2015 FIA regulations published. 28th December: Many thanks to FIA Drag Racing Commission member Lars Pettersson for letting us know that the 2015 regulations for the FIA European Drag Racing Championships are now available on the FIA web site. You can view the FIA's drag racing regulation page by clicking here or alternately view the individual updated documents below: 2015 FIA International Sporting Code 2015 Technical Regulations and Race Procedures 2015 SFI Specs All documents are in PDF format and amendments are highlighted. SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 5. 28th December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation on Saturday 7th February 2015. For several of the 2014 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners. This week's latest category, the last, is the James Edgar Memorial Trophy. The James Edgar Memorial Trophy is awarded for outstanding performance by a Crew Chief, tuner or crew member. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows: Willen van Baalen, for Tom van der Wijden (Super Pro ET) Vote for Willen van Baalen Dave Bowe, for Garry Bowe (Super Street Bike) Vote for Dave Bowe Dave Catton, for himself and Brad Jackson (Super Pro ET) Vote for Dave Catton Nick Garrett, for Rick Garrett (Pro Modified) Vote for Nick Garrett Daniel Giles, for Barry Giles (Super Pro ET) and Thaliah Gibb and Harley Coulsell (Lucas Oil Junior Dragster) Vote for Daniel Giles Jedd Guy, for Isaacs and Tramm (Pro Modified) and Colin Millar (Outlaw Anglia) Vote for Jedd Guy Chris Hope, for Alex Hope (Pro Stock Bike and 9.50 Bike) and Mark Hope (8.50 Bike) Vote for Chris Hope Robin Orthodoxou, for himself (Comp Eliminator) Vote for Robin Orthodoxou Spencer Tramm, for Isaacs and Tramm Racing (Pro Modified), Dave Holland (Super Street Bike), Joseph and Samuel Holland Villa (Lucas Oil Junior Dragster) Vote for Spencer Tramm Richie Webb, for himself (Super Comp) Vote for Richie Webb To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to David Anniwell. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to [email protected] specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail. For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. And every year we say this, but every year someone tries it on: please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at [email protected]. Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please have the courtesy to contact SPRC direct rather than Eurodragster.com. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement. Hall of Fame announces 2015 Gala. 28th December: It may be eleven months away but the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the date and venue for its 2015 Gala Awards Dinner. After the successful 2014 event it will be no surprise that the Savill Court Hotel in Windsor Great Park will again be the venue. The date will be Saturday 21st November. Better put it in your diary now. BDRHoF Chair Stu Bradbury said "I intend that our next BDRHoF induction ceremony will be just as spectacular as the fabulous 2014 event. Drag racing now has a platform to entertain customers and potential sponsors in an atmosphere more suited to something they would expect from people who are serious about what they  do. 2014 guest Donna Garlits noted several ideas to include in their own International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Awards evening held in Ocala, Florida during March. For the first time, the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame will be represented by members of the BDRHoF Management Group who have been invited as VIP guests. What a great honour." The BDRHoF has also announced that Geoff Stilwell is joining its Management Board. In truth this formalises the current situation as Geoff has been playing an important role in developing the BDRHoF and in particular the Gala Dinner. PMR seats available. 28th December: Paul Marston Racing are still working away on their new shop adjacent to Drag Race Engineering, and with Easter relatively early in 2015 there is never enough time. The driver line-up at PMR has yet to be finalised and there are some very interesting opportunities for arrive-and-drive customers: The Miller four-link dragster is still available for either Super Pro ET or Super Comp in 2015. It is going to be a very interesting prospect in 2015 for anyone who is looking at a full season or to drive as a team car with more than one driver. This dragster is a proven winner: it won the NHRA Division 2 Super Comp Championship in 2010 and in 2014 it won both the NitrOlympX Super Comp title with Rene Kloss at the wheel, and the UK National Finals Super Comp title with Martin Curbishley in the seat. With two different motors, as we bought the dragster as a roller, and two different drivers, this is quite an achievement. The dragster needs a good driver but with its track record and the PMR crew it will most probably be a player in the 2015 Championship, wherever it competes. In the doorslammer stable there are plenty of cars from which to choose, all of which are winners in Super Street, Super Gas, Super Comp, Pro ET and Super Pro ET. At least two drivers will be competing in the doorslammers in 2015, but their drives are not finalised. Because of the competitiveness of the door cars there is not a whole lot of difference, it's just down to personal taste. Paul Marston is looking at carrying on with the PT Bruiser in 2015 after a solid start at the FIA/FIM European Championship Finals. Paul will make a firm announcement on the PT Bruiser once the team knows who else is joining the driver line-up. The Paul Marston Drag Race School is looking forward to a busy start to the 2015 season, with the four-link dragster now available alongside the doorslammers. PMR expect a steady flow of new drivers. For more details of the Drag Race School please [email protected] or call Paul on 07831 650230. Paul Marston Racing will also be returning to North Weald Drag Strip for the four Heads-Up Quick 8 events held at their Public Test Days during the summer. Organised by Maitland Racing, the events are one-day affairs on a Sunday and are great fun, traditional grass roots drag racing at its very best. Having won two of three in 2014 (the fourth was rained out) and three out of four in 2013, PMR are still the team to beat and will return in 2015 to defend their record. There are also a couple of projects that PMR in which are currently either involved or in discussion. These will hopefully become reality over the next few months and could involve PMR moving into exciting new territory. Stay tuned to Eurodragster.com for more information, in the meantime from everyone involved at PMR a very Happy New Year. JT posts Top Sportsman bonus. 24th December: The organisers of UK Top Sportsman are pleased to welcome their newest backer, well-respected ex-Lightning McQueen Ford Probe doorslammer driver John Tebenham, JT to his friends: Despite selling his Ford Probe quite recently John is no stranger to the drag strip and attends most Santa Pod events for at least one day as a spectator. By day, John is an investor in worldwide companies and a developer so it is impossible logistically for John to compete. John has however watched the growth of UK Top Sportsman and sees the class as warranting investment to help it attract more sponsors and to help it grow. To this end we are delighted to announce that, over and above the prize money posted by UK Top Sportsman, there will be a special bonus of £1000 for the winner and £250 for the runner-up in the the Heads-Up sixteen-car eliminator at the Mopar EuroNats at Santa Pod Raceway in July. This makes that race without a shadow of a doubt the richest race in the Sportsman drag racing calendar by a huge margin. John Tebenham understands UK Top Sportsman and wants to help it grow. For the class to grow it needs investors like JT and all the great associates and sponsors who are already on board, for their money allows us to reward teams and drivers who put in so much hard work and dedication. Competing in UK Top Sportsman is tough: it really is the toughest, hardest fought, Sportsman doorslammer class in England, and Europe for that matter. As of 2014 there has never been a repeat winner, and in the heads-up race the number one qualifier has only ever won once. To have such parity is rare. Our sincere thanks go out to all our sponsors of 2014 and before: Paul Woodhead at Direct Plastics, Matt Wright at wemoveyourcar.com, Paul at Antigravity Batteries, Kenny Coleman at Engine Data Analysis, Jeff Bull Racing Engines, Geof Hauser at Hauser Race Cars, Bil Macdermid at Topspeed Automotive Speedparts, Gary Hall at Damn Yankees American Car Club, Gary Springford at Drag Race Engineering, Steve Strong at Steve Strong Engines VW Specialists, Dave Gibbons at Rough Diamond Race Car Fabrication, Dave Coleman at Cole Mechanical, Paul Marston Racing and all the rest. Thanks especially to Eurodragster.com for your unwavering support (Thanks, you're welcome - Ed). Keep working on those Top Sportsman Doorslammers over the winter, the richest race just got a lot richer! VWDRC do the honours. 24th December: Richard Merriman writes that the Volkswagen Drag Racing Club closed its 27th season with their AGM and Trophy Presentation at the Jurys Inn in Milton Keynes: Preceding the AGM it was decided to organise something a little different that involved corners! Club sponsor Herbies Autos kindly arranged for a bit of track action in the way of Karting. With eighteen racers taking part we knew there would be some friendly rivalry, close racing and good banter. In the end there were two groups and the winner from each group was presented with a Herbies Autos trophy. Well done to Bruce Collins and Jaygun Evans. Saturday evening was a good opportunity to hit the pub, catch up with good friends, and do a bit of bench racing! Onto the AGM, and in a packed room we began the trophy presentation. A huge congratulations to this year's winners and runners-up: VW Pro: Champion James Hodson, runner-up Jacob Bailey VW Sportsman: Champion Ed Keech, runner-up Adrian London Sir Brian Burrows Rookie of the Year: Ed Keech Wagenmaster Driver of the Year: Ed Keech RNJ Motorsport Car of the Year: Paul Jordan (collected by Tom Herbert) Dennis Cox Memorial Trophy (Highest Consistent Qualifier): Adrian London Becky Sutton Memorial Trophy (Services to the Club): Luke Stevenson None of this would have been possible without the support of the racers and of course the Club sponsors, so I would like to say a huge thank you to: APIRA Championship sponsored by Paul Jackson, Bio Cam; DC Customs; Fast Turbo; Kleen Freaks; Reich Speed Aircooled; Vanology, Worksafe Direct; WRP Paint & Restoration. If you would like to sponsor the VWDRC then please get in touch, we would love to hear from you. For more about the Club and latest news check out our Facebook page or our web site at www.vwdrc.com. That just leaves me to say have a fantastic Christmas and we look forward to seeing you again in 2015. Swift snippets. 24th December: Santa Pod Raceway Track Announcer and Eurodragster.com Blogger Colin Theobald writes to congratulate UK Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Nic Williams of OCS Paint and Williams Brothers Racing on his marriage to Alix yesterday (Tuesday). "I just hope that the "All that I have I share with you" part of the vows means that we will see the new Mrs Williams in the Camaro running some rapid numbers next season", says Colin. We're sure that everyone will join us in wishing Nic and Alix many happy years together. Ian Marshall and all at Santa Pod Racers Club have asked us to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy and successful New Year to all racers, crew members, marshals and officials, Santa Pod Raceway staff and not forgetting all of the Eurodragster.com and Nitro FM staff (Thanks! - Ed). "Thanks for a great 2014 season", they say. "Have a great off-season, spend time in the garage, and we hope that Santa brings you all of the parts and pieces you are wishing for. See you all in 2015." No news update yesterday so we were unable to say a Happy Birthday to Shakespeare County Raceway PR Jerry Cookson. Hope you had a great day Jerry. The Simpson Christmas Carbon offer is still ongoing; for details check out Monday's news update. 2014 Champions' Champions. 24th December: Honorary Eurodragster.com staff member Andy Marrs of TSI Timers and our own Simon have again been hard at work to compile lists of European and UK Champions' Champions. The Champions' Champions tables show the all-time highest points earners since the FIA and FIM European Championships began in 1996 and 1992 respectively, and the UK National Championships began in 1999. In all-time FIA European Championship points, Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren passed 6000 points, Top Fuel Dragster racer Micke Kågered passed 5500 points, Pro Stock racer Jimmy Ålund passed 4500 points and Top Fuel Dragster racer Anita Mäkelä passed 3000 points. Jimmy moved up from #6 to #5 in the all-time standings and Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Urs Erbacher moved up from #8 to #7. Tethys was the fiftieth racer to score points in FIA Top Fuel Dragster. Micke Kågered took over the #1 spot in Top Fuel Dragster career points, passing 3000 points whilst Anita Mäkelä passed 2500 points. Also moving up the Top Fuel Dragster standings were Thomas Nataas #5 to #4, Eurodragster.com sponsor Urs Erbacher #6 to #5 and Stig Neergaard #9 to #7. Timo Habermann passed 2000 career points in FIA Top Methanol Dragster whilst Manty Bugeja moved up the standings from #9 to #8. In FIA Top Methanol Funny Car Jürgen Nagel moved up the standings from #10 to #9. Åke Persson became the one hundredth racer to score points in FIA Pro Modified. Bruno Bader moved up the standings from #3 to #2, Roger Johansson #8 to #7, and Robert Joosten #9 to #8. Michael Malmgren passed 6000 career points in FIA Pro Stock whilst Jimmy Ålund passed 4500 points. Thomas Lindström moved up the standings from #14 to #9. You can check out the FIA Champions' Champions by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. In all-time FIM Europe Championship points, Top Fuel Bike racer Ian King passed 2500 career points, whilst Pro Stock Bike racer Fredrik Fredlund passed 2000 points. Ian King moved up from #4 to #3 in the all-time standings, Fredrik Fredlund #8 to #5 and Pro Stock Bike racer Martin Bishop from #10 to #9. Ian King passed 2500 career points in FIM Europe Top Fuel Bike. In the FIM Europe Supertwin standings Ronny Aasen moved up from #6 to #5. Fredrik Fredlund passed 2000 career points in FIM Europe Pro Stock Bike. Garry Bowe moved up from #3 to #2 in the FIM Europe Super Street Bike standings whilst Steve Venables moved from #4 to #3, Mogens Lund up from #7 to #5, and Danny Cockerill up from #8 to #7. You can check out the FIM Champions' Champions by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Scoring for the UK National Championships Champions' Champions is based on an event having to be completed for a win to be registered. Race wins are ranked by number based on the driver or rider. Points however are scored and ranked on a team basis, as are numbers of Championships. For teams with multiple cars or drivers changing teams during or between seasons, the compiler's decision is final. 2014 was yet another disappointing season for weather. Only three of the meetings involving most car and bike classes were completed. On the brighter side there were an almost unprecedented eight first time Championship winners. One of these eight first time winners is Alex Hope, who also became the first bike racer to win National Championships in two different classes. Another notable pair of Championships is Allan Davies (Comp Bike) and Louis Davies (Junior Drag Bike) who are the first father and son to win National Championships in the same year in British drag racing history. In MSA Pro Modified Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson, after his most successful year for some while, leads numbers of Championships with four, event wins with fourteen, and career points. In Super Pro ET, Scott Hauser has won his second Championship, the first back-to-back Championships in the class for a decade. Martyn Jones, Steve Green and Ian Tubb also have two Super Pro Championships each. Barry Giles leads wins with fifteen in total to now-retired Steve Johnson's nine. Barry Giles leads aggregate points from Steve Johnson. Incidentally Steve Johnson, in his near-forty year long racing career, won Championships as long ago as 1976. Rick McCann's 2014 Championship means he is the only Pro ET racer to win three in the period under review, all gained with the '84 Camaro which is headed to Sweden with the team. Lee Huxley has won nine races over the years under review. Team Heaven & Hell lead the points tally over the Huxleys' Team Top Banana and, latterly, Dark Horse. Congratulations to Ricky Hale who won the 2014 Sportsman ET Championship. At the top of Sportsman ET scores, Geoff Cowley and Team Rainy City Lightning (Al and Linda Platt) both have three Championships, Geoff Cowley and Rick Denny both have seven wins and Team Rainy City Lightning still lead the points aggregate. In Super Comp, Paul Hudson won his first Championship despite the major setback of a transmission explosion at the European Championship Finals. Brian Pateman has three Championships, thirteen wins, and a points margin of 6460 over Tim Adam gives him a clear lead on all three measures. Jon Morton's fourth Super Gas Championship, back-to-back with 2013, means he now equals Tim Adam in Championships won. Jon has also equalled Frank Mason's record of twelve race wins in the period. Frank continues to lead points scored. In Super Street, well done to Karen Stevens on her first Championship in 2014. Karen is only the second female to win a non-Junior car Championship in the period under review (Carla Pittau winning in 2002 and 2004 as part of Team Heaven & Hell). In terms of overall tallies, Leigh Morris leads in all three categories with four Championships, sixteen wins, and leading the points aggregate by 3000 points from Bob Lees. In Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator, Stu Williams won his first Championship and congratulations to him. Steve Pateman still dominates the overall listings with five Championships, seventeen wins and a 4880 points lead over Ian Hook. In Lucas Oil Junior Dragster, Joe Kellett retired from the class having won his third Championship, the only racer to achieve this tally in the history of the class. Nick Mugridge continues to have the most wins with nine and Joe Kellett has achieved a points lead over Nick of 6320. In the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association, Lawrie Gatehouse's Chaos Topolino with Nick Davies at the helm has equalled Rebel T and driver Clayton Round's three Championships won. Nick Davies has now won three back-to-back Championships in Chaos. The Chaos team (including previous drivers John Wright and Gary Page) lead the aggregate points and Frank Bennett and Dennis Wratten have the most wins with seven apiece. Eddy Smiley won his first Championship this year in 8.50 Bike and congratulations to him. Mick Winyard continues to lead numbers of Championships won (three) and has won four events, with Jake Mechaell now equalling this total. Mick leads the points total with a margin of 4080 over Eddy. In 9.50 Bike, well done to Alex Hope on becoming 2014 Champion in a highly competitive season. Eurodragster.com sponsor Fred Furlong leads Championships won with four. Rick Sawatzki's thirteen wins head Fred's ten, and Rick assumes the overall points lead with a margin of 170 over Fred. ACU Top Fuel Bike was contested at the Festival of Power in 2014 with Steve Woollatt adding to his many Championships, with event wins and aggregate points with totals unlikely to be equalled any time soon. The 2014 ACU Funny Bike Championship was won by Gary Jones, who previously won the 2005 Comp Bike Championship. Neil Midgley continues to lead all three categories in Championships, wins and points. Alex Hope added to his 9.50 Bike Championship the ACU Pro Stock Bike title and well done to him on this considerable achievement. Dave Beck continues to lead all overall categories in ACU Pro Stock Bike and his eight Championships and record thirty five wins to his name in ACU competition is unlikely to be beaten. Congratulations to Allan Davies who won the ACU Competition Bike Championship this year, his first National title. Phil Leamon and Ivan Birch each has three Championships, both have ten wins and Phil also leads the points with a margin of 11300 over Stu Crane. In ACU Super Street Bike Steve Venables won his sixth national Championship and leads the number of Championships from Graham Dance's four. Steve has twenty four victories to Graham's nineteen and he leads Graham by 5880 points. The Junior Drag Bike Championship was won by Louis Davies, well done to Louis on his second title. Scott Collier leads the total of Championships with four and wins with ten wins. He also leads the points tally with a margin of 5390 over second-placed Louis. You can check out the UK Champions' Champions by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Drag Racing Unplugged XVI. 24th December: As has become traditional on our last pre-Christmas update, we have posted a page of the best quotes from this season's Eurodragster.com Event Coverage including Tog's, Simon's, Kirstie's, and Julian's personal Quotes of the Year, together with other one-liners we didn't publish at the time. In association with Event Coverage sponsor Alamo Rent-A-Car we are pleased to present Drag Racing Unplugged XVI, the 2014 collection. Click here to view Drag Racing Unplugged XVI, or click on the Alamo Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Eurodragster.com's Christmas break. 24th December: We will now be taking our Christmas break. News updates and postings to our Jeff Bull Race Engines Swap Meet are suspended until Sunday (28th), but votes for the SPRC Perpetual Awards will still be accepted. Keep those news items coming to us at [email protected] and we will post them on Sunday. In the meantime we have compiled our usual requests to Father Christmas, together with our New Year resolutions: Top of Tog's Christmas list: Ideally I would like to wake up and discover that a few of the things which happened this year were just a horrible dream, but this isn't a soap opera so I will instead ask Santa to bring us a year of harmony and progress for the sport. Top of Simon's Christmas list: Good health and good weather. Top of Kirstie's Christmas list: A food mixer. I'm becoming domesticated in my old age and watch far too many Great British Bake-Off repeats. Top of Julian's Christmas list: An even bigger lens, because size does matter! Tog's New Year resolution: When in the line of fire, to keep smiling and remember that several thousand people out there appreciate what we do. Simon's New Year resolution: To get the funding to attend all FIA and FIM rounds. Kirstie's New Year resolution: To buy a new, larger and improved suitcase for Hockenheim and Tierp (Good grief - Tog and Simon) Julian's New Year resolution: To try harder to keep my web site galleries up to date, something I failed to do in 2013 and 2014. Tog, Simon, Kirstie, Ed and Julian would like to wish all Eurodragster.com readers and their families the very Happiest of Christmases, and to thank everyone who has sent us personal Christmas wishes and cards. See you on Sunday. Feature: Marshall Dickson Racing. 22nd December: For the latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, Simon spoke to early UK racers John Dickson and Roger Marshall. John and Roger built one of the first Ford Anglia E93A-based Competition Altereds which they ran between 1968 and 1976. They also worked alongside John's brother Tony who imported and ran the UK's first Pro Stock car. John had a parallel role as a writer of race reports for many of the motorsport press titles current in the early 1970s. Later, their names became synonymous with Marshall Dickson Performance, the speed parts business run not by them, but by John's late brother Tony between 1979 and his death in 2002. Roger and John remain great friends after nearly sixty years, despite living 150 miles apart. You can check out our interview with John and Roger by clicking here or by clicking on the Interviews, Features, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. We would like to acknowledge the assistance of Dave Riswick of Eurodragster.com sponsor John Woolfe Racing in arranging the interview. SSB: A new Hope. 22nd December: The spy pictures appearing here on Eurodragster.com on Friday and yesterday turns out to be an exchange between FIM European Super Street Bike Cup and ACU UK Super Street Bike Champion Steve Venables and the new owner of his previous Super Street Bike, ACU UK Pro Stock Bike and UK National 9.50 Bike Champion Alex Hope. Alex explains: After a successful year on both the Pro Stock and 9.50 Bikes, we were looking for a new challenge for 2015. The original plan was to upgrade some parts on the Stocker and to run the FIM European Championship with the aim of competing with the best. A low number of rounds for FIM Pro Stock Bike in 2015 meant that we started to look at other options to give next year's racing some substance. I want to run the 9.50 Bike at a couple of meetings with its number one plate so a couple of rounds at Shakespeare County Raceway are on the calendar. For Santa Pod dates the seat on that bike looks likely to be taken by another rookie hoping to follow in his father's footsteps and win races. I'm guessing more word on that will come after the first couple of test days! My brother Mark was kind enough to let me ride his turbo Busa at the Flame and Thunder Show, which was a lot of fun. So we started to see what was available in that sort of format.  The current ACU and FIM Europe Super Street Bike Champion still had this old girl in the garage and had threatened to sell it earlier in the year. So I called Steve up to see if he was still looking to move it on and we managed to strike a deal. We will have Steve's support with the bike until we feel we have a handle on it, or run similar to the bike's best. We are all looking forward to a new challenge for the coming season with the support needed to be as quick as possible as soon as possible.  The plan is to run the ACU UK Super Street Bike Championship, and the Pro Stock Bike in those FIM rounds we have for 2015. See you all at the track. Web site updates. 22nd December: In the latest instalment of his exclusive Blog presented in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car, engine builder Rob Loaring reviews the 2014 season for the Garlick and Antoniou Apache Nostalgia Funny Car and identifies issues which need to be dealt with in 2015. 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. Simpson Carbon Christmas offer. 24th December: Eurodragster.com sponsor Simpson Europe are offering Eurodragster.com readers special Christmas deals on safety equipment. Big discounts and free shipping anywhere in Europe make an extra special Christmas present, and your favourite drag racing web site will derive a small benefit from all sales. Head And Neck Restraint Simpson Hybrid Pro XS-XL now €625 (was €935) + VAT - free shipping anywhere in Europe FIA approved 8858-2010 Option X-Package €185 + VAT - free shipping anywhere in Europe Quick Release Anchors and Tethers €60 + VAT - free shipping anywhere in Europe The Hybrid device is the preferred head and neck restraint amongst drag racers around the world. It provides comfort and the design allows easy entry and exit from a doorslammer or dragster. The Hybrid X package is designed for drag racing's extreme speeds and is an option for the Hybrid Pro Head and Neck Restraint. The option includes a double chin strap W-style and semi-rigid neck collar constructed of SFI 45.2 approved padding. The package provides extreme protection featuring six tethers connecting to four points on the helmet. The Hybrid X package is designed for drag racing's Pro classes in which severe tyre shake is common. For sizing, and to order your safety kit, visit the Simpson Europe web site at www.simpson-europe.com, E-Mail [email protected], or call +46 901 34700. Happy Birthday Champ! 22nd December: Sharron, Jerry and Skye Collier have asked us to say a big Happy 18th Birthday for today (Monday) to their son, Supertwin Top Gas Champion Scott Collier. "We couldn't be more proud of this amazing young man", they say. "He won four Championships in his nine years in Junior Drag Bike, including 2013 which was his last year in Junior racing, then in his first adult season this year won the ACU Top Gas class making five Championships in total by the age of seventeen. We are not sure that this has been achieved before? Alongside his first adult season success he also won a place on the British Motorcycle Manufacturing Academy apprenticeship programme at Norton Motorcycles, Castle Donington, and is thoroughly enjoying the challenge. He has been put on the TT Race Team and is currently help design and build  the lightweight bike for Cameron Donald for TT 2015!  In the past few weeks he has passed his car theory test, and also theory test, MOD 1 and MOD 2 of his motorcycle tests.  We are in awe of him, he is quiet, humble, kind, generous, thoughtful and very self-critical, he seems to have no idea how talented he is,  a rare quality.  We love him to bits." Have a very Happy Birthday Scott. SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 4. 21st December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation on Saturday 7th February 2015. For several of the 2014 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners. This week's latest category is Most Professional-Appearing Team. The Most Professional-Appearing Team trophy recognises not just the presentation of a race vehicle but the team's overall approach to racing. As well as a well-turned-out car or bike, the Committee have considered such aspects as the appearance and attitude of team personnel, the organisation and appearance of their pit area and support equipment, and their readiness when their class is called. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order of team (not racer) name, is as follows: Billy Gane, Billy Gane Racing Super Pro ET Vote for Billy Gane Racing Brad Jackson, Brad Jackson Racing Super Pro ET Vote for Brad Jackson Racing Glenn Pallant Pro ET Vote for Glenn Pallant Tom van der Wijden, Meth-Ness Super Pro ET Vote for Meth-Ness Dave and Scott Gibbons, Rough Diamond Racing Super Pro ET and Lucas Oil Junior Dragster Vote for Rough Diamond Racing Martin and Matt Smith, Team Extreme Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator Vote for Team Extreme To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to David Anniwell. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to [email protected] specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail. For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. And every year we say this, but every year someone tries it on: please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at [email protected]. Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please have the courtesy to contact SPRC direct rather than Eurodragster.com. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement. The next voting category will be the James Edgar Memorial Trophy. Swift snippets. 21st December: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words "She is settling in at her new home!" in an apparent reference to Friday's spy picture. If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. Also arrived in its new home is the former Carter Motorsport Top Fuel Dragster which Sweden's BSG Racing A/Fuel Dragster team have acquired from Ben Allum. The team expect the car to make a few outings in Stefan Gunnarsson's hands next season although his and Robon Lantz' A/Fuelers are the priority. Their friends and the entire Paul Marston Racing team asked us to say congratulations to Simon Brown of Santa Pod Raceway's fire crew and Jade Gregory, who were married yesterday (Saturday). We're very pleased to do so and we're sure that everyone will join us in wishing Simon and Jade many happy years together. Welcome Hillingdon Speed and Spares. 19th December: We are very pleased to welcome Hillingdon Speed and Spares as a sponsor of Eurodragster.com News. Speed and Spares have been trading in Hillingdon since 2002, offering performance and service parts for American vehicles, servicing and MOTs at their own garage. They are a Lucas Oil stockist and hold a range of products from Edelbrock, ARP, Mr. Gasket, Trans Dapt and many more. A mail order service is now available for all parts for any vehicle, and with weekly deliveries from the USA parts can be sourced and delivered within a very short time. Proprietor Steve Hudson is himself a racer in Pro ET so has a good understanding of racers' needs. Hillingdon Speed and Spares will also be event sponsors at Shakespeare County Raceway for the Springspeed Nationals on 2nd-4th May 2015 and the Open Sport Nationals on 29th-31st August 2015. We are very grateful indeed to Steve Hudson for his backing. Please support those who support Eurodragster.com by considering Hillingdon Speed and Spares when shopping for goods and services. Swift snippets. 19th December: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words "Off to its new home!". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. The last Eurodragster.com News update before Christmas will be posted on Wednesday, Christmas Eve. Andy Marrs and our own Simon have already turned in this year's updated Champions' Champions for both European and UK Championships, and we have finished Drag Racing Unplugged XVI, both traditional and very popular parts of the Christmas Eve update. We will take a break, including suspending postings to the Jeff Bull Race Engines Swap Meet, after the Christmas Eve update and the plan is to return on Sunday 28th December. The deadline for news items or Christmas greetings for inclusion in the Christmas Eve update is 21:00 UK / 22:00 European on Tuesday 23rd December. Out for the Count. 17th December: UK Super Pro ET racer Vince Gibbs, driver and owner of the six-second Nosferatu 1997 Pontiac Firebird, writes with some unwelcome news: After many months of thinking, soul searching and deliberation I have finally reached the decision to hang up my racing boots. I have had a lot to think about this year and without going into loads of detail (not really the right forum, but my close friends and family will understand) I think it's time for me to do something else. Many may not realise that I have been racing for over twenty five years, starting with the Street Rover V8 challenge back in the 1980s with my old Toyota Celica, then the Northern Street Car Challenge, followed by driving Ray Eldred's Sanity Assassin Toyota and finally creating our dark beast, Nosferatu. Drag racing and the drag racing family is an addiction and as many of you know, to break that addiction is a really hard decision, but for me and my family it's the right one at this moment. I would like to thank my crew James and Susie for being very understanding and also to everyone who has supported and helped us in the past. It's amazing how many people step up to help when you have problems, with tools, parts and sound advice. Thanks to you to all and I will no doubt still bump into you at the Pod or Shakey. Nosferatu, trailer and the truck will all be up for sale soon so if you would like any details then please E-Mail me at [email protected]. Who wouldn't want a six-second, 200+ mph dark beast lurking in their workshop, eh? Straightliners presentation. 17th December: Many thanks to Trevor Duckworth for letting us know that the Straightliners Annual Reunion and Awards evening takes place on Saturday 17th January at the Cedar Court Hotel, Lindley Moor Road, Ainley Top, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD3 3RH, following the Straightliners AGM that afternoon: This is the night we celebrate the year's Championship, from winners to the Best Newcomer, we celebrate them all. This year we will be providing a live band, Black Thursday, buffet, and there will of course be a bar. Tickets are £25, and there is an additional 50p charge for those paying online to cover PayPal fees. You can book tickets on the Straightliners web site by clicking here. Rooms can be booked direct with the hotel on 01422 375431. Single rooms are £50 and double rooms £60, please mention the Straightliners presentation to get these rates. The Straightliners AGM takes place at the same venue at 2:30 pm that afternoon. This is a chance to discuss the year's events with the crew, and to hear plans for next year. The meeting is open to all and there is no charge to attend. The AGM puts forward any changes that are planned for 2015 and also highlights anything which needs to be discussed with the crew and the community. It is also a chance for you to raise any points you may have. The 2015 Straightliners calendar is as follows: Round 1: 29th March, Santa Pod Raceway Round 2: 12th April, East Kirkby Round 3: 3rd-4th May, York Raceway Round 4: 13th-14th June, Santa Pod Raceway Round 5: 4th-5th July, York Raceway Round 6: 2nd August, East Kirkby Round 7: 5th-6th September, Jurby Round 8: 13th September, East Kirkby Round 9: 11th October, York Raceway Round 10: 18th-19th October, Santa Pod Raceway Swift snippets. 17th December: Babs Holland has asked us to say a big Happy 65th Birthday to Barry Holland of Team Flying Dutchman. Babs tells us that Barry is retired and lives in France but still attends races at which son Nick races. Have a great day Barry. Steve Dudley writes that the next slot drags meeting of the new season takes place on Mr D Raceway at 2:00 on Sunday 18th January at Higham Memorial Hall, School Lane, Higham, Kent ME3 7JL. "The hall is chargeable", says Steve. "If you would be kind enough to carry on the tradition of a couple of quid in the pot it would be appreciated. I have loan cars available if you do not have your own and would like to take part in eliminations." We like to think that our English is pretty good here at Eurodragster.com, however despite plainly-worded warnings we have had three attempts at organised votes for the SPRC Perpetual Awards. For the thousandth time: we can spot this stuff a mile off, all of the votes in question have been deleted, save your energy. Bomber, BDRHoF Christmas gifts. 15th December: WorldWide Bomber Magazine Editor Janne Uskali has been in touch to let us know that back issues of the English-language bike magazine may be read on-line free as part of a web site revamp. "It will soon be WorldWide Bomber magazine's first birthday and as a special offer we are not just making back issues available to read on-line but also offering a one year subcription for £8, €10 or US$12", says Janne. Only WorldWide Bomber subscribers get rights to read the latest WWB issues and you get free new Bomber Babe 2015 calendar. The normal price for this calendar is €20. Subscriptions can be obtained via the magazine's shop at shop.bomber.fi/wwb-subscription. "As you know, there are not so many magazines out there in which you can read the latest drag bike news, riders' or team profiles and more. We really want to be one of the most active Drag Bike magazines out there." Follow the links below to check out some articles from this year's issues: Peter Svensson profile First ride on a Funny Bike Ian King profile Race fuel comparison Those who attended the 2014 British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala Awards Dinner in November will have many great memories of a fantastic evening, which was encapsulated in the special sixteen-page A4 size Souvenir Programme which all those present received as part of their table pack. In full colour, the publication was sponsored by Custom Car magazine and the front cover reflected the look of early copies of the publication. Designed by Power Race Graphics it features full details of all inductee citations and the other awards presented on this unforgettable night. The BDRHoF is pleased to announce that a limited number of copies of the programme are now available for sale to those not able to attend the event. The programme is priced at £10 per copy plus postage and packing of £1 to the UK, pound;2.50 to Europe and £3.60 to the rest of the world. For more details or to order your copy E-Mail [email protected] or call Stu Bradbury on 01933 279102. Swift snippets. 15th December: Swedish Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren and clutch tech Bjarne Cox visited last week's PRI Show in Indy to check in with their product sponsors including, seen at right, cylinder head supplier MBE. "MBE are the best in the business and we are proud to represent them in Europe", says Michael, "such great guys. It's good to see so many European teams at PRI and you get to know so many nice and funny people both at the Show but also at clubs in the evenings. See you all again next year!" Christine and Sandy, Collin and Megan and Charlotte have asked us to say a big Happy Birthday to UK 8.50 Bike racer Stuart Morrice. "Have a fantastic day" they say, and we're very pleased to second that. Stutz' back and forward view. 15th December: Twenty-year-old Noah Stutz, the world's youngest Top Fuel Dragster driver, contested his first ever NHRA Top Fuel race in Las Vegas in November, setting the second fastest thousand-foot ET by a European and making a good impression in the process. Noah recently submitted to a Q&A about Las Vegas and about his plans for 2015: You recently came back to Switzerland. What were impressions being in the USA for the first time and starting in the world's most prestigious series? Noah: It was incredible. It's quite a big difference when you get out of your car and instantly have to give an interview on ESPN with more than a million spectators. It's something I'd never known before. What was the main difference between Europe and the USA? Noah: Definitely the extent of the facility. The huge amount of people in the paddock in between the teams and fans where people try to get autographs and a photo with the drivers. The fans love the sport and you can tell how professionally everything is organised there. How did the top stars of the Top Fuel scene react to you? Noah: Everybody was very friendly, welcomed me warmly and gave me advice. I think they were happy even though I'm actually another opponent for them. But everybody was very nice. What are your plans and goals for 2015? Noah: Actually a whole season is planned, twenty four races across America from February until November. We're still negotiating with teams trying to grab a one of the sought-after Top Fuel seats for the season. How are you preparing for next season? Noah: The end of one season is the lead-up to the next season. Together with my team and partners we are working hard to set up a good package for sponsors and investors in the short time between racing seasons. Lucas, Santa Pod Autosport hook-up. 15th December: Autosport International is Britain's annual showcase of the world's fastest, most powerful racing cars. But venture to the far side of Hall 8 at the National Exhibition Centre and you'll find a machine far and away faster and more powerful than anything else in the show. The Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster packs the horsepower punch of ten Formula One cars (that's right, ten!). 0 to 60? Forget it – the Lucas Oil machine can reach 100 mph in less than a second and top 300 mph at the finish line just 1,000 feet away. Firing it up indoors would probably lift the roof off. The dragster will be the centre of attention when Santa Pod Raceway and Lucas Oil occupy Stand 8000 for all four days of the show and the car's owner and intrepid pilot, Chris Andrews, will be on hand to explain how it all works. One of drag racing's bonus points is open access to the pits, so you can see the teams and their cars at close quarters. At Autosport International, you can get closer still to this remarkable racing projectile – indeed, if you'll fit the cockpit and ask nicely, Chris might even let you climb on board. Displayed alongside this mammoth machine will be a representative from the opposite end of the drag racing spectrum: the Alamo Rent-A-Car Junior Dragster driven by sixteen-year-old Paige Wheeler. Don't let this car's diminutive size or the youth of its driver fool you – Junior Dragsters only race over the eighth-mile but will easily outrun any self-respecting, road-going supercar over that distance. Paige has been driving them since she was eleven; sister Belle started when she was eight. Whilst the dragsters draw the crowds, Lucas Oil will take the opportunity to present two advanced products new to the UK market, a series of oils and additives for top-flight racing engines and an anti-gel diesel fuel treatment. XRF stands for Extreme Racing Formula and is described as a major breakthrough in racing oils and lubricants. Les Downey, managing director of Lucas Oil Products UK, explains "It raises horsepower in the toughest of environments and – most importantly – provides better engine protection between oil changes". The Lucas Oil XRF range includes utility lubricants such as engine break-in oils, gear oils, greases and suspension fluids, and has been developed through an eighteen-month partnership with major American racing series such as NASCAR, NHRA, Indycar and Off-Road. Lucas Oil's Cold-weather Diesel Treatment Anti-Gel is a fuel remedy that is particulate filter-safe, contains no alcohol, includes water dispersants and is designed to prevent cold filter plugging. It is also compatible with bio fuels and is economical to use. These two new lines join the biggest variety of shelf products of any oil company. Lucas Oil supplies over 270 unique formulations to more than forty countries around the globe. Lucas Oil representatives will be present on Stand 8000 to explain the company's range of products alongside members of both drag race teams keen to tell visitors about their spectacular and competitive sport. Santa Pod's own staff will be there too, happy to discuss a 2015 season programme crammed with more than fifty events for lovers of all manner of fast-paced, motorised machinery – enthusiasts, participants and spectators alike. It is for good reason that Santa Pod Raceway is known as "The UK's most action-packed venue". SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 3. 15th December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation on Saturday 7th February 2015. For several of the 2014 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners. This week's latest category is Best Appearing Bike. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows. You can see larger pictures on the official Perpetual Awards page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Louis Davies, Junior Drag Bike Vote for Louis Davies Pete Field, Super Street Bike Vote for Pete Field Pete Le Gros, Funny Bike Vote for Pete Le Gros Liam Holgate, Junior Drag Bike Vote for Liam Holgate Chris Mott, Supertwin Top Gas Vote for Chris Mott Phil Pratt, 9.50 Bike Vote for Phil Pratt Jay Roe, 9.50 Bike Vote for Jay Roe To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to David Anniwell. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to [email protected] specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail. For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. And every year we say this, but every year someone tries it on: please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at [email protected]. Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please have the courtesy to contact SPRC direct rather than Eurodragster.com. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement. The next voting category will be Most Professional Appearing Team. Hackers' Strip act. 13th December: It's travelogue week here at Eurodragster.com as, following on from Robin Jackson's tales of Tours with the Family Garlits, another good buddy in the person of John Hackney has sent his account of the Street Car Supernationals at The Strip at Las Vegas, at which he assisted and he and Eurodragster.com sponsor Lee Child competed. Hackers writes: The trip started with a flight to Los Angeles Airport with Lee Child and Joe Elliott. Unfortunately we got off to a slow start in Immigration, taking just over two hours to get through, then about sixty minutes at the rental car desk due to the upselling scheme that seemed to be going on. From there it was off to Ontario Airport for the first leg of our trip of a day at the NHRA Finals at Pomona. The NHRA meeting was something else. Sitting at the finish line is a great place to be, and with some Championships going right down to the final race it was a very interesting day. From there it was off to Las Vegas on Monday, via Peggy Sue's Diner at Barstow for a $3.99 shake. Tuesday started with a visit to see Jason Kenzevitch at Hot Rods and Horsepower, a great place for Speed parts new and used. From there we went to the track to help with the pitting process. Woke up at stupid o'clock on the Wednesday, so off to the track for 7:00 am to continue meeting and greeting racers at the gate with Mel and Sally. It was great fun to meet so many of the racers who were coming from all over the USA. As for the racing part it was now time to get all of the paperwork out of the way and get the cars to tech, Both passed easily. The first qualifying session was at noon on Thursday. My opening effort in Street Muscle was a 0.147 reaction, followed by a -0.109 red in Bracket 1. That was Sportsman qualifying over for the day, so time to hit the stands and watch the Daystar shootout. Standout run of the night for me was Roger Holder in his Radial tyre Camaro running a 6.20/240. Friday Started off with Street Muscle in the lanes at 8:00 am prompt, Due to not having had the large bucket of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts my reaction was 0.297, then it was a hot lap to the lanes again for Bracket 1. -0.004 this time, close but the wrong colour. Back into the stands for more action on the track from the Pro classes then back in the lanes after lunch for another qualifier. This time I pulled a 0.125 in Bracket 1 and 0.051 in Street Muscle so at last getting there. The action on the track and in the pits at this event is second to none. Saturday, and into the lanes again at 8:00 am. A super nice touch is the RFC Chaplain walking the entire lanes and wishing you a safe day. In Street Muscle I netted a 0.101 reaction and Bracket 1 a -0.021 red. So my the final qualifying position was near the bottom in Bracket 1 and about midway in Street Muscle. The first round of Street Muscle was Saturday afternoon due to the fifty or so cars entered, Based on random pairings I was pitted against another Challenger and in a double breakout race mine was the lesser so I was through to round two without having to buy back in. Bracket 1 was a very interesting pairing with Rich Zehring pulling up next to me in his Twin Turbo Pro Mod - a lot of racers double and triple enter on the day for track time. This was an easy one for me as he held the car on the line for ages and still ran a 7.24 on his 7.00 dial-in. Just glad I didn't break out. That was the bracket racing done for the day so more spectating to be done. Saturday Evening was spent wondering what the fuss was about with crawfish, as my good friends Mikel and Andrea took us to Hot and Spicy Crawfish in Vegas. To me it was like chicken wings, a lot of fuss for a very small amount of food. Sunday dawned with quite a headwind but pretty good air quality so I was in the lanes again at 8:00 am, paired up with Kortney Simonian in her Camaro in Street Muscle. My reaction time wasn't brilliant but in my mirror I could see her red light and then a lot of smoke so another win. Bracket 1 was ended by Bob Bundy in his super-consistent AMC - when you see that amount of event decals on a car you know your time is up. Onto the third round of Street Muscle and I was laddered against my neighbour in the pits, Randy Mincks in his immaculate Red Maverick. Both of us broke out but his was the lesser so that was me done for the weekend. I will be back next year and you all really need to book a trip around SCSN 11 next November. I would like to thank Mel, Heather, Mallory and the PSCA team for once again putting on such a great event, Ruthie and Ron for the loan of the lucky crash helmet, all of the Washington Area Racers with whom we were pitted, Mikel and Andrea for the top BBQ food, and Ritchie and Jo for the constant supply of English tea. And everybody else who knows me! Editor's note: A big Thank You to John, Lee and to Camp Stanley for carrying Ed O'Connell memorial decals on their vehicles in Vegas. Web site updates. 13th December: Our good buddy Chris Eyre has updated his European Nostalgia Funny Car web site with a small write-up on the NFC teams' exploits at Hockenheim including some great video footage from the stands. You can check it all out at euronostalgiafunnycar.jimdo.com. "Looking forward to next year, I will hopefully soon be sorting out some build pictures from new teams, and a report", says Chris. "Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" Mike Collins has posted an FIA/FIM European Championship Finals report in his Still Ramblin' column in the American Autoparts Insight newsletter. You can check out Mike's report (PDF format) at www.americanautoparts.co.uk. Top Dragster, non-dragsters welcome. 11th December: UK Top Sportsman organiser Paul Marston has announced that the complementary class Top Dragster is to be introduced at next June's Back With Mods at Santa Pod Raceway. Top Dragster will be open not just to dragsters but to altereds, Funny Cars and roadsters. This is a class at which we have been looking very closely for a couple of years. James Forster of Santa Pod Raceway has been working with us to find a home for this exciting new class and we are very grateful to him. The home we have found is the Back With Mods Scooter and Ska Festival on Friday-Sunday 12th-15th June. Santa Pod has such a busy action-packed schedule that it is always a difficult task to find an opening for something new. In the States these two classes run together at selected NHRA and IHRA events, they complement each other very well and are the fastest and most thrilling Sportsman classes in both franchises. It will be thrilling to have the same thing happen here. UK Top Dragster will run to the same competition rules as UK Top Sportsman, which are other than safety there are no rules. This is run what ya brung and hope you brung enough! Two races over two days. The first is a Fast Bracket Race, 0.400 Pro Tree, one time trial run then straight into the first round with random pairings. There will be a buy-back available for first round losers. The second race a Heads-Up Eliminatorw, which is initially planned to be an eight-car qualified field but maybe sixteen depending upon entry. One shot qualifier then, again, into eliminations. The prize fund is structured the same as UK Top Sportsman. There will be an electric hook-up option. There are some seriously fast Sportsman dragsters out there but this is not just open to dragsters: it is open to any centre- or side-steer non-Doorslammer such as altereds, roadsters, Funny Cars etc. A lot of dragster teams have been asking for this for the last couple of years, here it is and this is your chance to support it. This is an event run by racers for racers, this is where you enjoy competition and make friendships. This will be the fastest, hardest, meanest, toughest, richest, heads-up dragster event and it will be televised so tell your sponsors. We need your help now: all interested teams are asked to E-Mail us at [email protected] or call me on 07831 650230 so that we can gauge the numbers interested. We would also very warmly welcome any European teams who would like to attend. If you know anyone who might be interested then please contact them on our behalf. E-Mail us with any questions, we will be only too pleased to answer them, or check out the UK Top Sportsman Facebook page for rules, regulations and how it all works. We will be looking for sponsors who would enjoy supporting and seeing this kind of competition. Come and be part of this exciting new development. Special thanks to Eurodragster.com for making our job of so much easier and for being such a staunch supporter (Thanks, you're welcome - Ed), your work will never be taken for granted. Swift snippets. 11th December: DC Electronics have announced that 2014 FIM European Super Street Bike Cup Champion Steve Venables will be meeting and greeting visitors on both Trade Days of Autosport International at Birmingham's NEC. You can check in with Ven and his bike between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm on stand E181 in Autosport Engineering on Thursday and Friday 8th and 9th January. If you are looking for a unique Christmas present for the drag racing fan in your life then Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson Race Cars have good stocks of previously-owned Pro Mod rods, pistons and valves, both damaged and lifed. If interested then please E-Mail Bob Roberts on [email protected]. Alternately you could get in touch with European Top Gas Series racer Milan Koláčný in the Czech Republic and purchase his Championship-winning eight-second Honda. For more details check out Bikes For Sale on our Jeff Bull Race Engines-sponsored Swap Meet. For another Christmas idea Santa Pod Raceway are selling tickets to their own 2015 events at 20% discount until 31st January. To order your Early Bird tickets visit Santa Pod Raceway's on-line ticket shop at www.eticketing.co.uk/santapodraceway. We would like to wish the UK's Outlaw Street series a very Happy 5th Birthday. Congratulations to Mark Wallington and the guys and here's to many more years. Zeon TV DVDs review. 11th December: One of the eagerly-awaited highlights of the off-season is the release of the Season Review DVDs by Zeon TV. As ever this year's offerings do not disappoint, as Simon writes: A new title and surely a potential best seller is the Santa Pod 2014 Season Review. Hosted by Colin Theobald, this includes over two hours of highlights from Fast Show, Festival of Power, FIA/FIM Championship Round 1, Summer Nationals, Dragstalgia, Bug Jam, Mopar Euronats, USC, Monster Truck Nationals, VW Action and FIA/FIM Championship Finals. It's a tremendous showcase which proves yet again that Santa Pod is the No. 1 venue for motoring entertainment in Europe. FIA/FIM Championship Finals racing footage is taken from the highly successful live web TV coverage from Greenlight TV. If you want interviews and background features you should look at Hardcore Street or MSA Pro Mod, but this is not to detract from a hugely impressive presentation. MSA Pro Modified covers all six rounds of the Championship, including both FIA rounds, with detailed commentary by Darryl Bradford. This includes footage not seen in previous coverage elsewhere. Racers and tuners are interviwed frequently throughout the DVD and there is also behind-the-scenes footage of racers' cars which is an education in itself. In-car footage is extensive, showing how these cars are handled down the track. There was a lot of action this year with new cars being licenced, large fields and misfortunes, all borne with bravery and good humour, that every moment of the two-hour running time seem packed. The Dragstalgia DVD opens with suitably nostalgia-tinged footage. The variety of the event was staggering, with many nostalgia classes, as anyone who attended will remember. One special, and in some ways unique, feature of the UK nostalgia scene is the the number of historic competition vehicles which make passes along the track, which greatly adds to the meeting's atmosphere. Colin Theobald as announcer repeats his role from the track and so gets to commentate on his own run in Bruce. The flame burnouts are included in footage which can't be seen elsewhere. There is extensive footage of the runs of Rat Trap and Pure Hell, which we were so honoured to get to see run at SPR. A treasurable record of a magnificent event. Hardcore Street is one of the the longest-running titles at Zeon and seven of the eight rounds of the 2014 Championship are fully covered with the Open Sport Nationals being a victim of the weather. A view of Top Sportsman from a Street Eliminator perspective is added. Footage of the Cruise is shown as an entertaining contrast to the racing. There were new heights in performance this year and some great new cars to see and one of the closest Championship finales ever. A visit to the dyno facility at Paul Webster's 1320.co.uk dyno facilities is included. Paul Venners commentates. The DVD of the twenty first running of the Mopar Euronats is indexed by day, but you can also select from the features of this event which never disappoints. Arrival, Cruise, Pro Mods, evening session, show and shine, eliminations, burnout and awards are all separately selectable. The organisers have all been involved since the inception of the event and this is a key to its success. Allowing other makes increases the diversity of the event rather than diluting the original concept. Graham Beckwith was the commentator at the event and repeats his duties admirably on the DVD. Much of the RWYB is highlighted and then the Cruise goes to its new location of Billing Aquadrome. Top Sportsman and Pro Mod highlights are included but those who want the full coverage of these classes are advised to also buy their own dedicated DVDs. The DVD of the Nostalgia Nationals and Hot Rod Drags organised by NSRA at Shakespeare County Raceway covers two events and is generously indexed. Paul Venners supplies commentary. SCR's wide open spaces and landscape are a gift for off-track shots, with a feeling of immersion in the event as you watch. On track, the mix of vehicles naturally includes hot rods as well as historic drag machinery, with less overlap with Dragstalgia than you might expect. Also by including both events the DVD is truly a highlights from five days of racing. As well as the hugely popular cacklefest, interviews include US Fuel Altered racer Rod Hynes, who gives great perspective to the nostalgia scene. The Top Sportsman DVD is the first as a separate title. The separate presentation is fully justified by the number of doorslammers entered in both the Mopar Euronats and VW Action events at SPR. Race organiser Paul Marston is an enthusiastic presenter and interviewer of many of the racers and Dave Gibbons is co-commentator. Top Sportsman enables many drivers to race those from other Championship classes or the RWYB scene and this makes for great entertainment. Plaudits to Direct Plastics, We Move Your Car Antigravity Batteries for support. The UK National Finals is one of the most exciting Sportsman events with all National Championships for cars being decided. This DVD is a comprehensive and tightly-edited record of the event with all car and bike classes shown. Colin Theobald again demonstrates the virtue of having the event commentator voice the respective DVD. This is a pure racing DVD with great momentum to keep your adenaline flowing in the cold winter months. The Springspeed Nationals includes all classes run at this completed event, both cars and bikes running under sunny skies for once. An astonishing variety of camera angles is used in the introduction. Qualifying runs are then shown in quick succession for many classes, followed by eliminations. Qualifying and eliminations are shown as separate chapters, which makes navigation through the event a doddle. Excellent commentary is by Paul Venners and this is a great DVD for those who wish to see the variety of Sportsman racing at Shakespeare County. We are blessed to have such high quality and detailed productions that showcase British drag racing. Camera work is excellent and the standard of commentary high - every car or bike is identified and announcers refrain from repeating times and speeds. David Coleman, Helen Todd and Tom Herbert are to be congratulated on the camerawork. These superb Zeon DVDs are available for £14.95 each plus £1.50 postage per order to anywhere in Europe. Various deals are available for the purchase of multiple titles. You can order online at www.quartermilehigh.com. Many thanks to Zeon TV for again providing review copies of all of their drag racing DVDs. Flamholc's PDRA plans. 11th December: Few racing enthusiasts are able to make it to the professional level of drag racing. Fewer still are successful. The select group who rise to international prominence dwindles to only a handful. Among that handful is PDRA racer, Sweden's Adam Flamholc. Over the last several years Adam has become a fixture in professional eighth mile drag racing in the US and abroad. In 2014 he competed at select events with the PDRA, managing a sixteenth place finish in overall Pro Boost points with just three appearances. When not following the PDRA tour in the US, Adam and team were busy chasing the European Drag Racing Series Championship in Europe. Adam fielded a Pro Extreme car with the SRIF and took home top honours in his class, winning the SRIF Championship. His European success inspired Adam to make the move to Pro Extreme with the PDRA. He recently sold his Pro Boost car and purchased Brandon Snider's Joey Martin-built '63 Corvette. Adam tested his new ride at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park this past weekend with pleasing results, 3.63/210. He plans to run as many PDRA events in 2015 as possible. "We did so well with our Pro Extreme car in Europe in 2014 that I plan to run as many PDRA events as I can in Pro Extreme next year", said Adam. "We'll run as much as we can in Sweden as well. Every year it's been like that for the last four or five years. We probably do twenty races a year." Adam not only serves as pilot for the team, but handles the roles of Crew Chief and engine builder as well. Their supercharger is provided by Mike Janis. "Our US team is only three or four guys", said Adam. "We work hard. We try to keep it not too big. It's easier to have control over it. The same guy does the same thing every time. It makes more sense to have two cars that are similar so I can share data from what we're doing over here in the US with what we're doing in Sweden and vice versa." While Adam plans to keep much the same between his two racing operations, he admits that there are differences between racing on the separate continents. "The big difference is that drag racing in Europe is not at all as big as drag racing here", he said. "So most of the tracks in Europe are old airfields which some organisation bought and fixed up and organise racing on. So they're basically all asphalt tracks. It's harder to race over in Europe. You can't go as fast as you do over here. So doing what I do is quite a big difference. If we run into tricky track conditions here in the US, it can be an advantage to have the data from European racing. "We bought a really, really good car. Brandon Snider was racing a similar set-up and a similar budget as what we have, so I hope that we can run well. The class is competitive, of course, but I really hope we can be among the top eight teams just like always." Adam plans to start his US season with the PDRA opener at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis on 20th-21st March 2015. Updates and additional information on Flamholc Racing can be found at www.flamholcracing.com. Swift snippets. 9th December: Fans of classic Top Fuel Drag Bikes of the 1970s and 1980s will be interested to learn that a limited-edition Team Pegasus T-shirt is now available. The rear of the shirt features a full colour illustration of the infamous double Norton-powered machine in action, as campaigned by Derek Chinn and Ian Messenger, and a small team motif on the front. Designed by Darren West of Power Race Graphics, and printed on quality white Gildan shirts, the Ts are available in limited quantities for £16 on the team's web site at www.pegasusteam.co.uk. As you may have noticed we are not posting the usual combined Christmas Gift Mart news item this year but we will gladly post any individual news items which we receive with Christmas gift ideas. Drop a line to [email protected]. Further to his news item of 27th October the UK's Robin Read has sent us a video clip of the first fire-up of his blown Daimler with its new billet cylinder heads and manifolds. You can check out the video clip (.MOV format) by clicking here. Big Splendid Meals and more. 9th December: British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Management Board member Robin Jackson had the enviable task of escorting the Garlits family around the south of England during their recent stay centred on the Hall of Fame Gala Dinner. Robin kept a diary of his travels which he kindly offered to share with Eurodragster.com readers: Wednesday 19th November: Breakfast time at Gatwick Airport and the first contingent of Family Garlits has jetted in from Florida – daughter Donna, grandchildren Rodney and Sarah, family friend Marjorie and, heaving a luggage trolley piled high with teetering bags, The Man Himself. Don is just back from a weekend at Pomona to celebrate NHRA's 50th Anniversary Finals: Friday night's red-eye flight from Tampa; Saturday and Sunday servicing queues of autograph hunters, pausing only to cackle Swamp Rat 3B; Sunday night's red-eye back to Tampa; now Tuesday night, Tampa to London. He'd have liked a couple more days' rest – no chance of that now. Ahead: nine nights at the Savill Court Hotel, near Windsor; some Splendid Lunches and Dinners; and plenty of people to meet. Thursday 20th November: Morning: a meeting in London, near Berkeley Square. Tip: take care if you need to park around here in a hurry. A dive into an NCP's stygian depths for a shade over two hours triggers a £36.30 parking fee. Evening: back into London for the International Historic Motoring Awards at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. A grim journey – Central London traffic is gridlocked. Intended time of arrival: 6.30 pm. Actual time of arrival: 8.05 pm. John Surtees is also delayed and they hold the meal – starters still on the table when dessert should have been approaching. A Splendid Dinner at last ensues. The Don Garlits Museum Of Drag Racing is one of four American entries shortlisted for Museum Or Collection Of The Year, but it's the sole UK entry, Haynes International Motor Museum, which scoops the trophy. Even heading home late at night, the traffic's still slow. Friday 21st November: A most Splendid Lunch at the Royal Automobile Club, where they fondly remember displaying Roger Moore's MSA Champion Pro Mod Viper in the Pall Mall building's Rotunda in January last year. The family dines in the trophy-laden Segrave Room beneath the portrait of Sir Henry, pre-war land and water speed record-holder, accompanied by a select band of "Industry friends and allies" – Phil Evans from the MSA and FIA, Keith Bartlett and Caroline Holden from Santa Pod, Simon Groves from Eurodragster.com. Also Alan and Celia Tiley: RAC member Alan was once Sydney Allard's mechanic and is now responsible for engineering this occasion. Afterwards, it's another two hours to drive the twenty five miles back to the hotel. Saturday 22nd November: It's Gala day at the Savill Court, but first there's breakfast time again at Gatwick Airport as the second contingent of Family Garlits jets in from Florida – daughter GayLyn, granddaughter Anna. Back at the hotel, it's busy-busy. BDRHoF's Gala director Brian Taylor and Julian Parsons and his tech team are hard at work setting up the room and a Santa Pod crew is delivering cars for display outside. Don is giving interviews – Motor Sport magazine's Rob Widdows declares it the most interesting interview he has done in years (watch out for publication in a forthcoming issue). Dan Welberry presents a copy of his new book, Haynes' Top Fuel Dragster Manual, to evident approval and, later, artist Paul Whitehouse presents a painting, to Don's delight. For the now five ladies of the party, there's an afternoon at the hairdresser's in Virginia Water. With everyone now primped, costumed and beautified to perfection, the Gala begins. There's been enough written and spoken about it elsewhere not to detain us here – but a Splendid Dinner it most certainly is. Sunday 23rd November: The day awakens to a monsoon but it doesn't deter Donna and the kids from taking a train into London for a wet day's sightseeing – Rodney gets to marvel at the prices Harrods charges for shirts. Meanwhile, GayLynn and Marjorie join Don speedboating up the motorway to Santa Pod where Nicola Hart and Sophie Ferriman have laid on a Splendid Afternoon Tea for the select band of enthusiasts who have waded in from all parts of the country. Event sponsors Lynn and Davie Marshall (from USAutomotive) and Julie Braskett and Alan Whiston have gamely hauled up from the Gala bash the night before, along with ICE Automotive's Rob Loaring. Don answers questions with fascinating stories. His detailed recall is extraordinary – remember, this is not some ten- or fifteen-year career but one which stretches over six decades. He signs and distributes copies of his book and autographs various proffered items of interest dating from as far back as 1960, including a copy of the 1964 DragFest LP. As the sun sinks (the rain has cleared, just about) the congregation troops out to the start line for photographers Andy Willsheer and Grace Roaf – and anyone with a camera-phone – to record the moment for posterity. Monday 24th November: The day awakens to sunshine, hooray, and begins with a South Coast trip to see a longtime family friend. The late Les Brooks was a Sydney Allard associate who looked after the Garlits family on their first UK visit for the 1964 DragFest and his widow, Joyce, has remained close ever since. There's a glimpse of glittering sea and then it's on to Beaulieu and the National Motor Museum, where delegations from the National Street Rod Association, the Allard Chrysler Action Group and the Wild Bunch await. First, though, there's an unscheduled detour into Chichester. By chance, concert pianist GayLyn's choir and orchestra has lately performed Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and passing within sight of the cathedral's spire without stopping for a snapshot or two cannot be countenanced. Beaulieu's gates open wide. The NSRA has helped sponsor the BDRHoF's Saturday night Gala and the Association's Richard Black and his powder-blue Model A Ford are waiting to greet Don on the Museum's forecourt. Inside, Don personally presents the Wild Bunch's Don Garlits Spirit Of Drag Racing shield to 2014 winner Keith Crampton. Then he inspects the Museum collection with its manager, Doug Hill. That evening, the family is invited up to Beaulieu Palace House by the Hon. Ralph Montagu, son and heir to Lord Montagu. GayLyn busks a little Bach on the Montagus' vintage grand piano to polite applause during drawing-room drinks, and a very Splendid Dinner indeed ensues. Tuesday 25th November: A Splendid Lunch in a Cotswold inn is followed by a visit to see Nick Mason's priceless private car collection. Nick is busily engaged with Pink Floyd's new album, The Endless River, but has made time to come up from London to join Ten Tenths' team colleague Mike Hallowes and show Don around the collection. For Donna growing up, this kind of music was an illicit pleasure, and she has come armed with a sheaf of Floyd discs and memorabilia which Nick happily signs for her. The party motors back through rainy Cotswold lanes with Dark Side Of The Moon pulsing out of the minivan's stereo from Donna's freshly autographed CD. Wednesday 26th November: To the heart of London once more, indeed into the City itself, for one heck of a Splendid Lunch. First, though, a real coup: the BDRHoF's principal benefactor, Geoff Stilwell of Beech Underwriting, has arranged a private tour of Lloyd's of London, the international insurance market housed nowadays in one of the City's most eminent modern buildings. Several members of the Lloyd's Motor Group who attended Saturday's Gala are here to welcome the party, now joined by BDRHoF's Stu and Bev Bradbury and by John Price, the former Voice of Santa Pod and an insurance broker by profession. Surrounded by brokers and underwriters busily at work, the party sees the famous Lutine Bell (two dongs for good news, one dong for bad) and a cabinet full of historical artefacts from Nelson's victory at Trafalgar, and takes a spin to the top of the building in one of Lloyd's glass-walled outside lifts to view the City skyline. Don is presented with an inscribed, commemorative silver salver minted in 1932, the year of his birth. Then it's on to that Splendid Lunch, given in the grand hall of the Mercers' Company, the Premier Livery Company of the City of London (Royal Charter granted 1394). Welcoming the party is Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, costumed in full aldermanic robes and now one of the pillars of the City establishment but born in (can you guess?) Florida. On the way back to Savill Court, GayLyn, Donna and the kids drop off for some more London sightseeing. It's amazing what you can squeeze in if you are determined: Natural History Museum, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye all from a mid-afternoon start, plus a dinner on top of that Splendid Lunch and a late-night train and taxi home. Thursday 27th November: It's Thanksgiving Day back in the USA. GayLynn, Donna and Sarah celebrate by doing the shops and sights in Windsor. Marjorie, Rodney and Anna elect to commune with the spirits, and a party of primary schoolchildren, at Stonehenge. The schoolkids are nicely behaved and the stones just carry on like stones do. Later, the family convenes for one last Splendid Dinner, laid on by Geoff Stilwell at his local olde-worlde pub south of Maidstone. It takes an hour and a half to reach Maidstone, another hour and a bit to get through Maidstone, but the pub is delightful and warm when the family arrives and the meal delicious – no Thanksgiving turkey perhaps, but no one misses it. Stu and Bev have joined Geoff for the occasion and the family takes its leave of its three hosts with warm words, shaken hands and a kissed cheek or two. Geoff's support has been the building block on which this entire visit has been founded. Friday 28th November: Breakfast time at Gatwick Airport. Syd McDonald and his 4x4 have presented themselves early at the Savill Court for luggage-carrying duties (good job Syd has a big car) and – wouldn't you know? – the traffic has breezed along like a dream right to the airport. Fond farewells exchanged, Family Garlits jets home to Florida. At long last, Don can take that well-earned rest… yes? Not likely. The electric dragster awaits, with new, more potent motors installed, and Don will be back in the cockpit first thing. There's that pesky 200 mph barrier to be broken, and a deadline too. He first topped 200 mph in a piston-engined car in 1964 and is dead keen to repeat the feat with battery power before the fiftieth anniversary year is out. What a truly extraordinary career Don Garlits has had – and it goes on still. The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame is indebted to Andy Wheeler of Europcar UK and Alamo Rent-A-Car for the transport provisions which made this itinerary possible. SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 2. 8th December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation on Saturday 7th February 2015. For several of the 2014 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners. This week's latest category is Best Appearing Car. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows. You can see larger pictures on the official Perpetual Awards page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Tyler Ashdown, Junior Dragster Vote for Tyler Ashdown Chris Isaacs and Spencer Tramm, Pro Modified Vote for Isaacs and Tramm Brad Jackson, Super Pro ET Vote for Brad Jackson Liam Jones, Super Pro ET Vote for Liam Jones Paul Letchford, Super Comp Vote for Paul Letchford Steve Neimantas, Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator Vote for Steve Neimantas Paul Przybyl, Super Pro ET Vote for Paul Przybyl Andy Robinson, Pro Modified Vote for Andy Robinson Bobby Wallace, Pro Modified Vote for Bobby Wallace To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to David Anniwell. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to [email protected] specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail. For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. And every year we say this, but every year someone tries it on: please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at [email protected]. Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please have the courtesy to contact SPRC direct rather than Eurodragster.com. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement. The next voting category will be Best Appearing Bike. Red Victor 5. 8th December: After a couple of months of behind-the-scenes work, and now the dust has settled in the 2014 street-legal racing scene, Andy Frost and the Red Victor 1 Racing team are now ready to unveil their plans for the foreseeable future in the street-legal racing circus: We will be upgrading RV3's powertrain to run in the five-second zone, and to bring the street-legal record back across the Atlantic, where it resided for two and a half years! Having watched the huge progress in street-legal racing which we started back back in 2010, we're happy that finally there are people who have joined us in the street-legal car revolution. That is what makes it exciting to be a part of it, and drives us on to new heights. The car itself has plenty of potential, as we didn't really scratch the surface of its chassis or engine tune-ups. Track time and weather in this area of the world played its part in that! We had less runs in one year than our competitors had in one meeting! What we are lacking for the job in hand, due to the restrictions of the class in which we were racing, is power. This will be now be taken care of in certain areas, namely the top end of the engine, the turbo size, and transmission. We will be using new Race Flow Developments spread port heads with a Victory Performance valve train, PAC springs, T+D rockers and Manton pushrods, along with a Steve Morris Engines billet intake manifold. Wilson Manifolds will supply the twin 105 mm throttle bodies, which will be supplemented by Precision Pro Mod GEN2 98 mm turbos, and Turbosmart wastegates/BOVs. Engine size will stay the same at 540 ci, and so will the New Century block, Diamond pistons, Winberg crank, GRP rods, Bullet/Morris cam and Jesel lifters. We will also have some new MoTeC equipment to add to the M800/CDL dash combo, namely a MoTeC PDM 30 and MoTeC keypad, to help with the street side which will allow us to change from pump gas to methanol with a press of a button. Transmission-wise we will be changing over to a Reid cased TH400, complete with a Browell 6.3 bellhousing. I will build the trans myself, with Hutch Transmissions overseeing the build and supplying the parts. We always wanted to use this trans combo, but the FIA rules prohibited it when the car was being built. Now that we are running 'Outlaw', we can run the trans of (our) choice. The bolt-together converter will also be our choice. The engine will again be built by Marc at Lamude Racing Engines, the same guy who built our record-setting engine for the last couple of years, and tuning duties again will continue to be handled by the world-famous Shane Tecklenburg, who is no stranger to setting records around the world! Once the upgrades are done, around August-September 2015, we plan on shaking the car down at Santa Pod Raceway, driving the car around the countryside to test all the new systems then shipping the car to a sunnier destination to test the upgrades to the full. From that we will see what transpires. One of the main reasons we are able to do this is because of our new sponsor the Red Victor 5 Second Club. We formed the club a short while ago, and after one month we have 120 dedicated club members who are supporting our quest for the fives and the street-legal record. They more than anyone are driving the team towards new heights, and all the RV1 racing team thank them for their unswerving support, along with our loyal sponsors and fans. The new Red Victor 5 Second Club Facebook page launches today (Monday). Big day for the Wild Bunch. 8th December: Wild Bunch Race Co-ordinator Claire Meaddows writes that a very special meeting took place at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu on Monday 24th November: Great thanks go to Brian Taylor, Robin Jackson and Stu Bradbury and all at the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, who had arranged a very special presentation for us.  They knew that every year the Wild Bunch awards a very prestigious trophy, the Don Garlits Spirit of Drag Racing Shield, to a worthy recipient amongst their ranks.  This trophy was sanctioned in 1996 by Don himself after a request by Wild Bunch founder Roy Wilding.  The award stands for a host of attributes including sportsmanship, commitment, enthusiasm, helpfulness, high standards, performance, consistency, development, perseverance and Wild Bunch team spirit.  The BDRHoF knew that our Annual Wild Bunch Prize Presentation was the same evening as their fabulous Gala Dinner, at which Don Garlits himself was being inducted as a new member and being honoured with several awards. They worked to find a way in which it would be possible to ask Big Daddy whether he would be so kind as to present our 2014 Don Garlits trophy winner with their award, and came up with the idea that whilst Don and his family could make the presentation whilst they were were on a visit to Beaulieu. This was duly arranged, in conjunction with a gathering of the Allard Chrysler Action Group, where Don met with Brian Taylor and many of the team.  This took place by the Allard itself, which is currently situated in the focal point within the very heart of the museum and on display next to the Commuter slingshot, another iconic car in the history of British drag racing.  We gave Don an album which contained the history of the award and write-ups and photos of all our past winners and our current winner, Keith Crampton and the Soul Town Shaker slingshot team. Keith has been involved in British Drag Racing since the mid 1970s firstly as a spectator, then as a marshall, and for the last seven years as a popular racer in the Wild Bunch.  This event was a dream come true for Keith, and a real honour.  He stepped forward to be presented with his award by Don himself,  and had the most beaming grin which never left his face all afternoon. We also had the opportunity for some of our previous winners to have a group photo taken.  Pictured are:  Claire and Mark from C&C Nostalgia Drag Racing Team Backdraft (1999), Dave Williams from Team Cunning Plan (2003), Adam Price from Team Gridlock's Go Hard or Go Home!!! (2010), Terry from Team Ratcatcher Resurrection (2011), Mark, Lynne and Harley from Team Limited Funz' Ballbreaker (2012), Scottie, Gina, Nicole and Beau from Team Tiki Munki (2013), and of course, Keith. The photos are courtesy of Adam Price of Team Gridlock and Photo Excellence. Several other Wild Bunch members also enjoyed touring the museum for the day, attending the presentation and joining in the celebrations. Everyone really enjoyed the chance to meet with such a great hero and big legend of our sport. We were very honoured and are grateful to the BDRHoF, and most of all to Big Daddy himself, who so kindly gave us his time and attention. We all wish him the best of luck in his current quest to achieve 200 mph in the electric-powered dragster. We know he'll do it! Still driving and still innovating!  Thanks for everything, Big! Junior Drag Bike season review. 8th December: Many thanks to Lizz McCarthy for passing on the end-season comments of the UK's Junior Drag Bike racers and introductions to next year's rookies: Alfie Udall (9.07/79): The highlight of my season is when I did my first burnout on the track in front of everyone thanks to Scott Collier for teaching me. My hopes for next season are to run in the sevens and, at least for once try not to break anything, and of course win! I would like to thank everyone in the Club especially my dad, Jerry, Sharron and Scott for helping me with any problems I had, and sticking with me throughout the season. Thank you to everyone. Blade Dummer (12.59/50): Well my first season has been so good and I've done more than I could have thought have. We had few minor bumps on the way with the bike not running how I wanted. And then running better than expected, if you know what I mean, but that didn't stop us or me trying harder every time I got to the start line. My best time of the season was 12.59. A little too quick for my bracket (and I won't do it again) and on this run also my best sixty foot 2.67 seconds. That wasn't the run where I had my best speed that was another event but best speed for the season 50.76 mph over the eighth mile. Overall I've had the best first season ever meeting so many great people all over the other riders and their parents. I would like to thank all the staff and track crew at both Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceways, without these guys nothing would run. Also Dragbike.com, Eurodragster.com, Lightning Automotive Beckwith and King Racing. There have also been some people I need to thank for their support and help. Dave and Sam at FBM Turbo Systems for my race shirts and hoodies, Vizman for wiring the bike for me. All of the Junior Drag Bike riders for being so kind to me and helping me. Tim Beckwith at Beckwith Motorsports, Ron at Magic Bullet Fuel additives thanks guys, and Lizz McCarthy for keeping the Facebook page up to date and working hard on our reports. Lastly my sister who has come to look after Dad and I and to feed us thank you Emilia and Dad for making this possible for me. The 2015 season can't come soon enough see you all soon. JBM 2 for 2015! Louis Davies (9.14/71): The season went very well for me this year on the brand new Shark Attack Drag Racing Junior Drag Bike built by my Grandad. Thank you to Rene van den Berg for the sponsorship. The season started off running mid nines and slowly creeping down to run my fastest time of 9.144 at 71.92 mph. Highlight of the year was winning the National Finals. After an exciting season I finished firt in the Championship, so a big thank you to Mum and Dad for crewing, Granddad for another Championship-winning bike and Gipp Racing for their support this season. Looking forward to making my bike faster over the winter ready for next year. Big thank you to Lizz McCarthy for sorting all our sponsors and race reports, Dragbike.com, Eurodragster.com, Beckwith Motorsports, Lightning Automotive, the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame and King Racing for helping out the Junior Drag Bikers. JBM1 for 2015. Jordan Kenway (9.00/74): Well well well... this season has been a real interesting one, few ups but quite a lot of downs. Season started off well with the number one qualifier spot and then the number two qualifier trophy at round 2. But then we didn't really pick up as many points as we wanted on the two middle rounds. But we came second at National Finals, but didn't do so well on the last event which mattered, due to bike issues. Managed to break so many PBs this year my best so far is a 9.003/74. Just like to say a massive thanks to Warpspeed Racing for their continued support also help from Len Paget when we had engine issues and finally the tracks and crew and not forgetting the support from Dragbike.com, Beckwith Motorsports, Lightning Automotive, Eurodragster.com and King racing. Also Lizz for keeping the Facebook page going, and the race reports. See you all next year! JBP 3 for 2015. Charlotte Hales (10.77): This year was a learning year for me. The first time I'd ridden a bike with a clutch and air shifter. Unfortunately, the Kawasaki engine turned out to be the restricted model and no amount of "tuning" by Dad was going to make it quick. Martin Dust had made a great job of the chassis and I really liked the handmade, polished bodywork. Best time for this year was 10.77 Next year I'm looking forward to Junior Bike Pro with the number JBP8 and hopefully on a 500 cc twin four-stroke. Dad says I should find it easier to ride. I'd like to thank Mum and Dad for giving me the chance to drag race, my sister Emily for support, Martin Dust for building the bike and helping with the tools at every meeting at all tracks, Dangerface Drag Racing Team for all their help and of course our sponsors Beckwith, Lightning, Eurodragster.com, King Racing. Big thanks to all the JDB club and all the racers for a fun year. Liam Holgate (9.23/73.4): The highlight of the season for me was going up to Junior Modified on my new 125, but my low was bending the valves and having to go back to my 50 cc for one meeting. Next season I'm hoping to get more confident on my new bike and try a burnout and obviously go quicker. I would like to thank mum and dad for letting me race, Dragbike.com, Beckwith Motorsports and Lightning Automotive for our sponsorship. Natalie Jones (11.70/61): I only managed to do half a season due to finishing my bike, learning to ride it and getting my licence sorted. This was my first season out of two before I move up a class. My first event was the Summernationals. The highlight of my season had to be my best time which was on the dot 11.70. My best speed was 61 mph, I have to say if there was an award for Most Consistent Speed I believe I would win that every time as my bike was constantly on 57-58 mph so getting 61 mph was lucky!! Next season I'm hoping to be even more consistent, actually do the whole season and get better speedsand reaction times! I'm supposed to be JBM 9 but as fourteen is my lucky number I am going to ask if I can keep JBM 14. I would like to thank the sponsors of JDB: dragbike.com and Tim Beckwith. All the staff at both tracks Shakey and Santa Pod. The JDB club itself, especially Lizz McCarthy for helping organise the club and Facebook page. Kerryanne Frazier, Ollie Dummer, Kev Charman and Allan Davies and Clair Davies for supporting me throughout the whole season. Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome! See you next season! Stacey Reed (9.33/70): This year was my first full year and it was amazing! The highlight of my year was riding the wrong way down the track when things got funky and a bit broken, I felt like the queen haha! My best time this year was 9.33 and that was at 70.14 mph. Next year I'm hoping for everyone to stay safe but of course to go faster! Hopefully I can get my time down into the eights and then be able to persuade dad to tune up the Gixa thou ready for 9.50s! I would like to say a big thanks to my Dad and track crew at both Santa Pod and Shakespeare County who make the racing possible. Also a massive thanks to all members of the Junior Drag Bike club, from the leaders to the racers. I would also like to thank Dragbike.com, Beckwith Motorsports, Lightning Automotive, Eurodragster.com and King Racing for their support this year and I hope it continues in the future. See you all next year! Siobhan Moor (9.6/70): Well, I have had an amazing last year in Junior Drag Bike, surrounded by some amazing and wonderful people and I am thankful to all of you for helping me out in my time in the Juniors. But it is my time now to move on to bigger and faster bikes that I am extremely excited about, or what my next year's racing is going to bring! It shall be interesting to see three quarters of the family competing in the same class! I can't pick out a highlight from my season as each race meeting has been amazing in some way or another! I would like to thank my family for introducing to me such a unique and special sport and to some incredible people that have helped me along my journey, and for giving me the opportunity to experience it. I gained my best speed of 9.6 seconds which is at around 70 mph. I would also like to thank Kevin Charman and Allan Davies for all their amazing work they have done to keep the Junior Drag Bike Club on its feet, and Lizz McCarthy for her hard work keeping the Facebook page going. I would also like to thank the crew at Santa Pod Raceway and Shakespeare County Raceway, the support of dragbike.com, Beckwith Motorsports, Lightning Automotive, Eurodragster.com and King Racing. Thank you all for such a great send-off and I am looking forward to racing you all again soon in the near future. Jasmine Cordelle (8.88/71): This year was a up and down year, just getting used to the new bike and recovering from an appendix operation I had around Easter, which led to me missing the first meeting and then using the next meeting to get my licence, and qualify. This meant I lost 200 points for the first two meetings. I think that the highlight of my season was getting down the track, running a new Personal Best, getting used to the bike and the enjoyment of learning how to progress in racing. This year was a big learning curve for me and although it was frustrating not being as competitive as last year. I knew that it was going to be difficult this year, but I'm just glad I now have the confidence on the bike and be ready to bring the girl power back next year, and hopefully to have an all-girl final with Stacey Read one day! Next year, we are changing some of the bike so looking forward to see how it all plans out, and just can't wait to get back racing, I don't like the off-season at all. I would like to say a big thank you to my Dad for letting me race and being supportive, and the Hysteria Drag Racing Team. Also the support of Dragbike.com, Beckwith Motorsports, Lightning Automotive, Eurodragster.com and King Racing for supporting the Junior Drag Bike Club! And also big well done to all the Junior Drag Bike riders this year for being awesome as usual. Thank you for Lizz McCarthy, too, for being brilliant about all the press, and coping with me not handing in my race reports on time! Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Next year's race number JBP6. Jake Charman: After building a new bike for 2014 I spent the year learning to ride the bike and trying to find a set-up which worked. We have been running mid-tens all season but are still yet to find a sweet-spot with the clutch setup and various things which still need to be tweaked. Hopefully next year we can find a good, working clutch set-up to pull us into the nines. I would like to thank Dad, Lizz, Chris and Sarah for helping me throughout the year and Dave Branch for building the bike. A mention too must go to the track, marshals and track crew at both tracks, Beckwith Motorsports, Lightning Automotive, BDRHoF, Dragbike.com, Eurodragster.com, King Racing and Doug at Ensys. Welcome to our new racers... Megan Talbot (15.00): Hello, my name is Megan Talbot and I am nine years old and my race number is JB16. My family are all motorbike mad! I did not compete in the Championships this season but I hope to do so next year. I have been wanting to race since I first went to Shakey when I was three years old! I had to wait six years and my cousin Jasmine Cordelle had to make sure that she looked after my bike all that time! Now I am going to whoop her, hee hee! My first go down the track was on Junior Fun Day at Santa Pod. I was so excited and laughed all the way down the track! It was very slow at twenty eight seconds but the next pass was twenty three seconds so I was really happy, especially when we all received a medal. The next time on the track I was at Shakey and Louis Davies was crewing for me. He helped me a lot and my big sister Bobby I reduced my time again and into the eighteens. My final weekend was at Halloween at Shakey and my aim was to get into the fifteens. After lots of problems I did it! Two fifteen second runs and I was very happy. We had lots of help that weekend and I want to thank everyone who helped me, Natalie Jones, Tony Jones, Uncle Allan (Davies), Louis Davies, Kev Charman, Daniel Bergilin, Ollie Drummer, Nip Nap Stevens. I want to say thank you to Uncle Phil, Brett, Jasmine and Aunty Avril from Hysteria Racing, Bobby, Daddy, Aunty Clair, the Santa Pod Crew, the Shakey Crew especially the start line, fire crew and Jane in the tower and Rachel Hodges. Biggest thanks to Mummy for buying me the bike and being my top crew! Next year I hope to get into the thirteens and get better reaction times (watch out Natalie Jones)! Thanks Lizz for letting me write this. Jack Shook (9.84/69): I started in May with my licencing and ran a best time of 11.1/64. Later on in the season I have been practicing my launch techniques at RWYBs at Santa Pod. Now I have made my reaction times more consistent. I have managed to run a PB of 9.84/69. My highlight of this season was Junior Fun Day as it was one of my first times meeting and racing the other JDB racers. For next season I'm hoping to complete all of the events and earn myself a few trophies. I would like to thank Mum, Dad and Ben and all the other racers for welcoming me with open arms. Kayleigh Goodrich and Richard Willcox: Kayleigh will start the season in April, and Richard will start after his birthday in August. The paintwork is being done as I type, so will be good to see them and the bikes in 2015. Lizz adds: thanks so much to everyone that has supported us this year. We have four more racers who have joined the Club for next year and we continue to go from strength to strength. It has been a total pleasure to be so involved with the, generating the interest to other countries where Junior bike Racing hasn't reached yet, and being able to set the precedent. On behalf of the Junior Drag Bike Club may we wish you a Happy Christmas, and a prosperous New Year. Zeon TV DVDs available. 7th December: Our good friends Helen and Dave at Zeon TV have now completed their 2014 season review DVDs including Dragstalgia, MSA Pro Modified season review, Santa Pod Raceway season review, Hardcore Street, Springspeed Nationals, Mopar EuroNats, NSRA Hot Rod Drags, UK Top Sportsman and the UK National Finals. All sorts of deals are available if you want to buy more than one DVD. The covers feature some fine photography to boot. A review will be posted very shortly but Zeon TV's reputation has preceded them for many years and you can be sure of another high-quality set of DVDs. To check out what's available and for how much, to view trailers, and to order, visit www.quartermilehigh.com. 2015 FIA calendar ratified. 5th December: Thanks to FIA Drag Racing Commission Lars Pettersson for letting us know that the 2015 FIA European Championship calendar was ratified yesterday by FIA's World Motorsport Council at their meeting in Doha: 22nd-25th May: Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway, England 4th-7th June: Swedish Internationals, Tierp Arena, Sweden 2nd-5th July: FHRA Nitro Nationals, Alastaro, Finland 7th-9th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany 20th-23rd August: Scandinavian Internationals, Tierp Arena, Sweden 3rd-6th September: European Championship Finals, Santa Pod Raceway, England Booking time off and travel is not recommended just yet as there are some issues to be settled before the calendar is finally confirmed. Giles sits out 2015. 4th December: UK Super Comp / Super Gas racer Jon Giles has announced that the Roar Willys team are taking a break in 2015: We have had a very hectic time since we started racing in 2008 and I think it's all caught up with me. So the decision has been taken to give it a rest through 2015 season and come back the following season all recharged and ready to go. I would really like to thank Donna, Franki and Georgi for supporting me so far, Dave Southcombe (Crew Chief when he's awake!) and Finney for the continued help, the Morrice family for taking us under their wing and treating us so well, Stuart and Collin for the great Hockenheim experiences! Simon and Sharron Gough for their help and support inside and outside of racing, Jeff and Belinda Bull again for always being there for us, and all racers, crew, marshals, commentators and spectators. It really has been the best tonic for some of our personal problems. So to all race teams have a safe and successful 2015 season. Roll on 2016! Swift snippets. 4th December: We couldn't help but notice yesterday's (Wednesday's) attempt at an organised vote for one of the SPRC Perpetual Awards. Nice try. Best wishes to Allard Chrysler Action Group Chair, British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Management Group member and Eurodragster.com Blogger Brian Taylor who is recovering from the application of two stents and the widening of an artery. Take it nice and easy Brian. On The Bottle, Comanche hook up. 4th December: In addition to a wide range of VP Racing Fuels products, 2015 Shakespeare County Raceway lane sponsor On The Bottle have announced a new nitrous oxide fitting service provided by race car fabricators Comanche Race Cars. From the very latest nitrous equipment on the market today you can now get the full treatment with an expert fitting service from a simple bottle installation to a full nitrous kit set-up on any application ready for the strip or the street. All work is guaranteed to the highest standards. Based in Orpington, Kent the guys at Comanche already have a very successful introduction to the world of street rodding and drag racing thanks to Pro Mod customer Wayne Nicholson, Junior Dragster's Tyler Ashdown and doorslammer racers Ray Tucker and Matt Wright. But it's not all straight line stuff the shop offers! They can also build from the ground up track day, drift cars and circuit racers as well offering a bespoke service to any part of the motor sport industry. Currently on the jig is a soon to be tagged 7.50 slingshot dragster as well as a Chevy Vega doorslammer. Its not just chassis work either. Comanche can also offer a full vinyl digital wrap service from a full-blown race car to a race bike such as the fairings of Alex Hope's Pro Stock Bike unveiled at this year's UK National Finals. For further information or to book an appointment call 07955 067124. You can also find them on Facebook or visit the web site at www.comancheracercars.com. Also for 2015 On The Bottle are very excited to add their first drag bike to the line up of supported teams and racers by providing Competition Bike racer Phil Crossley's Team Bopchop with VP Racing Fuel, nitrous oxide refills and equipment. The team are currently building a Suzuki-based Funny Bike for a 2015 début. To follow the build you can access Phil's blog page at gsxbopchop.blogspot.co.uk. Web site updates. 4th December: Our good buddy Alan Currans has been in touch to let us know that he has updated his excellent Acceleration Archive with another page of Roger Phillips' pictures. "It is called The Class of '71 and features the top-running dragsters and their drivers of that time", says Alan. "This was an important period in the development of the sport with times by the top cars inching down the sevens in search of that elusive six second pass. Needless to say there will be a Class of '72 along in due course". As ever you can check out the latest update via the What's New link at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk. The Mad Welshman has updated his Flickr site with pictures from the Halloween Bonfire Burn-up at Shakespeare County Raceway. You can take a look at www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman. "Although this is my last drag racing album of the year, there will still be pictures from Beaulieu, Campervan Christmas and Butty Runs uploaded soon", says Mad. UK Top Sportsman 2015. 2nd December: The organisers of UK Top Sportsman, "The biggest, richest, roughest, toughest televised heads-up Sportsman Doorslammer Series", are very pleased to announce their race dates for 2015. Paul Marston writes: Having the event schedules of both Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceways available so early is a real bonus and has enabled us to firm up dates for next year earlier than usual. UK Top Sportsman returns to the best Muscle Car event of the season, the Mopar EuroNats at Santa Pod Raceway on Friday-Sunday 24th-26th July. 2014 had a record car count and both the ET and MPH records fell in competition. This is simply a great, must-attend event for everyone (Hear, hear - Ed) and once again UK Top Sportsman are grateful to the organisers of the Mopar EuroNats for inviting us back again in 2015. Unfortunately UK Top Sportsman will have to say goodbye to VW Action for 2015, as the August Bank Holiday has moved weekends and Santa Pod have scheduled a Peak Performance Day on the Sunday. It's just not possible to run UK Top Sportsman's two races on just one day, plus there is now a fortnight between VW Action and the FIA European Finals which would have necessitated travelling and racing on three consecutive weekends. The good news is that UK Top Sportsman have found a brand new home with the BWM Scooter Ska Rally at Santa Pod Raceway on Friday-Sunday 12th-14th June. UK Top Sportsman will be the stars of the show and there is no shortage of track time, so we are excited to announce this interesting new date. Credit must go to the Santa Pod management, in particular James Forster, for working so hard to find us another date which works on their packed event calendar. UK Top Sportsman packs two races into one event. The first eliminator race is a Fast Bracket Race in which everybody runs. 0.400 Pro Tree, dial your ET, one-shot trial run then straight into first round. If you lose first round then you can bu back into the second round for just £30. First and second round pairings are completely random, then from the third round we run to an eliminations ladder. The second race is a heads-up, qualified (usually sixteen cars) eliminator. This has a one-shot qualifier for an elimination field with alternates. All the entry fees after track fees are put into the prize fund, so the payouts for both events can be substantial. For the Bracket Race we pay from the third round and in the heads-up everyone gets paid. Remember that other than safety there are no rules! For full details of how everything works please Like our Facebook page where you will find our latest rules, regulations and a detailed description of how it all works. Please stay tuned to Eurodragster.com as over the next few days we will be revealing more news and an exciting new development. Swift snippets. 2nd December: UK Super Pro ET team Brad Jackson Racing are offering a free 2015 desk calendar to the first twenty Eurodragster.com readers to contact them via Brad's official web site. To be in with a chance of winning a calendar, visit www.bradjacksonracing.com and use the contact details on the site to send your name and address. This offer is open to Eurodragster.com readers in any country. An afternoon with a legend. 2nd December: We are indebted to Honorary Eurodragster.com staff members Colin and Grace Roaf for sending us a report of last Sunday's Afternoon Tea with Don Garlits at Santa Pod Raceway. Colin writes and Grace photographs: The term "legend" is used a lot these days, so it was a privilege to attend an event with a true legend of our sport. Even a work colleague, who has no real interest in drag racing, has heard of Don, which goes to show that his reputation precedes him. The Quartermile Club in the bankside VIP suite at Santa Pod Raceway was the venue for this once in a lifetime event. The promised hot drinks were welcome on the damp Sunday and the room was split up by a number of round tables at which the lucky participants of the sold-out event were seated. Spontaneous applause rang out as Don entered the room. Robin Jackson, Public Relations Officer for the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame welcomed Don, introduced one of his daughters and a family friend who were accompanying him, then thanked all the participants for their attendance. He went on to thank US Automotive, Julie Braskett, Alamo and Santa Pod Raceway for organising the event and introduced Andy Wilsheer as official photographer along with Grace who was taking photos for Eurodragster.com. Robin then took up the Master of Ceremonies position as he introduced the Q&A session. Some of the questions had already been asked by Tog during his interview with Don prior to the BDRHoF Gala Dinner, but Don was able to expand on some of his answers. Quite often I was drawn into the stories before realising I was meant to be making notes! "Out of your many opponents and competitors you've faced over the years, who did you fear the most?". Don replied Chris Karamesines (The Greek) and Don Prudhomme (The Snake) but still saves all his respect for Shirley Muldowney. Especially during match racing, he always had to run the hardest against Shirley. Don stated his strong opinions against 1000-foot racing and believes changes could have been made to allow a return to quarter mile racing. He paraphrased a scientist involved in the Hydrogen Bomb project who allegedly said "If it doesn't explode, we aren't interested" as a dig at TV coverage which concentrates on re-runs of engine explosions against coverage of actual racing. When asked "What was your greatest achievement?" Don explained the complications of getting the rear-engined dragster to work. Following his accident in 1970 he wanted to focus on designing a car which was safe yet competitive. Using the phrase "But that's another story", the situation leading up to the 1975 World Finals which was explained with obvious emotion. One of the points which Don made whilst remembering these events was that the cars weren't worked on at the track but taken back to the motels in which the drivers and crews were staying. Bath tubs were used to wash parts, engines repaired, reassembled and possibly started at all hours before packing the car back onto the trailer. I can just see Lenny Henry invoking the Premier Inns "Good Night Guarantee" if that still happened today. A question was asked about the importance of the team effort. Don recalled that in the early days, it was just he and his wife Pat doing it all. Don would tune and drive the car and Pat would drive the push truck. He recalled working on regular cars during the day and building race cars at night. Don mentioned Connie Swingle and Tom Lemmons who worked at his workshop and also crewed for him. Between them they could "snap" a race car together in three days. Don was always known as innovative, so the question "Which ideas didn't work?" brought up his Top Fuel Dragster project with the helicopter turbine engine and also the Sidewinder and Streamliner cars. Glancing around the room everyone was absorbed in Don's every word. As he had been talking for quite some time Robin called a tea/coffee break. Comments were made at our table, and I'm sure at all the other tables, how they could "Listen for hours" and "What a great recall" Don had. Whilst we were all taking a break for a drink, I saw Don wipe away some condensation on the window at the end of the suite which looks down the track. He stood looking at the view for a little while. I wonder if he was contrasting how he saw the track and facilities now against when he was last here. Santa Pod then laid on an excellent buffet and as the weather had improved enough for photos to be taken on the start line around the Christmas tree. Against a sunset which has featured in many photographers' shots, Andy Willsheer organised everyone into a group shot and then some more individual photos were taken with Don as the sun went down completely. The last part of the event was the opportunity to pick up a copy of Don's latest book and to have him sign it. An orderly queue formed with people getting pictures, model kits, LP records, magazines and other books signed in addition to Don's book. Andy was taking individual photos as Don was shaking hands with everyone. All in all a brilliant afternoon spent in the company of a humble and strong-willed man who has done so much to shape the sport we all enjoy. His latest book Don Garlits And His Cars features a lot more detail and insight. Now all I have to do is figure out who gets to read the book first, Grace or me. First BDRHoF Junior bonus won. 2nd December: Following the announcement earlier this year that the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame would support UK Junior Drag Racing with £50 bonuses awarded to each season's National Champions, the first recipient of this award has been announced as 2014 UK National Junior Drag Bike Champion Louis Davies. Louis will receive his award at the Santa Pod Racers Club Dinner Dance on 7th February 2015. These awards have been made available following the release of funds from a long-dormant British National Drag Racing Association account. BDRHoF Chairman Stu Bradbury again thanks Anne Pallant and Mick Hand, the BNDRA's last Financial Officers, and BDRHoF Management Group member Phil Evans for their efforts in recovering this account, which will fund these awards for five years. Thereafter, the BDRHoF plans to maintain the awards from its own resources. On behalf of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, Stu Bradbury congratulates Louis Davies on his success. SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 1. 1st December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation on Saturday 7th February 2015. For several of the 2014 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners. The first voting category is SPRC Most Promising Newcomer. Nominees for SPRC Most Promising Newcomer have impressed whilst contesting their first full season or making their on-track début in 2014. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows: Harley Coulsell, Junior Dragster Vote for Harley Coulsell Jon Crawford, Sportsman ET Vote for Jon Crawford Blade Dummer, Junior Drag Bike Vote for Blade Dummer Matthew Dowdy, Junior Dragster Vote for Matthew Dowdy Damian Halliwell, Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator Vote for Damian Halliwell Jan Lukes, Sportsman ET Vote for Jan Lukes Ed Keech, VW Sportsman Vote for Ed Keech Paul Przybyl, Super Pro ET Vote for Paul Przybyl To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster page. ©Eurodragster.com The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to David Anniwell. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to [email protected] specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail. For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nominee will be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. And every year we say this, but every year someone tries it on: please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at [email protected]. Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please have the courtesy to contact SPRC direct rather than Eurodragster.com. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement. The next voting category will be Best Appearing Car. Swift snippets. 1st December: Jeanette and Jon Webster have asked us to say a big Happy Birthday to daughter Shelby Webster. Our pleasure; have a lovely day Shelby. Earlier news