at 0843 2907556."

Web site updates.
31st July: In the latest instalment of his Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car, Brian Taylor bring us up to date with events at the Allard Chrysler Action Group. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Tributes to Jarmo Kuutniemi.
 29th July: Simo Patoharju has written with a tribute to Finnish Top Methanol FC racer Jarmo Kuutniemi who died on Thursday. Simo's tribute was written in consultation with Jarmo's wife Elisabeth and son Joni:

Jarmo 'Japa' Kuutniemi had a long history in Finnish and European drag racing. Jarmo has always been involved with American cars, first building muscle cars and street racers in his hometown Turku and then later on moving to drag strip. Jarmo ran as early as 1985 to 1987 with the first finnish Pro Comp (now Top Methanol) dragster.

Jarmo got serious on drag strip in 1996 when he bought his first TMFC from Timo Aartomaa. It was later updated with an Oldsmobile Cutlas body from Dan Larsen. He ran this car until 2005 when he bought the ex-Randy Anderson rolling chassis TMFC from Leif Andréasson. After getting the new combination sorted out Jarmo ran 5.79 with this car with a 'home-built' BA5/Whipplecharger combination.

Jarmo bought the Leanders clutch from Ulf and Jörgen after the FIA European Finals in 2009 and had been running it since then. Jörgen and Japa and his team became friends and Jörgen was always there to assist when needed.

In the winter of 2010-2011 Jarmo wanted to move forward again. With the help of Jarmo Pulkkinen he bought a rolling chassis from Jack O'Bannon Racing in California. This new car was really a nice piece and got a lot of attention with the great paint job on it. Jarmo finished third in points in 2011 and the whole team was really proud of this achievement. Japa had his sights set for 2012 season with a new Randy Anderson-built short block and fuel system. He had been suffering from serious back pain for quite some time, and finally was diagnosed with cancer in March this year. Japa wasn't the type of guy to give up easily so he started to plan for 2013 and was prepared to go through all the treatments to get him cured. Unfortunately, despite his upbeat attitude the treatments did not help and doctors told him in early July that the cancer had spread and that there was no cure for it. Japa passed away in his sleep on July 26th.

Finnish ex-Super Comp racer Ari Pietilä bought Japa's old Funny Car earlier this year. Japa was worried about getting everything right for Ari so two weeks ago he was sorting out all the systems for the car. This tells you how Japa really cared about his friends and fellow competitors. Japa's last wish was that after he was gone his team would put his car together with all the new components. The team is already working on this.

Jarmo was always a guy to whom you could go and ask for a spare part or engine component for loan and he never turned anybody down if he just had the part available. He was one of the nicest guys the the pits, always offering his advice if asked. With his long career in TMFC racing he had a lot of information to share. He always had time for a conversation

Japa will be missed by his wife Elisabeth, their sons Joni and Rasmus, and their grandchildren Veera, Senni, Peppiina, Wilma and Arttu, and all numerous friends. When you see long white stripes in the sky it means Japa is doing a (long) burnout up there.

We have set up a tribute page to Jarmo which you can check out by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Mopar Euro Nats coverage.
29th July: Eurodragster.com are at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend to cover the Mopar Euro Nationals in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car.

We will be posting end-day galleries on all three days. The Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam will be on-line and broadcasting live video with track commentary as long as the track is open. Maikel Gloudemans of our streaming service provider Doyousee.me is with us at Santa Pod and is operating his two-camera set-up.

You can check out our Mopar Euro Nationals coverage by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Paula first to 200 mph.
29th July: Congratulations to UK Super Pro ET racer Paula Atkin, husband Stan and team who made history at Santa Pod Raceway yesterday (Saturday) as Paula became the UK's first female doorslammer racer to reach 200 mph. Paula clocked 6.999/201.47 during the first Run What You Brung session. The team have this year been working on their nitrous set-up and all the hard work paid off yesterday with what looked like an easy pass so there is doubtless more to come there.

The first of the weekend's two Direct Plastics Top Sportsman races was won by Pete Creswell who took a 0.030 to 0.208 start line win over Paul Letchford dialling in 8.75 and clocking 8.9052/130.66 to Paul's 8.6120/158.47 on an 8.50 dial-in. The heads-up Top Sportsman shoot-out takes place today.

Swift snippets.
29th July: Thanks to Ian King for letting us know that the latest standings in the ACU UK Drag Bike Championships are now available via the ACU Championship link at www.kingracing.com. Ian adds a Thank You to our own Simon for help in accumulating track data.

We would like to say a big Happy Birthday for today (Sunday) to our good friend Lena Perés. Lots of hugs, have a lovely day Lena.

Jason headlines at Geiselwind.
29th July: Richard Stevens of Eurodragster.com sponsor MPM Oil UK writes that the the first stop on the MPM Oil / FGR Motorsport / Marshall / Smokehead and Shockwave team's German tour is the Geiselwind Bike and Music Festival:

The best way to describe the event is that it's the German equivalent of the Bulldog Bash at SCR in the UK. The way it came about was quite straightforward. First contact was made at Hockenheim last season, following Gordon's night run which went down a storm. The promoters threw the idea about us attending and asked if it would be possible for us to attend and put on a show for the 20,000 attendees in 2012. No firm decision was made to attend until this March, when a second meeting took place in Frankfurt, where the new Marshall car was unveiled at the largest music equipment and music trade and public show. With the car on the stand, and with the amount of attention it was getting, the decision was a bit of a no-brainer for all concerned. A Fuel Funny Car in Marshall livery to run at one of the largest music festivals in Germany had to happen, not only to promote the sponsors, but to promote the sport in general.

Both of the FGR-prepared cars will be attending, along with Thaliah Gibb in her Junior Dragster. Thaliah will be making passes throughout the weekend to get some more seat time to hone her skills even further. The plan is for Jason to run the Marshall/ MPM / FGR Motorsport / Smokehead / Mapai car at the event, and a decision will be made to see if we can run the new car when we get there. The organisers have given the cars the top slot on the event and Jason is like a man possessed - he can't wait to get there to wow the crowds during the day and also in the Night Show on the Saturday.

We head off following testing at the Mopars this weekend, and we are hoping to keep you all posted on our exploits whilst at the event. Keep an eye out for the next instalment for the second stop on the mini tour, where we say a big Thank You to certain individuals whom we think really deserve it.

An eventful but Perfect weekend.
29th July: Chris Swinchatt says that son Callum had an eventful weekend at the latest Junior Dragster League round at Shakespeare County Raceway:

After a day of running 9.0s we broke the camshaft on the last run on the Saturday. We managed to borrow a spare for Sunday and I worked Saturday night and Sunday morning to get the car done. On the first run on Sunday the clutch came loose so we ran 9.1; we had to dial close to that and we did with 9.02. On the next run we had the clutch tightened and ready to go, Callum then managed to pull a Perfect Light and run an 8.8, our first eight, so a perfect run! Then we ran two more 8.8s and one 8.7.

Team-mate John Przybyl won the event as he was closest to dial in over the four runs, and Callum won Best Reaction Time with the perfect light.

Thank you to Carl Webb and Daren Brett for spare parts and advice, Tim Long and Roy Wilding for prizes for the best reaction time and GV Motorsport for sponsoring the event.

Also we would like to welcome onboard our new sponsors Escape Design who specialise in high quality, fast turn-around web site design. If you want a web site designed and created for your race team then get on to www.escapedesign.net for more information. Thanks also for continued support from Przym Paintworks and Lucas Oil.

Billings blasts 200 mph.
28th July: Congratulations to Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Richard Billings who made two 200+ mph passes in his street-legal Mustang at the Mopar Euronats at Santa Pod Raceway yesterday.

After going over 190 mph at Bug Jam last weekend Richard, Cooky and the Owen Developments guys delivered the anticipated big numbers with runs of 8.192/201.67 and then 7.993/206.38 during today's Top Sportsman sessions. With more RWYB and Top Sportsman sessions over the next two days that might not be the end of it.

Tierp Arena racer notice.
28th July: We have received the following notice to racers from Emelie Carlswärd of Tierp Arena:

First, we want to apologise for the late payment of prize money from the Sweden Internationals in June. We will make sure that all prize money will be paid on Monday or Tuesday of next week, so you will receive it in your account in the middle of next week. We guarantee that the prize money for Scandinavian Internationals in August will be paid out within one week after the race.

Don't forget to register for our next European Championship race, the Scandinavian Internationals on 23rd-26th August, at www.dragracing.eu. Enter before 10th August to avoid a late entry fee.

Please don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions.

På svenska:

Först vill vi be om ursäkt för att utbetalningen av prispengarna från vår tävling Sweden Internationals 14-17 juni 2012 på Tierp Arena har dröjt, men vi kommer att utbetala samtliga prispengar på måndag-tisdag nästa vecka, så ni bör se pengarna på era konton i mitten av veckan! Vi garanterar er att utbetalningen av prispengarna för Scandinavian Internationals den 23-26 augusti 2012 kommer att ske inom en vecka efter tävlingens slut.

ill vår nästa EM-deltävling, Scandinavian Internationals 23-26 augusti 2012, innan den 10 augusti för att undvika sen anmälningsavgift via www.dragracing.eu.

Återkom gärna om ni har några frågor eller dyligt.

Välkomna till Tierp Arena under säsongen 2012!

Swift snippets.
28th July: We have a birthday on the team today. Please join Kirstie, Roger, Ed and Tog in wishing a big Happy Birthday to Eurodragster.com Pit Notes Reporter and Blog Editor Simon Groves. Have a very Happy Birthday Simon.

By hook or by crook!
28th July: Richard Stevens of Eurodragster.com sponsor MPM Oil UK has been in touch with the first of what he promises are four updates from the MPM Oil team:

Firstly, a big hello to all our supporters, partners and fellow racers, wherever you may be on our little planet, from all at MPM Oil / FGR Motorsport and Shockwave Racing.

It's common knowledge that the weather so far this season has not been the best, and has proved incredibly frustrating not only for us but for everyone. MPM / FGR / Marshall / Smokehead and all of the Shockwave team have invested a lot of time and resource this season to try to get the two Fuel Funny Cars running as much as possible, but we have been thwarted on numerous occasions by Mother Nature. Hopefully with what we have planned for the coming weeks we hope to catch up on lost track time and get to where we had planned to be before this season started - which is to basically run as much as possible for Dave Bryant to gain as much data he can, to help him get his head around all the new systems and equipment, and for the team to familiarise themselves with the maintenance element of the new car too. It goes without saying that Gordon Smith is chomping at the bit to get strapped into the seat and to see what this new car is capable of.

What we have planned for the next two weeks, and what we have managed to get away with, is mainly down to this new trilogy of books about this Mr Grey bloke. The strategy was to ask the other halves, whilst they were engrossed in this smut, if they wouldn't mind if we went and played with the cars. No real details of our exploits were given, but it was too late as the replies were all along the lines of "Just do what you want and stop interrupting our reading". In a flash ferries, cars, minibuses, and holidays from work were booked, parts were sourced and jammed in the trailer as plans were put in place for going to the Mopars to test, and then onto four additional events in Germany over the next two weeks!

Did I mention that we have a stowaway accompanying us on the German events? None other than our MPM-sponsored, Opel Fruit Racing Junior Dragster star of the future, Thaliah Gibb. Her car is already prepped and stowed in the trailer ready to run. We have it from a good authority (Thaliah's mum Sandie) that she can't wait to get over to Germany. Thaliah will not only be on hand to promote the sport over the coming events by making exhibition passes etc, but to support me in teaching Gordon and Jason on how to behave in the pits when the sponsors and potentials are with us. We will be supplying Jason and Gordon with pens and paper so that they can take notes on the guidance given by nine-year-old Thaliah.

Per the article posted by our heroes and yours on Eurodragster.com yesterday, our first outing of many in the next two weeks is with the new MPM / FGR / Shockwave Funny Car at the Mopars this weekend. We have to thank everyone at Santa Pod Raceway for allowing us the opportunity to attend, and for their ongoing support which really is appreciated. If you are there, then make sure you drop by our pits and say hi. Then, on Sunday night, both cars will be prepared, loaded on the trailer and we'll be off to Germany to play hard!

Details of our plans in Germany will be posted over the next few days on Eurodragster.com, and will be under the titles 'Jason headlines at Geiselwind', 'Big thanks to our boys and girls in the Armed Forces' and last, but not least, 'The only Olympics in which we're interested in is in Hockenheim and involves Nitro'.

A big thank you to our in-house family sponsors, MPM UK Ltd, FGR, Smokehead, Marshall, and Mapai, and our supporters Eurodragster.com, Santa Pod Raceway and staff, Nitro FM, fellow racers and teams, all the photographers who provide us some amazing images from the events, and last but not least all the die-hard fans, including the Poddington Peas who turn up to watch and support us all without fail.

Keep an eye out for the next instalment of our upcoming exploits.

Jarmo Kuutniemi.
27th July: We were very sorry to hear from Christer Abrahamson of the death of Finnish Top Methanol Funny Car racer Jarmo Kuutniemi after an illness which initially caused him to put his racing on hold for this season but which turned out to be more serious than any of us knew.

Jarmo had been racing in Top Methanol FC for several years, with a Personal Best in the 5.7s from the always well-turned-out OK Racing FC. He was known for big burnouts and quite often known for not taking his foot off the gas unless absolutely necessary. Japa was also known amongst his peers and the media as a very friendly and happy guy whose loss will be felt within the FIA European Championships.

Our deepest sympathies to Japa's wife Elisabeth and son Joni, and to all of Japa's family and friends.

We will be setting up a tribute page to Jarmo; if you would like to send your own tribute then please write to [email protected].

Almost a "Rampy".
27th July: Over the winter, when PeO Forsberg of Sweden's Forsberg Motorsport and PerErik Lindgren of the "Northern Raider" made a deal which put Perka behind the steering wheel of the Stock/Superstock O/SA '66 Chevy wagon as well as his Comp Eliminator altered, one of the goals was to try to "Do a Rampy" and win in two classes with the same driver. PerErik wrotes that at last week's NHK Nationals in Sundsvall they came very close to achieving the dream:

We managed to make a very good run with the altered on a tricky track on Friday, -0.81 under the D/BA index made us believe that no one else there could touch us so we concentrated on the Stocker to get good runs to feed the weather station which we bought over the winter and get on top things prediction-wise. The plan worked out well, with the focus on this we felt very confident when eliminations started that we had a handle on things.

The stocker qualified number seven of seventeen participants and we were very happy with that. Nobody could go faster in Comp but we tried a step-up run on Saturday evening in the right lane to get a handle of that side too.

On Sunday eliminations became very stressful when both cars survived through their ladders all the way to the final round, and running from the return road became a physical test for the driver. Then before the finals the thoughts came that maybe I would lose both... panic...

In the S/SS final we raised the dial-in from 12.83 to 12.85 and we ran 12.835, could have been a near perfect run but we lost although on a very high note I think. In the Comp final we won over Emil Eriksson when he redlit and that was a sweet victory as the event counted for both Comp and S/SS in the Swedish Championship points.

We had a dream weekend even though we did not get that historic double win, but that will only make us try harder the next time!

A big thanks to the organisers who kept the two classes apart in the running order so that we got the chance, which was not possible at Tierp. Also a very big thanks to my two teams who kept everything together so that I could concentrate on driving and tactics: on the Comp car Mary-Sissel Eilertsen and Tomas Eriksson and on the Stocker PeO Forsberg and Fredrik Ambros, with junior mechanics Kevin and Leo.

Puma 'twin in discounted RET.
27th July: The latest issue of race engine designers' bible Race Engine Technology features a great nine-page article on the design and construction of the blown nitro parallel twin built by Puma Engineering for Norwegian Supertwin rider Hans Olav Olstad.

To see a small sample Ian King has uploaded the first three pages of the article to his web site at www.kingracing.com.

Ian has negotiated a 10% discount from the cover price for anyone who may wish to purchase the full magazine or any of RET's other products using a 10% discount code Puma in the checkout of the purchase page which you can reach by clicking here.

Outlaw Street 5 review.
27th July: Outlaw Street returned to Dragstalgia again this year as an invited class. Mark Wallington writes that Dragstalgiam which is in its second year, has already become a huge favourite mmust-attend weekend for members:

With the volumes of rain across the UK every member was checking the weather reports and praying for sun, unfortunately the sun stayed away on the Saturday and despite every effort of the track staff Mother Nature was in full strop and when the skies opened they stayed open. By the sheer determination of the track staff we did manage one run. Bench racing and tea were the order of the day

Come Sunday morning the crews were out in force baling out the water from the pits and cars, come mid-morning we all suddenly moved to Florida as the sun broke through the clouds and stayed in for the day, wet weather gear was replaced with T-shirts and the racing got off to a screaming start. The day rapidly turned into a great success with clear skies and a super sticky track, over the course of the weekend thirty two members attended and twenty two ran their cars in the allocated time slots. PBs were set by OS-8 Mark Holmes in his Pro Street Escort, OS-19 Steve Moisey in his Cervini Mustang, OS-21 Rob Slater in his Pro Street '57 Chevy and OS-50 Roy Collins in the Red Rose Garage Pro Street Camaro.

Unfortunately with every success story there are always a few breakages. OS-21 Rob Slater broke his diff on the startline, and all of the VW members of Outlaw Street suffered wounded engines and breakages, OS-53 Chris Antell, OS-24 Ross Page and OS-44 Lee Rookes needing to either limp home or call for a recovery truck.

At each points round the highest points scorer wins a year's subscription to American Car magazine and a unique one of a kind engraved tankard by MissB Engraving. The OS-5 winner of the year's subscription and engraved tankard goes to OS-13 Stuart Ramsay in his Therapy Pro Street Camaro who scored 222 points for the round. The top six points scorers for OS-3 were:
  1. 222 points OS-13 Stuart Ramsay in his '67 Camaro
  2. 220 points OS-7 Andy Murton in his '68 Camaro
  3. 216 points OS-8 Mark Holmes in his Pro Street Chevy powered Escort
  4. 216 points OS-50 Roy Collins in his supercharged Camaro
  5. 216 points OS-19 Steve Moisey in his Cervini Mustang
  6. 215 points OS-31 Nick Rose in his supercharged convertible Mustang
At every Outlaw round there's a Joe & Co-sponsored Reaction Time Trophy and £25 prize money up for grabs to the member who records the fastest Reaction Time of the weekend. These trophies are always highly fought over with much banter and friendly rivalry between all. At OS-5 the RT trophy and prize money were won by OS-13 Stuart Ramsay with a 0.0923 RT, so double congratulations to Stuart for his second RT trophy win of the 2012 series and for his clean sweep of Outlaw Street trophies across the weekend. First and second were separated by an eye watering 0.0334 of a second; the top six RTs over the weekend were:
  1. OS-13 Stuart Ramsay in his Pro Street Camaro with a 0.0923
  2. OS-18 Vic Fisher in his supercharged late model Mustang with a 0.1257
  3. OS-50 Roy Collins in his supercharged Pro Street Camaro with a 0.1410
  4. OS-53 Chris Antell in his VW camper with a 0.2706
  5. OS-24 Ross Page in his VW Golf with a 0.2794
  6. OS-31 Nick Rose in his supercharged convertible Mustang with a 0.2838
After OS-5 the 2012 League Table looks like this:
  1. 902 Points OS-7 Andy Murton
  2. 889 Points OS-50 Roy Collins
  3. 888 Points OS-13 Stuart Ramsay
  4. 880 Points OS-31 Nick Rose
  5. 852 Points OS-16 John Edwards
  6. 848 Points OS-18 Vic Fisher
  7. 844 Points OS-53 Chris Antell
  8. 671 Points OS-42 Nigel Jenkins
  9. 663 Points OS-19 Steve Moisey
  10. 639 Points OS-15 Dave Taylor
  11. 635 Points OS-40 Steve Newport Hall
  12. 461 Points OS-21 Rob Slater
We're five rounds into the 2012 season with four to go and there's everything still to play and race for. There are 441 points between the top twelve, with only 54 points between the top six and fourteen points separating the top three! Remember that this picture will change dramatically as the season progresses, especially if members near the top of the table miss a round, or suffer breakages etc. Also at the end of the season members drop their lowest scoring round of points plus the twenty five attendance points from the first round they attend.

The next round of Outlaw Street, OS-6, is at this weekend's Mopar Euro Nationals at Santa Pod Raceway.

If you'd like to learn more about Outlaw Street check out the forum at www.outlawstreet.co.uk.

Web site updates.
27th July: In the latest instalment of his exclusive Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car, Santa Pod Raceway Track Announcer Colin Theobald writes another love letter to Dragstalgia. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

The latest version of the Allard Chrysler Action Group newsletter is now available and covers the lead-up to Dragstalgia and the appearance at that event along with the final instalment of the car's racing career, news about major sponsor F&A Racing, and the IMI activities linked to drag racing. ACAG Chair Brian Taylor says a big Thank You to Nigel Holland of Drag Racing Confidential for the on-line version of the magazine which you can check out via the Latest News link at www.allardchrysler.org.

NitrOlympX racer notice.
26th July: We have received the following notice to racers from Jerry Lackey, Race Director of the NitrOlympX which takes place at Hockenheim on 10th-12th August:

Due to several problems in getting everything lined up properly with registration for the NitrOlympX at www.dragracing.eu,we have had some delays in finalising our 2012 entry list and in getting our entry verifications out to racers.

The entry list shown at www.dragracing.de is not the actual entry list. The proper list will be posted at www.nitrolympx.de by this weekend. We will also be E-Mailing entry verifications this weekend.

Sorry for the delay, we will do better next time.

Attention UEM SSB Cup racers.
26th July: Geoff Myers of Trakbak Racing has been in touch with a reminder for Super Street Bike racers planning to compete in the remaining rounds of the 2012 UEM Super Street Bike Cup:

In 2012 Super Street Bike became a UEM Cup and as such there have been some changes to how teams may enter the race. The following information applies to all riders wishing to take part in any round of the UEM European Cup for Super Street Bike.
  • Riders cannot enter any round of the UEM SSB Cup with their normal National licence. All riders must have a UEM ProMoSport Licence which they can obtain from their National Federation. One-event or one-year versions of the licence are available. No rider will be permitted to race without this licence. A list of contacts for all Federations can be found on the UEM web site by clicking here.

  • No rider is permitted to enter the UEM SSB Cup using their national race number. They must contact Peda Enroth of SVEMO at [email protected] to get a UEM SSB Cup start number. Any rider without a UEM race number will not be permitted to race.

  • Foreign riders must produce written Permission to Start from their National Federation. Riders who fail to produce Permission to Start will not be permitted to race.
The remaining UEM Super Street Bike rounds are:

10th-12th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany
18th-20th August: Kunmadaras Raceway, Hungary
6th-9th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway, UK

If you have any queries then please contact Geoff at [email protected].

Swift snippets.
26th July: Mopar fans will get an additional 500 ci of 426 Chrysler at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend as UK Top Fuel Dragster racer Chris Andrews and the Lucas Oil-sponsored F&A Racing team will be testing at the Mopar Euro Nationals. "We hope to make two runs on Saturday and two or three runs on Sunday", Chris told Eurodragster.com. "We will be trying new things on the fuel system and aim to get as much data as we can. We also think it will be good for the team to get into the swing of doing turn-rounds and it will help us to decide what further parts and tools we need. We have new pistons and rods for this weekend and we have heads and superchargers coming at the start of next week."

10:45 Richard Stevens of Eurodragster.com sponsor MPM Oil UK has been in touch to let us know that it's actually 1000 ci of 426 Chrysler as the MPM Oil / FGR Motorsport / Shockwave Fuel Funny Car will also be testing at the Mopar Euro Nationals in the hands of Gordon Smith.

Lizz McCarthy and Jake Charman asked us to say a big Happy Birthday for today (Thursday) to ACU UK Top Fuel Bike Champion and current Pro Stock Bike racer Kev Charman, and a slightly belated Happy Birthday for Tuesday to bike owner Richard Gipp. Have a great day Kev and hope you had a great day Richard.

On the ground and in the air!
26th July: Vom 10.–12.August 2012 heißt es wieder für alle Fans des schnellsten Motorsports der Welt – Welcome to the Home of Speed! Auch dieses Jahr trifft sich bei den NitrOlympX am Hockenheimring wieder das Beste, was die Eurozone an Power und Geschwindigkeit zu bieten hat.

Im Rahmen der FIA & UEM Drag Racing Europameisterschaft holen sich die PS-Stars der Szene nicht nur den absoluten Kick auf der Strecke, sondern geben diesen auch unmittelbar an die Fans weiter.

Man muss es einfach einmal live erlebt haben, wenn zwei Top Fueler mit der unglaublichen Macht von insgesamt 16.000 (!) PS das Motodrom zum Beben bringen. Doch es fasziniert nicht nur die hochexplosive Mischung aus Speed, Power, Action und Adrenalin auf dem Drag Strip, sondern auch das, was den Zuschauern neben und, im wahrsten Sinne, über der Strecke geboten wird. Beim größten und spektakulärsten Drag Racing Event außerhalb der USA wird der Luftraum über dem Motodrom kurzerhand in das Veranstaltungsgelände integriert. In einer atemberaubenden Helikopter-Kunstflug-Show können die Besucher der NitrOlympX live miterleben, welche verrückten Sachen man mit einem "Drehflügler" so anstellen kann.

Dass bei diesem Mega-Event natürlich nicht irgendein ausgedienter Lastenhubschrauber "ein paar Runden dreht" versteht sich von selbst. Der hier an den Start gehende Hubschrauber vom Typ BO-105 ist eines der "Schätzchen" in der Flotte der Flying Bulls und wird von niemandem geringeren als Rainer Wilke pilotiert.

Wilke ist seines Zeichens einer von weltweit nur vier ausgebildeten Kunstflugpiloten auf Hubschraubern und hat dabei als Ausbilder mit 7400 absolvierten Flugstunden und seiner Aktivität seit 1984 die größte Erfahrung.

Der Deutsche, der Drag Racing bisher nur von Aufzeichnungen kennt, freut sich schon sehr auf seine Show in Hockenheim. Rainer Wilke würde es nach eigenen Angaben schon reizen, auch selbst einmal einen Dragster zu fahren, sieht das Ganze aber auch mit Respekt. "Diese Beschleunigung stelle ich mir unglaublich vor", so der Pilot.

Auch seine BO-105 ist weltweit absolut einzigartig, denn sie ist der einzige Hubschrauber mit dem "richtiger" Kunstflug mit nahezu allen von Flächenflugzeugen bekannten Manövern durchgeführt werden kann. Und nicht nur das – in einem kurzen Statement meint Wilke, dass er "neben Loop, Rolle und vielem mehr" auch sehr spektakuläre Manöver zeigen wird, die ein Flugzeug so nicht kann. Man darf also schon sehr gespannt sein!

Nach dem durchschlagenden Erfolg des Red Bull-Aerobatics-Piloten Matthias Dolderer, der bei den NitrOlympX 2011 die Zuschauer mit seiner Zivko Edge faszinierte, wird auch dieser "Air-Gig" mit Sicherheit ein weiteres Highlight, das die Fans von den Sitzen und in die dritte Dimension "katapultiert".

Nach den Highspeed-Races im Sekundentakt sowie einer unvergesslichen und einmaligen Flugshow, findet der Samstag mit der legendären Saturday-Nightshow seinen krönenden Abschluss.

In einem wilden Wirbel aus Stunts, Show und Action, der nicht nur im Drag Racing Zirkus seinesgleichen sucht, werden die Fans eine atemberaubende Nacht erleben.

Fazit: ein absolut hochklassiges FIA und UEM-Drag Racing Starterfeld, die große Vielfalt an Sportsman-Duellen, eine spektakuläre Nightshow sowie ein Helikopter-Act der Extraklasse werden die NitrOlympX wieder zu einem absoluten Highlight des Motorsportjahres 2012 machen.

Mehr Informationen finden Sie unter www.nitrolympx.de.

Mopar Euro Nats coverage.
26th July: Eurodragster.com will be at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend to cover the Mopar Euro Nationals in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car.

The event starts tomorrow and we will be posting end-day galleries on all three days. The Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam will be on-line and broadcasting live video with track commentary as long as the track is open; RWYB commences at 13:00 tomorrow (Friday). Maikel Gloudemans of our streaming service provider Doyousee.me is planning to attend and will be bringing his two-camera set-up.

We will post a direct Home Page link to our coverage as soon as it commences tomorrow.

SPRC office closed.
25th July: Ian and Paula Marshall have been in touch to tell us that the Santa Pod Racers Club office will be closed between today (Wednesday 25th) and next Tuesday (31st).

During this time, if you have an urgent query or requirement then please call SPRC on the usual 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) and if not answered then leave a message and Ian will get back to you. E-Mails cannot be actioned or answered until next Tuesday.

Bring the bubble wrap....
25th July: UK Super Pro ET racer Andy Raw tells us that he made a last-minute decision to attend Bug Jam with his blown-alcohol VW Beetle Funny Car:

I would like to thank the Harrison family for their help in getting me there via the loan of an artic. Big thanks to my crew Chunky, Karl and those who couldn't make it but who made lots of phone calls to make sure that everything was OK.

We only made one run as the main point of the meeting for us was to run with Wayne Allman and his work of art but unfortunately this was not meant to be, and we did not want to damage the Bug before we go to the NitrOlympX so we only made the one pass. That and the fact that I contaminated all the fuel we had with waste oil - sorry about that boys,

At the FIA Main Event we were lucky enough to have Charlie Draper to put a tune in the fuel set-up which won us a PB of 8.26. That meeting was colder and the tune didn't suit the motor at Bug Jam which was hot on Saturday and we didn't expect that. We were hoping for our first seven but the motor was running fat so it didn't happen, but 8.30 was where we expected to be.

Thanks also go to Jason Phelps for the work he did on the damaged headers, for help with the car, and for the stories he told us all weekend. Now there's a man who's lived!

Now we can't wait to go to the NitrOlympX again, and I will be careful: my crew are picking me up from my house and then wrapping me in cotton wool and bubble wrap (thanks for that idea Kirstie). They will then hand me over to Jerry Lackey to unwrap when we get there!

Superstock's first outing.
25th July: Peter Walton writes that thanks to James Forster of Santa Pod Raceway, the Superstock class was able to run for the first time at last week's Dragstalgia:

We had eight cars turn up which, given the unpredictable weather, was a miracle! We had some wise old racers together with some who were fairly new to racing, which provided a really interesting mix.


The concept was simple: stock American cars, racing heads-up.  There was some on-going debate as to whether we should run it heads-up or bracket, but in the end heads-up won the vote and it turned out to be the right decision.  There was less than a second separating the eight cars after the weather shortened the qualifying.

Dan Williams was number one with his superb Nova and Mick Deakin came in at number two. Some really close races pitched Mick Deakin and Ian Brown together in the semi-finals and Ian won it by a hole shot; there can't have been anything between them on the line.  The final was incredibly close as well, with Dan Williams just taking it and winning himself the first of hopefully many exclusive Superstock stickers!


I would personally like to thank the eight racers - Dan, Ian, Rob, Simon, Gewain, Kiwi, and Mick - as well as Jim Chandler who managed to damage his car in his garage (still a mystery how!) but who still turned up and  helped out. Thanks also to the famous Harry Palmer for his usual advice and expertise and to Nick Chandler for helping me keep everything working.  Lastly, thanks to Andy Wright of BA Racing for finally getting my car to go straight, I can't recommend the guy highly enough.

Hopefully we will be back next year with more cars and, hopefully some sunshine. Santa Pod are happy to have us back again, for which many thanks.  Anyone wishing to enquire about joining us should contact me at [email protected].

Gleadow's Dragstalgia.
25th July: After losing their freshly-painted '34 Ford body at the SPRC Summernationals, Adam Gleadow and the UK's Motor Psycho blown-alcohol altered team had a battle on their hands to get the car re-bodied in time for Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway, but Adam says that there was no chance that the team would miss their headline event of the year:

A replacement body was sourced, in the form a '23 T which used to belong to my Dad and Uncle Mick twenty years ago, Dad made the trip to Dorset to pick up the body from Janet Powis whose late husband John of Henry's Revenge fame had purchased it from us.

The body had been widened seven to fit John's car so Chris and I, armed with an angle grinder, cut the body in two and mounted it on the chassis to line everything up and brace it. The front of the body required lengthening twelve inches and the turtle deck section an additional five inches'' width and six inches' length so a buck was made up to hold everything in place for fibreglassing. Dragstalgia at this point was a mere ten days away! A week of furious fibreglassing and sanding assisted by Chris, my Dad and Joe later and we had a body back in one piece, just prep and filler work to smooth it all in now. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights we put down the satin black paint, a far cry from the stunning House of Kolor Wild Cherry Candy applied to the old '34 Ford by our amazing sponsors Custom Exotics, but needs must and all that.

On Friday morning the body arrived at the track, we mounted it on the car and we all set about the finishing touches mounting the parachutes, body catches etc. Saturday morning arrived with rain giving us some time to get stickers on and for Tanya to letter the body making it look more presentable. Jason Phelps kindly welded tabs on for mounting the rear wing, I fabricated some spill plates and we were good to go!

First run lined up against Joe in Nuthin' Fancy , being out in the open and seeing a lot more was all a bit different but the car responded well, clocking new PBs at every incremental until a fuel line sheared around three quarter track, still running a PB 7.52 at only 147 mph. We were qualified number with lots of potential - all very happy and made the hard work worth it.

On Sunday in round 1 against Joe again, a slight stumble off the line and a very weak sixty foot before the car picked up and pulled all the way through, 7.46/186 two more PBs! Unfortunately Joe suffered massive tyre shake losing an ignition wire which shut the car off so we took the round win. Lined up against Nick in the unstoppable Chaos for the final was not to be, an air line caught around the reverser lever and pulled the car out of gear while trying to stage leaving Nick to solo for the event win with another storming 6.4 second pass.

All in we're a very happy team right now, the work everyone put in to get the car ready was amazing, and it doesn't look half bad either! Our crew is the best - a huge personal thank you to all of you. There's still plenty more potential with the car and its going the right way, next up is a dabble in Super Pro ET at the European Finals for a bit more track time before the final NFAA round at the UK National Finals where we're hoping to secure our second spot in the Championship.

A big congratulations for Dave Grabham and the Freddy's Revenge team for getting back on the track again, really good to have you guys returning to the NFAA, also to my Uncle Mick for a new PB in his Jurassic Parts Wild Bunch slingshot, a very easy 10.45.

Finally a few more thank yous to the people who made it possible:

Lucas Oil, Custom Exotics, Auto Finesse and Fresh Reflections for their continued support
Jason Phelps for the chute packs and welding
Roy Wilding for the wing
Andy Cowen of C&C Race Engineering for his offers of help and support
Ramone from Wild'r at Heart for letting us borrow his welder
Janet Powis for her help in getting us a body to run
Crunch for his ever-present help, support and tuning advice
Andy and Joe Curtis for use of the awesome satin black '66 Chevy pickup tow truck, finished the look off perfectly!

Swift snippets.
25th July: Many thanks to Yvonne Tramm and our very own Simon for passing us the post-Bug Jam points standings in the UK National Drag Racing Championships. Additional thanks to Yvonne for also passing us the latest standings in the Santa Pod Racers Club Championships. You can check out the UK and SPRC points on our Speedflow-sponsored Points Standings page by clicking here or by clicking on the Speedflow Points Standings link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

The organisers of the closing ceremony for August's Paralympics are seeking a set of  drag slicks in used but not destroyed condition. "We aren't expecting speeds much over 20 mph", says John Pratt. "If you also know of some usable if tired rims which would fit on a Land Rover hub that would be great". If you can help then please get in touch with John at [email protected].

Eurodragster.com sponsor Topspeed Automotive we can offer some great deals on the full line of GM crate engines. "We can take pre-orders with delivery from the States due in September when our next container arrives", says Bill Macdermid. For more details call Bill on 07941 173075.

MrD opening for 2012-13.
25th July: MrD Slot Drag Racing and Rebel Rousers Hot Rod Clubs would like to invite slot racers to the 2012-13 Slot Drag Racing season opener on 8th-9th September at the Sturdee Club, Hoo, in Kent. Steve Dudley writes:

We will be slot drag racing from midday on Saturday until Sunday afternoon and there will hopefully be an impromptu car meet as well. On Saturday there will be the usual Test and Tune and elimination races, finishing off with qualifying for Sunday's main races. On Sunday we will run the Bracket, 16D and Group 20 eliminations, with prizegiving at the end. Note that if you cannot make it for qualifying on Saturday then you may be able to arrive early on Sunday morning and post a quick time before we start racing.

Entry for the slot drags event is £1 per slot car (two cars per class per person maximum). As per usual practice at the Sturdee Club, please buy your drinks from the bar and I will arrange a collection for the hall owner; donations will be collected throughout the weekend. Overnight camping is available on-site for this event.

If you have any queries, or to confirm your participation, contact [email protected]. You can find out more about slot drag racing at slotdragracing.weebly.com.

Mosten hosts EDRS FB.
24th July: Speedgroup have agreed with the organizers of the Mosten Race Day, which takes place in Denmark on 30th August-2nd September, that Funny Bike will be contested as part of the EDRS European Drag Racing Series. The event will be included in the EDRS South Division.

Speedgroup co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar explains "When there was an interest expressed from the class itself and from the organiser, Speedgroup saw it as a positive move after a quick check within the EDRS workgroup. We already knew that the Mosten Race Day is an event which those teams with whom we work in Supertwin and Top Fuel Bike like to attend year after year.

"I am also happy with the support and interest which the Funny Bike racers have shown in the EDRS European Drag Racing Series this year. After UEM dropped the European Cup Speedgroup agreed to work with the Funny Bike class to see if something could be done for the class which had been considered as generally weak and inconsistent over the last few years. One problem is that there are teams in many countries but not so many teams in each country. Teams need to travel to make it work in a series system and to provide all events and organisers with a decent entry list. So far we have seen proof of their willingness to enter the events which we can provide for them within the EDRS Series, not least at the NitrOlympX at Hockenheim on 10th-12th August where we have teams from seven nations entered in Funny Bike.

"It is also positive that the event at Mosten brings Denmark in to the series system for the first time. We hope that all teams within reasonable distance will decide to enter."

More information at www.mosten-mc.dk and you can enter on-line at www.mosten-mc.dk/Raceday2010/tilmelding.asp. The closing date is 26th August.

If you have any queries then please contact organiser's rep Hans Jørgen Hitz at [email protected] or if you have any queries about the EDRS Series then please contact Speedgroup Co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar at [email protected].

Swift snippets.
24th July: Many thanks to Andy Marrs of TSI Timers Europe for forwarding us the official Bug Jam timing data 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 have no less than three birthdays today. First up is a very Happy 17th Birthday to Heaven & Hell Pro ET team member and Honorary Eurodragster.com Staff Member Grace Roaf. Have a lovely day Grace. By one of those nice coincidences which you get all too seldom it is also the birthday of Grace's mum Mary Roaf. Happy Birthday and hope you have a lovely day too Mary. Finally another big Happy Birthday to our good friend Lotta Andersson. Have a lovely day Lotta.

Many thanks to the several readers who responded to your News Editor's plea for assistance with a gearbox problem. More anon but a knight in shining armour has been gratefully selected from several who came forward to offer help. Thank you all again.

Web site updates.
24th July: Our good buddy and occasional stand-in photographer Patrik Jacobsson has updated his Racebilder site with a number of pictures from Saturday's qualifying at the NHK Nationals at Sundsvall. You can check out Patrik's shots at www.racebilder.nu.

Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell attended the weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Series Divisional event at his local race track, New Enngland Dragway, and you can check out his pictures from NED at www.surfphotonh.com.

Editor's note: Only a brief news update today because of pressure of work in your News Editor's day job. We have a small backlog which we shall clear on the next update, and please keep the news coming to [email protected]. Eagle-eyed readers will also have noticed that there have been no updates to our Jeff Bull Racing Engines-sponsored Swap Meet in the last few days, and astute readers will realise that this was because we were away covering Bug Jam. We have a few advertisements in the queue which will be posted early this evening.

Bug Jam results.
22nd July: Congratulations to the winners of this weekend's Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway:

Sportsman ET: Craig Wright (17.75) 17.8490/74.92 def. Nigel Hale (13.15) 13.2158/99.92 DQ red light
Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator: Jon Webster 8.1173/169.82 def. Jeff Meads 8.6782/169.79
Outlaw Anglia: Colin Millar 8.0457/166.05 def. Cliff Griffin 8.2363/154.20
VW Pro: Sam Young (10.10) 10.1991/115.92 def. Stuart Hodson (12.00) 12.2756/112.90
VW Sportsman: Abi Tether (15.75) 15.7730/83.32 def. Polly Naylor (15.60) 15.6582/90.33
Outlaw Flat Four: James Wotton 11.8334/122.39 def. Joe Gallagher 12.4597/110.31

Both the Eurodragster.com/ModUrStang Perfect Light Award and the Eurodragster.com/Gold RV Perfect ET Award went unclaimed and so will be increased to £75 for the Open Sport Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway in August. In fact one perfect light and one perfect ET were recorded but the vehicles were not carrying decals.

You can check out our Alamo Rent A Car -sponsored Bug Jam reports, pictures and pit notes clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Swift snippets.
22nd July: Mum and dad asked us to say a Happy 27th Birthday for today (Sunday) to David Woodford who is spending the day crewing on Outlaw Anglia racer Barry Woodford's immaculate Ford Pop at Santa Pod Raceway. No sooner said than done, have a great day David.

Your News Editor would be pleased to hear from any reader who knows about Peugeot automatic gearboxes or more accurately problems with them. The car concerned is a 2002 Peugeot 307. If you can help then please drop Tog a line at [email protected].

Dragstalgia NSA Shootout review.
21st July: What a great weekend for nostalgia drag racing, however many wheels you were using, writes Keith Lee, who organised the National Sprint Association eight-bike shoot-out:

We brought along an interesting variety of historic machines for the event, one of which even pre-dated Santa Pod itself!

The Methamon blown Vincent outfit, originally built by Maurice Brierley, is from the same era as the Allard Dragster and has been restored by Chris Illman and Colin Jefferies. The pair had a busy time in the pits, as the old bike decided to play up in the transmission department. That sadly restricted the bike to one run only. It deservedly attracted a lot of interest in the pits, and got a big round of applause when it was first fired up - fittingly almost opposite the Allard.

A real highlight had to be watching a pair of twin-engined bikes side by side once more, as Ray Law's 1000cc Triumph took on John Hobbs and his 1700cc Weslake, just as they used to so many years ago. John Hobbs is a name familiar to most race fans, and he did not disappoint with his runs on the blown double-engined Weslake. John also ran his Olympus 500 Triumph recreation - newly fitted with wheelie bars after a monster wheelie last time out.

Phil Steele had cruel luck, when the ex-Keith Parnell 750 Weslake Triumph threw a rod on the burnout prior to his first run, effectively sidelining him for the weekend.

The Pegasus Reborn Vincent of Derek Chinn hydrauliced the motor, but some nifty pit work, aided by Ian Messenger, saw the bike back out on track in the hands of Graham Martin. His best was 12.29/107 on the unblown Vinnie.

Simon Rees was well prepared, having a backup bike ready in case his 1970s 750 blown Triumph hit problems. A confirmed sprinter, Simon managed to holeshot all the drag racers in the group on his neat machine!

Dennis Norman's double Triumph was only scheduled to be on display during Sunday, which nearly floored the temporary commentator, who spotted Dennis' grandson Matthew approaching the startline out of nowhere and ready to run! He was allowed on to the track via the spectator side gate, which must be a first!

The final run for the trophies was between the two bikes with the quickest ETs during the earlier qualifying sessions. That brought about a situation that was quite common some thirty to forty years ago, when a good little 'un would come up against a good big 'un. In this case it was the very impressive 500 blown Triumph of Martin Willmott up against Hobbs. Martin ran an impressive set of mid nine second times on Sunday, but The Hobbit nailed the tree, and Martin was playing catchup. A fine 9.54/145 by the little Triumph could not stop a weekend's best 8.74/154 by John.

One of our group, Justin Newell, was unfortunately unable to attend due to a family medical emergency, but all of the runners attending enjoyed their weekend, and were full of praise for the work put in by the track crew to overcome Saturday's soggy start to make it an event to remember. Thanks for all your efforts must go to James and all of the Pod team.

There were lots of visitors to the bike pits, including Brian Johnson and a very interested Ian King. A snippet of note is that Jeff Byne is thinking it might be time to start rebuilding his double Triumph. Now that would be something to look forward to!

Roll on Dragstalgia 2013.

Read's Dragstalgia.
21st July: The UK's Robin Read and team were as excited as teenagers going to their first rock concert as they arrived at last weekend's Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway, where the Daimler-powered Bad Habit dragster was due to make exhibition passes:

We took the car and trailer up on Friday afternoon and for the first time we had the use of a large tent which Bill Mears had borrowed from a neighbour. We set up our pit bay, after moving the trailer twice, once after we had unhitched. I must admit that I kept looking at my trailer, resplendent in its new paint job and graphics and feeling proud that after all the years of inactivity I was back at the track. One of the first people I came across was Syd McDonald who will be remembered as Race Director and he also received the entries for the meetings. On several occasions in the past, I had been late with my race entry and had to fall upon Syd's mercy! To me then he was a very important, scary man who could at a whim allow me to race or not. In practice though Syd's rules were hard but fair and, to him, finite and quantifiable. It seems to me now that Syd has mellowed a lot and now it was with pleasure that I shook his hand. Syd then plied us with iced Danish pastries (a good start to the weekend ) and later on a really good chilli and rice, what a star! He explained that had'nt turned up and that it it would be wasted. Very tasty it was too as we sat under the borrowed tent eating and reminiscing . After we had left the track it was good to receive a call from Antony Billinton at GMax to say that the oil I had ordered for the weekend had been dropped off in the pit bay.

We arrived to rain on Saturday morning, it didn't look inspiring as we came in to see a digger scraping water from the access road into the Pod. On getting to our pit bay what's this? A race car, still on its trailer under the tent! Clive Mechaell had taken the opportunity to use our tent while he erected his. Meanwhile we had to get our race car out and ready, Nitro to be mixed, oil to put in the car, parachute to pack, front end bodywork and wings to assemble onto the car. These are removed to prevent damage during loading and transport . All the jobs done, and then we waited whilst it rained. And waited! Much discussion was had about whether it was getting better etc, during this time the track crew at Santa Pod were busy all the time clearing excess water from the strip and pits (hats off to you).

Eventually the rain stopped and the anticipation of running was palpable, as around the pits as crews warmed their cars' engines carrying out final checks and tuning. We did the same. All seemed well, but for a slight fuel leak from the shutoff valve whichs we addressed by changing one of the rubber O-rings. Eventually we were called and towed down to the start area, suited up, strapped in and waited. The marshal signalled to fire up, motor running and just about to pull around to the burnout area when the crewman of an adjacent waiting car noticed a significant fuel leak. So we shut the motor off and I exited the car, upon investigation it seemed that when we changed the seal in the shut off valve it had been damaged on reassembly. A new seal was installed but then disaster! The operating lever broke whilst being reinstalled - old age or metal fatigue. We did not have a spare for this and as my crew went around the other teams asking if they had spares the opportunity to run was slipping away from us. The start marshals did keep on checking whether we had repaired, and eventually we effected a satisfactory but temporary repair using the broken operating arm. Now we could run!

We were due to run alone, but due to the timescale were asked if we would run alongside Joe Bond whose car had also had problems and missed its slot in the programme. We agreed and the Crew Chiefs arranged who had which lane and what startling routine they would use. So now I had gone from a run to a race! Joe is a second generation racer and a young gun. I know the family well but I knew that this would be a proper race. We fired up, Mark checking the valve for leaks. All good! Round for the burnout, by now the adrenaline had really kicked in. I can only describe the feeling as being like a comic book superhero: in hyperdrive, but with a calm which was uncanny, aware of what's going on around you, but with a focus which allows you to process all the information coming in without distracting you from the reason you are there... to win!

Burnouts completed and Mark signalled me that all was well and to go into stage. The race was now mine - up to this point, at all times it is running with me in the car it is under Mark's control and I trust him and his judgement completely. I crept forward trying to stage the car, lighting the pre stage, looked across to check whether Joe was in pre-stage or full stage, OK into full stage. the lights ran we were away. I was aware of the other car and we must have been neck and neck, but then I couldn't see him or feel him and we charged on down the track changing gear twice, chute out. Then the relief of the car slowing, restrained by an unseen mighty hand with the pleasure of the win and run, tinged with relief that all went well.

Back in the pit bay it was evident that all was not well ! We had only run a 7.7 sec ET and on checking the engine out there were signs that it was not happy at all. Two spark plugs burnt, three threads down the body of the plug (we've never had that happen) and the number seven cylinder still not working at all. The fuel shut-off lever definitely needed replacing so Mark and I started checking everything we could think of, and everything we couldn't!

We were due to run in the cacklefest and we were running late, the fuel shut off lever was completely broken now. But Mark could operate the valve manually with a spanner so we towed down, just managing to catch onto the end of the parading cars. The cacklefest was good fun and as a driver it was good to hear the appreciation of the spectators; normally of course we don't see or hear any of that because we are down track.

We hadn't resolved any of our problems so we went home to sleep on them. Bertie Hopkinson had gone already so that he could manufacture a new fuel shut off operating lever. Sunday morning, not raining, a good start! On arriving at the track the traffic queue to get in was long, we drove past because we had many things to do and check: it takes a lot of detective work to get enough information to work out why things aren't happening as they should. We leaked the motor down, all was well and even between all eight cylinders. We made up a new plug lead for the number seven cylinder, we had the entire fuel injection system apart and cleaned it, changing nozzles where we thought appropriate. Fuel percentages were checked, ignition timing checked and adjusted. The new fuel shut off lever was installed, Bert had also made a spare, good old Bertie! When we warmed the car up prior to our run we all agreed that the car sounded much happier - a bit like snow in the Christmas carol, "Deep and crisp and even" (You mean it's not deep pan, crisp and even? - disillusioned Ed). I really wanted to run well on this pass, it was the 200th pass on the car and I really wanted a six at 200 mph!

We towed down, all was well, sat in the car ready and composing myself for the run ahead. The signal to start came and the motor had no leaks, no problems. We were to run solo and in the left lane. I had to get this just right because if I turned too shallow I would enter the burnout area at an angle requiring a reversing manoeuvre and if too wide not clearing the centre leg of the startling gantry which would also require a reversing manoeuvre. It's a matter of pride to get it right! I rolled through the water and Mark signalled me that the rear tyres were in the right position, as all this was happening I changed gear from first to third whilst the car was rolling. A push on the throttle and the motor bellowed at me and the car was immediately up on the tyres. I was twisting the steering to and fro trying to keep the car straight, also monitoring engine rpm as it's very easy to damage the engine during the burnout routine as the motor is running in an unloaded state. It's also a matter of pride for the driver that the whole burnout and back-up is slick and professional. Mark backed me up signalling to get me back in my own burnout tracks, by now he knew that I could read his face and mind. I also knew that the motor was running perfectly; I could feel everything as the engine is bolted solidly into the chassis and was solidly strapped in by the seat belts so we were as one. Vibrant and powerful, edged forward into full stage...

Wow! The car launched like an arrow, I thought "This is going to be good", time to get the first to second gear shift... nothing! No drive! I needed to get off the throttle in an instant so as not to damage the engine and already the disappointment was flooding through me. It was over and I had to clear the track and shut the the motor down. I worked out that it was the rear axle which was broken - it could also been the crankshaft- as I rolled through I could hear and feel the broken gear teeth catching up and smashing others off the mating gears. I knew my weekend was over and all the promise of the test and tune with it. The top end marshals winced and grimaced as the car cames to a halt, silent and wounded.

I sat for a minute composing myself then one of the marshals asked if I was OK. I nodded my head, not wanting to speak .Upon exit from the car I walked back and patted the bug catcher, it wasn't the car's fault! We both tried our best. I made a silent promise that I would source and fit a stronger axle. The crew arrived, faces sad, my girlfriend Ella gave me a kiss and squeeze. It's good that we could only tow back very slowly as by the time we got back to the pit I felt happier. Various people told me how fantastic the launch was, the sixty foot time corroborating that. I shook the crew's hands thanking them for their hard work, effort and support.

I thank everyone who has been involved in any way to assist in returning the car to the track. We will be back!

Swift snippets.
21st July: European fans have someone to cheer on at the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at Grand Bend, Ontario as the UK's Smax Smith is contesting Top Fuel Dragster in the Leverich family's car. Smax will be in action today (Saturday) and tomorrow; results will be available courtesy of our Drag Race Central colleagues at www.dragracecentral.com. Good luck Smax and stay safe.

The Damn Yankees' 26th Annual Summer Slam takes place at North Weald tomorrow (Sunday). The event is open to Yanks, rods, customs and Harleys and features trade stands, family entertainment including face painting, arena events, music all day and a lot more. You can find out more from the event flyer which you can read by clicking on the picture at right.

The fifth and penultimate round of the French Championship will be held on 4th-5th August on the Saint-Yan around Paray-Le-Monial, between Mâcon and Moulins. The usual categories of ATD Trophy will be contested as well as Run What You Brung. Pascal Thébault writes that Saint-Yan is located exactly in the centre of France with easy access. Competitors from all over Europe, and elsewhere, are guaranteed a warm reception. You can check out the event flyer by clicking here and more information is available from ATD Chair Eric Angeloni at [email protected].

We would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to our good friend and UK Super Gas racer His Worshipful Flatulence the Very Reverend Sir Neville Mottershead ODE. Have a great day Nev.

UK Top Sportsman update.
21st July: The 2012 running of Direct Plastics UK Top Sportsman takes place at next weekend's (Friday-Sunday) Mopar Euronats at Santa Pod Raceway:

Entries have already exceeded last year's number and, for possibly the very first time this year, the probability of good warm bright weather on the horizon for the whole weekend. Direct Plastics UK Top Sportsman is destined to go down in history as one of the bloodiest doorslammer battles ever staged at a UK drag strip. The very cream of UK and European doorslammer teams will be there, the diversity of classes really means that anyone could win either the bracket race or for that matter heads-up eliminator.

This will be a unique event, as previously stated, other than safety there are no rules; no this is not an MSA event so you do not need to have everything i ndate, seat belts, MSA race license, etc. You do need a UK driving license, it really is RWYB and hope you brung enough. The entry list currently has monster mountain motors, supercharged hemis, nitrous motors, twin turbos, Prochargers, you name it we have it coming. This event more than any other will separate the men from the boys, the whiners and cry-babies from the hardcore racers. This will be the roughest toughest, meanest, most unpredictable doorslammer race of the year.

The best part is this: you can still be part of it. Now is the time to step up to the plate and be counted. You can still enter this historic race and be part of the biggest heads-up race and heads-up bracket of the year. Entry is still open, if your car can run 9.99 or faster you can enter. Forms for UK Top Sportsman can be downloaded from www.topsportsman.co.uk. Entry is not expensive, with the credential package you receive it is crazy not to enter as it's the best value for money you will get. So don't delay, enter today and be part of history in the making. There will be a ton of prize money, last year we gave out nearly £5,000 so not only is this the baddest and toughest, it is also by far the richest doorslammer race of the year.

In addition it will also be televised so you can see yourself on TV, watch out for the film crew and make sure you mention your sponsors in the interview. The TV show will be a sixty minute dedicated special and will be shown in the UK and throughout Europe on Motors TV.

Remember that the racing starts on Friday so plan to arrive early on Friday morning or preferably Thursday night ready for the opening on Friday morning. The one-shot qualifier for the heads-up Top Sportsman bracket race will be at approximately 1.30 pm on Friday and will run to conclusion on Friday. There is a buyback for first round losers into the second round at a cost of £30. Saturday late afternoon is the one-shot qualifier for the sixteen-car qualified field for the Heads-up Sportsman eliminator and then eliminations start on Sunday morning. The track will be prepared to National Event standard. Any racer out of competition is quite free to join the RWYB which operates over the whole of the Mopar Euronats weekend.

Both Jeff Bull and I would like to express our thanks to the committee of the Mopar Euronats for hosting UK Top Sportsman at their show. Also Santa Pod Raceway's management and track crew for all their help and cooperation in helping us make this happen.

If you have any questions then please call me on 07831 650230 or E-Mail [email protected].

Jeff and Belinda Bull and Paul Marston would like to thank the UK Top Sportsman sponsors without whose help the class would not be running:

Title sponsor Paul Woodhead – Direct Plastics : The UK's leading supplier of engineering plastics. To buy online go to www.directplastics.co.uk.

Bill McDermid – Topspeed Automotive : Surrey's premier retailer of Motoring Accessories and Performance Parts at www.topspeedautomotive.co.uk.

Geof Hauser – Hauser Race Cars : Offering many services and consultancy for a large variety of fabrication and manufacturing processes including rollbar and custom tube bending and engine building for street or race. Visit www.hauserracing.com.

Dave Raper – Cole Mechanical Services : Supply, service and maintain waste compactors, balers, scissor lifts, dock levellers, floor care equipment and document shredders. Visit www.colemechanical.co.uk.

Chris Isaacs – Chris Isaacs Race Cars : CIRC has been building tube chassis cars for sixteen years, and their products have scored numerous event wins, Championships and records. They can construct your car to the most exacting standards and to any level of completion you require, including fully turn-key vehicles ready to take to the track. Visit www.chris-isaacs.com.

Malcolm Francis – Air Sea Logistics : Managing Director Malcolm Francis, a drag racer himself, provides fast, reliable freight services at competitive prices. Number one choice of drag racers for the transportation of engines, spares or complete car or bike from and to anywhere in the world, by air, sea or road. Visit www.airsealogistics.com.

Kenny Coleman – Engine Data Analysis : The racer's choice! Specialists in drag racing, American touring car and circle track. Proven engine building and dyno tuning experience. Always speak to Kenny first at www.engine-data.co.uk.

Gary Hall – Damn Yankees American Car Club : A well established, friendly club for enthusiasts of American cars and trucks. Annual shows. Damn Yankees' 26th Annual Summer Slam takes place tomorrow, Sunday 22nd July, at North Weald Airfield. Show and Shine, arena events, trade stands, auto jumble and live music.

Paul Foote – Paul Foote Ink : As a fast, reliable and competitive company PFI offers more than just signs. Their creative team can supply ideas, concepts or layouts for your sign, exhibition or project. Specialising in vehicle and trailer wrapping covering the design and installation. Visit www.paulfoote.com.

Darren West – Power Race Graphics : With over twenty years' commercial experience creating innovative solutions for industry and retail, Power Race Graphics offer high quality graphic services from a fully qualified professional. Match this with a life long passion for motorsport and PRG have a combination in which you can have confidence! Visit www.powerracegraphics.com.

Paul Marston – Paul Marston Drag Racing School : Europe's Premier Drag Racing School. Visit www.paulmarstonracing.co.uk.

Jeff Bull – Jeff Bull Race Engines and Performance Parts : With over thirty years' experience, Jeff has put his valuable knowledge into every engine he's created. Specialising in Chevrolet Big Block, his engines have powered many racers to the winners circle. For a full engine build or a winter freshen up, contact Jeff. Also in-house crankshaft balancing service available. Visit www.jeffbullraceengines.co.uk.

Doug Herbert – Doug Herbert Performance : USA's No. 1 supplier of Go Fast stuff.

Peter Miller – Transmission Specialities : Manufacturers of high performance automatic transmissions, torque converters and related parts in the USA.

Mike and Bo Laws – BLP Racing Products : Orlando, Florida based. High quality race engine parts including racing carburettors, gaskets, fuel pumps and fuel system components.

Please support our sponsors as they support us!

Web site updates.
21st July: The Mad Welshman has updated his Flickr site with pictures of Sunday's action at last weekend's Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Mad's pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman.

Richard Smith writes that it was a quiet event but that he has posted a gallery from York Raceway's Sportsman Nationals, as well as a Dragstalgia Sunday gallery, at rdsmith.zenfolio.com.

Finnish Supertwin racer Asko Määttä has posted more than twenty FHRA Nitro Nationals videos on his YouTube page at www.youtube.com/bld195. Asko says that he will be taking to the track with his Harley DaddyO BG-V at the FHRA Finals in the first weekend of September.

Olstad's sad start.
20th July: Norwegian Supertwin racer Hans Olav Olstad has had a very hard, and sad, season so far. His original plan was to race his new bike Thunderstruck at all of the UEM and Nordic Cup events but events conspired otherwise:

Building a new bike is always a challenge. Against all odds we almost manages to get the bike ready for the first test event at Tierp Arena in May. There were a few things left, like restrictors in the oil feed line, and some covers. On 11th May we went to Tierp with an almost complete bike, but also to support the new owner of the old bike Lightning, teaching him how to race and to manage the mechanical stuff. We are very proud of Ulf Ledstrøm, the new owner of Lightning. He gained his licence and ran Personal Bests on all runs. Ulf also managed to do very well in the Nordic Cup. He lowered his personal best to a 7.11 and in the Nordic Cup race in Alastaro he also managed to go all the way to the final, but lost against Samu Kemppainen from Finland.

The constructor and designer of Thunderstruck , Gerard Willemse, came to Norway to be there for the first start up of the new bike. on 27th May.2012 Thunderstruck burst into life and immediately sounded loud and strong. My brother Per Øyvind also visited us this weekend, using his last strength just to be with us and to join the start-up. He was suffering from cancer and the doctors gave him up to one month. This was his last journey away from his home.

On the first trip to Tierp I probably handled Thunderstruck the wrong way when lifting and moving it in and out of the bus. My back started to hurt very bad during the following week and I had to visit my doctor who diagnosed prolapsed discs causing high pressure on sciatica nerve. The pain kept me in bed for the next fourteen days. The doctor expected three to four months before recovery if everything went well. Disaster for the racing, I couldn't even drive the bus. For the first time since 2003 I had to cancel the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod. This situation also prevented me earning money, as I am self employed. Crap never comes alone and this racing business is not free.

After discussing the situation with my team, we decided to make a test run at Tierp. Because of the back pain and physical situation I was forced to lie down or have a short walk. The crew did a fantastic job taking care of the bike, equipment, bus, absolutely everything. All I had to do was to get into my leathers and to stay on the bike for a few seconds.

On Wednesday 13th June I managed to visit my brother before heading to Tierp. It was my first trip out from my house for four weeks. Per Øyvind told me that he had fallen over that morning when visiting the bathroom and couldn't get up without help. He used some of his last energy to have a last handshake with me. On Thursday 14th June, whilst we were heading for the first test session at Tierp, we got the news that my brother Per Øyvind had just taken his last breath. He died at the age of forty three. We were ready to turn back home, but after talking to the rest of the family, we were told that Per Øyvind very much wanted us to do the weekend whatever happened. My saddest weekend ever. We tried our best, with one burnout and a clutch-breaking start. Rain and even more rain ended this weekend.

All our thoughts go to Per Øyvind's wife, his two children and parents. We will now try our best to take care of the family in this sad situation, and give racing a break until the Drag Challenge at Gardermoen in August. On 22nd June, even with my bad back, I found some strength to carry Per Øyvind's coffin from the church to his last rest. It was too hard for me to speak, but I found some words to show my feelings writing a song, performed by Marius Beck at the funeral. The song, Brother for a moment , can be seen and heard on my Facebook page.

I hope you all understand the situation and our decisions. We will try the best we can to do the last part of the season. We now have submitted our entries to Gardermoen and Hockenheim. Then we will try to race at Tierp, Mosten and the European Finals at Santa Pod.

With a little help from my friends...
20th July: Competition takes place on the track, but after passing the finish line you help each other whenever needed. That's the way drag racing is and hopefully always will be. Belgian Top Methanol Funny Car racer Danny Bellio's best-ever season came to an early end in the final of the Sweden Internationals at Tierp Arena in June when the FC crashed after its parachutes did not open. did not deploy. The car went into the gravel trap and was badly damaged. However, our good friend Remco Scheelings writes that thanks to the help of other drag racers and some hard work, the Belgian team will be back at the NitrOlympX at Hockenheim:

Danny's Racing Team is a real family operation with Danny, his wife and their two sons as the driving forces. They invest many hours in their business, Danny Cars in Houthalen-Helchteren, and spend all the rest of their time in the workshop to prepare Danny's Top Methanol Funny Car and son Sandro's Super Pro ET Funny Car. Although the days are far too short for this workload, they still find the time to help other racers.

Over the last few seasons Danny had already impressed with great runs in his Dodge Top Methanol Funny Car. Last winter the team invested a lot of money in a new chassis and the investment seemed to pay off immediately as Danny won his first ever FIA European Championship round at Santa Pod. In the next race at Tierp Arena, Danny broke the 5.7 barrier for the first time with a new Personal Best of 5.696 seconds and advanced to the final again. But that's where it went wrong. After passing the finish line the parachutes didn't deploy and the Dodge went into the gravel trap at high speed and landed upside down. The chassis was bent and the Dodge body was badly damaged. For the low budget Belgian team the season seemed to be over and the chance to become the first ever Belgian to win an FIA European Drag Racing title was gone.

The Belgian team is not used to give up, but immediately after the crash they thought their season had come to an early end. But within an hour things changed. In a phone call fellow TMFC racer Dan Larsen immediately offered his help to repair the damaged Dodge body, and Mats Eriksson inspected the chassis and noted that only the front end was bent and said that he could repair it. On their way back from Tierp Danny left the Dodge body with Dan Larsen in Denmark and back in Belgium all parts were removed from the chassis. Jan and Jaap Selles and Dennis Verleg, all involved in Dutch drag racing in many ways, offered their help to take the chassis to Mats' shop at Borlänge in Sweden, a 2,800 km trip which they did in three days. In the meantime the Harteveld family with their companies Autoschadeherstelbedrijf Harteveld and Sixpack Speedshop, Reinier van Schelt, X-pair and Deukie.nl, all drag racers and involved in the sport too, offered financial help to the Belgian team, so that part of the rebuild was covered too.

Last weekend, Jan and Jaap Selles and Dennis Verleg travelled to Sweden again, as in two weeks Mats Eriksson had replaced the front end of the chassis while Dan Larsen, after numerous hours of hard work, had rebuilt the Dodge body. On their way back from Borlänge Jan, Jaap and Dennis went to Dan's shop where Danny was to pick up the body. In Denmark the chassis and body were reunited. In Houthalen-Helchteren, close to the Zolder racetrack, Danny's Racing Team will have to spend many, many hours in the workshop again to make it a race ready Top Methanol Funny Car. If the car is ready in time, the body will be repainted by Autoschade Harteveld in Wateringen, Holland.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of his drag racing friends, and of course the team's own perseverance and dedication, Danny will be back on track at Hockenheim for the NitrOlympX, round four of the FIA European Championship. After skipping the Alastaro race, Danny is still the number two in the FIA European Championship, only seven points behind leader Leif Andréasson. With three races to go, Danny can now still become the first ever Belgian to win a FIA European Drag Racing Championship.

This item is available in Dutch on the Autosport web site at www.autosport.nl.

Freddy's return.
20th July: It was touch and go whether the UK's Freddy's Revenge blown-alcohol altered team would make it to Dragstalgia, with the To Do list growing bigger by the day. But they made it to Santa Pod just in time for the start of the rain:

It rained all morning Saturday, which for us turned out to be a godsend as we had bits to finish and tyres to fit. We spent all of Saturday working on being ready, but unfortunately missed the call for the NFAA's first round. We fired Freddy up about forty five minutes after they towed down, and were happy with the results with just one leak to look at. We got up on Sunday with butterflies playing havoc in our tummies, as today would be the first time in fifteen months that we had taken Freddy down the fire up road. We spent the morning doing final tweaks, and with the one hour warning from Santa Pod got Freddy fired up.

We towed down with the rest of the NFAA who were running their first round of eliminations. Our plan was a 100-foot squirt and we were launching in second gear. Finally, for the first time in nearly three years, everything went ok! We headed back to the pits with the hope to take her to 300 feet in the afternoon when the NFAA ran their final. The number of people who came to the pit and said how pleased they were to see us back, how relieved they were to see Freddy launch OK and how good Freddy looked even in primer was astounding. We are immensely grateful.

We got ready for our second check-out pass, and towed down with Chaos and Motor Psycho which were in the final. Dave did a short burnout, launched in second and ran to approximately 300 feet. Everything went smoothly. Our aim for the weekend had been achieved: we were going home in one piece!

If we can find a sponsor we'd love to compete at the National Finals in September, but it is more likely that we will have to sit out the rest of this year, which will give us the chance to get all the finer perfectionist bits done – paint for Freddy, a tow truck for our usual trailer, etc. The list goes on. Huge thanks go to Bob Gleadow and the Motor Psycho team for the various tools and bits we borrowed; Wendy Baker, Paul Stubbings and the Timewarp crew for their help(!) changing the tyres; Mark Skinner for our team photo; Bob Glassup for the loan of a trailer and awning; Tom the welder; Tony Betts and Jason Phelps for the back end of the chassis and much help and advice; Andy and Kate Robinson; and Dan Sharp. Plus our usual supporters Adam; Huw; Mark; Gordon Northway of Valley Carpets; and Cable-Tec.

We are so eternally grateful to all the other racers, fans and friends for their support, help, advice, pictures and much more over the difficult couple of years we've had. Without the support network we have around us, I doubt we'd have even attempted to come back out. Thank you. Run fast and safe. See you in 2013!

Swift snippets.
20th July: European fans have someone to cheer on at the Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals at Grand Bend, Ontario as the UK's Smax Smith is contesting Top Fuel Dragster in the Leverich family's car. Smax will be in action tomorrow and Sunday; results will be available courtesy of our Drag Race Central colleagues at www.dragracecentral.com. Good luck Smax and stay safe.

Drag racing artist Paul Whitehouse writes that due to a family illness he was unable to display his paintings at Dragstalgia as planned. As a result Paul has a limited number of prints, and an original painting, available for purchase. The prints measure 14.5" x 10.5" including a mount, are artist signed, and ready for framing at a cost of £15 each including postage and packing. Drag bike legend John Hobbs kindly signed the original Hobbit painting At Dragstalgia and this is now for sale. Please contact Paul via E-Mail at [email protected] for more details on the original painting or prints.


The UK's Ian Turburville would be pleased to hear from anyone who can help with a lift for himself and daughter Laura from Hockenheim to Karlsruhe for an 07:15 flight on the morning after the NitrOlympX. Turbo is willing to pay for petrol. If you can help then please contact Turbo at [email protected].

Web site updates.
20th July: The latest edition of the Speedgroup newsletter is now available and features reviews of the FHRA Nitro Nationals, Eurodragster.com Editor's Diary with the inside story of our Nitro Nationals coverage, calendars, agenda and more. You can check out the Speedgroup newsletter at club.speedgroup.eu.

Paul Lister has updated his Dragcaranon site with pictures of Sunday's action at Dragstalgia. You can take a look at Paul's pictures at www.dragcaranon.co.uk.

Allard impresses Beaulieu Chief.
 19th July: Allard Chrysler Action Group Chair Brian Taylor tells us that National Motor Museum Manager and Lord Montagu's Chief Engineer Doug Hill was at Dragstalgia for the dragster's first public fire-up on Saturday, with a 40% nitro load, and that he was very impressed with what he saw and heard.

Doug wrote to ACAG to reflect upon what the Group has achieved:
  • Probably the most important dragster in UK history has been brought back to life;
  • A car whose only prospect was to be preserved in an incomplete state, never to be seen operating again, has been resurrected;
  • The car is in one piece, complete as Mr Allard last saw it;
  • The wishes of Brian Golder have been realised, unfortunately not in his lifetime but in his memory
"Guys, this is getting a masterpiece out of the museum cellar and bringing it back to the nation", said Doug. "Never underestimate your achievement. Thank you all."

"Our thanks to everyone who has supported the project so far", says Brian Taylor. "The list is long and I will be publishing details in the next issue of ACAG Update but even that list does not include all those who have purchased items during the last three years. We still have more to do so keep buying or donating. Saturday's cackle was an important stage and we hope everyone enjoyed it. Just imagine what that must have sounded like back in 1961. They must have thought Sydney had come down from another planet!"

Timewarp Funny Car heaven.
19th July: UK Comp Bike racer Phil Leamon and the Leamon Brothers team doubled the number of wheels and changed the fuel at Dragstalgia at the weekend when they crewed on Wendy Baker and Paul Stubbings' Timeward Nostalgia Funny Car. Phil writes:

I first started going to the Pod in the late 1970s as an impressionable teenager. At the time Funny Cars and in particular Nitro Funnies were King of the Hill. They were wild, with short American Car bodies. They had names like Gladiator, Panic, Houndog and Hit Man and have become part of British drag racing folklore history. Long smoky burnouts and dry hops to the start line were the order of the day. They caught my imagination and hooked me in to this fantastic sport of ours. 

I've known Wendy and Paul for a number of years. They asked if I and my crew would like to help them at Dragstalgia. The answer just had to be yes!

The Nostalgia scene in the USA has become huge and is bound to follow a similar path here. Dragstalgia has the potential to becoming a real gem in our racing calendar. I've had a fair amount of success in Comp Bike and crewed on the Revill & Newby Alcohol Funny Car twenty-odd years ago. One thing I've never done is played with is that god of all fuels, Nitro! That cackle in the pipe is just like nothing else in motorsport.

Timewarp is very much an original Nitro Funny Car. It has a very short wheel base and a body which actually looks like Ford Mustang. The car has been put together following old school rules. Single low amp mag, small fuel pump, small supercharger and two speed transmissions. An ideal car for Dragstalgia. Timewarp was booked to match race the gorgeous '71 Charger Wild'r at Heart owned by Ramon van der Weurf, an ex-Bucky Austin car with some pedigree.

Most of Saturday was frustratingly spent under the awning dodging the rain. The skies cleared, but a last minute run up of the engine revealed a small fuel leak from the shut off valve. We missed the first race, but got the problem fixed. On the plus side we were ready for the cacklefest. This was also a first for me. Having so many cars running at the same time on the track, the noise and smell was unbelievable. My senses were in overload. The crowd who stayed on to watch seemed to think so too.

We awoke on Sunday to beautiful sunshine. It was looking good and we could actually go racing. Timewarp was run up but a heavily smoking exhaust on number one cylinder was not good and it was reluctant to clear. The crew jumped into action and found that a manifold leak was the source of the problem. Blower and headers off in short measure and another problem fixed in time for the next round, against Wild'r at Heart. 

Paul asked if I would like to be the back up bunny. I couldn't compete with Ramon's girlfriend, but would do my best to get Timewarp backed up straight. Wendy did an enormous burnout, John Force style. Way past the eighth and nearly to the 1,000 foot marker. I jumped over the wall and gave chase. Got Wendy back, but an oil leak stopped us making the run. Ramon had a problem with the body latch, so he didn't run either.

The final race was pretty even. Wendy did a slightly shorter burnout, only to the eighth this time, and Ramon did a storming burnout to keep it period correct. Nice dry hops by both cars to the line. This was Old School racing here and now. Timewarp dropped some fuel on the track but was given the all clear to go. Lights went green and the '71 Charger had the lead. Loads of clutch dust out of Timewarp and Wendy kept it in the groove. Both cars ran 7.0s but the win went to the team from the Netherlands. Well done Ramon. His first full pass under power.

I would like to say thank you to Wendy and Paul and their crew for a fantastic weekend of racing. A couple who have dedicated their lives to living their dream of racing a Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car.

I have put together a video on YouTube using the video shot by my super team member Denis Bulford: a view from the stand and from a mobile camera on the car. You can find it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMHaGkvF2uo  or search for Dragstalgia Mini Film 2012.

Dragstalgia Gasser Circus review.
19th July: The Gasser Circus rolled into town and joined the competitors at Dragstalgia 2012. Nervous Nick writes:

Nine cars lined up in the Gasser pit area, with some notable absentees. Honky Tonkin 2 was missing but Lee and Jerry were in attendance. Having pretty much destroyed their back end at the Nostalgia Nationals, they had repaired this only to discover damage to the gearbox tail shaft late on Thursday night. Ken Brookes Roarin' Rat had suffered its own set of problems at the Nationals, the most significant being a cut slick which had sidelined the '57 Chevy for this round. Alchemist was missing as it is the holiday season, and Neil Harris and his fresh out Willys Coupe Old Harper was also missing in action. The loss of these four Gassers was however offset by the arrival of two new Gassers, in the form of Tim Holmes and his Power Wagon pick-up and Nick Williams and his Gold Falcon.

Saturday turned out to be a one-shot qualifier, with Mick Allen suffering some serious rear end damage as he launched his Henry J Horrid Henry. With both Moser shafts going the way of the scrap bin, with one snapped and the other twisted, he was out of competition.

Sunday arrived and thankfully so did the sun, with eight Gassers through to eliminations the battle was on. The '57 Handyman of Lou Noble lost out by two hundredths of a second to Martyn Hallam in his 1933 Willys Whiplash. 2011 Champion and current race series leader Ray Turner in his Green Onions '55 Chevy put a cherry on the Tree, luckily for him his opponent Sean Milson racing his Morris Van Ain't Misbehavin did the same, but lit the red bulb fractionally ahead of Ray, handing the win to the Green 210 Chevy! Next up was Nick Brooke-Langham's Austin Devon Nogbad the Bad and John Gibson behind the wheel of his '55 Chevy Crowd Pleaser. With both Gassers at the line, Nick had a 2.90 dial in advantage, which it proved to be as John cut the Tree just a little to close and lit the red bulb! The final pairing brought Tim Holmes and his Power Wagon to the line against Nick Williams' Falcon. This was the first outing for the freshly-built pickup, and unfortunately for Tim the car stalled after his burnout and, due to a problem later traced to the ignition button, he couldn't fire it back up. Nick was on a bye so he took it nice and easy... no chance of that, he lit the lights up with a 9.55!

The semi final pairings were now sorted, however Martyn Hallam had a fuel leak but with the help of his pit crew this was sorted just in time for him to line up against Ray Turner. By the time the two Gassers reached the finish gantry Ray had the win by two hundredths. The other side of the ladder paired the two Nicks, Nick Williams in his Falcon against Nick Brooke-Langham in his Austin. With the varying dial-ins, Nick Williams was in for a bit of a wait, as Nogbad the Bad had hit the eighth mile before his lights finally fell. Nick pulled a monster wheelie which he carried for at least twenty yards, with all four wheels on the track the chase was on! At the finish line the Gold Falcon took the win with just the length of the front wing between the two Gassers.

The Gasser Circus Showdown final was going to be a close run race, so much so that Ray knew he had to cut a really good light. He did, but it was a little too early planting another cherry on the tree. Both Gassers still ran hard and strong with Nick taking the win and running a fine 9.70.

Despite the wet stuff on Saturday, the event for the Gasser Circus was a great success. With two new members débuting, one of whom won the round, and a third new Gasser arriving on midday Sunday, the Austin Devon Checkered Demon of Phil Nelson.

Don't miss the final round at the NSRA Hot Rod Drags at Shakespeare County Raceway over the weekend of 14th-16th September.

Dragstalgia NFAA review.
19th July: Many thanks to Lawrie Gatehouse for sending us a report of the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association round at Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway:

We had a great time at this event, the third on the NFAA Championship calendar, in spite of the weather. Our thanks go to James Forster, Ian Marshall and all the Santa Pod organisation and track crew, you made it successful for all.

The format which we ran was a combination of conventional qualifying and eliminations, combined with the NFAA Championship points structure. Unfortunately, we lost the Saturday morning qualifying run due to the wet stuff, leaving us with a one-shot qualifying pass on late Saturday afternoon when the weather abated somewhat.

We paired the two nitro cars, Chaos and The Mob and the two alky cars, Motor Psycho and Nuthin' Fancy, for the sole qualifying round. Nick Davies in Chaos ran a 6.55/206.12 with a dropped cylinder to overcome Terry-Anne White in The Mob, who overpowered the track and got out of shape. Motor Psycho carded a winning, but off-the-pace 7.57/147, when Nuthin' Fancy shed an idler pulley on the burn-out, handing number two spot to Adam Gleadow.

On Sunday the weather improved and at least it was dry. The first round of eliminations had similar pairings due to the ladder format. Chaos overcame The Mob with a winning 6.45/187.4, at the expense of a broken blower belt at the 1000' mark, to The Mob's 12.25/83.19 with valvetrain problems. Motor Psycho than ran a couple of PBs when it mattered, 7.46/186.66 to defeat Joe Bond in Nuthin' Fancy, who experienced severe tyre shake causing him to shut off.

So the final was stretched Topolino v T body. Unfortunately for Adam, he couldn't get forward drive after the burnout, so Chaos singled to a 6.43/211.87 victory.

For further NFAA reading, webmaster Alan Currans has updated the official Chaos Fuel Altered web site with a weekend report and gallery which you can check out via the Latest News link at www.chaos-fuel-altered.com.

Dragstalgia snippets.
19th July: Bob and Tom Hawkins of the UK's Team Time Traveller asked us to say a big Thank You to all at Santa Pod Raceway, especially James Forster, for allowing them to perform a fire burnout at Dragstalgia. "What a buzz it was and for more than one reason!", says Bob. "Spectators may not have realised that our engine stumbled and almost lost died as I sat with the hot yellow flames lapping in and around the cockpit! Lucky I realised what was happening and managed to pedal to allow our stroked Chevy to draw some more breath and she burst into life again just in time to pull us clear of the inferno and into a strong burnout. What a moment! I'm told the cause may have been that the tyres were sitting in a dry water box when I hit the loud pedal or that the fire may have starved the engine of air (I'm going with column B - Ed). Either way you learn from every situation and I can't wait to do it again if ever we're lucky enough to get asked! Thanks again guys.


Having had a fantastic weekend at Dragstalgia including a new PB of 10.0, Outlaw Street racer Rob Slater is now hard at work trying to fix the damage to his '57 Chevy whose 9" Ford centre section split in half on the launch during the UK Street Machines Shootout. "I hope to get it up and running soon", says Rob. "Big thanks to the Santa Pod crew for their assistance over the weekend and to all of our fellow Outlaw Street members."

Swift snippets.
19th July: A double birthday on the UK's Orange Pop Outlaw Anglia team today (Thursday); Happy Birthday to driver Simon Barlow and Crew Chief Phil Pitt from Jay, Michelle, Mark and everyone else at Orange Pop Racing. Have a great day guys.

Could Pro ET and Gasser Circus racer Nic Williams please get in touch with us at [email protected]. thank you.

Ladies' fundraiser for Refuge.
19th July: This weekend's third annual For Ladies That Launch drag racing competition at Shakespeare County Raceway will be supporting Refuge. the organisation for women and children against domestic violence.

Organised by Raceway official Beth Satchell, the weekend is intended to allow women from all walks of life whether it's the glitz and glamour of professional motor racing right down to club level motorsport to come and take part either as a car racer or a motorcycle rider and race alongside some of the biggest names in UK drag racing.

As part of the weekend's fund raising for Refuge, Beth has organised a raffle with some great prizes on offer consisting of crew shirts, prints, oils, books etc with the winners to be drawn at the Open Sport Nationals in August. Tickets will go on sale this weekend as well as the Open Sport Nationals. In the meantime the FLTL team of volunteers would like to thank everyone who has donated something towards the cause: the Junior Dragster League, Tim Long, Jacksons MOT, Motorshack, The Flyin Fyfer Team, American Car Magazine, Autobytes.co.uk, Charlie Chivers, the National Association of Supertwins, Angie Woods, Wendy's, Custom Car magazine and Shakespeare County Raceway. Fund raising projects such as this ensure that Refuge can continue vital frontline services to abused women and children everywhere. This includes a National Domestic Violence Helpline, independent legal advocacy, outreach services, and a network of refuges across the country.

For Ladies That Launch is part of a complete Public Track Day weekend package of events alongside Practical Performance Car magazine featuring super fast Jap cars contesting the Pro Street Drag Series, Old Skool Fords and Datsun Z cars through to Junior Dragsters and SuperTwin drag bikes tearing up the quarter mile. You can even take your own pride and joy for a lap or two down the famous Shakey quarter mile in the public race sessions. There will also be a show and shine area, fair and trade stalls as well as evening entertainment from singer Terrie Jane in Kenny's Bar.

Further information and admission details can be found at www.shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk or Facebook community pages - search for For Ladies That Launch and Shakespeare County Raceway. General enquires can be made on 01789 720180 or 01789 414119.

Andrews looking to second half.
18th July: UK Top Fuel Dragster racer Chris Andrews and the Lucas Oil -sponsored F&A Racing team welcome the break between the FHRA Nitro Nationals and the NitrOlympX as a chance to regroup and to prepare for the second half of the FIA European Championship.

"Testing in qualifying is hurting us", Chris told Eurodragster.com. "It would be preferable to go to a race ready to make full passes. We have to look at this as a development year with the new car and we think that it is going well, but ideally we want to finish in the top five."

Chris sais that the team's aim to get down the track without hurting parts is working out so far. "It's our first year and we still have the same block in the car", he said. All we have had is damage to sleeves and that does not concern us much. The car is progressing and handling to our liking. We want to go quicker but we have only made two full runs so far. We are building up an inventory of parts - there is always stuff to get and the trick is to know what it is we need."

F&A Racing have two positions vacant with a possibility of a third. "We need a head technician to service heads after each round", said Chris. "We rotate heads during events but they need servicing after each run so that they can be put back into rotation. We also need someone to do minor jobs such as cleaning up but they will have the opportunity to learn and to progress within the team. We want to start the training programme now so that the crew are comfortable by the time the winter work arrives and they will be ready for 2013. You don't have to have Top Fuel experience, just a mechanical background, as training will be given. If you are interested then please contact me at [email protected]."

Larsen's TMFC for sale.
18th July: Danish Top Methanol Funny Car racer Dan Larsen says that the state of the economy in Denmark looks likely to prevent him from racing in 2013 so he has decided to put his Dodge Stratus up for sale.

"We have decided to sell the car so that someone else can get the benefit of it", says Dan. "This is a good opportunity for a racer to get a car which works well and which won me the FIA Championship in 2010.

"The chassis is up-to-date and was approved for FIA competition in April of this year. The car is for sale both as a complete car with help to start up and as a roller. There are lots of possibilities.

"We will concentrate on getting our company fighting fit again, and then when we are able to come back it will be with a another car."

For more details check out Cars For Sale on our Jeff Bull Racing Engines -sponsored Swap Meet.

Jade Race update.
18th July: Gerard Roelofsen has been in touch with an update about this weekend's Jade Race at Wilhelmshaven in Germany:

This event uses NHRA/FIA rules for general and Sports Compact and cars will be inspected by SFI international Tech Inspectors. The main series to be held on Saturday and Sunday is an EDRS Street Legal round organised by DHRA /Tony Rowe Enterprises.

Teams will contest the EDRS Series classes Street Legal A, B, C and D, SM 10.5 Outlaw (heads-up), SE Street Eliminator (Bracket) and WS Wild Street (heads-up). For Bikes there is a heads-up class SLB and bracket class SMB. This event also counts for the King Speed final as well as the King Street final in which a trip for two to Las Vegas can be won with hotel and a drag racing course at the famous Frank Hawley Drag Racing School offered Tony Rowe enterprises.

King of Speed is for the fastest street-legal SM 10.5 Outlaw vehicle. The winner wins €1000 cash and a full set of drag tyres front and back offered by Tony Rowe Enterprises and DHRA.

For more information please check out www.dhra.nl. for tech rules check out www.dhra.nl/?page_id=30. and for information about the rules please E-Mail [email protected] or [email protected].

This race will be followed by the Rotenburg Race Days at Rotenburg Airfield on 27th-29th July.

NHK Nationals on Smart TV.
18th July: Anders Envall writes that the NHK Nationals takes place at Sundsvall Raceway this Friday to Sunday (20th-22nd) and that Robert Karström and the Smart TV team will be webcasting the event in High Definition:

The City of Sundsvall is again sponsoring Pro ET and Junior Dragster by refunding the entry fees for qualified racers.  There are nearly 200 entries for another round of the Swedish Championships in Competition Eliminator,  Stock/Super Stock and junior Dragster, and another round in the Top Doorslammer Series. The bonuses is that we'll see test runs by Leif Helander in his Saab nitro Funny Car and Ulf Leandesr and Jonnie Lindberg in their Top Methanol Funny Cars!

Robert will have a small staff as usual including his son, master editor Dennis.  Popular speaker (and Eurodragsterholic - Ed) Ulf "Totte" Lindqvist will be there and will provide clarification now and then in English. They are searching for an English-speaking talent who can make English reports at certain intervals. This time Smart TV will also engage Niclas Carlsson who has many years in TV production. Niclas will work on the graphics and hopefully they will have a full integration with Lelle Olsson's Time-Tree timing system which will take the presentation quality to another level. Robert is also looking for a volunteer sound engineer to work with the Yamaha LS9-32 mixer which would allow many more microphones around the track.

As the internet connection is poor at Sundsvall, Robert will again use his own satellite link and if he can find a good connection he says that he will be able to deliver HD quality even better than before!

Take the opportunity to watch this race live at www.smarttv.se for free, because if he doesn't sell advertisements of gain sponsorship then at future races Robert will have to switch to Pay Per View to keep it going. But he wants to get the production as perfect as possible first.

Swift snippets.
18th July: An interview with UK Junior Dragster racer Paige Wheeler. who is on her way to race in the USA, is to be broadcast on the US' Pit Pass USA web radio show at midnight UK tonight / 01:00 European tomorrow at www.pitpassusa.com.

Thanks to Andy Marrs of TSI Timers Europe for forwarding us an updated European Bests sheet now including Fredrik Fredlund's Pro Stock Bike ET record set at the FHRA Nitro Nationals. You can check out the updated sheet of European Bests by clicking here or by clicking on the European Bests link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Bug Jam Perfect Awards.
18th July: This weekend's Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway is the latest event in the 2012 Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards scheme. £100 is on offer for perfect performance.

Racers please note that decals are mandatory for bothPerfect Awards this season.

This weekend's Eurodragster.com/ModUrStang Perfect Light Award has been reset to £50 after it was won by Junior Dragster racer Charlotte Bradford at the SPRC Summernationals. The money will be awarded to the first racer this weekend to record a Reaction Time of 0.000 seconds. The Perfect Light Award is available all to racers in all classes during qualifying and eliminations, but will only be awarded for the first Perfect Light of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for the Open Sport Nationals; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for the Open Sport Nationals. The Perfect Light Award is presented in association with vehicle modification specialist ModUrStang. For more details about the services which ModUrStang can provide see Mike Lacey in the Pro ET pits at any race or visit www.modurstang.co.uk.

This weekend's Eurodragster.com/Gold RV Perfect ET Award has been reset to £50 after it was won by VW Sportsman racer Martin Ayton at the SPRC Summernationals. The money will be awarded to the first racer this weekend to run to the thousandth on their dial-in or index during qualifying or eliminations. The Perfect ET Award is available this weekend in Sportsman ET, VW Pro and VW Sportsman, but will only be awarded for the first Perfect Run of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for the Open Sport Nationals; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for the Open Sport Nationals. The Perfect ET Award is presented in association with RV sales and service specialists Gold RV. For more details about the services which Gold RV can provide see Derek Flynn in the Top Methanol pits at any race or visit www.goldrv.co.uk.

To be eligible to collect either Perfect Award, racers are required to carry decals, one on each side of the vehicle. If you pull this weekend's first Perfect Light or Perfect ET but are not carrying decals then there will be no discussion; we will not pay out and the next person to pull a Perfect Light or Perfect ET will get the money assuming that they are carrying decals. ModUrStang and Gold RV decals are available in Signing On.

Another revolution for WON.
18th July: Not content to have started a nitrous REVO-lution by inventing, designing and bringing to the nitrous market the only substantive technological advance in over fifty years, the REVO ultimate nitrous control system, nor to have created unique systems which utilise this most advanced nitrous technology to eradicate the need for multiple stages and all their associated problems, Eurodragster.com sponsor Wizards of NOS have now set out to create an even more radical advance in nitrous technology, which is predicted to put nitrous back at the forefront of performance enhancement - in front of turbos and blowers on equal terms - by achieving positive manifold pressure (boost).

By preventing nitrous escaping to atmosphere when the intake system is full with just a modest amount of nitrous, the new Nitrous Semi Sealed Induction System will allow boost pressures to be generated which will more than equal those achieved by forced induction alternatives.

For more details and to keep up to date with progress, please check out Wizards of NOS' Facebook page or their forum.

Web site updates.
18th July: If you missed Saturday's Cacklefest and fire burnouts at Dragstalgia then a replay of our Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcast is currently available courtesy of Maikel and the guys at our streaming service provider Doyousee.me. To watch the replay check out www.eurodragster.com/webcam. The replay will be available until Friday evening.

A Dragstalgia report and gallery have been posted on Santa Pod Raceway's web site at www.santapod.co.uk/e_dragstalgia.php.

Our good friend Alan Currans has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive web site with pictures of Saturday's Dragstalgia action. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest updates via the What's New link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk.

Next with the Dragstalgia updates is Colin Donisthorpe whose shots from Sunday you can check out at www.flickr.com/photos/colin_donisthorpe.

Mark Skinner has posted two Dragstalgia albums on his Flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/fast_n_bulbous/sets/72157630607821294 and www.flickr.com/photos/fast_n_bulbous/sets/72157630620054800.

Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog made one of his rare outings with his camera at Dragstalgia and you can check out his pictures at eurodragster.smugmug.com or at www.togsdragracing.com.

Editor's note: Due to a combination of pressure of work in your News Editor's day job and a badly-timed eye infection we have a backlog of news through which we are working as quickly as we are able. Tune back tomorrow for a bunch of Dragstalgia reviews and please keep the news coming to [email protected].

Bug Jam racer update.
16th July: Thanks to Ian and Paula Marshall of Santa Pod Racers Club forwarding the arrangements for this weekend's Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway.

Santa Pod Raceway's gates will be open between 10:00 and 21:00 on Thursday, and will then reopen for the weekend at 09:00 on Friday.

Scrutineering will take place throughout Friday and then from 08:30 on Saturday.

The provisional running orders are now available and can be viewed by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Please note as ever that these running orders are provisional and subject to change due to track or weather conditions or for any other reason deemed necessary by race officials.

The final entry list can be viewed by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

York Raceway racer offer.
16th July: As part of their ongoing commitment to the whole of the UK drag racing scene, York Raceway would like to invite old friends, and those MSA-licenced SPRC or APIRA members who haven't yet raced at the home of drag racing in the north, to take advantage of a very special offer.

The British summer has been particularly hard on racers this year with many events going unfinished, and with the economy still struggling track time is at a premium for everyone. The Yorkshire venue is therefore offering a great deal to give new racers to York Raceway, or those who haven't raced at the track in the last ten years, a recession-busting weekend's racing with free admission to the track and free camping for racers and crew. The only thing to pay is the £40 one day or £60 weekend race entry fee. Of course the value for money doesn't end there as racers can enter multiple classes at York for just one entry fee, and with no curfew in place at the track you get the cheapest weekend's racing and twice as much of it!

This is a one-time-only offer, but may be redeemed at any one of the PDRC Championship rounds which take place on 5th August, 26th-27th August or 23rd September. If you would like to take advantage of the offer or if you would like further details then please contact Chris Murty at [email protected].

Dragstalgia coverage.
 15th July: We are at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend to cover the second running of Dragstalgia in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car.

Our coverage will consist of end-day galleries on both days and pit notes today. The Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam will be on-line so long as the track is open each day and will broadcast live video and commentary / Nitro FM stream. Maikel of our streaming service provider Doyousee.me is running the webcast on his kit this weekend (right) and will be using a second camera to broadcast the fire burnouts.

You can check out our Dragstalgia event index, which includes links to the pre-entry list and provisional running orders, by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Drachten Internationals cancelled.
14th July: Next weekend's Drachten Internationals at Drachten Airfield, a round of the EDRS, has been cancelled.

eXplosion Chair Jaap Selles explains that the event has been cancelled because the grassed pit areas are already very soft due to rain and that more rain is forecast between now and next weekend. With international participants entered the Club wanted to get the word out well in advance and so the decision to cancel was taken today.

The next event at Drachten is scheduled for 17th-19th August and entry will open shortly. The event provides teams who have been at Hockenheim a good chance to race the weekend after on the way back to the UK, Scandinavia or other countries.

The current EDRS points standings can be checked out by visiting www.speedgroup.eu and clicking on the EDRS icon.

SBF approve 2013 Tierp FIA dates.
14th July: Lars Pettersson, Chair of Sweden's Drag Racing Committee and Deputy Chair of the FIA Drag Racing Commission, tells us that the Swedish Automobile Sport Federation has approved the Swedish dates for the 2013 FIA European Drag Racing Championships, which were applied for by the NDRS Motor Club and Tierp Arena. The dates forwarded to FIA for approval are both at Tierp Arena and are 13th-16th June and 22nd-25th August.

"This year was the first year in which we held two FIA Championship round in Sweden and we are really looking forward to the second round at Tierp Arena on 23rd-26th August", says Lars. "When we started the FIA European Drag Racing Championships, England had two rounds at Santa Pod Raceway and now we can add another country which can arrange two rounds every year."

This year's annual meeting of the FIA Drag Racing Commission is scheduled to be held in Sweden, in the days before the Scandinavian Internationals at Tierp Arena in August. "The Federation and Tierp Arena are proud to have the meeting here this year", says Lars. "We now have time to visit and show off our newest drag racing track and the FIA Drag Racing Commission members can attend and study a round of the FIA Championship."

"We at Tierp Arena are working hard to build up to, promote and prepare for the second event here at the track", says Event and Project Leader Emelie Carlswärd. Information about the Scandinavian Internationals can be found at www.tierparena.com.

Open Pro update.
14th July: Jerry Cookson of Shakespeare County Raceway writes that following last month's proposal to run an Open Pro Class at APIRA's Open Sport Nationals on August Bank Holiday, Club officials have decided to rubber-stamp the proposal as at least nine racers and teams have shown a great deal of interest in the class.

"We have decided to run the class at a reduced index between 6.50 to 8.00 seconds", says APIRA's Glenn Stockton. "We need a minimum of six entries to make the class worthwhile. If we get more then we're moving in the right direction. If we don't, then at least racers will know we've tried."

When the proposal was first announced there was a great deal of scepticism that it would take cars and teams away from Super Pro ET; this was never the intention. The idea was to give racers who run door cars, dragsters and altereds conforming to the MSA drag racing rulebook GSRs which carry a tag and logbook as well as the usual safety standards, and which would not necessarily run in the class Championship series, a place to run heads-up on a Pro tree thus giving a spectacle for spectators.

If this trial event in August is a success then the Open Pro class may well become an APIRA Championship in 2013 with further thought to adding the class into the UK National Championship in 2013-14.

Entry forms are now available for download from the Shakespeare County Raceway web site at www.shakespearecountyraceway.com with the usual Sportsman entry fees and prize fund as per the APIRA/SPRC schedule. Race numbers will be no different but an OP prefix will apply. Further information about the class is available from Glenn Stockton on 01159 817701 or E-Mail [email protected].

Swift snippets.
14th July: European fans have someone to cheer on at the ADRL Summer Drags VIII in Michigan as Swedish Pro Modified racer Adam Flamholc is contesting his fifth ARDL event of the season. Qualifying and eliminations take place today; a webcast will be available at www.adrl.us. results will be available courtesy of our Drag Race Central colleagues at www.dragracecentral.com. and Adam will be updating from the track on the Flamholc Racing Facebook page. Good luck this weekend Adam and stay safe.

Our best wishes for a long and happy life together to UK Sportsman ET racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Ian Jackson and Carol Topper who are to be married today. Have a lovely day guys and remember that Santa Pod VIP makes a great reception venue.

Web site updates.
14th July: In the latest instalment of his exclusive Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car. Santa Pod Raceway Track Announcer Colin Theobald reports live from Dragstalgia and enthuses over a passenger ride. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

UK Junior Dragster racers Paige and Belle Wheeler have been interviewed by the BBC and you can now hear the interview on-line at www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/p00v0g55. Paige and Belle's interview commences at one hour and sixteen minutes.

NitrOlympX contest.
13th July: The organisers of the NitrOlympX. which takes place at Hockenheim on 10th-12th August, have teamed up with Eurodragster.com to offer three great prizes. On offer are:
  1. The chance to photograph trackside on day one of the event which features both Pro and Sportsman qualifying;
  2. An event VIP package for two;
  3. A pair of event tickets.
1. Nitrographer for a Day

This is the ultimate chance to catch 8000 hp Top Fuel monsters filling your lens and making your stomach shiver. Win a media pass for the Friday of the NitrOlympX and there will be nothing between you and a launching Top Fuel Dragster apart from a small concrete block. You can get the money shot or an empty track but you will be as close as it is possible to be without driving or riding!

NitrOlympx Promoter Hockenheim-ring Gmbh is giving you the opportunity to show your skills as an ambitious hobby photographer and to line up with the pros. The prize is:
  • One day's (Friday) time-unlimited trackside access to the media zone where you can work alongside the best international race photographers and meet the Eurodragster.com team.

  • Two tickets for South Grandstand (Entry A) for the entire event.
How to enter Nitrographer for a Day

Send your best drag racing photograph to [email protected] together with your name, home address, daytime phone number, and a few words about why you consider the picture your best. The picture does not have to be on-track action: equally welcome are pitside shots, vehicle detail, and so on. We are looking for pictures which best catch the spirit of drag racing.

Conditions of entry
  • One entry per person to [email protected]. Entries to any other address will be disqualified. Closing date Friday 3rd August.
  • Contest is open to Eurodragster.com readers in any country.
  • Minimum entrant age 18.
  • Entrant must be noise- and nitro-proof.
  • Professional photographers and any other photographer ever accredited for the NitrOlympX are not permitted to enter.
  • Entrants must be prepared to prove that the photograph is their own work.
  • Winner is responsible for their own travel to the NitrOlympX and their weekend accommodation.
  • The decision of the Hockenheim-ring Gmbh and Eurodragster.com is final.
2. Event VIP package

A VIP package offering golden moments to the greatest-ever drag racing fan. On 10th-12th August Fort NOX opens its gates to offer you a perfect VIP weekend which you will never forget. The NitrOlympX Superfan Package includes:
  • Two tickets for South Grandstand (Entry A) for the entire event. Entry to the pits is included.

  • Special VIP passes allowing entry to the press grandstand directly right by the start line for Sunday's finals. No seat is closer!

  • On Saturday or Sunday, a trackside guided tour including the opportunity to take some photographs alongside the pro photographers.

  • An invitation to the Quartermile Club on Sunday. Adrenaline gives you an appetite and in the Quartermile Club you'll find plenty for your stomach.

  • Two NitrOlympX lanyards.
How to enter for the Event VIP package

E-Mail [email protected] and tell us why you above anyone else deserves an Event VIP package. Please include your name, home address, and daytime phone number.

Conditions of entry
  • One entry per person to [email protected]. Entries to any other address will be disqualified. Closing date Friday 3rd August.
  • Contest is open to Eurodragster.com readers in any country.
  • Minimum entrant age 18.
  • Winner is responsible for their own travel to the NitrOlympX and their weekend accommodation.
  • The decision of the Hockenheim-ring Gmbh and Eurodragster.com is final.
3. Pair of event tickets

Because of access to restricted areas prizes 1. and 2. are only open to readers aged 18 or over but this prize, a pair of event tickets covering all three days of the NitrOlympX, is available to readers of any age. The winner will be drawn at random from all entries received. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of NitrOlympX tickets simply E-Mail [email protected] with your name, home address, and daytime phone number.

Conditions of entry
  • One entry per person to [email protected]. Entries to any other address will be disqualified. Closing date Friday 3rd August.
  • Contest is open to Eurodragster.com readers in any country.
  • Winner is responsible for their own travel to the NitrOlympX and their weekend accommodation.
  • The decision of the Hockenheim-ring Gmbh and Eurodragster.com is final.
Good luck everyone and we look forward to seeing the winners at the NitrOlympX.

Two Paranoia returns.
11th July: The UK's Paranoia Wild Bunch team will kick off their season at this weekend's Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway after an earlier non-racing injury to a crew member forced a temporary halt to this year's racing programme:

Although still on crutches, Steve Williams has regained enough mobility to be of use but is not yet fully recovered from snapping an Achilles' tendon, so if you swing by the Paranoia pit then don't be surprised if you get roped in to help push!

The team have used the downtime to go completely through the fuel and Nitrous systems, cleaning and replacing where necessary, to try to end the run of small problems which have previously prevented the Jaguar engine from performing at its best. We are hopeful that we are now on top of things and, if the weather gods are kind to us, then the car should perform closer to its true potential. To the photographers, sorry, but this year there will be no repeat of last year's bouncing, bucking, Wild West show from the car.

As with most things there was a bit of a silver lining when, whilst attending a hospital appointment, Steve met up with the car's other original crew member from the 1980s who since his retirement has been helping out at a medical training facility. Over a coffee, which after all these years still goes straight through him, he was very interested when told how good last year's Dragstalgia was and has responded to some arm-twisting and decided to come out of retirement especially for this year's event. So, we will have a mystery crewman (or not so mysterious for those with longer memories ) this weekend who probably won't be any more use than he was in the 1980s but who might bring a bit of a smile to our pit. He will be in our pit all weekend but has asked that people don't make a fuss when he makes his appearance as he is still quite shy and doesn't have a lot of guts but he would love to see as many as possible of his old friends this weekend.

Outlaws set for Dragstalgia.
11th July: Dave McKenzie writes that this weekend's fourth Supercharged Outlaws round of 2012 at Dragstalgia is sponsored by Good Vibrations Motorsport of California:

Jim Maher supplies parts to many drag racers not only in the USA but Europe as well. They give an excellent service with many quality products - check out their web site at www.goodvibesracing.com. We have two prize funds up for grabs: $100 for the quickest Reaction Time by a Supercharged Outlaw, and $100 and a trophy for the Supercharged Outlaw Team of the Weekend. Supercharged Outlaw Team of the Weekend will be a racers' choice and we will hand out voting forms to non-S/O racers to participate in the vote.

The Outlaws have eight entries. Brian Gandy is looking to return with the Skullduggery altered. Brian suffered a major engine failure in 2011 and is now looking to resume those low seven-second passes at 190 mph. Long-standing competitor and twice Series winner Paul Watts is making the trip up from the Isle of Wight with the No Easy Pick-Up. Paul will be débuting his new car later this year. Steve Goode is looking at showing what the Ghost Train Funny Car can achieve. Steve tells me that this is the event he intends to go for it (his words). Andy Hadfield will be entertaining everyone with the wild antics of the Twister T-Bucket.

We have some newcomers: Simon Cooper will be out with his Chevy Nova and Ian Kerr will be campaigning his Pontiac Firebird. Also out for the first time this year will be John Reeve with the El Bandido altered, and last but not least Richard Davis will be back after a few engine problems with the immaculate red '41 Willys. Richard is a consistent runner and is always in with a chance of winning an Outlaw event.

Swift snippets.
11th July: European fans have someone to cheer on at the ADRL Summer Drags VIII in Michigan as Swedish Pro Modified racer Adam Flamholc is contesting his fifth ARDL event of the season. Qualifying starts today (Friday); a webcast will be available at www.adrl.us, results will be available courtesy of our Drag Race Central colleagues at www.dragracecentral.com, and Adam will be updating from the track on the Flamholc Racing Facebook page. Good luck this weekend Adam and stay safe.

Sam, Linda, Dave, Chris, Clare and Tracy have asked us to wish UK Pro ET racer Simon Innes a very Happy 38th Birthday. "Have a great day Simon, bring on European Finals!", they say. Happy Birthday Simon.

Web site updates.
11th July: In the latest instalment of his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car. Luke Bennett of the Bennett Racing blown-alcohol altered team relives family history. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

'Holidaying' Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe has updated his personal Nitro Exposure web site with photographs from last weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro. You can check out Roger's pictures at www.nitroexposure.co.uk. Roger has also had race summaries and photos published at competitionplus.com and dragracecanada.com.

Welcome to the Home of Speed.
12th July: Highspeed-Fans aufgepasst! Vom 10. bis 12. August 2012 treffen sich die schnellsten Piloten Europas wieder dort, wo Geschwindigkeit zuhause ist – bei den 27. NitrOlympX auf dem Hockenheimring. Im Rahmen der diesjährigen FIA & UEM Drag Racing Europameisterschaft lassen die Giganten des Motorsports wieder drei Tage lang die Luft brennen, die Erde erbeben und den Fans das Adrenalin in die Adern treiben.

Wenn bei den NitrOlympX unfassbare 16.000 Pferdestärken auf einmal losdonnern, zittert selbst das Hockenheimer Motodrom. Die hochexplosive Mischung aus Geschwindigkeit, Sport und Show lockt jedes Jahr beim größten Drag-Racing Rennen außerhalb der USA rund 50.000 Fans an die "Rico Anthes Quartermile". Denn hier erleben die Anhänger von 100% High Speed, Action und Power, die Faszination der Beschleunigung auf höchstem Niveau.

Drag-Racing, das ist Motorsport pur. Fahrer gegen Fahrer, Maschine gegen Maschine. Das Duell um die beste Reaktion, die schnellste Zeit und astronomische Beschleunigungen von 0 auf 100 in weniger als 1 Sekunde. Vor allem die Geschosse der Top Fuel Klasse machen ihrem Ruf als absolute Königsklasse des Drag-Racing immer wieder alle Ehre.

Dieses Jahr wird dem einen oder anderen aufmerksamen Besucher in dieser Klasse ein neues Phänomen auffallen. Enorm schnelle Zeiten, aber niedrigere Top Speeds...? - Des Rätsels Lösung: Nachdem es in den USA schon seit Jahren Gang und Gebe ist, wird 2012 auch erstmalig in Europa bei den Top Fuelern die neue Distanz von 1000 Feet (gegenüber 1320ft) gefahren. Das verkürzt die traditionelle Quartermile (402,32m) um 97,53 Meter und ist in erster Linie der Sicherheit geschuldet. Dass dies den Rennen keinesfalls die Faszination raubt, zeigte sich bei den ersten Veranstaltungen der Saison: "Von 0 auf  472 km/h in 4:101sek" ist wohl ein klares Statement!

Ein weiterer Hotspot der diesjährigen Veranstaltung ist sicher - besonders aus deutscher Sicht - das Thema "Habermann-Brüder": Timo und Dennis Habermann werden auf Ihrer Hausstrecke in ihren Top Methanol Dragstern wieder alles geben, denn die schnellsten Brüder Europas wollen auch dieses Jahr wieder nach der „EM-Krone" greifen - nur über die familieninterne Reihenfolge wird noch heftig diskutiert (derzeit liegen beide mit 90 Punkten gleichauf).

Dieses Jahr ist mit der Austragung der UEM Drag Bike Europameisterschaft auch wieder der Teil der NitrOlympX-Besucher angesprochen, der den "gepflegten Ritt auf der Rasierklinge" zu schätzen weiß: Knallharte Ampelduelle, dreiviertel der Strecke auf dem Hinterrad, im Ziel über 320 Stundenkilometer - und dann nicht einmal einen Bremsfallschirm dabei: Cruisin' geht anders!

Brandneu ist hier, dass in der Klasse Super Street Bikes 2012 zum ersten Mal ein offizieller UEM-Drag Racing Champion gekürt wird! Die Super Street Bikes sehen vielleicht auf den ersten Blick unscheinbarer aus als ihre "großen Brüder", da in dieser Klasse das Reglement nur Straßenreifen und ausschließlich Benzineinsatz vorschreibt. Aber was diese "Wild Boys" dann tatsächlich in den Asphalt stampfen, ist auf jeden Fall einen "Euro-Champ" wert!

Bei den "Big Brothers" der Super Twin Top Fuel-Klasse haben wir auch wieder ein echt heißes Eisen im Feuer: Christian Jäger aus Kredelbach. Der schnelle Deutsche kämpft in einem knallharten Starterfeld an vorderster Front und steht nach zwei Rennen punktegleich mit dem Finnen Samu Kemppainen auf Platz 4 der UEM-Renncharts – wobei alle die ihn kennen wissen, dass er das nicht dabei belassen wird.

Neben dem Kampf um die Europameisterschafts-Titel der Cars und Bikes sind natürlich auch die Sportsman-Dragster-Klassen wieder mit einem prallvollen Starterfeld vertreten. Auch das für Fans vollständig zugängliche Fahrerlager bietet wieder jede Menge interessanter Eindrücke, sodass "Langeweile" bei den NitrOlympX auch dieses Jahr ein Fremdwort ist.

Nach dem ultimativen Geschwindigkeitsrekord an diesem Jagdwochenende ist insbesondere die legendäre Nightshow am Samstagabend ein Erlebnis der ganz besonderen Art. Wenn sich die Dämmerung über das Motodrom senkt, sind die Tribünen bis auf den letzten Platz besetzt. Scheinwerfer tauchen die Strecke in farbiges Licht. Jetzt ist Showtime angesagt. Für 120 Minuten brennt bei der "Saturday Night Show" die Luft über dem Dragstrip und bietet alles, was das Herz eines echten Drag-Racing-Fan begehrt: Sprühende Funken und meterhohe Flammen, qualmende Reifen beim Burnout-Contest, das Donnern von Jet-Düsentriebwerken, fesselnde Stunts und zum Abschluss ein bombastisches Feuerwerk, kurzum eine rundum gelungene Show. Absolutes Highlight bei dieser Show der Superlative: Die Night-Race der Top Fuel Dragster. Wer einmal gesehen hat, wie sich zwei dieser über zehn Meter langen PS-Giganten nebeneinander, nur vom Schein ihrer drei Meter hohen Auspuffflammen beleuchtet, in die Dunkelheit stürzen, während ihre 6.000 PS starken Motoren die Tribünen im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes erzittern lassen, der wird es nie wieder vergessen.

Fazit: Das volle FIA- und UEM Starterfeld, die bunte Vielfalt der zahlreichen Sportsman-Klassen, das wie immer offene Fahrerlager sowie die in Europa einzigartige und unerreichte Nightshow, werden auch dieses Jahr die NitrOlympX auf dem Hockenheimring wieder zu einem der absoluten Highlights im europäischen, ja sogar weltweiten Drag Racing-Kalender machen.

Erleben Sie es selbst und lassen Sie sich faszinieren vom schnellsten Motorsport der Welt. Mehr Informationen unter www.nitrolympx.de.

European Top Gas Round 3.
12th July: The third round of Euro Serie Super Twin Top Gas took place over the quarter mile at Bechyne Airfield in the Czech Republic, writes Herman Jolink:

The track is a bit rough but was prepared with rubber and glue, and the event was organised by the MSTO (Jerry Lackey and team) and the Czech Bikers Club, MC Predators. We were able to make test runs on the Friday.

After four qualifying sessions:
  1. Herman Jolink NL on Ducati 1198 RS (1266) 8.563/241.83 kmh. Jolink ran 8.563, 8.585, 8.631 and 8.659 not so fast as usual, normally 255 or faster
  2. Milan Kolacny Czech Republic on Blower Honda SP 1000 8.615/249 with a new tyre
  3. Chris van Nimmen B on 2600 V-Twin 9.612/171.42 broke his engine, a woodruff key broke and did a lot of damage to the valve train
  4. Simon Lewis D on 2000 V-Twin 9.846/193.51, his first nine-second run this year, but on the next run his primary belt broke and damaged the lock-up and the clutch
Harry van Schie NL on 1966 Blower V-Twin, broke his engine in testing on Friday. The titanium inlet valve broke in the rear cylinder head. Crew Chief Jaap Duin also took off the front cylinder head also found a broken inlet valve there. We hope they can get the bike ready for Drachten. Peter Niklas D was on holiday with his family, we hope his Turbo Honda 1000 SP is ready for Drachten. Bernd Niessen was also not in Bechyne, we think that his Hestec whas not repaired.

Sunday Top Gas semi-finals: Jolink 8.570/254.85 bye run, Lewis was broken, Kolacny 8.432/258.61 bye run, van Nimmen was broken Euro Serie Super Twin Top Gas Final: Milan Kolacny Czech Republic 10.264/156.18 beat Herman Jolink NL red light, it is long time since Jolink redlit.

The spectators were very good, paid us a lot of attention and gave us a lot of applause after our runs.

Top Gas Championship after three rounds:
  1. Milan Kolacny CR 720 points
  2. Herman Jolink NL 705
  3. Harry van Schie NL 650
  4. Simon Lewis D 540
  5. Chris van Nimmen B 450
  6. Peter Niklas D 410
  7. Bernd Niessen D 300
The next Top Gas round is at Drachten NL on 20th-22nd July.

Outlaw Street Round 4.
12th July: Mark Wallington writes that Round 4 of the UK's Outlaw Street took place at the Shakey Super Pull weekend at Shakespeare County Raceway:

The Shakey Super Pull is a weekend of drag racing and tractor pulling, so not only do you get to race the cars but you also get to watch a different way of using a Big Block V8 rather than trying to propel yourself down the track as fast as possible.

Due to the volume of rain and flooding across the UK during earlier June a lot of members were leaving it to the last minute to decide whether to chance a weekend at the track or not, well they needn't have worried as SCR had booked the sunshine and we never saw a drop of rain the whole weekend. Due to that recent weather a number of members had decided (in error) to not venture out for OS-4 with our usual numbers depleted to twelve cars racing and a total of twenty members attending, when pictures of the sunny track started appearing on various web sites over the weekend there were many members sat in their garages at home kicking themselves.

It was unfortunately a weekend for breakages with several cars having to either limp home or be trailered including OS-13 Stuart Ramsey in the Therapy Camaro, OS-42 Nigel Jenkins in his supercharged Mustang and OS-53 Chris Antell in his VW Camper, all of whom are busy working in their garages to get the cars up and running for OS-5.

At each points round the highest points scorer wins a year's subscription to American Car magazine and a unique engraved tankard by MissB Engraving. The OS-4 winner of the year's subscription and engraved tankard was OS-50 Roy Collins in his Red Rose Garage supercharged Camaro. Roy scored 222 points for the round. The top six points scorers for OS-3 were:
  1. 222 points OS-50 Roy Collins in his supercharged Camaro
  2. 220 points OS-7 Andy Murton in his '68 Camaro
  3. 218 points OS-40 Steve Newport Hall in his '66 Cobra
  4. 217 points OS-13 Stuart Ramsay in his '67 Camaro
  5. 217 points OS-16 John Edwards in his 347-powered notchback Mustang
  6. 216 points OS-42 Nigel Jenkins in his supercharged Mustang
A number of contenders tried to get their hands on the Joe & Co-sponsored RT trophy for the fastest Reaction Time of the weekend. Only 0.033 seconds separated first and second, with the win going to 2012 new member OS-31 Nick Rose in his supercharged convertible Mustang. Nick pulled a 0.095 RT, securing him his first ever RT trophy. The top six RTs over the weekend were:
  1. OS-31 Nick Rose in his supercharged convertible Mustang with a 0.095
  2. OS-18 Vic Fisher in his V6 supercharged Mustang with a 0.128
  3. OS-42 Nigel Jenkins in his Mustang with a 0.166
  4. OS-53 Chris Antell in his VW camper with a 0.220
  5. OS-50 Roy Collins in his supercharged Camaro with a 0.223
  6. OS-7 Andy Murton in his '68 Camaro with a 0.291
As of OS-4 the top twelve in the 2012 League Table are:
  1. 682 points OS-7 Andy Murton
  2. 671 points OS-42 Nigel Jenkins
  3. 666 points OS-13 Stuart Ramsay
  4. 665 points OS-31 Nick Rose
  5. 656 points OS-16 John Edwards
  6. 654 points OS-53 Chris Antell
  7. 652 points OS-18 Vic Fisher
  8. 648 points OS-50 Roy Collins
  9. 447 points OS-19 Steve Moisey
  10. 440 points OS-15 Dave Taylor
  11. 437 points OS-40 Steve Newport Hall
  12. 247 PointsOS-21 Rob Slater
That's 435 points between the top twelve, only 38 points between the top six, and 16 points separating the top three! Remember that this picture will change dramatically as the season progresses, especially if members near the top of the table miss a round. Also remember that at the end of the season members drop their lowest scoring round of points plus the 25 attendance points from the first round they attended. We're four rounds in with five more to go this season so there's everything to play for. The next round of Outlaw Street, OS-5, is at Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway this weekend.

If you'd like to learn more about Outlaw Street check out the forum at www.outlawstreet.co.uk.

Swift snippets.
12th July: British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Overseas member Harlan Thompson 's wish to collect his trophy in person was fulfilled last night (Wednesday) as he passed through the UK returning a Funny Car from Germany to the USA. Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog had the immense privilege of handing Harlan his trophy. Thanks to Tony Betts for organising the meeting and for standing dinner.

European fans have someone to cheer on at the ADRL Summer Drags VIII in Michigan as Swedish Pro Modified racer Adam Flamholc is contesting his fifth ARDL event of the season. Qualifying starts tomorrow (Friday); a webcast will be available at www.adrl.us. results will be available courtesy of our Drag Race Central colleagues at www.dragracecentral.com. and Adam will be updating from the track on the Flamholc Racing Facebook page. Adam has also announced that he will be contesting Pro Modified at the US Nationals at Indianapolis in August. Good luck this weekend Adam and stay safe.

Paige seeks the American dream.
12th July: For most thirteen-year-old schoolgirls, summer holidays might mean visits to their mates, trips around the shops, perhaps a week or two in the sun. UK Junior Dragster racer Paige Wheeler has different plans. The Wrenn School pupil from Wellingborough is off to the USA, but not to some tourist playground. Her destination is Bristol, Tennessee, where she expects to encounter searing heat, and not only from the weather. Paige is one of Britain's leading Junior Drag Racers, and she is travelling to Tennessee to take on her American and Canadian counterparts – 800 of them – in a week or more of high-speed, high-adrenalin racing. The event is the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League's Eastern Conference Finals and it attracts young racers aged from eight to eighteen in their hundreds from across the continent.

"I'm excited about going, but not at all nervous", said Paige. "I did race at Bristol for the first time last year, and managed to win a few rounds, so I know what it will be like."

In England, Paige and her eight-year-old sister Belle race at Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceways, driving dragsters custom-built in America for each of them by Half Scale Dragsters of New Jersey. At Bristol, Half Scale are lending Paige a car, a new machine to which she must quickly accustom herself if she is to attain any success.

The Bristol track runs along a valley floor and is aptly nicknamed Thunder Valley Raceway. The adult versions of Paige's car –Top Fuel dragsters – exceed 300 mph and emit a noise measured not in decibels but on the Richter Scale. Obviously far removed from that league, the Blossom Racing motor in Paige's car nevertheless delivers a distinctive crack of its own, surprisingly loud for a device which originated just twenty years ago from a lawnmower engine, rattling impressively off Thunder Valley's steep sides. 

The Juniors race only over the eighth-mile, 220 yards. With its 0-60 mph time of around three seconds, Paige's car could comfortably out-accelerate all but the most extreme road-going supercars over that distance, and regularly tops 80 mph at the finish.

Experience is always key and Paige and her family – parents Andy and Dionne and sister Belle – have already learned from their Bristol trip last year. "We've taken an apartment just across from the track", explains Andy. "The racing goes on all day and the weather gets very, very hot, so it'll be great to get straight back afterwards and relax. Last year we had lodgings an hour's drive away."

"It'll be great too for Belle and I to make new friends", adds Paige. "We meet so many friendly people at the track but we're usually too busy to get to know them better. Now we'll have more time."

This is all a huge stride for a family which, until a chance spectator visit to Santa Pod four years ago, knew nothing of drag racing. Paige loved the experience so much that she persuaded her parents to buy her a ride in the track's own Junior Dragster for a birthday present. Now they are a fully-fledged, two-car team with an impressive list of marketing partners, headed by Alamo Rent A Car with Oakley, Lucas Oil and the US auto parts giant JEGS. In her first full year of competition, Paige won the Junior Dragster trophy at Santa Pod's FIA European Finals, and currently lies fourth in this season's UK National Championship. Her ambition, once she outgrows the Juniors, is to race Pro Modifieds, 250 mph full-bodied cars of the kind driven by her American mentor, Roger Burgess, owner of the powerful R2B2 Motorsports organization, which the Wheeler family team, at the opposite end of the horsepower spectrum, represents in Europe.

The near future, however, embraces three separate races over ten days at Bristol, culminating in the world's largest Junior Dragster event, the Eastern Conference Finals. The obstacles Paige will face in Tennessee are daunting. Like most motorsports, drag racing is easy enough until there's someone else trying to beat you. The start line alone poses difficulties. In Europe, halogen lamps are used in the Christmas Tree starting system, and a seasoned racer can spot them beginning to glow. America now uses LED lights and their instant illumination could leave Paige at an instant disadvantage. The schedule's first two races will use a Pro tree – four-tenths of a second separating a single amber light from the green light – while NHRA mandates a Sportsman tree for the Finals – three amber lights at half-second intervals before the green, a system Paige is used to seeing at home.

If these distinctions sound a touch pedantic, they aren't. Reaction times – the gap between the green light showing and the car breaking the start-line light beam – are plotted to four decimal points of a second, and reaction times beginning with two or three decimal zeroes will be commonplace at Bristol. "He who snoozes, loses" is a popular drag racing maxim, and anyone who tarries a full tenth of a second will already be well beaten. Conversely, anticipating the start by even one ten-thousandth will earn you a red light and immediate disqualification.

Once Paige has managed all that to perfection, she then has to beat her opponent to the finish. Fail, and she's out. Succeed, and she gets to do it all over again. And so, with luck, she moves on, round after round after round until no opponent remains. That, at least, is the aim – an aim shared by every other competitor in the race.

If that's not enough, there's a disparity in experience levels too. In England, there is only a handful of opportunities each year for Paige to hone her skills. Her Transatlantic opponents often compete every weekend, and will already have survived tough regional qualifiers to reach this event. Moreover, her adversaries will all be strangers; at home, the racers get to know, and cope with, each other's on-track habits and foibles, but at Bristol, each new opponent, picked at random, will be an unknown quantity.

On top of all that, there's the fine-tuning of the car and engine – dad Andy's responsibility – in radically different track and atmospheric conditions from those encountered at home. In truth, every round of racing Paige can manage to win will be a shining individual triumph in itself.

But is she bothered? Not a bit. "I'll let everyone else worry about that," she insists. "I just want to get to Bristol and race."

Web site updates.
12th July: Our good buddy Patrik Jacobsson kindly sent us galleries from last weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals in Finland but you can now check out his entire output from the race at www.racebilder.nu.

Event entry update.
11th July: The official entry forms for the APIRA MSA/ACU Open Sport Nationals, which takes place at Shakespeare County Raceway on the Bank Holiday weekend 25th-27th August, are now available for download from the Shakespeare County Raceway web site at www.shakespearecountyraceway.co.uk. If you have any queries about event entry at Shakespeare County Raceway then please contact the track at [email protected] or call 01789 720180 (outside the UK +44 1789 720180).

Many thanks to Paula and Ian Marshall for forwarding us the final version of the official entry list for Bug Jam, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 20th-22nd July (race days 21st-22nd). You can check out the Bug Jam entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Records fall at Bitburg.
11th July: Our good buddy Benni Voss writes that it was a dry weekend at Bitburg but that records and Personal Bests fell like rain at the 1 on 1 Motorsports event:

The old track record of 8.31 was destroyed in Q1 of Street Eliminator Germany when Bernd Rudolph ran an new PB of 8.1 with a Procharged SBF in a '67 Mustang. But that that track record only lasted until Q3 as multiple Champion Micha 'Fullspeed' Vogt ran the first ever 7.9 on that track and in the history of Street Eliminator Germany. Micha won the race with a 7.92/279 kmh. In the first two rounds of SE Germany he was plagued by mechanical and electrical problems but the Race Antz Team overcame them and are stronger than ever. Now there is a small chance that Micha might take the title again. The remaining two rounds will be full of suspense: the next SE Germany round is in two weeks at the Jade Airport Race near Wilhelmshaven and the final round will be held during the Public Race Days. a RWYB-style event with lots of cars and bikes and a Test and Tune for dragsters (with noise limits) on the prepped Hockenheim quarter mile just a week before the NitrOlympX.

But that wasn't all. The German quarter mile specialists also ran very fast. The most remarkable runs were the 8.6/266 from 16Vampir in the Boba-Motoring tuned 4WD Golf which is powered by a 1.8 L 16V with huge boost (about 40 lbs). Klasen Motors also were highly successful when Stephan Klasen jumped into the top two or three of the European FWD list with a 9,3 in his Project 900 Opel Astra Dragster.

Foghorn Leghorn guards the nitro.
11th July: Finnish Top Fuel Dragster racer Anita Mäkelä says that the FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro always has a special feature:

We usually have a lot of friends and relatives visiting us at Alastaro race, and this year was no exception. Even those visitors who are not so interested in motorsports find this event very fascinating. Everyone likes to follow the team's work and to be part of our team.

The racing didn't go as smoothly as catering. After Friday's runs we had a broken block. That's why we started Saturday with a half pass, better safe than sorry! The last qualifying run on full throttle showed that we were back on the right track. The time wasn't brilliant, but it gave us a solid baseline and number three in the qualifying list. Unfortunately number three meets number six in the first round and that was The Snake - Risto. He beat me by 0.022 seconds and my racing was done. But on the bright side, the car is ready for Hockenheim and we are confident that there is much more to tune for in Germany.

Some of you may have noticed our new Crew Chicken leading me to the burn out. That is not only a nice logo, it has a special task: it keeps the nitro in the tank whilst braking after the burnout. Tommi was my front man on Saturday's runs, and Nitro-Chicken was big enough for even Tommi to remember to remove the seal before the run. Now Tommi and Nitro-Chicken are good buddies!

Bug Jam or bust!
11th July: Next week's Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway is Round 5 in the 25th Anniversary Volkswagen Drag Racing Championship, not to mention the biggest and best VW show in the world which attracts the best VW's from round the UK and abroad. Volkswagen Drag Racing Club Chair Luke Stevenson writes:

With the first three meetings rain-affected, we finally got to score some elimination points at the SPRC Summernationals and it was a great relief to finally get to race day and we want more. With over forty cars in the mix and one of the largest entries in VW Pro for a few years, this could turn out to be a truly awesome round with so many points available and the current scores being so low. Check out the ENtry List Teaser video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cn0po-IKs4.

On Thursday night the Club hosts its annual Pit Party, this year's being Olympic Themed (costumes always advised) so expect Olympic games with a twist then put on your dancing shoes. All racers and crew from all classes are welcome to come join in the fun.

After last year's successful return to the Bug Jam experience, the Pro v Sportsman Shootout will once again take place on the Saturday afternoon. This is a Bracket-style race pairing a Pro racer against a Sportsman racer. The class with the highest number of winners takes home the Club bragging rights and a pot of cash which will go to the eventual winner of that class. This year the Shootout is sponsored by Herbies Autos Mobile Mechanic of Yarnton who do everything from servicing, MOTs and diagnostics to cam belts. Herbies Autos Mobile Mechanic of Yarnton are based in the Oxford area; contact Paul on 07906 601430.

2012 could be a record-breaking year for many racers. Longtime racer Russ Fellows is once again ready to race in his street-legal Beetle with a recent dyno session eking out 150 hp more than when he ran a 9.2 in 2009. German racer Mario Thau will hopefully be racing his Polo Vr6 Turbo down into the nines again, with perfomances like those last weekend at Bechyne he can beat the UK's current FWD record of 9.76 and take home the title. Not to forget a certain crazy Wayne Allman who hopes to complete his licencing runs in the Mental Breakdown truck. With a full pass included in the final tick-off, could he beat the current club ET Record of 7.97 by Paul Jackson in the Proteus 3 dragster?

A big Thank You to the club's sponsors Sub11Motorsport, WRP Paint and Restoration, Vibra-Technics, Bio-Cam, Reichspeed Aircooled, Dubz by Dan, Dub Shows UK, Bears Transmissions and Volkszone.

Fingers crossed for another record-breaking weekend, sell-out crowd and sun sun sun!

You can follow the Club's updates, results and racer news via Facebook and Twitter: just search VWDRC.

Backdraft makes Dragstalgia.
11th July: Claire Meaddows and Chris Hartnell of the UK's Backdraft Wild Bunch team tell us that their eight-second slingshot won't be racing at this weekend's Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway due to non-arrival of parts. However, we were pleased to hear that the car will be at the event:

We are still waiting for parts to arrive from the US so that Chris can rebuild the engine after a rod bolt let go during a burnout at this year's FIA Main Event.  Chris had been racing in Super Pro ET, and had run a new Personal Best of 8.721/150 on the previous run. Despite the early finish to the event, Chris had still qualified in seventeenth in a great field of thirty eight cars, and that was with the only run which hadn't been a break-out.

Luckily, there was no major damage to the ally block in the slingshot, and a re-bore was all that was needed there.  But there was damage to the crank, pistons and rods, not to mention the sump which now had a hole in the side.  Chris ordered the parts, and now has the crank and sump, but as the pistons and rods are not yet in the country the team will be unable to race at Dragstalgia.

Naturally we are really disappointed, but during the FIA Main Event Chris had talked to both Brian Taylor and James Forster of Santa Pod, who had agreed that if Chris could not get the car race-ready for Dragstalgia, then they would like the team to display the car in the historic drag racing marquee instead.  So when it was clear the parts wouldn't arrive in time, Chris took up the offer.  He has now mocked up an old block, mounted the injection system, polished Backdraft and loaded it in the trailer, and we are now looking forward to putting on a show although not on the track this time.

The team are hoping to get the remaining parts by next week, complete the rebuild, and be ready to race at the Open Sport Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway in August. After that we have a very busy September! In the meantime, we are hoping for better weather this coming weekend and we are really looking forward to a great event. See you at the drags!

Swift snippets.
11th July: Many thanks to Kjell Pettersson for sending us the post-FHRA Nitro Nationals points standings in the 2012 FIA European Drag Racing Championships which you can check out on our Speedflow-sponsored Points Standings page by clicking here or by clicking on the Speedflow Points Standings link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

We have a birthday on the staff today (Wednesday): please join Simon, Roger, Ed and Tog in wishing Eurodragster.com Photographer and Pit Reporter Kirstie Tramm a very Happy Birthday. Have a great day Kirstie.

I do want to go to Chelsea.
11th July: Although the current focus is on this weekend's Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway this coming weekend Europe's first dragster, Sydney Allard's 1961 Allard Chrysler owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, has been invited to appear at the Chelsea AutoLegends show on 2nd September.

The event is set in the beautiful grounds of The Royal Hospital, home of the Chelsea Pensioners and the Chelsea Flower Show. Promoted as London's leading celebration of Britain's unique passion for all things automotive and motor sport, this is the show's third year and it is supporting the Walking with the Wounded charity.

Allard Chrysler Action Group Chair Brian Taylor said "We had hoped to attend last year but events conspired against us. It will interrupt our restoration work schedule but I have been keen to get us in front of a slightly different audience and this gives us a great opportunity.

"Reading the web site copy I realised it was the place we needed to be. "Cars and cool, fashion and food"... I mean, that describes us doesn't it (Well, Syd, yes - Ed) ? There is a gala dinner on Saturday evening (the day before the main show day) and the Allard team will be available to talk about the project as guests assemble for the prestigious evening. More web site copy: "A glass of champagne in the Chelsea AutoLegends VIP area, stroll through the sixty or so best cars in the show – Le Mans cars, F1 cars, sports racers, classics and motorcycles (they didn't know about us being there when the copy was written). A great place to rub shoulders with the motorsport élite, World Champions, celebrities, models and soldiers". Sounds a reet posh do.

"One of the show Patrons is Sir Stirling Moss MBE. He knew Sydney Allard and attended the 1964 International Drag Festival at Blackbushe so it will be nice to reunite him with the car. I wonder whether he will remember? Another show Patron is Phil Read MBE whom I persuaded to sponsor John Hobbs in the 1970s and it will be good to see him again.

"On the Sunday they expect more than 15,000 visitors who will be able to view over 500 collectors' vehicles. Thanks to American Sam Eidy and Canadian Ked Dieter I bet the Allard is the only exhibit with its own recorded theme tune Ally Blue unless, of course, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is there. We will not be firing up the dragster due to noise restrictions but I hope the spin-off will be good for Andy Robinson Race Cars - many of their existing and potential customers will be there - the National Motor Museum, and Santa Pod who will be hosting the FIA European Finals the following weekend. Maybe we can also meet a few new supporters for our project."

You can find more details about the Show at www.chelseaautolegends.com.

Web site updates.
11th July: In the latest instalment of his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car. Kalle Lyrén reports back from a troubled weekend at the FHRA Nitro Nationals. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Urs Erbacher, whom we are expecting to see on-track at next month's NitrOlympx, is the subject of a feature in Stefan Lüscher's Auto Blog, which you can check out at www.lueschers-autoblog.ch.

Dan Holloway has updated the video channel of the UK's Rampage Super Pro ET team with a slow-motion video of Dave Ward in action in the dragster at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball. "Thanks to Blackett Photography for the video", says Dan. You can check out the video directly at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCY__TX4d74 or via the team's web site at www.rampagefunnycar.blogspot.co.uk.

FHRA Nitro Nationals rained out.
9th July: Eliminations were ultimately rained out at this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro. With the finals set in Pro classes and one or two rounds run in Sportsman classes, rain which had been forecast but which at least had the good grace to arrive late finally prevailed after a massive effort by the track crew to get the track dry after a previous downfall.

The Pro finals would have been as follow:

FIA Top Fuel Dragster: Antti Hortto v Janne Ahonen
FIA Top Methanol Dragster: Manty Bugeja v Timo Habermann
FIA Top Methanol Funny Car: Jonas Staflund v Ulf Leanders
FIA Pro Modified: Mats Eriksson v Freddy Fagerström
FIA Pro Stock: Micke Callin v Jimmy Ålund

UEM Top Fuel Bike: Nils Lagerlöf v Kai Selkämaa
UEM Supertwin: Samu Kemppainen v Pettri Mattson
UEM Pro Stock Bike: Fredrik Fredlund v Ulf Ögge

Congratulations to Pro Stock Bike racer Fredrik Fredlund who subject to official ratification set a new European Pro Stock Bike ET record of 7.074 seconds.

You can check out our FHRA Nitro Nationals coverage, which is presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car, by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Replays of the weekend's excellent webcasts are available at www.bambuser.com/channel/waxi1.

We would like to say a big Thank You to Petteri Haapaniemi of the Finnish Hot Rod Association for forwarding timing sheets when he had quite enough to do already, Patrik Jacobsson of Racebilder.nu for providing end-day galleries, and Åsa Kinnemar of Speedgroup for sending pit notes and pictures when similarly to Petteri she had quite enough to do.

Swift snippets.
9th July: Johnny Nilsson tells us that a memorial service for Knut Söderqvist will take place in the Gothenburg area on Friday 27th July, which happens to be Knut's birthday. For more details please contact Johnny at [email protected] or call +46 707 982222.

Entry is still open for the pre-Dragstalgia Peak Performance Day at Santa Pod Raceway this Friday, 13th July. You can enter on-line at www.santapod.com and for more details about Peak Performance Days visit www.rwyb.com.

No news update yesterday so a belated Happy Birthday for yesterday (Sunday) to UK Super Comp and Super Gas racer Jon Giles. Hope you had a great day Jon.

Up North with the sunshine.
9th July: Pennine Drag Racing Club Chair Al Perkins writes that despite all of the weather forecasts indicating severe weather, Steve and Chris Murty took the decision to hold this weekend's meeting at York Raceway. And guess what, it was York's driest meeting of the year:

York seems to sit in its own micro-climate, clouds circled all around but we had only sunshine on the track. The briefest of showers came at around 11:00, lasting all of thirty seconds - the track didn't even get wet.

We ran the full programme of all classes to their finals with some very close racing, and had demo runs from Junior Dragster. Well done to our class winners:

American Super Stock: Andy 'Boz' Bosomworth
Sportsman ET: Lee 'Cookie Chiles
Pro ET: Adam Nowak
NSCC: John Peace
Air Cooled: Mark Phillipson

We have started to see the return of returning motorcycle racers too. Thanks to everyone who supported us over the weekend and to our track crew for all of their hard work. The next round at York is on 5th August.

Web site updates.
9th July: On Saturday Eurodragster.com US Correspondent Ed O'Connell drove the 140 miles north and concomitant fifty years into the past to attend an eighth-mile nostalgia race in Maine. Ed reported that this event really was a blast from the past with minimal scrutineering and security apparent and the event's single ambulance carrying the number 3 as if there really were a number 1 and number 2. Ed took a number of pictures which you can check out at www.surfphotonh.com.

Photo-journalist Dick Parnham has updated his Flickr site with pictures from the recent SPRC Summernationals at Santa Pod Raceway. You can take a look at Dick's pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/dickparnhamdragracing.

SCR weekend cancelled.
7th July: Shakespeare County Raceway have cancelled today's CKC Showdown and tomorrow's Custom Chrome Race Day due to the severe weather.

"Naturally we are very sorry about this but the weather has beaten us yet again", says Jerry Cookson of SCR. "Stay tuned for any updates."

 Welcome Wizards of NOS.
6th July: We are pleased to welcome Wizards of NOS as a sponsor of Eurodragster.com News. Wizards of NOS have been established for over a third of a century and have developed the world's most advanced Nitrous Oxide systems for both street and competition car and bike applications.

Proprietor Trevor Langfield said "We are pleased to be associated with Europe's number one drag racing web site as we are now supplying systems to racers across the continent and also to North America."

The key factor to a Wizards of NOS nitrous kit is to deliver "The most dense liquid nitrous possible, to your engine". Wizards of NOS are the only nitrous company to design the majority of their products in-house and have the parts manufactured for their sole distribution.

For instance, their 'Pulsoids' nitrous system solenoids are specifically designed and developed for reliable and accurate pulsed control, hand assembled and tested extensively to produce the smoothest power delivery.

Wizards of NOS offer the only nitrous systems and progressive controllers that were designed and developed to work together in partnership, minimising the stress to the vehicle whilst maximizing performance.

A Lifetime Warranty is offered on all products and Wizards of NOS are available for unlimited customer service and tuning help for as long as the customer owns their kit, and have invested thousands of hours and the best part of a million pounds in R&D work to produce their unique range of products to lead the world in nitrous technology.

More details can be found at www.noswizard.com. E-Mail [email protected]. or call 01302 834343 between 9:00 am and 5:30 pm Monday to Friday.

The best birthday present.
6th July: UK Wild Bunch team Limited Funz Racing were over the moon with their first run in the eights at the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway. Lynne Coulsell writes:

After a four-year build the team débuted the car at the 2010 Nostalgias but sadly it failed to start. The team persevered and finished the 2010 season with a PB of 10.18/138 which they were more than happy with. 2011 started well and the first nine came at Easter Thunderball with a 9.79/136mph. Out came the nine-second bottle of champagne! The 2011 season ended with a PB of 9.14/145 but the team were struggling with consistency. 2012 started badly with fuel pump problems and each meeting since Easter has had issues either with the car or the weather! The team headed off for SCR for the 2012 Nostalgia Nationals – BallBreaker 's second birthday. First run on the Saturday was 9.11/148, a new PB. The team were very happy and would have settled with that, but then the result the team had been hoping for happened.

Second run of the day, 8.95/148! The team went wild! Eight-second champagne on ice! On the third run of the day Mark pulled a huge wheelie but still managed a 9.14/148. Last run of the day was 9.03/148. The team finished the day off nicely with a nostalgic flag start.

Sunday's start was late due to the weather but the track crew worked their socks off and two rounds were run. The team dialled in at 9.08 and ran a 9.19 on the first run and 9.12 on the second and final run of the day. Not placed in the top four, but LFR went home very happy indeed, topped off with a trophy for best burnout!

LFR would like to say a huge thank you to all friends and family who support them constantly and hope that they can share this successful and consistent weekend again when they will all be there to see it. Happy days! Follow LFR's progress at www.limitedfunz.blogspot.com and Like them on their Facebook page, search for Limited Funz.

Dragstalgia deadline.
6th July: James Forster of Santa Pod Raceway has been in touch to remind readers that (Friday) is the closing date for advance-priced tockets for next week's Dragstalgia. Both on-line and phone discounts end today.

"Racers entering an invited class are reminded that this applies to them also", says James. "If you haven't purchased your tickets by the end of play today then you will have to pay full price on the day. To book in as a racer, please call me on 01234 782828 (outside the UK +44 1234 782828)."

For more details check out www.dragstalgia.co.uk.

UK Top Sportsman update.
6th July: Paul Marston writes that entries are flooding in for the most talked-about, biggest, baddest, roughest, toughest televised heads-up Doorslammer race of the season, UK Top Sportsman at the Mopar Euro Nationals at Santa Pod Raceway on 27th July. However the organisers ask that anyone who has not yet submitted their entry does so as soon as possible. Paul writes:

This is to allow pit space to be allocated for UK Top Sportsman teams; the Mopar Euronats is a massive event and the layout is very important, so we need to get it right. It is true that you can even enter UK Top Sportsman on the day when you arrive at the Mopar Euro Nats, just show up, pay your race entry and you are in the race, and we will have a limited spare pit space for you in reserve. But for this to work we do need most teams to pre-enter. If you pre-enter the driver gets in free as part of the entry fee, but this will not apply to anyone who shows up on the day. So pre-entry saves you £45 gate entry at least, plus it gives you discounted entry for crew members. So if you are coming get those entries in as soon as possible, the clock is ticking!

For any details, or to download the entry form and commentators sheet, please check out www.topsportsman.co.uk or call me on 07831 650230.

Bennetts like the FoS.
6th July: UK blown-alcohol altered team and Eurodragster.com Bloggers Bennett Racing were invited to attend this years Goodwood Festival of Speed by sponsor Powervamp Racing Batteries and had a very enjoyable day. Luke Bennett writes:

It's an absolutely huge place, such an incredible amount to see and take in, the sheer volume of vehicles on display is amazing. Put it this way, we didn't get a chance see the Santa Pod stand otherwise we would have said hello! 

Not only that but of course you also have all of the trade stands too which brings us onto the Powervamp setup.  They had two stands for the full weekend, one in the aviation exhibition and one in the Festival of Speed, both looking ultra-professional and doing a lot of business. We met up and had a good talk with Ed, Kelvin and Jason and many thanks to them for their hospitality throughout the day.  We presented them with a nice photo of the Relentless Topolino and they were very happy indeed, I have been since told it's hanging proudly in the boardroom! 

To anyone into motorsport: get yourself there next year, there is something for everyone - most shows say this but Goodwood really has. We preferred the historic cars, spent ages wondering around those, the new cars don't really float our boat but there were some nice ones about. 

Once again thank you to Powervamp for the invitation and also congratulations to the winners of the competition which we held: Peter Crane, Nigel Burch and Ken White. Last but not least thank you to Eurodragster.com for the news piece last week to announce the competition (You're welcome - Ed).

Web site updates.
6th July: Red Victor Pro Mod team member Wil Perry, aka Slinky, has put together a great video documenting Andy Frost and the team's weekend at the recent SPRC Summernationals. The video was made in true High Def and so benefits from being played full-screen. Be prepared for some innovations when you check out the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbKA8lWaqPg.

Grand Nationals review.
 5th July: Our good buddy Markus Münch of der Beschleuniger writes that the third Grand Nationals Dragrace held at Bechyne in Czech Republic, hosted by the MSTO Timing Crew around Jerry Lackey and the Predators Budweis, was a great weekend of racing with lots of tracktime for the 110 teams which contested the event:

The weather was dry, hot and sunny all weekend long. The track was glued and sledded in preparation and produced some Personal Bests as a result. For example FWD VW Polo racer Mario Thau, who has been invited to Santa Pod Raceway for a VW event, ran a PB in the 9.7s. There were also rounds of EDRS Funny Bike South Division, Super Pro ET Challange Germany and Street Outlaw ET Bikes (bracket bikes from 9.00 on). Here are the Winners and runners-up:

EDRS Funnybike (10 articipants): Winner Luc Raeymaekers, runner-up Thomas Joswig
Super Pro ET (20 participants): Winner Norbert Schneider, runner-up Rene Ehrismann
Super Gas (8 articipants): Winner Jan Hardekopf, runner-up Werner Zudrell
Competition Eliminator (2 participants): Winner Klaus Meier, runner-up Robin Sattler
Super Comp (2 participants): Winner Gerd Habermann, runner-up Sven Damms
Street Outlaw ET (16 participants): Winner Marc Geens, runner-up Bernd Sax
SSB (12 participants): Winner Michi Merse, runner-up Tomas Cizek
Super Twin Top Gas (4 participants): Winner Milan Kolacny, runner-up Hermann Jolink
Junior Dragster (5 participants): Winner Anton Schneider, runner-up Jerry Bachinger
Pro ET (16 participants): Winner Jens Dahms, runner-up Nicole Rechsteiner

This is the only drag race for German racers besides the NitrOlympX, especially for the faster cars and bikes. We all hope for a 2013 event.

Swift snippets.
5th July: Many thanks to Paula and Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 6 of the official entry list for Bug Jam. which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 20th-22nd July (race days 21st-22nd). You can check out the Big Jam entry list by clicking here. Standard-price entry is now closed; entry, if accepted, is subject to a late-entry fee. You can download the Bug Jam entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc.

Further to Saturday 's news item about theoretical best runs made up of historical quickest incremental points, Andy Marrs of TSI Timers Europe ended up wishing that he had not said that Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator and Super Street Bike were good examples of different acceleration curves, since he then could not rest until he had calculated the theoretical bests for those classes. From 7,000 data sets Andy calculated a best Street Eliminator pass of 7.4077/219.73 and Super Street Bike pass of 7.0752/225.24.

The story behind the fire-up.
5th July: Further to Monday's great news about the fire-up of the restored Allard Chrysler Dragster, Allard Chrysler Action Group Chair Brian Taylor has been in touch with some back story:

In the last progress report the ACAG team met at Andy Robinson Race Cars during April and May, working on Sydney Allard's 1961 Allard Chrysler dragster, developing and creating the rolling chassis systems. The clutch received particular attention.

On 6th June a planned small ACAG team assembled at Andy Robinson Race Cars comprising Bob Roberts, Chris Eames, Andy Robinson and Paul Stubbings. For some Work-in Day tasks a small team can make the quickest progress. Self-catering was the order of the day. The refurbished steering rods were fitted and that completed the steering mechanism. The drive train component modifications from Kev Slyfield of M and D Tooling appeared to mate well so the rocker covers were removed to identify TDC, the flywheel marked out at 90 degrees for valve lash and 20 degrees for timing. After manually checking the engine turned OK, it was re-installed in the chassis along with the gear box, clutch and associated components reassembled – the drive train components still untested as a complete system.

Chris had been working hard in parallel with the group sessions. He had assembled and fitted most of the required parts for the braking system and found suitable tubing for the oil pressure gauge. Brake piping had been supplied by Mick Wood of Old Ford Autos. Chris had also created and fitted a wiring loom. The rev counter was bench tested with the mag and both appeared to work correctly.

On 10th June Paul Stubbings, Martin Dunks, Andy Robinson and Bob Roberts assembled at Andy Robinson Race Cars to continue the work. No Syd but catering this time was by Kate Robinson. The five-spoke mags supplied by Nick Davies had returned from media blasting and looked good. We planned to crack test them within the next two weeks and then get them polished. BSP dies were supplied by David Downes, Ian Hart and Dave Grabham. The fuel tank union threads were cleared and the plumbing almost completed by Martin using period correct black hoses. All coloured anodised unions will be clear on the final set up. Chris fabricated some fixed fuel tank retainers that will eventually be covered in material to replicate the original bungee retainers. A bracket was made to hold the business end of the fuel shut-off cable and a further bracket fabricated to space the oil filter forward to avoid the starter motor. However, while planning these bracket mounting points it was discovered that some bolts were missing from the bottom of the blower engine Potvin adapter. Lori and Doug Peterson were contacted in California for guidance and they confirmed that the blower would need to be removed and the missing bolts replaced. This likely meant new gaskets and a delay that could risk the Dragstalgia fire-up target. Stu Bradbury of US Automotive quickly sourced a gasket set and a planned Work-in Day was scheduled for Thursday 21st June.

On the due date Paul, Syd, Bob, Martin and Paul assembled to attack the blower tasks. The team originally considered taking the engine out again but decided to carry out the work with the engine in the chassis. Before the blower could be separated from the engine adapter the sump had to be removed along with the starter and oil filter adapter. While this was off, Paul checked the torque loading on the bottom end bolts and made sure the assembly lube condition was OK. Fuel pipes were removed so the blower could come off. The missing bolt issue was rectified. A couple of hexagonal head bolts replaced the cap heads visible on the outside. Two studs were installed on the other side to allow for the installation of a throttle cable bracket. Lube was added to the timing chain before the blower was re-installed; an operation that proved to be a little trickier than expected due to difficulty in lining up the blower and adapter. Thoughts were to fabricate some special long alignment studs ready for the next time. Lube was supplied by Lucas Oil. Once installed, dimensions for the throttle and fuel shut-off cables were taken and the parts ordered by Bob. After a bit of re-tapping, studs were installed on both sides of the blower to ease the installation of injectors and manifold.

Work continued during the week on several components with Bob, Andy and one of Andy Robinson Race Cars' technicians trying to keep us on plan for a Dragstalgia fire-up. 1st July was the next planned Work-in Day and it started out well and finished well. But in between we hit a shedload of problems. The team was Brian Taylor, Andy Robinson, Martin Dunks and Bob Roberts. Brian had planned to start polishing the inside of the cockpit panels but due to the good work put in by the Andy Robinson Race Cars' crew we were in with a real chance of firing up by lunchtime so these plans were shelved so that all efforts could be focused on working towards that fire-up. The team finished off the control cables plus a few other odd jobs before oil was added to the engine, the blower and the gearbox.

Using an electric drill and special adapter, the oil pump was driven via the magneto/oil pump connection. Pressure reached 85 psi. But we could not get oil through to the rocker gallery. We figured that the cam position after the timing marks had been applied was unfortunately such that it did not let the oil through. Using the starter we tried to move it slightly but nothing happened. Power reached the starter but it was unable to turn the engine. The starter was removed and bench checked OK. We checked through the transmission and gearbox for faults and eventually discovered that the problem was with the clutch levers fouling the cover. The spacing carried out at an earlier session had not solved our problem. To correct this we had to dismantle the clutch and in turn in meant partially removing the engine, gearbox and rear axle from the chassis. Just what we needed! We decided to proceed towards the fire-up with the transmission disconnected from the clutch. With the spacers removed the arms cleared the cover and we were back in business. Before putting things back together, and after some trial and error moving the cam on the starter button, we got oil into the rocker galleries.

Everything was put back together again and a full starter button check confirmed everything was turning. The mag was backed off to a methanol setting. The firing order was confirmed and the plugs installed. After some final checks methanol was poured into the tank with a remote feed connected to assist the starting until the fuel was pumped round. The engine fired but for some reason the fuel was not being pumped round so it stopped as soon as the remote fuel canister was empty. After much scratching of heads it was thought that the pump was turning the wrong way. A test confirmed this to be the case. A quick check via the internet confirmed that the flow could be reversed by taking the pump apart.

All this took a lot of time and it was now 2030 hrs. The team went for another fire-up and eureka! For the first time since 1964 Europe's first dragster burst into life and continued running. It ran for about one minute (the water cooling system had not been installed so we could not run for too long). Oil pressure reached 90 psi at 2000 rpm. With flames leaping from the rear headers we had brought history back to life. It was all recorded by Bob Roberts on video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=zosoe5-b9yo. Huge relief, very proud and very exciting. We could now take the car to Dragstalgia at Santa Pod to show the fans what had been achieved so far and hopefully raise more funds to complete the restoration. There is a bit of popping going on which we need to address and although very dramatic something must be causing the flames in the rear cylinder, but hopefully that will not stop us putting on a show.

We established direct communication with Don Garlits who agreed to act as mentor on running a Potvin engine on nitro. We also continue to search for a suitable trailer to store the car and parts. We welcomed three new sponsors. Brian Childs and Tim Howell of NGK have been keen to support our project for many months and have been waiting for my call for B7ES plugs. The call went in and the plugs winged their way to Andy Robinson Race Cars. Long-time drag racing fan Steve Clark of Nimbus Motorsport kindly supplied some bottles of ZEP that Andy thought desirable. And Gordon Riseley of RCS Ringspann came up trumps with throttle and shut-off cables. Access to all these websites is now available via the links page of our web site at www.allardchrysler.org.

Note to self: must remember to phone longtime supporter Antony Billinton of GMAX and say "It's Methanol time".

Web site updates.
5th July: From Marcus Sjodin comes www.dragracing24.com. a great new web site which brings together social networking feeds and other threads from around the internet to bring you race news. The site is well worth a look and it's one for a large coffee as you'll be there a long time.

Keep calm and carry on.
4th July: If you were tuned into our Alamo Rent A Car -sponsored Event Coverage of the SPRC Summernationals, you will remember that Sportsman ET racer Nicole Parker seemed to have problems at the top end in her quarter final against Craig Wright. There was a big cloud of smoke from the Parker Racing '89 Mustang in the shutdown area and we said "Track checked and all OK, hope the car is too". John and Nicole Parker say that the answer to that was yes and no:

Back in the pits after the run Nicole commented "The pedal didn't go down as usual so I immediately felt something was up. The car was drifting a little to the right but I was more concerned that I wasn't slowing much. I glanced in the rear view to see where Craig was and OMG look at all the smoke! I pumped the brakes and the pedal came back to me and the Mustang started to behave normally again. As we turned into the return road Craig was gesticulating and looked concerned. I was just so worried that we may have oiled the track or something but the track crew checked underneath and all was OK so I went back to the pits."

With not much time to turn the car around before the semis we inspected the vehicle and found a significant flat spot on the offside front, and rolled the car back to hide the damage. We knew right away that our meeting was done despite the offers of help from our fellow Sportsman ET racers (a great bunch of guys and girls). Even if we could have swapped to a decent set of wheels we didn't know the cause, although we suspected pad disintegration may have jamed the offside brake. We just said "Don't tell Tet!".

On the basis that we'd got the better of Jacko in the first round with the lesser of two breakouts, and squeaked past Craig-o when he pulled a heartbreaking 0.0003 red light we thought we'd ride our lucky pony one more round. So we took the car down for our semi final against Tethys, you never know... Nope, Tet was cool as you like and didn't cherry so we just backed up and returned to the pits. Fair play to Tet for going on to win the meeting.

We stripped the brakes this weekend and whaddya know, broken pad on the offside! So we called that one right. The car didn't suffer serious damage, but Dad's credit card did as it's new brakes for the front for the next race. We want to say thanks to the tech and track crews for helping out and keeping us safe, also a big Thank You for getting the meeting to a conclusion: just waking up on a cold and wet raceday to the sounds of a John Deer putting in some laps speaks volumes for the commitment of the track crew.

We really enjoyed the Summernationals, and now that we're joint third in the Championship it's all to play for at Bug Jam. See you there!

Showtime seek crew.
4th July: Showtime Fuel FC Crew Chief Bob Jarrett has been in touch with an update including the news that the team are seeking a new crew member.

"As reported last week we will be making two or three exhibition runs at Bug Jam", says Bob. "The plan is to make full-power quarter-mile runs with what we now term the 'Carbon Car'. We will see what happens. This may be a little challenging as it's been a while since we have run on a hot Santa Pod summer track.

"We also have some changes in the crew for this year. Lee Brown has assumed Assistant Crew Chief and Team Leader position while James Peters, after two years of learning, is now our new clutch technician. Dan Ford, a longtime Showtime crew member, is now in charge of cylinder heads and ignition systems. At Bug Jam, Steve and Rob Turner have kindly offered their services.

"However, I am still looking for another crew person beginning at the FIA European Finals. We are seeking someone who can work on the top end of the motor during race events. More details including my E-Mail address are in the Crew Required section of the Swap Meet."

Not a doorslammer.
4th July: UK Top Methanol Dragster racer and FIA European Championship leader Dave Wilson also has crew issues as a result of the unexpected extension of his season. Grumpy's spectacular outings at the first two events of the season, including Europe's quickest-ever TMD pass at Tierp Arena, were strictly all the team could afford.Former team member Ray Maguire stepped up to the plate with funding for this weekend's FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro but Grumpy still had a problem.

"I didn't have any crew since none of them expected to do more than two events", Grumpy told Eurodragster.com. "This race has coincided with an inconvenient week for everyone. So I have a stand-in crew of Pro Mod boys - Andy Robinson, Bert Englefield and Andy Wright - plus Linda who arrives on Thursday and David arrives on Saturday. I have told Andy, Bert and Andy that they're not to put a door in the side of the dragster!

"After this weekend we don't have the funds to continue which is a shame as we are strongly-placed in the Championship. We would be very pleased to hear from anyone interested in sponsoring us. You can get in touch via our web site at www.davewilsonracing.co.uk. If we get the funds then it's a question of Hockenheim or the second event at Tierp."

Ready to Roll.
4th July: Matthew Wright of Eurodragster.com sponsor WG4 Facilities and Services says that his wild WG Racing Outlaw Rolls Royce is undergoing final checks before being strapped to John Sleath's 2000 HP rolling road on Thursday of next week prior to its appearance at Dragstalgia at Santa Pod Raceway:

Since its last run out in late 2011 the car has under gone some significant changes and improvements to its systems to improve its capability on its current best of of 7.9/176. The 1974 Rolls Royce is a street-legal, street-driven race car... yes, street-legal with number plates and tax disc to boot! As many of you will know, Matthew was going into 2012 with the intention of getting the Rolls Royce out to the USA to compete in the ultimate Street Car challenge, Drag Week in September. To undergo this ultimate challenge of driving from race track to race track on the road over hundreds of miles, a lot of modifications had to take place to comply with the event rules and regulations, and those in a similar category for real street cars.

Unfortunately, red tape over in the US has hindered in the last furlong our attempts to take the Outlaw out to the USA in time for the 2012 event, so we have decided to postpone participation until 2013.

In preparation for the 2012 season, Matt and our part-time lodger Bill Felstead have been hibernating in the garage for the last six months, totally stripping back the car and rebuilding it from the roll bars up. On a diet consisting of bacon sandwiches and tea they have rebuilt the car and the engine, thanks to John Ellis Race Engines. The engine is an all-new configuration of Donovan ally block, Dart Big Chief heads, sheet metal custom fabricated inlet manifold, Peterson dry sump systems and a ten-inch three-plate AFT clutch inside a Trick Titanium clutch can. As well as this, an additional ratio in the transmission and FAST upgrades have been added the mix.

Our 2011 engine and tuning services were supplied by John Sleath Race Cars. Unfortunately, due to other business commitments, John was unable to support the team this year. Matt would like to thank John Sleath for all of his assistance last year and invaluable advice throughout the season. If you run FAST John's the man!

This year, in a joint collaboration with WG Racing, our good friend of some twenty years and ex-Pro Mod Racer John Ellis has come forward with over thirty years' engineering and engine building experience, becoming an huge asset and an invaluable sponsor and team member of WG Racing. Johns sponsorship involvement, through his engine building company John Ellis Race Engines, is to build out 2012 motor, not only supplying all his time and labour but parts too! In addition to this John will be supporting us trackside whenever possible, looking after all engine duties. WG Racing has collaborated with John Ellis Racing Services and will be able to supply turnkey race motors for all budgets down to the smallest of engineering jobs.

Our aim now is to test the new set-up at Dragstalgia at Santa Pod on 14th July to get a good clutch baseline setting. Once we have achieved set up goals we will be towing our Ifor Williams lightweight trailer - some exciting world record news to follow in partnership with Ifor Williams - with the basic kit which we will need to race the car in the totally streetable format. The car will be driving to Santa Pod from Billericay in Essex towing all its own equipment, will then race as fast as possible, and will then drive it all home again! A true street car! Our goal is Drag Week King Larry Larson's 6.92 at over 200 miles an hour.

All of us at WG Racing would like to thank our other sponsors:

Santa Pod Raceway

Ifor Williams for supplying us with trailers to complete our goals, both here in the UK and in the USA, our Drag Week events and its UK preparation. A BV6E lightweight enclosed box trailer and a great discount on our CT177 Tilt bed trailer.

Powervamp Advanced Solutions UK for their supply of a fantastic product, a pair of PVR30s with a huge cranking capacity of 840 AMSP each, backed up with their MR26 high power 12v starter pack, giving us more currant than a raisin factory!

WGMotorsport for oils and lubricants.

D3 Creative for banner, signwriting, advertising and promotional materials.

Carpets for Less Basildon for supply and fitting of interior trim and carpets for the Outlaw.

Fester Race Cars Bill Fester, I mean Felstead! For being an invaluable pain the backside, permanent fixture of our garage and home and without whom all of this would not have been possible, as he built the car... twice!

Samco Sport. supplier of silicone hoses.

Hornstars UK. onboard air system suppliers.

Personal thanks go to my adoring wife Danielle for putting up with all this, Bill Felstead, Andy 'Fred' Hone for wiring duties, John Ellis, Team Photographer Andy Willsheer, Steve Strong and Eurodragster.com (Thanks, you're welcome - Ed).

SPR's Goodwood weekend.
4th July: Although drag racing has been represented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed before, with both static and action displays, this year's Festival was the first at which Santa Pod Raceway had a stand. MSA British Drag Racing Championship PR Robin Jackson, who was one of those manning the SPR display, sent the following report of the weekend at Goodwood:

Like the launch of a Top Fuel Dragster, the Goodwood Festival of Speed needs to be experienced in person to be believed. The Festival's sheer size and scope beggars description. While motor manufacturers this past weekend packed the main exhibition area with marketing structures the size of mansion blocks, Santa Pod Raceway took a more modest pitch in the trade area. Nevertheless, the track's Funny Car and nitro Supertwin attracted fervent interest and kept the staff unceasingly busy throughout four long days.

Passers-by who stopped to talk ranged from seasoned drag racing enthusiasts ("Brilliant! Love it! Fantastic day out!") to a disdainful few for whom motorsport exists only if it goes around corners. Two particular groups stood out: those who loved coming to the Pod in the 1970s and 1980s – some even in the 1960s – but haven't been back since ("So what are the toilets like now, ha ha?" is the usual question), and those who say they've often thought of coming but haven't quite managed it yet. A little friendly persuasion from the Santa Pod staffers is all it takes to motivate them. If half of those show up who promise they will, this year's FIA European Finals will have a bumper crowd.

Among the more familiar visitors were bikers Ian King and Steve Venables, past racers Gordon Appleton and Bob Oram (Red E , due to reappear at Dragstalgia), snowmobile rider Max Croot, historian Jon Spoard and ace photographer Matt Woods.

World motorsport's biggest wigs come to the Festival – the great and the good, the movers and shakers – along with paying customers piling in in their tens of thousands, and Goodwood rocks to every kind of motorsport sound (almost every kind), from the tractor-on-steroids clatter of pre-First World War Grand Prix cars to the elephantine trumpeting of today's versions as they squirt and donut past packed grandstands up the long hill. Hamilton and Button, Vettel and Webber were the stars of the moment headlining this year's long entry list. In such surroundings, drag racing has the potential to make a colossal impact, far greater than ever achieved on so public a stage. The sport has the machinery to do so. Perhaps one day it will be granted the opportunity.

Swift snippets.
4th July: Paul Fischer writes that one of the two National organisations organised a two-day event at his local airport in Varaždin, Croatia. "Being on the same latitude as the Costa Brava, it was no surprise that the temperature was pushing the 40° mark", says Fisch. "Despite timing system gremlins for an hour or so, everything went well and we're hoping that the old politics which prevented this event being held for the past five years have now been settled. There are something like Eurodragster.com pit notes (I stole the idea) at www.pf501.com/racevz."

Freshly tagged and ready for collection is the new chassis for Osborne Racing's Blue Gene Pop 100E (below left). "We are really pleased with the quality and speed of Roy's work on the chassis for the new car, and we think Roy has enjoyed the challenge of moving from his usual comfort zone of dragsters and altereds to a door slammer!" says John Osborne. "When we decided to step up BGP1 to a blown 638 BBC, we thought the place to start was not modifying the old car again but with a clean sheet of paper. The lightweight GRP panels are transfering to the new car, so it will look pretty similar but with an extra stretch behind the B pillars and the rear window "couped" to return the roof line back to stock length and hide the stretch. Hell, it might even improve the aerodynamics as well!"


We have two birthdays today. First up a Happy Birthday and hugs to Santa Pod Racers Club official Kathy Taylor (above right) , with thanks for the invitation to an enjoyable party on Saturday. It's a special birthday for Kathy although as a gentleman your News Editor is not letting on the number. See you on the bus Kath. Happy Birthday also to UK street-legal Pro Modified racer and Eurodragster.com Blogger Andy Frost. Have a great day Kath and Frosty.

We would also like to wish all of our friends and readers in the USA a Happy 4th July. Have a great day guys.

SPRC marshal Caroline Boncey asked us to say a big Thank You to everyone who sponsored her charity walk which raised no less than £721 for The Hospice of St Francis. "This is the most the most I have ever raised, Oscar has a very big grin", says Caroline. "I completed the walk in three hours, and yes I do have some achy legs. There is photographic evidence that Oscar wore pink."

Apologies for the lack of a news update yesterday. Not soul-searching this time; those fine folks at Three switched off their mobile phone and broadband mast in Westminster for maintenance - for the second time in three weeks - which meant no internet, which meant no E-Mail, no FTP and thus no news update.

Tea and biccies = good press.
4th July: The UK's Roger and Dave Moore and the Shakespeare Engineering Pro Modified team took the event win at the SPRC Summernationals at Santa Pod Raceway, an event from which the rain stayed away most of the time and for which the track crew provided an excellent racing surface:

MSA Championship Press Officer Robin Jackson's take on the meeting can be found on the Championship web site at www.msadragracing.co.uk. I would like to add no money changed hands to achieve such a glowing report, but offering tea and biscuits might have been a contributing factor.

We had some good luck and other teams had some bad luck, but the ability to get the car to the start line in good order has been a strong point of the team and we are proud of our record. Breaking both the ET and speed bests for the car was a sign that we are moving in the right direction and I know that Dave was very pleased to get the car into  the 6.6s. That run was against Wayne Nicholson in the Lucky Devil car and 6.66 was very apt! The car is far from perfect and the annoying double launch has plagued us on and off causing the poor sixty foot times. If we can get this sorted then 6.5 runs look possible. The unofficial British nitrous Pro Mod ET is in the 6.5s (Andy Robinson or Gordon Appleton) and we would love to go quicker.

We have a break now until the FIA European Finals at Santa Pod. This will give us time to refresh the Viper, to try to go better than the second in the MSA Championship which we achieved last year.  The Championship is very close and I suspect that it will go to the last round with any of the top teams in with a chance.

Thanks to the crew Dave, Gary, Martin, Chris and Mark. Martin looks after our Facebook page on which you can keep up with the teams progress Thanks to MoTeC for their contribution, it's good to see a high-profile company supporting British drag racing. Thanks also to our long-term sponsors who allow us to carry on racing: Challenger Solutions. Shakespeare Engineering and Generator Power Systems.

Still enjoying it!
4th July: Fellow UK Pro Modified racer Wayne Nicholson says that the Lucky Devil team have not performed as well as they know they can. "Making power doesn't appear to be an issue", says Wayne, "using it is something else.

"I think it's fair to say that our quickest ET of 6.58 last year came quite easy. Trying to go quicker is just that little bit more difficult with all the power we have. The Summernationals, whilst not as good as we liked, gave us some very worthy data which we can now use to help us to go quicker and be more competitive for the rest of the season. I was asked at the race "But are you still enjoying it?" - my answer was a definite Yes!

Our next outing is at Hockenheim in August, our first trip abroad with the car. Can't wait.

We have posted a news update on our web site at www.luckydevil777dragracing.com. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who make it all possible: my crew Dennis, Joseph, Tony and Adam; our sponsors Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, Originals Hot Rod Supplies, Allyfab and Dentrepairs, all of whom can be contacted via our web site."

Unipart expand MPM range.
4th July: Unipart Leisure and Marine have expanded their current OEM range of MPM Oil to over 110 products, and Eurodragster.com sponsor Richard Stevens tells us that the stuff is "Flying out the door!

"We have given them coverage for about 1.2 million part numbers with OEM approved products, and we can see this increasing over the coming months", he says. Racers and readers can source the MPM range through Unipart, who have about 2500 outlets in the UK. They also supply to numerous independent outlets also. Unipart Marine and Leisure have also taken on the full MPM Marine range as well.

"Our products are now on the main SAP system with Unipart, so it is available through all the Unipart sectors."

For information and orders contact the Unipart sales team on 02476 427333 or E-Mail [email protected].

Zircotec protects Red Victor 3.
4th July: The builders of Europe's fastest street-legal race car have turned to thermal barrier specialists Zircotec to manage the heat generated by its 3000 bhp motor. The Red Victor 1 Racing Team, which recently achieved a 6.59 quarter mile, is using a broad range of Zircotec products including ThermoHold® ceramic coatings and ZircoFlex® heat shield materials as durable and effective heat management solutions for its very harsh application.

Fully road legal right down to the tyres, wipers, horn and lights, Red Victor 3 is the latest drag racing creation from Andy Frost's official VXR team. This incarnation of a 1972 Vauxhall VX4/90 FD uses an 8.8 litre Chevrolet engine to push the car to 220 mph, boosted by turbos meaning exhaust temperatures can reach 787° C. This heat, trapped in an enclosed engine bay can cause reliability issues or inflict damage to surrounding parts and paint. Zircotec's solution was to coat a range of engine components including the turbocharger, exhaust and carbon composite air duct as well as protecting body panels and paint with its ZircoFlex heatshield material.

With a 64% surface temperature reduction being achieved by using a single layer of ZircoFlex and a triple layer raising the protection to 84%, the benefits of the firm's flexible heatshield were clear to the team. "I would not run a turbocharged car without using the benefits of ZircoFlex's heat reduction properties", says Andy Frost, engineer and driver of the car. "The product is better than anything else I've ever used for heat management on body panels, ducts and bulkheads."

ZircoFlex heatshield material, available in a range of sizes, can be cut and folded to shape fit in the most awkward location and solve heat problems once and for all. "The paint is still on the car in the places I've applied it", adds Frost. "That includes under the bonnet, on the bulkhead and floor areas. My feet don't get hot and the carpet isn't melted."

"Though Frost's car is an extreme example, many classic and performance car owners suffer the effects of heat both underbonnet and in the cockpit that could be eradicated through the use of heat management products such as ZircoFlex" adds Peter Whyman, sales director for Zircotec.

The firm's robust plasma sprayed coatings are also used on the Victor's air intakes, offering a durable solution to protect heat sensitive composites. "We're also sold on Zircotec's ceramic coating not only for the exhausts but for composite air intakes too", adds Frost. "They run close to the exhaust manifold and I was worried about heat damage to the carbon composite. Zircotec's coating has prevented this."

In addition to the reliability gains, Frost has benefitted from the performance benefits achieved through the use of thermal barriers. "By retaining heat in the exhaust, the gases pulse faster through the system offering a small but worthwhile gain", claims Whyman. "This is more relevant with turbo engines, where the faster moving gases help the turbo to spool up quicker and reduce lag."

For Frost, the plan is to continue to lower the time. "Now that we have attained the world record, we plan on lowering it bit by bit", concludes Frost. "This will happen alongside our Championship efforts in the 2012 MSA Pro Modified Championship, where we hope to get ourselves familiar with racing again. By the end of the year we expect that the car is at a level to compete properly for next year's MSA Pro Modified Championship."

The Coupe makes it.
4th July: After missing two events last season, UK race official and Wild Bunch racer Tony Smith was determined to get his Cunning Coupe out on track for this year's NSRA Nostalgia Nationals even if it was not as complete as he wanted. In true racing fashion it went down to the wire, but Tony made it:

With less than two weeks to go, it was early mornings and late nights down the garage and at Steve and Lesley's to get it finished in time. The weekend before it was a trip to Marlborough to finish off the last of the welding, after changing the top rails a couple of weeks before we still did not have the top four bar fittings made or fitted, so Steve got these sorted while I finished off the side panels each side of the engine. I also had to make a small dash and chute pull. The latter was the hardest, as we could not find anywhere to fit it, so in the end it was fitted on top of the axle. I was not sure if it would work or get it the way of my hands while steering, but it worked really well.

After everything we could do was finished, I started the engine and made sure it all worked, then the car was put back on the trailer ready for the trip home. Monday, I finished the dash and fitted the oil light and fitted and wired up the shift light/limiter and a few odds and ends inside the cockpit. Tuesday, I had to go down and pick up the body from a friend's garage a few miles away. As I didn't want to take the car off the trailer I asked my brother and two nephews to come down and help Jon, the painter, to get it onto the chassis. I took it back down the garage and finished fixing the body mounts to the body and do a quick bit of filling to cover them. The body was still in its thickly laid on primer and black dust coat. On Thursday morning Jon brought in a car for a test. He said he thought the body would look better if it was fogged in red and not black. He was meant to work that evening but it was cancelled, he turned up just after 5:00 and we masked the car off just using the covers I use while it's in the yard. With just a wipe off and no prep at all Jon gave it a coat of primer then and dusting of the red, it did not look right so he gave it another dusting but was still not happy. I said just to paint it completely red, two coats later and it was done. On Friday, I had to get up early to get the car back out of the MoT bay and back down to the yard, then after work to get it parked up in front of the bay doors. This way all I had to do was to back the van in and hitch it up.

I arrived at the track just after 8:00 to find that Dave and Linda of the Green with Envy team had saved me a place next to them. I parked the van and unloaded the car and parked it next to it. When I first took the car off the trailer and it was sitting in the middle of the road, it was the first time I had seen it with nothing around it. It looked so small and low and looked better than I thought it would.

On Saturday, I was up at 6:30 and before I had signed on by 7:20 I had removed the back wheels ready to do some work when I had the chance. One problem with the body is that the tyres rubbed on the inner arches, so I had bought some ring Dzus fasteners to fit them to the panels. I marked out where they were going to go and drilled the holes; the body had to come back off so I could fix the fittings to the inner panels. This done and the body put back on they fit and did their job. The chute was fitted and the engine started and checked. The only problem I have with the engine is that I am only using the 600 vac sec from the old engine and I could only get the car to tick over at about 2000 rpm.

I had already told the start line crew what I intended to do, so I got suited and booted and was taken down by Tom Hawkins' son Bob. When it was my turn I started the car, put it into third and after pulling around the water went straight to the line. On the green I just drove it down the track. It held back at first and then took off and bounced a couple of times, drove very straight and I went through at 13.0/110. I went right down to the last return road to see if there would be any problems with the bumps.

When the crew came down, I asked them to take me back to the start line. This time I did a second gear burnout and launched in first. Again even changing gears, which always upset the old car, it just went straight and I pulled the chute at the end. I knew I would not make the last turn so I braked heavy and pulled into the first turn-off. It was not until the crew came down that we found that the car would not move, it seemed like the brakes had stuck on. I had ran 11.46/114/

I had been called to Race Control so I left the crew to sort it out. I had been asked if I would be part of the flag starts at the end of the day, so after sorting out a couple of other cars I went back to my pit. By now the car could be pushed, so I thought that Dave had found the problem, so I waited for them to come back from a run and I was towed back down for the flag start. I drove through the water and spun the tyres and pulled to the line in second hoping to make a little bit of smoke off the line. As the Tree was not there, the start line crew foot staged the cars and bikes, so I don't count the 11.68 as true but I went 117 mph through the finish line. Dave sat in the car for the tow back and I could hear the brakes binding. After I finished work, the body was taken off as well as the top panel and I started with looking at the master cylinder. I could not find anything wrong with it and even opened one of the bleed nipples to see if there was a pressure build-up. I then tried to take the pads out of the right had caliper and I could not get them out, I had to use a pry bar. I found that the piston was stuck, so I put the inner pad back in and pumped out the piston as far as I could. Pulling back the rubber I found it was rusted through standing so long. I cleaned it all off and using freeing oil and working it back in and out, it worked a treat. I checked and did the same to the rest of the pistons and you can now push the car on your own.

Sunday, up at my normal 7:00 and signed on ready for the day, then just before the 10:00 start we had a very heavy downpour, followed by another just as the track was almost dry again. It was about 3:00 before the track was open and I had time to do a couple of runs with the Wild Bunch. Claire asked for the day's dial-in and knowing the brakes were now free I said 11.20. For both the runs I was matched with Keith Crampton in his Soul Town Shaker. Both were great races. In the first Keith beat me with an 11.19/118 to my 11.35/116. The second was even better, Keith still got there first with an 11.25/117 to 11.38/116 and only 0.056 difference at the top end.

Other than the problem with the carb, the only other issue was a slight vibration through the car, not so much when running down the strip but on the tow back after. It felt like it was coming from the prop area. The car was loaded back on the trailer and the Wild Bunch prizes were given out. The car was parked next to a truck in the pits and the owner asked me what size the engine was, so I told him, he asked what size the carb was so I told him, he then asked if I was interested in a 850 Barry Grant DB. Hhe went and got it out of the truck and it was like new - h said he had used it once and it looked like it - and the price was also good, so it ended going back home with me.

When I got back home, I found that the front wing was only held on by one strut. I noticed that it was shaking quite badly while getting towed back a couple of times, but as I had covered it with WD40 before I left the track I know it looked OK then. On Monday we managed to get the body up high and the top panel off to get to the prop. I undid the shield and had a look at the joint and could see the problem straight away. I had a problem fitting it on and now I could see why, the cup was not sitting in the holder as it should. I undid the bolts and took it apart to check for damage, there was not any, so it was greased and I made sure this time it was fitted as it should. On Tuesday I phoned Fay at Speedflow and ordered the fittings needed and then after work fitted the 850 onto the engine. On Wednesday the parts arrived first thing and I fitted them after work. Throttle pumped twice andwith a push on the starter it fired up, it cut out once and restarted straight away and then had a nice slow tick over. On Friday I put the car into the garage and got the body off ready for work the next day.

On Saturday I got down to the garage at about 8:00 and I had the stainless tube ready to make the new struts. The old struts were three-piece with tube in the middle and a couple of boat fittings welded in each end. This time I just made them one piece. I made small jig to crush in the ends and then flattened them again using a vice, drilled the holes (not as easy as I thought) and the wing was re fitted. I rubbed down and re painted the exhausts and went right through the car checking all the nuts and bolts.

I also had a couple of small problems with the trailer, so when the car was finished it was pushed outside and the trailer pushed in. One of the wheel arches was welded on, I drilled another set of holes in the rear stands as they were too high, and I fixed all the lights so they now all work.

With only the paintwork to be done before the Hot Rod Drags, the car is now sitting back in its corner ready for next week's event at Shakespeare County Raceway.

I would like to thank everyone who has have helped to get my car built and ready for the track. Steve and Lesley Field, for without their hard work over the last few years this car would not have been built at all, not only working on the car also looking me after on the work weekends - I'm going to miss the nights out down at The Bear and the Kebab shop. Jon Paine for doing the paintwork, with the hard bit still to come. Alan from Newgate (Newark) Ltd, who has sponsored me from the start and has been a good friend. Les and Lisa at Tonypandy Motor Co, where I work, where the car is worked on and lives. Ian (Smiler) for machining the heads for the roller rockers, and other machining needed. Crazy Chris, for doing the front wing. There are many more, and if I have missed you I am sorry, but I think Norm Wheeldon and Herb Andrews also get a well deserved Thank You for their help with the wheelnut drama, also Phil and Duncan for sending one of theirs to see if they would fit. Norm came up trumps and found that he had one sitting in his garage, he brought it down to the Nostalgia Nationals so that I could run. Herb has made one in stainless and is now taking pride of place on the car.

Thanks for help at the Nostalgia Nationals: Dave and Linda Williams, Tom and Bob Hawkins, Tanya Porter, and Crazy Chris for helping on Sunday. I would like to thank everyone who came to see me over the weekend tosay that they liked the car. I know it's my car and I am meant to like it, but after looking at all the photos which have been posted over the last week there is not one angle of the car I would change. I love it just the way it is. And yes Norm, the screen will be fitted, but over the winter. And to find the photo by Julie Steele with the front wheels off the ground (first run Sunday) made it even better as I didn't even know that they had come up. There a video of the last run by Dave Derry on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Judu7ZiKFR8.

Allard Chrysler lives again.
2nd July: Years of hard work by Brian Taylor, the Allard Chrysler Action Group and its supporters were rewarded last night as the legendary dragster was fired up. ACAG Chair Brian writes:

OK historians, log these details in your book of legends. The date: Sunday 1st July. The place: the workshop at Andy Robinson Race Cars in the UK. The time: 2030 local. Those present: Andy Robinson, Bob Roberts, Martin Dunks and Brian Taylor.

After a long day's work, Sydney Allard's 1961 Allard Chrysler dragster was fuelled with methanol and then burst into life. The first time since 1964. The sight, sound and smell were amazing. Thanks to all those who have backed us and to an amazing team of people working on the car we have brought drag racing history back to life.

There is still plenty of work to do before Brian Golder's original restoration has been completed but nothing which cannot wait until after Dragstalgia. We will be able to attend the Cacklefest Ball on the strip on Saturday evening on 14th July and during 15th, and for the first time since 1964 those attending will be able to see and hear the car which started it all in European drag racing terms. Make sure you are there.

The start-up was recorded on video and you can find that at www.youtube.com/watch?v=zosoe5-b9yo. We will release lots more info soon. How did I feel? Relieved, proud and so excited. I didn't sleep much last night just re-running that moment in my mind. Wow.

Eurodragster.com reader offer.
2nd July: Eurodragster.com sponsor Power Race Graphics   are running a special offer for Eurodragster.com readers until the end of this month. Darren West writes:

If you're forming a new team, approaching potential sponsors, or simply need to refresh the tired old logo for your race operation, then look no further than the summer logo design promotion from Power Race Graphics. For the very special price of £125 choose from six unique logo designs created exclusively for your team, plus business card design featuring your chosen logo (supplied print-ready). Each chosen design will be supplied in .PDF, .JPG and .AI vector formats suitable for your web site, team wear, print and vinyl graphics requirements.

So for a great new identity for your team and a big saving on our normal prices, don't miss our July offer! Check out our designs on the Logos pages at www.powerracegraphics.com.

MT tyres OK for UK.
2nd July: Regular readers know that we would not normally place a commercial news item near the top of a news update; however there is an important piece of information for racers in the next paragraph so we have made an exception.

Lee Child of Eurodragster.com sponsor LA Racing Parts tells us that after two years of work investigating the EU ruling and guidelines on importing tyres (readers may recall the clean v dirty oil manufacturing issue), it has been confirmed that racing tyres are not included in the EU ruling. "Many individuals made a fantastic contribution in submitting information to clear up this grey area for Mickey Thompson Tires", says Lee.

Subsequent to this clarification, LA Racing Parts have been appointed sole UK distributor for Mickey Thompson car and bike racing tyres. "The full range of Mickey Thompson racing tyres is available as well as drag racing wheels", says Lee. "Mickey Thompson ET Drag slicks have many different sizes catering for Pro Mods and all Sportsman classes in Championship drag racing. Mickey Thompson Tires are also the preferred tyres for Japanese Import racing, for European Sports Compact and for Test and Tune events. Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial , ET Street Radial Pro, ET Street and Sportsman Pro are the leaders in performance for treaded tyre racing categories all over the world with many National records in the UK. Mickey Thompson Tires also have full range or front runners tyres for Funny Cars, Altereds, dragsters and doorslammers. Mickey Thompson ET Drag tyres for bikes are also available for Top Fuel Bike, Pro Stock Bike, Funny Bike, Comp Bike, Sportsman categories and bike sprinting events.

"With all these excellent tyres what better way to complete the package by using Mickey Thompson ET drag wheels or Mickey Thompson Pro 5 drag wheels. LA Racing Parts are offering even better deals for keeping it MT with wheel and tyre combo purchases. For more information please contact LA Racing Parts on 01803 391740 or E-Mail [email protected]. Chassis shop and dealer enquiries are also welcome. LA Racing Parts not only give you more power with VP Racing Fuels but now you can hook it up even more with Mickey Thompson Tires."

European Top Gas Round 2.
2nd July: The Netherlands' Herman Jolink writes that the second round of this year's Euro Serie Super Twin Top Gas took place over the quarter mile at last weekend's Drachten Nationals - or that that was the plan before the weather intervened for the fourth Drachten event in a row.

Herman himself was sunning it up in 40-degree sunshine at the World Ducati Week at Misano in Italy, an event attended by more that 30,000 Ducati fans. "It is a real pity for everyone that the racers and eXplosion crew did not have the same weather as us", he says.

"On Friday morning there was sunshine at Drachten but then the eXplosion crew had problems with the Christmas Tree. In the afternoon two pairs of cars ran and then it started to rain and did not stop. Qualifying started at 09:00 on Saturday. After two runs qualifying stood as follows:
  1. Milan Kolacny Czech Republic on Blower Honda 1000 SP with a fresh tyre 8.506/246 kmh
  2. Chris van Nimmen B on 2600 V-Twin, a lot of new things in the bike such as gearbox, ignition and so on 9.034/232
  3. Harry van Schie NL on 1966 Blower V-Twin 9.989/173, gearbox was not shifting well, Harry shut off
  4. Simon Lewis D on 2000 V-Twin 11.187/136 a lot smoke from the engine after the finish line
"Alternate was Peter Niklas D on Turbo Honda 1000 SP who had electrical problems, 14.666/124.

"Then a car hit the guardrail and it fell over. With help from the public the 500-metre rail was stood up again, it was amazing to see so many helping to allow the race to go on. At 18:00 eliminations were started because they expected it to rain the whole day on Sunday. At 22:20 racing was stopped after some cars put oil on the track and drivers not being able to control their vehicles. That cost a lot of time and Top Gas had no eliminations.

Top Gas points after two meetings:
  1. Harry van Schie NL 550
  2. Herman Jolink NL 465
  3. Simon Lewis D 430
  4. Peter Niklas D 410
  5. Milan Kolacny CR 365
  6. Chris van Nimmen B 330
  7. Bernd Niessen D 300
"I spoke to Frank Heitmann, his bike just needs a new Dyna ignition and new wiring after it melted last season. We hope that he will get the bike ready and race again in Top Gas. The next Top Gas dates are:

29th June-1st July: Bechyne, 100 km south of Praha Czech Republic with music and a good concrete track, organisation Jerry Lackey and the Predators MC
20th-22nd July: Dutch Open, Drachten NL, a very good track in the north of The Netherlands
10th-12th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim D, always a good show and a lot of spectators
17th-19th August: Dutch Finals, Drachten NL
30th August-2nd September: Mosten Race Days, Randers in the north of Denmark. Top Gas finals. Almost 300 competitors and a lot of Top Fuel Bikes. Very very good traction prepared by Holger Dueholm and the MC Mosten crew."

Rip van Charman.
2nd July: The UK's Kev Charman has been in touch with an account of his SPRC Summernationals weekend on Richard Gipp's Pro Stock Bike:

Met up with Richard, his crew Nigel and the bike at the track on Friday, set up as per normal, and bike all prepped, scrutineered and ready for Saturday.  Lizzy was keeping an eye on the weather forecast as it was changing hourly, from terrible to not so bad but windy!

On Saturday we were not disappointed, the weather was dry but terribly windy, but nothing we couldn't handle. Qualifier #1 7.88/166, spun off the line hurting only the sixty foot, the rest of the run was fine and not too bad a start for an opener.  We had to sit out Q2 as the clutch switch stopped working just as we were about to leave the pit and we had no time to fix it. Q3 7.83/166 - left the line ok, the sixty foot was a bit better, but still had some spin. I thought I had double shifted on the second shift, but video evidence proved differently.  There was a slight improvement on time. I was made to sit out Q4. Last time I overruled the boss, I damaged the bike!  Good call by Gipp on reflection, as it rained anyway. And did it rain!

On Sunday we got up to see low cloud; no rain, but a ferocious wind.  The Race Director rightly decided that the bikes would only run over the eighthth due to the weather conditions, as there was a very strong crosswind. To help the bike as much as we could we took the wheelie bar boards off to give her a fighting chance.  Sorry Doug - having the best sponsorship space on the bike comes with a price!  They will be back on for next time.

We had Ray Debben in the first round of eliminations and we had lane choice, but as far as I was concerned it was still going to be a tough race.  Ray has been racing in Pro Stock Bike for many years, and has a wealth of experience compared to me.  My reaction was 0.05 to Ray's 0.08. I managed to get out in front of him then somewhere around the 330 foot I felt the bike step sideways, and feathered the throttle. I thought I caught sight of a green bike by the side of me, so I got back on it and tried to morph into the bike. I stayed in front, not realizing that Ray had in fact shut off and made the first return road.  Back to the pits, prepped and ready for what was going to be a long wait for the final.

The final was against Len Paget, again a racer with a wealth of experience.  Both into stage, no messing about. Len cut an awesome light, I on the other hand was obviously having a doze, and stopped to watch him go or so it seemed. A pretty dismal 0.22!  First loser. Congratulations to Len, not much of a race really, sorry!  My first trophy in Pro Stock however. Towed back to the pits, and got around the corner to find the joke really was on me.  The whole Team were all sitting on the benches having a doze... very droll!

All in all not major issues this weekend, apart from one: the only big issue we had all weekend was no data from which to tune due to an intermittent problem with the logger after we thought we had it sorted. Pretty much all the runs were guesswork by Gipp and to be honest he did a fantastic job of "tweaking blind" - a lot of which he didn't tell me about!  Still, quite pleased considering I am overweight and under-powered!

It was very good to see Paul King back on the track again, but disappointing not to see Mark Smith. Very good to see Richard and Sam Stevens of our sponsors MPM Oil UK albeit briefly.  Hope your back is getting better, Sam. A quick shout out and "Mend quick" from the whole team to Leigh Russon after his off at the weekend. Hope you are recovering and not too battered.

The recognition to individuals and also the sponsorship which help us out over the season is getting bigger and bigger, so in no particular order: on the front line Richard Gipp, Nigel and Chris Pyke, Lizzy and Jake; the track crew and commentators at Santa Pod; Eurodragster.com as always (Thanks, you're welcome - Ed) ; and our sponsors Richard Stevens at MPM Oil UK, Doug Cheke at Ensys, and Steve Wood at Motorshack. Thank you never seems enough!

Crossley's aegrotat.
2nd July: The UK's Phil Crossley explains why the Bopchop Comp Bike team had to sit out the SPRC Summernationals:

During the second round of qualifying at the Springspeed Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway we suffered a wrist pin failure which did  a lot of damage. We needed new engine cases, a crank, liner, piston, valves, head... you name it!  It was a shame, as we had taken the number one qualifying position for the second time this year, and we had the points lead. 

After some late night crank repairs in Roger Upperton's workshop earlier in the week, we at least had something to work with. So, in an attempt to go racing and with the help of crew member Stuart Kenny we spent all day on the Friday prior to the event trying to put a smaller 1260 cc engine together from parts we had - that, and bailing incoming rainwater out of our workshop which is in a cellar, and which was threatening to flood us out! Unfortunately we realised at the last minute that parts were needed that we just didn't have, and at that late stage in the day we decided we were just going to have to miss the Summernationals.

Ideally we need to do more investigating anyway, as we've damaged a lot of engines in the past year and the cause remains largely a mystery. We've never been at a stage where we thought OK, let's turn this thing up a bit. All we've ever done is take power and timing out to keep it safe and it's still gone faster! Hopefully the next couple of months will give us chance to build the engine right, and we can finish off the season without further carnage and with the seven-second run which we have been looking for.

Thanks to our main sponsor Argent Cakes for their continued support this year, and to the very skilled Roger Upperton who has helped an awful lot with repairs to damaged parts.

The Bopchop racing team now have a Facebook page as well as our long-term blog site at gsxbopchop.blogspot.com. Please check in on us and say hello.

Swift snippets.
2nd July: Many thanks to Paula and Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 5 of the official entry list for Bug Jam. which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 20th-22nd July (race days 21st-22nd). You can check out the Big Jam entry list by clicking here. Standard-price entry is now closed; entry, if accepted, is subject to a late-entry fee. You can download the Bug Jam entry form from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc.

Web site updates.
2nd July: The latest issue of the Speedgroup newsletter has been published and includes previews of this week's FHRA Nitro Nationals and a lot more. You can check it out at club.speedgroup.eu.

On the subject of the FHRA Nitro Nationals, you can stay in touch with the current official entry list on the Finnish Hot Rod Association web site at www.fhra.fi/binary/file/-/id/2/fid/444.

Swift snippets.
1st July: We were sorry to hear from Mark 'Animal' Bodimeade of the death of the US' Donnie Holbrook in a plane crash yesterday. Donnie was well-known in Europe as a parts supplier and had worked with teams here most notably Denmark's Stig Neergaard. He also raced and tuned in the USA. Our sympathies to Donnie's family and friends.

Stuart Peck has been in touch to respond to the query about the identity of Captain Sunflower in yesterday's Swift Snippets, which we can reveal came from UK Pro Mod racer-in-waiting Steve Rawlings. "Could it be Allan Faulkner, because that lime green 'Cuda was his car", says Stuart. "I can tell you a story about that number plate AAR 340. I asked him about it what seems like a millenium ago, where and how he managed to get a private plate like that - AAR 340 as in 340 cu in and AAR Barracuda. He said "I got it from Clarkins the car spares shop". Yep, he used to drive that car up to the Chelsea Cruise with dodgy made-up plates and Mc Creary slicks. Those were the days. Funny enough he runs the tanning shop at the end of my road with Sharon, maybe I will pop in and ask him if he is still a closet Captain Sunflower."

Curiouser and curiouser as Steve Rawlings is not sure that he agrees. "Captain Sunflower is actually the alter-ego of Jason Wood. currently believed to be a resident of Brighton", says the Happy Chappie. "Jason is a big old Chrysler nut, who usually makes his annual pilgrimage to the Mopars. Will he bring Captain Sunflower out to play this year? Faster than a speeding bullit, is it a man is it a plane, etc..."

Mum, dad, Holley and Jayne have asked us to say a big Happy 21st Birthday to UK Super Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Pete Walters. Jayne Kay tells us that Pete is spending his birthday in Las Vegas. Hope you are having a great day Pete.

Web site updates.
1st July: In the latest instalment of his exclusive Racer Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car. Eurodragster.com sponsor Derek Flynn reflects upon the Kalanc/Gold RV Top Methanol Dragster team's first FIA event win. As ever you can stay in touch with the latest Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Alamo Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.


Earlier news