FAO racers: SPRC scrutineering tickets. 31st March: Santa Pod Racers Club Race Director and Eurodragster.com sponsor Carole Ismail has been in touch with an important notice regarding the new scrutineering tickets in use at Santa Pod Raceway this season (right): Can we please ask all riders and drivers to display the scrutineering tickets in a clearly visible location on the vehicle, so that the pit marshals can mark them after each run with the lane they need to use. For consistency we would ask that tickets are fixed on the right side of cars, and in the middle of the front fairing on bikes. At the Festival of Power tickets were fixed in the strangest places and we could not get to them, so it would help everyone if the tickets could be fixed sensibly as suggested above. Honouring Scary. 31st March: Chris Hannam has kindly been in touch again to let us know that Sarah Jane Head's partner Dave Varey has asked for family flowers only at her funeral next week. If you would like to make a donation in Scary's honour then please either donate to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance or the Leeds Dogs Trust as Scary's dogs were her life after her accident and were her company whilst Dave was at work. If you would like to send Dave a sympathy card then you can send it to: Dave Varey 23 Fox Lane Thorpe Willoughby Selby YO8 9NA Swift snippets. 31st March: Congratulations to UK Pro ET racer Nicole Parker who won the Nail Technician of the Year trophy at the National Beauty Industry Awards. Proud dad John says "Work has really got in the way of racing over the last year. All our plans to step up the race programme have had to go on hold as the business has just grown and grown. We hope to get the old Fox Mustang back out at a couple of meetings this year, perhaps some no-prep runs at our local tracks and if possible a Championship round". Nicole says "Winning the trophy at last week's awards in Manchester is recognition for all the hard work, but a Pro ET winners trophy would be just as rewarding!" Many thanks to Andy Marrs of TSI Timers Europe for sending us the official Festival of Power timing data. You can check out the weekend's timing data by clicking here or by clicking on the Timing Data link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Thanks also to Bianca Booij of The Netherlands' Pro Dutch Racing Pro Modified team for forwarding us a review of Michel Tooren and team's weekend at the Festival of Power. You can check out the Dutch-language review (PDF format) by clicking here. We're working on a translation. We were shocked and sorry to hear of the death on Sunday of NHRA Chief Starter Mark Lyle. We understand that Mark died trying to save the life of another, a fact in which his family and friends should find much pride. You can read a tribute on the NHRA web site. Good luck and stay safe to Jndia Erbacher (Top Alcohol Dragster) and Rob Turner (Top Alcohol Funny Car) who are contesting this weekend's Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas, and to Adam Flamholc who is contesting Pro Mod at the Good Vibrations Motorsports IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio. In both cases qualifying commences tomorrow (Friday) and you will be able to stay in touch with our heroes' progress courtesy of the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com. Priddle makes IDRHoF date. 31st March: Many thanks to Dave Riswick of Eurodragster.com sponsor John Woolfe Racing for sending a report on the induction of the UK's Dennis Priddle into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame: The 26th Annual Banquet and Induction Ceremony for the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame took place at the Wyndham Garden Gainesville Hotel, Florida on Thursday 17th March. Don Garlits and his family organise and produce this prestigious event each year to tie in with the NHRA Gatornationals. The International Drag Racing Hall of fame was something to savour this time around as Dennis Priddle was inducted into the what must be the créme de la créme of drag racing history. Only one other European had been honoured by the IDRHoF before Dennis, and that was Sydney Allard. Late last year Dennis was unsure whether he was going to be there due to medical issues. However he managed, and made the trip in grand style bringing a host of close friends and team members from the UK plus all the original American supporters who were stationed at RAF Upper Heyford. Bill, Tex, Rick and Tom, all of whom worked on Dennis' race car in the late 1960s, congregated in support of Dennis. None other than Don Garlits himself presented Dennis with the honour. Sarah Jane Head funeral update. 29th March: Many thanks to Chris Hannam for passing on the details of the get-together after Sarah Jane Head's cremation. The full details of Scary's funeral are now as follow: Scary's funeral service takes place at 10:00 am on Friday 8th April at: Selby Abbey The Crescent Selby YO8 4PU (map) Scary's cremation takes place at 11:00 am at: York Crematorium Bishopthorpe Road York YO23 2QD (map) After the cremation all are welcome to a get-together at: The Grey Horse Doncaster Road Brayton Selby YO8 9HD (map) Festival of Power rained out. 28th March: Having affected two of the three days of the event the weather won the Festival of Power as yesterday's eliminations were rained out before all first rounds were run. The track crew responded time and again to rain and other issues but heavy rain mid-afternoon left Race Director Carole Ismail with no option but to call the event. Congratulations to Pro ET racer Mike Lacey who took this year's first Eurodragster.com / Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award with an off-the-trailer 0.0003 Reaction Time in Saturday's first qualifying session. The Perfect Light Award has been reset to £50 for Big Bang at Santa Pod Raceway in April. The Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award in support of NSPCC has been increased to £75 for Big Bang after it went unclaimed this weekend. Congratulations also to Two Seat Dragster driver Steve Warner who pulled no less than three consecutive 0.000 RTs whilst chauffering VIPs down the track; we wonder if this feat has ever before been achieved in any car or on any bike. Answers to the usual address. Commiserations to Top Fuel Bike racer Nick Milburn and VW Pro racer Carl Goldsmith who suffered top end crashes. Nick suffered a dislocated shoulder and his bike is totalled; Carl was uninjured but we understand that his Golf is reparable. You can check out our John Woolfe Racing-sponsored reports, pit notes and pictures by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Swift snippets. 25th March: Brian and Lee Huxley of 2015 UK National Pro ET Champions the Dark Horse Mustang Drag Race Team would like to thank all of the people and sponsors who help them: Forbes & Andrews Racing, Zane at Zannetech, Jegs, Tim Hines Engines, Wayne Allman at Galactica Garage, NGK, Proptech and for 2016 Lucas Oil Products coming on board with product sponsorship as well as their local sponsors without whom they say they couldn't have done it. "We did have a few issues during last season but now with rebuilt engine and axle we are looking forward to a new season with #1 on the car", they say. "Good luck everyone, and not forgetting our crewman Slap." Many thanks to Ian Marshall for sending us Version 2 of the official entry list for Big Bang, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-24th April. You can check out the Big Bang entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page, and you can download the official entry forms from the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. If you have any queries about Big Bang entry then please contact Ian Marshall by E-Mail at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). SPR announce new lane sponsor. 25th March: Santa Pod Raceway is delighted to announce the formation of a strategic marketing partnership with the revolutionary fire-suppressant product, Cold Fire firefighting, newly introduced to the UK and Europe by Northampton-based fire safety specialists Hydro Navitas Solutions. Cold Fire firefighting becomes not only Santa Pod's new lane sponsor, but also the Raceway's Official Firefighting Partner. It is believed to be the first time such a safety-related partnership has been forged by a British motorsport venue. Cold Fire has two cardinal virtues unique among other chemical-based fire suppressants: it is non-toxic and 100% environmentally friendly; and it can be used to extinguish any kind of fire. Conventional firefighting agents come in the form of foams and dry powders and in motorsport require the user to keep both types at hand and to determine the kind of fire that has broken out in order to choose the appropriate agent. Both agents can also be highly toxic. Cold Fire, however, is a single agent that fights Class A, B, D and F types of fire. It works on contact by quelling heat to below ignition point, prevents re-ignition and provides high levels of thermal protection for added safety. Furthermore, in environmental terms, it is non-toxic and completely biodegradable, so much so that it is even safe to drink. At a product demonstration before other interested motorsport parties recently hosted by Santa Pod, a director of Hydro Navitas Solutions astonished onlookers by swallowing Cold Fire straight from the extinguisher. Other Cold Fire virtues include matters of maintenance and storage. While conventional fire suppressant devices require annual maintenance and servicing, Cold Fire is developing a fire extinguisher that requires no maintenance for 10 years. The product and its containers are maintenance-free and, if discharged, can be refilled easily and re-pressurised via a standard Schrader valve. Hydro Navitas Solutions' Group Managing Director, James Petter, comments: "Cold Fire has been established since 1991 as an alternative to traditional methods of suppressing fires and is used by emergency services in the USA, Canada, Australia and Brazil. We are the product's UK territory manager and look forward to exporting our solutions into Europe. Cold Fire is already proven invaluable in NASCAR and Indycar motorsport but its applications spread far and wide into industrial, commercial and domestic spheres and beyond. We shall be promoting and selling our full product range in Santa Pod's ‘Garage' shop very soon." Santa Pod Raceway's Commercial Manager, Caroline Holden, is delighted to welcome Hydro Navitas Solutions and Cold Fire firefighting as the Raceway's new lane sponsor and is especially pleased to have created the innovative Official Firefighting Partnership. "We believe this is a safety partnership unique among British motorsport venues," she explains. "With the unusually broad array of fuels, lubricants and track preparation materials we have in use at Santa Pod, it's essential we have the very best firefighting products available to us. With its multiple uses and environmental qualities, Cold Fire is ideal for that purpose. Santa Pod's safety standards have already been highly commended and the Cold Fire partnership will enable us to raise those standards even higher. This is a brand new partnership we have formed with Hydro Navitas Solutions and we are eager to begin work on developing the relationship. As we progress, we're confident it will quickly deliver fresh benefits for both of us." Cold Fire firefighting will be unveiled as sponsor of Santa Pod's left-hand lane this Easter weekend at the Festival Of Power (Friday to Sunday, 25th-27th March). Longtime Santa Pod supporter Autoglym continues as right lane sponsor. Further information about Santa Pod Raceway and its many and varied events may be found at www.santapod.com, or by telephoning 01234 782828. Hydro Navitas Solutions' new web site is available at www.hydronavitas.com. Sarah Jane Head's funeral. 24th March: Many thanks to Chris Hannam for passing on the arrangements of the funeral of Funny Bike racer Sarah Jane Head. Scary's funeral takes place on Friday 8th April and consists of a service and then the cremation. The service takes place at 10:00 am at: Selby Abbey The Crescent Selby YO8 4PU (map) Scary's cremation takes place at 11:00 am at: York Crematorium Bishopthorpe Road York YO23 2QD (map) There will be a gathering after Scary's funeral; we will bring you details when they are confirmed. Peak Performance Day rained out. 24th March: Today's Pro Peak Performance Test and Tune Day at Santa Pod Raceway was rained out after a couple of hours. Julian did manage to get a number of pictures before the rain set in; you can check out our John Woolfe Racing-sponsored gallery by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Thanks to all those who sent feedback on the new Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam set-up. Everything is now working as planned (just before your News Editor called the Samaritans). The next scheduled webcast is from Big Bang at Santa Pod Raceway on 22nd-24th April. Help urgently needed. 24th March: UK Sportsman ET racer Matt Moxon needs a part for his Mustang if he is to compete at this weekend's Festival of Power. Matt is looking for a power steering pump for a 2006 S197 Mustang GT. If you can help then please call Matt on 07843 094916. Ten years of Design. 24th March: Peter Walters of Eurodragster.com sponsor Peter Walters Race Design together with Walters Motorsport have débuted their new PWRD-liveried dragster to celebrate PWRD's tenth year. "I started Peter Walters Race Design in 2006 drawing cars as a hobby", says Pete, "and it has grown over the last ten years into a successful business. I now work closely with NHRA World Champions on a day to day basis, which is something I dreamed of when starting PWRD. "For 2016 we are sporting a new look in the PWRD scheme. The blue chrome livery comes as part of a new partnership with Weston-Super-Mare based vehicle wrap specialists Supawraps. PWRD will be working closely with Supawraps to create high quality wraps for all vehicles. Richard Walters Services and Custom Paint will be on hand as always to fulfil all paint needs. "I am also pleased to announced that I will be supporting Junior Dragster racer Aaron Fensome in 2016. I saw a lot of potential in Aaron, he's passionate and professional, so we are proud to see him run in PWRD colours". "I am honoured to have been approached by Pete to help promote ten years of PWRD", says Aaron. "It is very exciting to showcase my new dragster in PWRD colours and I can't thank Pete enough for the support and guidance he is giving me." Pete and Aaron will be running the full UK National Championship this year and hope that winter upgrades to both vehicles will give them great results. For all graphic enquires, or to check out the new wrap, find PWRD in the Super Pro ET pits at the Festival of Power this weekend. The new PWRD web site will be launching within the coming weeks, but be sure to like us on our social media pages for all the latest updates: the Walters Motorsport Facebook page, the Peter Walters Race Design Facebook page, and on Instagram at @waltersmotorsport and @peterwaltersracedesign. Training for your safety: The sequel. 24th March: Tony Smith writes that Shakespeare County Raceway hosted the tenth annual APIRA Training Session this past weekend with Saturday dedicated to fire and rescue whilst Sunday was set aside for medical updates: Supported by the Motor Sports Association, the fire and rescue day was led by Richard Ashton's Calder Rescue Team. Besides attending Stage Rallyies and other disciplines of motorsport Richard and his team have a good understanding of our sport having covered events at York Raceway. During the day quite a few different scenarios were acted out by the Raceway's track and safety crews. Some were gone through bit by bit while others were acted out in real time! These were aided by Wild Bunch racer Mark Coulsell who no matter what we asked him to do did the opposite, which set the scene perfectly by keeping the fire crews on their toes, not to mention Bruno and I as neither of us knew where he was going to end up. We also had the help of Chief Starter Chris Schreier who neatly wedged himself under a car to simulate a start line incident. The crews acted very quickly by jacking the car up so that Chris could be recovered safely and without any further harm. The second day consisted of medical practice led by C&C Medical Services' Chris Salter. This featured films in the use of different fire extinguishers and first aid training which ended with practical demonstrations of putting people in the recovery position and administering CPR, with which everyone got involved. All in all it was a great weekend where everyone learned different ways of doing different jobs. I would like to thank everyone involved in getting the weekend together including the MSA, Calder Rescue and C&C Medical Services. Also huge thanks to all the marshals and fire crew who made the effort to attend. Photos can be found on the Shakespeare County Raceway Facebook group. Drag racing in the press. 24th March: Robin Jackson writes that as Santa Pod Raceway prepares to launch its Fiftieth Anniversary season with this Easter weekend's Festival Of Power, this week's edition of Motorsport News (dated 23rd March) marks the occasion with a selection of Ten Best Moments from Santa Pod's half-century of drag racing history: It is a rare occasion these days when drag racing is recognised in the pages of a Haymarket publication and a rise in this edition's sales might help support Editor Kevin Turner's new-found appreciation for the sport, following his visit to last year's European Finals, and encourage further interest on his publisher's part. Motorsport News is on sale at good newsagents, price £3.30. NHRA Gatornationals notes V. 24th March: Now safely at home in Germany although not necessarily in the correct time zone, David Beitler of Speedseekers.de has been in touch with a final tranche of notes and pictures of Sunday's action at the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville: After all the weather hiccups during qualifying days, Sunday turned out to be about perfect. After the usual pre-race ceremonies the action got started with Top Fuel, followed by Funny Car and the other Pro categories. The sun was burning down on the track and it seemed like the big teams who posted all those record-setting runs during the last couple of days had their struggles getting the cars set up to the hot track surface. So it was The Greek pulling the upset by defeating a tyre-smoking Richie Crampton in round number one, shortly followed by another upset as Terry McMillen put reigning Top Fuel Champion Antron Brown on the trailer. The "Upset Nationals" continued with Top Fuel newcomer Tripp Tatum winning over the last event winner Leah Pritchett. The rest of the day was all Brittany Force. She went to the final against Terry McMillen earning her first win after the third event with Alan Johnson making the calls. The crowd went wild and John Force had propably the biggest smile ever on his face for the rest of the day... well, and probably night too. In Funny Car, things didn't turn out to be as surprising as in Top Fuel. Once more it was Don Schumacher Racing v John Force Racing in the final round of eliminations. Robert Hight made the JFR sweep perfect by beating a centre line-crossing Ron Capps in a spectacular pedalfest. In Pro Stock, both Summit race cars dominated the class all day long and went up in the final against each other, with Greg Anderson earning his eightieth career Wally in a close finish. In Pro Stock Motorcycle the Screaming Eagle Harleys were racing in their own league, being almost a tenth quicker on each pass compared to the competition. So at the end of the day Eddie Krawiec took home the Wally by beating Hector Arana. The Pro Modified final was a clash between Danny Rowe's blown Corvette and Rickie Smith's Nitrous Turbo Camaro. Smith turned on the win light by running a 5.829 ET. Jonnie Lindberg, our last European man standing, went on to win round two of Top Alcohol FC defeating Kris Kool with a 5.558/264.91, but unfortunately his 5.546/264.86 came up short against Doug Gordon's 5.503/268 in the semi-finals. Doug lost the final to John Lombardo Jr. Rookie driver Megan Myer went to her first Top Alcohol Dragster final, but Rich McPhillips had a better reaction time and took the win with a holeshot. You can check out David's updated Gatornationals gallery, which is presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Web site updates. 24th March: The Mad Welshman has updated his Flick gallery with shots from the weekend's Saturday Night Special at Santa Pod Raceway. You can check out Mad's pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman. Festival of Power: bring your change. 23rd March: If you are attending this weekend's Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway then you will have the chance to donate to a number of good causes. SPRC race official and British Drag Racing Hall of Fame member Yvonne Tramm has made a number of Louise angel charms (right) for either handbags or keyrings. The angels are priced at £3 with all profits going to the support fund for paramedic Louise Payne. Yvonne has also made bracelets, necklaces and earrings and will also put a portion of the profits from the sale of these into Louise's fund. You can find Yvonne in the Stewards' Room at all race meetings at Santa Pod Raceway. This year's Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award is presented in support of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. If you wish to donate to the NSPCC then please visit its web site at www.nspcc.org.uk. You can read more on yesterday's news update. Wild Bunch racer Sarah Howells writes that Saturday's spy picture shows the infamous "Everyone's a winner" chocolate tombola to be held this weekend by DASH Racing and Fieldcraft Fabrication. “We've been so lucky to be supported again by the very generous people with whom we work with at DHL", says Sarah, "in particular Tim Cooper and John Hall who deserve a huge chocolate hug for the amazing donations. With over a thousand products to bundle up into the tombola bags it's kept us on our toes but we're ready and really looking forward to raising as much money as we can for charity. For this event we are going to split whatever we raise between two charities. "The first is Canine Partners, a charity which trains and provides assistance dogs as partners for people with a wide range of disabilities. We are lucky enough to be weekend foster parents during the dogs' advanced training periods and we currently have the pleasure of a beautiful black Labrador most weekends. The second charity is Marie Curie who are currently supporting our family through the later part of terminal care for Darryl's mum. The nurses have such a positive effect, not just on Mum but the whole family and their dedication, cheerfulness, support and caring has been and continues to be outstanding. "Come to see us in the Wild Bunch pits and grab yourselves some chocolate yumminess! We ask for a minimum donation of £3 but everyone walks away with something chocolatey!  "Happy racing all, may your ETs be low and your lights perfect." Swift snippets. 23rd March: Graham and Carolyne Beckwith write that they were saddened to hear of the passing of Funny Bike racer Sarah Jane Head. "A lady with real balls and a heart of real gold", they say. "Scary will be sadly missed. She was a joy to know and a delight to watch, a little Northern lady who always gave it all she had in life and on two wheels. Our thoughts and sympathies are with her family and close friends at this sad time." "Certainly never forgotten... Godspeed Scary" says FIM European Top Fuel Bike Champion Ian King. During the winter engine rebuild Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson's Pro Mod crew decided to make a better mount for the Camaro's oil scavenge pump. Bob Roberts writes that Luke Robinson fired up the CAD system and designed a shiny new bracket which fits an RCD timing cover on a BAE engine and also provides also a robust crank trigger mount. The mount is suitable for the Barnes pump on Andy's motor; if you have the same set-up and you'd like one for your own engine then call 01256 880589 (outside the UK +44 1256 880589) or E-Mail [email protected]. As it is stored on the CAD ARRC may be able to adapt the design for other pumps. Attention Junior racers. 22nd March: Ian Marshall of Santa Pod Racers Club has asked us to inform Junior Dragster, Junior Funny Car and Junior Drag Bike racers that, further to the notice at the recent Riders' and Drivers' Meeting and with immediate effect, Junior Dragsters, Junior Funny Cars and Junior Drag Bikes returning from a run at Santa Pod Raceway must be pushed, not driven, back to their pit bays once through the arch beside Scrutineering. If you have any queries then please contact Ian at [email protected], call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625), or ask race officials at the Festival of Power. Festival of Power racer update. 22nd March: Many thanks to Ian Marshall for forwarding us details of the arrangements for this weekend's Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway. Thursday 24th March 08:00 Santa Pod Raceway's gates open for the duration of the event 10:00 Signing On office opens 12:00 Car scrutineering commences - if at the track on Thursday then please try to get signed on then scrutineered 16:30 Bike scrutineering commences - if at the track on Thursday then please try to get signed on then scrutineered Friday 25th March 07:00 Signing on office opens 07:00 Car scrutineering commences - click here for scrutineering order 07:00 Bike scrutineering commences - click here for scrutineering order 09:30 Track open for qualifying Saturday 26th March 07:00 Signing on office opens 07:00 Car scrutineering commences 07:00 Bike scrutineering commences 09:30 Track open for qualifying and eliminations Sunday 27th March 07:30 Signing on office opens 07:30 Car scrutineering commences 07:30 Bike scrutineering commences 09:30 Track open for eliminations The provisional running orders are now available and can be checked out by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Please note as ever that running orders are subject to change due to weather or track conditions or for any other reason deemed necessary by race officials. Please remember the curfew. No race vehicle motors are to be fired up before 09:00 or after 20:00 on any day of the event. Before 09:00 vehicles should be pushed or towed to Scrutineering, not driven. Non-compliance will result in exclusion from the event. Please note the above news item concerning pushing Junior Dragsters and Junior Funny Cars on return from a run. Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards 2016. 22nd March: We are very pleased to confirm that the Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards Scheme will continue in 2016. There is a change in arrangements for the Perfect ET Award so please read carefully and please be sure to replace the previous decals on your race vehicle. We are pleased to announce the Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award supporting NSPCC for the 2016 season, in support of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Derek Flynn of Eurodragster.com sponsor Gold RV recently contacted Eurodragster.com about an idea he had had for the Perfect ET Award. Rather than call it the Eurodragster.com / Gold RV Perfect ET Award as it has been known for many years, Derek suggested that Gold RV sponsor this award on behalf of the NSPCC. Gold RV will be putting up the prize money on behalf of the NSPCC and are paying for the decals, which feature another great job by Pete Walters Race Design. The NSPCC is a favoured charity of Gold RV as Derek experienced child abuse whilst at Junior school and he wishes that the kind of support that is in place today existed back then, as it may have saved other children from the perpetrator. "I am sure the stickers on so many great cars and bikes will help to promote the NSPCC and the great work that they do for the victims and help to raise awareness that abuse should always be reported", says Derek. "Please help us to help the NSPCC by carrying the decals which you must have on your car or bike in order to win, and we ask that you donate to NSPCC at least £1 per event you expect to be entering this year. For example if you enter eight events this season then we ask that you donate at least £8. Obviously this is on an honour basis but with £600 or more up for grabs over the season that is surely worth a few pounds. We believe that the Government will also contribute a percentage on top of your personal donations. "Please help to protect our youngsters as even now there will be too many of them who will be preyed upon until we can stop child abuse. Your help to raise awareness as well as funding will make a difference. With your help we can help stop this abhorrent behaviour. Watch out for the signs and speak to the NSPCC helpline if you suspect anything. To all the victims out there, speak to the NSPCC as they will help any and every child they can. "Thanks also to Eurodragster.com for their assistance in helping us to raise awareness on Eurodragster.com news which is visited daily by so many racers and fans. This will surely help to make a difference." If you wish to donate to the NSPCC now then you can find a Donate button on their web site at www.nspcc.org.uk. The inaugural Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award supporting NSPCC at this weekend's Festival of Power is £50. The money will be paid in cash to the first racer this weekend to run an ET to the thousandth of a second on dial-in or index. The Perfect ET Award is available this weekend during qualifying or eliminations in Super Pro ET, Pro ET, Sportsman ET, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Lucas Oil Junior Dragster (eliminations only), 8.50 Bike, 9.50 Bike, ET Bike, VW Pro, VW Sportsman, the Wild Bunch and Junior Drag Bike, but will only be awarded for the first Perfect Run of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for Big Bang; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for Big Bang. To be eligible to collect the Perfect ET Award, racers are required to carry Eurodragster.com / NSPCC decals, one on each side of the vehicle. If you pull this weekend's first Perfect ET but are not carrying decals then there will be no discussion; we will not pay out and the next person to pull a Perfect ET will get the money assuming that they are carrying decals. Decals will be available in the Signing On office from Thursday. Cath and Tig Napier of Bad Habit Racing are again kindly sponsoring the Eurodragster.com/Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award which starts at £50 at this weekend's Festival of Power. The money will be paid in cash to the first racer this weekend to record a Reaction Time of 0.000 seconds. The Perfect Light Award is available to racers in all classes during qualifying and eliminations, but will only be awarded for the first Perfect Light of the event. If not won this weekend then the Award will be increased to £75 for Big Bang; if it is won then it will be reset to £50 for Big Bang. Decals are not mandatory for the Perfect Light Award but we would appreciate it if Eurodragster.com decals are carried. Eurodragster.com decals will be available in the Signing On office or from the Eurodragster.com office in Race Control (entry via Spectator Bank side stairs only). Swift snippets. 22nd March: Comp Bike racer Phil Leamon writes that he was sorry to hear of the death of Sarah Jane Head. "A tough and spicy character, who always said what she thought regardless", says Phil. "Loved her drag racing and a real character. I'll miss her lots". TJ O'Brien writes that Scary was and is an inspiration. "A friend to both Pat and I at the track and away from the track", he says. "I can just imagine the conversations which Scary, Paul Rose and Pat are having at that great drag strip in the sky. Sleep well my friend and give Pat a hug from me. Dave I am so sorry for your loss, big hug from me when we meet again. All my love." Former Top Fuel Bike racer Steve Carey adds "Sorry to hear the news, thoughts with Dave and the family". The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came (below left) with the words "New year... new headers!". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. From Rick Johnson comes a rendering of Julian Webb's Split Second Jet Dragster (above right). "The new look thanks to Pete Walters of Peter Walters Race Design, says Rick. Four or five out of five? 22nd March: Reigning UK National Sportsman ET Champion Craig Wright's plans to move up to Super Pro ET in 2016 have been covered here and were certainly no secret, but Craig got in touch to bring us right up to speed with developments in his pit: We will be racing with Paul Marston Racing this season. After many E-Mails between Paul and I at the end of 2015, I was wondering if we could get the budget to run the two FIA events at Santa Pod Raceway in his Miller four-link Super Pro ET dragster. We sold the Civic and that's when my team and family thought it would be possible to maybe contest the whole SPRC Championship, and I thought I'd do my best to try and make it happen. With massive thanks to the sponsors whom we have gained over the winter, we will be contesting four of the five SPRC rounds, and hopefully we can find the budget to do the UK National Finals in September. It is a massive step for us from a sixteen-second Civic to an eight-second dragster, but licensing went very well last year in the Kelletts' dragster and we finished the day with a 8.23/164. I'm confident that after some seat time in this car, and with Paul's team and their knowledge, we will have a good combination which will work and go some rounds. Saying that, Super Pro ET is a real tough class with some of Europe's best bracket racers, and I respect every single one of them! We will be testing at Santa Pod Raceway this coming Thursday ahead of the first round at this weekend's Festival of Power. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank a few people: Topspeed Automotive, Custom Pipeworks, Liam Jones - TFJ Motorsport, Red Rum London, Callum Pudge - Pudgeys Pictures, Ki-Tran Express Delivery Service and Peter Walters - Peter Walters Race Design. Also a massive thanks to Crew Chief Chris 'Hardy' Hardings for all his help, my mum and dad for all their support, of course my better half Kat for keeping me sane and on the straight and narrow, obviously to Paul and Sam Marston and their team for giving me this opportunity, and also to everyone for their messages and phone calls of support and good luck for this weekend. Good luck for this season everyone. Be safe, and we will see most of you on Thursday! Sarah Jane Head 21st March: We were very sorry to hear from Chris Hannam of the death of Funny Bike racer Sarah Jane Head. Scary died in York Hospital today (Monday) after a short illess. Scary came in to the sport via the Straightliners series. From there the team spent several years running a turbo bike in Comp Bike before they took a step up to Funny Bike in 2003 with the purchase from Chris Hannam of an ex-MRE Pro Mod bike known as The Budster. Scary and Dave quickly got a handle on the bike culminating in a spectacular 7.085/184.03 at the 2003 UK National Finals. Scary's racing career was cut short by a top end crash at the 2004 Easter Thunderball when the bike's throttle stuck open after a 7.243/175.87 pass in the first round of eliminations. She suffered devastating injuries which led to long and uncomfortable hospital stays but her strength of character ultimately left her undefeated and her sense of humour certainly didn't suffer. Scary was never, ever one to play on her gender - she was a classic case of the racer who happened to be a girl rather than a girl who raced - but it must be remembered that her 7.085 made her the quickest female bike racer outside the USA for several years, and in fact that at the time she clocked that ET she was only hundredths off the world best. "Sarah Jane (Scary to her friends) leaves a big hole in the drag racing world and will be sadly missed", says Chris. We agree and we are very sorry to have to say farewell to such a friendly, down-to-earth, genuine, tough and courageous woman and a damn fine racer. Our very deepest sympathies to Scary's partner Dave and to all her family and friends. You can read our 2003 Feature on OPM Racing by clicking here. If you would like to send a tribute to Scary then please drop us a line at [email protected]. Crawford's Clean up. 21st March: It has been a busy winter for Jon and Dom Crawford of VW Sportsman and Sportsman ET, but their hard work has paid off with the announcement of a parntership deal. Jon explains: After two years campaigning Sharan, one of the most recognisable vehicles in drag racing, the need for speed began to raise its head. A brief car-swap with team-mate Holly Sanders at last year's Volkslife event gave me a big enough push in the back of the seat to make me realise that seventeens just weren't enough to scratch the itch and so, last autumn, plans began to be drawn... Recent divorce and single-parenthood precluded the planned attack on Nostalgia Funny Car (although once Camelot buck their ideas up...), and so something else was planned. Running for a year with the Volkswagen Drag Racing Club made the decision to race with them again in 2016 a no-brainer. The classified ads are full of V6 Golfs and the like which are very thirsty, expensive to insure and crippling to tax. This makes them economical to buy, and so ideal for our purposes. A suitable car was located and a deal done. Susan is a 2.8 litre Golf 4motion. One of only a handful of Mk4 Golfs in the class, the extra power of the 24v head along with the 4wd system should get the car off the line consistently. It also appealed to the dare-to-be-different approach which put Sharan on the track. First things first, and a serious diet for Susan. Stock Mk4s are fairly chunky to begin with, and the 4mo tips the scales at 1450Kgs. Over 300 Kgs later she was somewhat trimmer. Next came a visit to our friends at the 4130 Motor Club. Fellow racer Ross Chisholm Brown and his brother Lee worked their magic, installing new suspension, brakes and a straight-through exhaust. A staging brake will help me to launch consistently hard, and various other tweaks and fixes render Susan in fine shape for the year ahead. Running Sharan in two classes last year was a huge help in dialling in car and driver, but obviously this comes at a cost. It was looking very much like we would only have the budget to contest one class at selected events. As a team we have worked hard to try to build the brand, and over the winter Dom and I made good use of the team's Social Media pages (search on Facebook for Crawford Motorsports) to raise awareness of what we were doing. As a result of all this hard work, we are delighted to announce that we have entered into a marketing partnership with Engine Carbon Clean, an established UK based company with seventeen mobile agents covering the UK, Scotland and Ireland, and international agents in Brazil, Ukraine, Florida, Denmark, New Zealand and Pan-Africa. Their mobile service uses hydrogen technology to help target the removal of harmful carbon build-up in a vehicle's engine via a thorough 'detox' from air intake to exhaust. Effects are immediate, noticeable and long-lasting and include restored power and performance, lower emissions and revitalised fuel efficiency – perfect for drag racing! We are sure you will all join us in welcoming Engine Carbon Clean to Drag Racing. As a way of showing your appreciation for their support, Dom and I urge you to head over to their Facebook Page and give it a Like. Engine Carbon Clean will be in the trading areas at all Championship events this year, and a few others besides, ready to answer your questions and take bookings. The partnership will make its first competitive outing at Santa Pod Raceway's Festival of Power this coming Easter weekend. As Santa Pod Raceway celebrates her fiftieth birthday in 2016, we are all proud to play a small part in a historic year-long party. Got the Bug again. 21st March: Volkswagen Drag Racing Club Chair Luke Stevenson took a season out in 2015 to concentrate upon building his Vr6 Powered Dragster (which is slowly getting there, he says). 2015 passed very quickly with his work within the VWDRC, but whilst Luke got to watch some awesome cars the hunger to get back in the seat grew especially with the question mark over the future of Shakespeare County Racway. Luke had to do something about it and got in touch to tell us what that something is: I decided I had to race the full 2016 schedule. Cue a cheeky EBay purchase! At the time we had no other newbie Beetles racing in the VWDRC so the car would stand out from the crowd. Having searched the garage for parts and with massive help from fellow VWDRC members Ross and Lee Brown of the 4130 Motor Club we created a fun car which will hopefully be competitive and run in the thirteens on a very tight budget. Last weekend we got to début the car at Ultimate Dubs in Telford and it was great to hear the comments as people noticed the little touches. Needless to say it certainly got the reaction I had hoped for. Roll on Thursday's test session for my first runs in the SechsBug and good luck to all my fellow VW Sportsman competitors. Again thanks to 4130 Motor Club, Vanology Performance Ltd and EBay for the help in this fun build. Check out Predict Racing and VWDRC on Facebook for updates throughout the season. Swift snippets. 21st March: From Eurodragster.com sponsor Peter Walters Race Design comes the spy picture below left. Pete promises a dénouement on Thursday. One for the Is this you? department: the picture above right comes from Geoff Martin who heads up the UK's Tech Team. As many of you will be aware Geoff raced in Comp Altered many moons ago in the popular Oxford Builder; he recently found this picture of two fans and wondered what became of them. "The pictures are from between 1987 and 1990 I think, getting on for thirty years ago", says Geoff. "I never got their names but they were a couple of nice kids and I wondered if they will be at Santa Pod as grown-ups this weekend, maybe with families of their own". If that's you in the above picture, or if you know the then-kids in question, then drop us a line at [email protected] and we'll put you in touch. Best wishes to British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Chair Stu Bradbury had a major operation on Friday; however Brian Taylor writes that the procedure did not go as planned. "At the end of the operation, whilst Stu was being stitched up, he suffered a cardiac arrest and the doctors had to perform twenty minutes of CPR to bring him back. He was taken straight to the Intensive Care Unit and remained on a ventilator and under heavy sedation for twenty four hours. He is off both of those now and improving slowly but surely. He's responding very well to treatment and communicating well and should hopefully be moved to a less dependent ward in a day or two. We will update in the coming days the more he improves but keep him in your thoughts". We sure will, as we will Stu's wife Bev and daughter Genna. Run What You Brung coverage. 20th March: We are again at Santa Pod Raceway to bring you the action from today's Run What You Brung in association with John Woolfe Racing. The RWYB is racers' penultimate chance to test before next weekend's Festival of Power. Today's plan is for an end-day gallery, and the Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam will be on-line and broadcasting live video and trackside audio so long as the track is open. Thanks to Doyousee.me for the provision of streaming services. You can check out our Festival of Power Week coverage index, which includes links to yesterday's Saturday Night Special gallery, the webcast, and next weekend's official entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. NHRA Gatornationals notes IV. 18th March: David Beitler of Speedseekers.de has been burning the midnight oil again sending us notes and a large number of pictures of yesterday's action at the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville: It rained all night long on Friday and didn't stop yesterday morning. The track wasn't race ready until 2:30 pm, so they started right away with Top Fuel and Funny Car Q3. Richie Crampton ran a blistering 3.731 reset the track record and went to the top of the qualifying ladder. In Funny Car Jack Beckman's 3.913 ET still held up for #1. The fourth nitro qualifying session was even more exciting. The track record was reset three times! Richie Crampton underlined his dominance running a sub 3.7 pass at 3.698, the fifth quickest 1000 foot time in the history of the sport! In Funny Car Jack Beckman ran a unbelievablly quick 3.879 at 329.29 mph tying the quickest run ever made in a Funny Car! Another record was set in Pro Modified when Jonathan Gray defeated Kenny Lang in round number one with the quickest pass in the history of Pro Mod and a National ET record of 5.751, 258.02 the speed. Wow! The Top Alcohol classes had their first round of eliminations at 8:00 pm. In Top Alcohol Dragster Eurodragster.com sponsor Mike Manners spun the tires at the hit and went out early. In Top Methanol Funny Car, Jonnie Lindberg ran a solid 5.53 at 263 mph to move on into the next round, whilst Ulf Leanders crossed the centre line at half track and is finished for the weekend. Hopefully this rain-troubled event can be finished tomorrow. You can check out David's updated Gatornationals gallery, which is presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. As well as David's pit notes you can stay in touch with results courtesy of Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. #Waiting over. 20th March: Volkswagen Drag Racing Club Chair Luke Stevenson writes that if you have been following the VWDRC social media you will have seen some of the racers posting #Waiting photos but that now the wait is over: We are days away from the largest first event field of VW Pro and VW Sportsman in years, with many more cars being made ready for round two. What is most impressive is the number of rookies for 2016, especially those who also attended Santa Pod's Dial In day. With ten rookies taking on the first event and at least five more from Big Bang the VWDRC Rookie of the Year will be hotly contested. The range of vehicles making use of the Volkswagen Audi Group pool is also growing, with an Audi A3, TT and Seat Leon and maybe a certain Bentley making a cameo at Big Bang. In 2016 the Championship returns to seven rounds, five at Santa Pod and two at Shakespeare County Raceway, along with the promotional tour extending to GTI Festival, GTI International and VW Action starting later this month with the Volksworld Show. The VWDRC has again been fortunate to be supported by some great companiss. Please take the time to look them up and use their services, quoting VWDRC when calling for their best price. Thanks to Herbies Autos, Vanology Performance Ltd, Trackstuff Racing Fuels and Tyres, Reichspeed Aircooled, KleenFreaks, WRP Paint and Restoration, Bear Motorsport Transmissions, Brickfield Autos, Darkside Developments, and StarsZ Hair and Beauty Don't forget to Like the VWDRC and to follow us on Twitter and Instagram. See you at the lights! Swift snippets. 20th March: SPRC Assistant Race Director Karl Birkenshaw writes that the SPRC marshals are looking to upgrade some of their caravans as many have taken a bit of a battering from the weather over the winter. If anyone knows of caravans which are on sale at rock bottom budget price then please drop an E-Mail with details and a price to [email protected]. Racepak and Post en Dros are Speedgroup contingency partners as well as Eurodragster.com sponsors. Almost two years ago Post & Dros Racing Engines & Parts, the European importer of all Racepak products, introduced a trackside support service at some FIA European Drag Racing Championship races. It was an instant success and Dick Koster, the Post en Dros employee responsible for this service, was back in 2015 for all FIA races. But innovation never stops and to get the latest updates and tips and tricks of all Racepak products, Dick and his colleagues Egbert Dros and Erwin Pepping travelled not only to the Racepak headquarters in California but also to Pomona, where Dick assisted the Racepak crew with their trackside support at the NHRA Circle K Winternationals. You can read more in Remco Scheelings' latest update on the Drag Racing Europe Blog by clicking here. An honoured guest returns. 20th March: Carl Olson, former NHRA Vice President and a key player in establishing the FIA European Drag Racing Commission and Championship, is planning a visit to the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala Evening which is taking place on Saturday 19th November at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel at London's Heathrow Airport. After Carl's first exposure to drag racing whilst he served in the US Coast Guard, in the 1960s he became Crew Chief, driver and eventually owner for a number Top Fuel teams racing in California. In 1970 he was offered the drive in Mike Kuhl's Top Fuel Dragster and in 1971 the pair became partners in one of the first mid-engine cars to be built which they débuted at the NHRA US Nationals at Indianapolis and which won Best Appearing Car at that event. After winning the 1972 NHRA Winternationals with a new Donovan Engineering 417 aluminum Hemi engine they became full-time professional racers, won the legendary Last Drag Race at Lions Drag Strip, and gained membership of the exclusive Cragar Five-Second Club. In five years the pair won many major races. In 1973 they sold their car to BDRHoF member Clive Skilton who imported it to the UK. At the end of the 1974 season Carl made the decision to retire from racing and became active within the sport and the industry, first as the General Manager of Waterman Racing Engines, Inc then joining the Specialty Equipment Market Association as its Technical and Legislative Director. He then held several positions at the NHRA for over twenty five years, and in 2001 became Motorsports Manager at the SFI Foundation, Inc. In addition to his drag racing history, Carl has many accomplishments and honours including membership of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club, International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, and several positions within SEMA including a seat on its Board of Directors. He served as the founding President of the FIA Drag Racing Commission and as consultant to several race facilities around the world. He was inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2012. On that occasion, he jetted in and out of the country within twenty four hours. This time he and his wife Kathy will have several days to spend at their leisure over the Gala weekend. Carl said "I enjoyed visiting England frequently in the 1990s and 2000s and it will be a happy return to see many friends I have missed in the meantime". Chairman Stu Bradbury said "We are delighted that Carl will be returning to the UK for the 2016 Gala. After his flying visit for the induction ceremony in 2012, we look forward to enjoying the pleasure of Carl and Kathy's company for a more relaxing few days on this trip." Ticket prices for the 2016 BDRHoF Gala Awards Dinner remain as last year at £60 per person. Corporate tables of 10 are available at £580. For advance booking of tickets contact [email protected] or telephone Stu Bradbury on 01933 279102. Webcam on test today. 19th March: Eurodragster.com's Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam is on test at today's Saturday Night Special at Santa Pod Raceway. Yesterday's upgrade of the webcam to fibre optics did not work so today's broadcast will initially be on the existing cabling set-up although with new cameras. Please note that we will be doing more work on the fibre optic set-up during today and we will likely have to stop the webcast whilst that work takes place. We will post a caption on the webcast if we need to stop it. Released today for you to exercise fully is a new player by our streaming service supplier Doyousee.me which is designed to work on PCs, laptops, tablets, Android and iPhones and other mobile devices. If the new player does not work for you then you will still be able to watch via the old players; the link is included on the webcam landing page at www.eurodragster.com/webcam. Please address queries or feedback about the player to [email protected] and not to the Eurodragster.com Facebook pages. The webcam landing page at www.eurodragster.com/webcam has been updated with a box which will contain status messages about the webcam, for example that it is on test or details of the next planned broadcast. We will not respond to queries which are covered by this status message. You will be able to check out today's webcast, as well as future webcasts, at www.eurodragster.com/webcam, by clicking on the WRE/Nimbus Webcam link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page, or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the current event. We recommend that you bookmark the eurodragster.com/webcam landing page and not the player page as the file name of the player page is subject to frequent change. For this season's full planned webcast roster please check out our John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage schedule by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Please read the schedule carefully, and please note that all webcasts are subject to the approval of venue or event management. As well as the webcast from today's Saturday Night Special and tomorrow's Run What You Brung we will post end-day galleries in association with John Woolfe Racing. You can check out the galleries and webcast by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Big Bang entry. 19th March: Many thanks to Ian Marshall for sending us Version 1 of the official entry list for Big Bang, a Championship round for VW Pro, VW Sportsman, Nostalgia Fuel Funny Car, Sportsman ET, Junior Dragster, 8.50 Bike, 9.50 Bike and the JDS and FWD Series, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-24th April. You can check out the Big Bang entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page, and you can download the official entry forms from the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. If you have any queries about Big Bang entry then please contact Ian Marshall by E-Mail at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). NHRA Gatornationals notes III. 18th March: When we last heard from David Beitler of Speedseekers.de a big clean-up was underway at Gainesville. David got in touch in the small hours (That's USA small hours and ours - Ed) with notes from the rest of yesterday's qualifying together with another gallery update: The clean-up took almost two hours, but it was worth the wait, because we saw two fantastic qualifying rounds from all Pro categories as well as Pro Modified. In Top Fuel Brittney Force took the number one spot with her 3.745-second pass at 309.56 mph. Jack Beckman reseted the track record with his Dodge Charger Funny Car running a 3.913 at 323.74 mph and became one qualifier. Jason Line took the qualifying lead in Pro Stock with a 6.596 at 210.01 mph. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Krawiec raced to the provisional lead with a 6.808 at 197.71 mph. In the wild and furious Pro Mod category former Top Fuel driver Sidnei Frigo secured the top spot in his '15 Corvette running a strong 5.839 at 240.47 mph. Ulf Leanders had a clutch malfunction in the first round of qualifying. One of the clutch levers broke.The second run was also a rather wild one, but a 5.688 at 220.26 mph got him qualified #8. Jonnie Lindberg also improved from his former run and took the #3 spot with a strong 5.532 at 263.87 mph. Our man from the UK, Mr Michael Manners, solved the problems from the first round and will start from #5 position with his 5.369 at 262.85 mph. With the delayed start and some more oildowns and mishaps it was a wrap at 21:30. Fingers crossed for a dry and sunny racing day today. You can check out David's updated Gatornationals gallery, which is presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. As well as David's pit notes you can stay in touch with results courtesy of Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. No-one here but us chickens... 19th March: Further to last Thursday's spy picture, Michael Dowdy writes that a further peek in the Old Chicken Shed reveals the body of the UK's Matthew Dowdy's Junior Dragster resplendent in its new colours courtesy of Nic and Ashley at OCS Paint: Many thanks to Nic and Ashley and to Nic's dad Keith for their sponsorship of the paintwork. Many thanks also to Gary Lockyer of Wootton Tyre and Exhaust (01604 660644), himself a former racer, for helping out with a new pair of slicks. Having used Gary's services for several years I can say that there is really no need to look elsewhere for tyres in the Northampton area. Finally thanks to Andy Wheeler for looking after the car over the winter and obliging with his trailer for the forthcoming Festival of Power as our Plans A and B did not come to fruition. Hopefully this should be resolved soon but if anybody does have a Junior-size trailer which they could hire or lend in April, Matthew would be most grateful! Matthew is really looking forward to the new season and finally getting to use the car. It seems so long since he last used it at the Flame and Thunder Show four and a half months ago! Ideally Matthew will be testing this weekend; more lead is on standby just in case. All we need now is for Dad to pay attention whilst Andy Wheeler helps us to run the car for the first half of the season! Swift snippets. 19th March: Somewhat of a heartbreaker for your dieting News Editor, the latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words "Chocolate... so much chocolate". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. NHRA Gatornationals notes II. 18th March: David Beitler of Speedseekers.de took advantage of a clean-up to send us more notes and pictures from the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, in which a number of European racers are competing. Thanks David! The sky was really foggy to start with, hopefully it will clear up later. At least it's not raining anymore. It was still quiet in the pits first thing, not too much going on there. John Hale's was one of the first Funny Cars getting pulled out of the trailer. Track drying started at 08:15 and I noticed Pro Stock cars being unloaded at 08:30. I stopped by Jimmy Ålunds trailer. He switched classes and is now running AA with a 10.60 index. He's trying to get the car in the 9.6 second zone and is still figuring the car out, trying somenew stuff. His goal for today is get a quicker sixty foot time and to survive the first round. I ran into Ulf Leanders who won last weekend's Divisional event here, but for the NHRA event the track has been prepped a bit differently so he is planning to drive into the 5.4 range this weekend. Krister Johansson is here with him helping out the team. I met the Lindberg Brothers who are running a new Camaro body which has a smaller canopy allowing more air to pass to the rear. It's also a bit lighter. Since there was a threat of rain, they were planning on running a conservative set-up for the first qualifying round and try to tune it up from there. Q1 for Top Methanol Funny Cars and Dragsters started at 12:00. Jonnie Lindberg had a pretty wild run, he posted a 5.60 but was all over the place. Ulf Leanders had a pretty wild run too and posted a 6.482 at 166.81 mph. Eurodragster.com sponsor Mike Manners made a proper burnout in his Top Alcohol Dragster but couldn't get the car out of reverse on the start line and they had to shut it down. This was followed by one of the TADs popping the blower and spitting a lot of liquid on the track. You can check out David's updated Gatornationals gallery, which is presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. As well as David's pit notes you can stay in touch with results courtesy of Drag Race Central at www.dragracecentral.com. Giordmaina's success story. 18th March: Maltese Super Street Bike racer Simon Giordmaina has already started his season, and started it in style taking the win at the first event on Malta with a new set-up on his bike and a new rider. Simon got in touch to bring us up to date with events in his pit: The 2015 season was a successful one for Simon Giordmaina Drag Racing. I had been out of the saddle for two years whilst the bike was raced in the USA by Rodney Williford, who ran consistent 7.0s but missed the magic 6.9, but last year I won races, set a new PB of 7.55, and won the Maltese Open Class Championship. I was also tuning Italy's Carbonera Super Street Bike team and managed to get them to run into the sevens for the first time in their racing career. That was an amazing day for them and for us too as we feel proud that we are a part of their team. When the 2015 season finished we started working to get the bike into better shape. After discussing tune-ups and set-ups with Rodney we decided to make some changes to the bike geometry, suspension and clutch. We got some new NLR narts, new NLR Planum and more, refreshed our motots and got the bike together ready for 2016 season. We also decided to put on new bodywork which is currently being put together. But the biggest change in 2016 on is the latest Rodney Williford side-mount turbo set-up with a new mod GTX turbo, which Rodney built for us and sent to Malta. I can tell you that the headers are so nice that I don't want to run them! But I also know that when they are on the bike we will have more power to use when we need it. When the 2016 season arrived a last-minute change was made to our team. While I was having a chat at the track I met a longtime friend whom I knew through bikes, Franklyn Borg. We were both interested in Franklyn riding the bike this season and we saw it as a challenge as he had never ridden a Super Street Bike, although he has a lot of experience in drag racing on other bikes. We tested the bike and on Franklyn's first full pass he went a 7.85 which showed potential. We made another test pass and went an amazing 1.22 at sixty feet and off throttle due to spin. This showed that we could work together and we couldn't wait for the racing to start. On the Friday we didn't start on such a positive note as the tyre was spinning and we could not get down the track under power. On Saturday we were told that Franklyn would have to make an observed run. I had to make changes to the tune-up as I wanted to get down the track under power so that Franklyn would pass his observed run, and I wanted him to build his confidence as a rider. We went out for the first qualifying session and the bike ran a very smooth 7.70/160. We now had some data to look at, and Franklyn passed his observed run and became a more confident rider. It was a long day at the end of which we were asked if we wanted to make a second qualifying pass that night or in the morning. We were the only team who decided to make the pass at night. We didn't make a full pass as the track had got too cold for Super Street Bike but I had more data to look at. It was another sleepless night working out a tune-up for eliminations on Sunday. In the first round Franklyn ran an amazing 7.48/192. We looked at the run and it was far from perfect so we re-tuned the bike for the next pass and Franklyn ran a very nice 7.40/195, this was the quickest side-by-side SSB run in Malta as Shawn Buttigieg ran a 7.3. The next pass was the Super Street Bike final which Franklyn won with a stunning 7.36 which made us all cheer, then we relaxed after a hectic weekend with drinks and selfies. I have to say a big Well Done to Franklyn for doing a fantastic job riding the bike and for understanding what's needed to go quick and fast in such a short time. Well done my friend. A big Thank You goes to all the people that stood together with us and supported us even when things were not going well. Thanks to MDRA for a great event and a very well-prepared track, and thank you Brad O'Connor for making me the person I am today tuning an SSB. There are a lot of people to thank but a special Thank You goes to Franklyn himself for all the help before the race and for riding the bike in such style, his father Marcell for the nice tasty coffee and his help through the weekend, my brother George for helping with engine swapping and anything we needed, my father Charles for the support, Noel Calleja for doing the engineering part of the bike even if it means a long night, Mark, Gabriel, Leli, Joe Krojs, Vince and Daniel for their support through the weekend, and many more - you all know who you are! A big Thank You again goes to Rodney Williford for the straight-to-the-point advice and understanding the rush throughout a race. Thanks Rodney and the Willifords, you're the best. Thank you also to our special families for supporting us during our most difficult times, even when we are away for a long time preparing our bikes. A special thanks also to Graziella and Jayden my Number One Supporter, for all they do and for being understanding about the time I am away from them, even now when Graz needs me around more as she is expecting our second baby in two or three months (Congratulations! - Ed). In closing Simon Giordmaina Drag Racing will be on track for the rest of the season trying to run quicker and faster on every pass if possible. This is all preparation for bigger things in the future. Certainly we will keep on enjoying every minute of it, as this is all about loving the sport. Track snippets. 18th March: Our good friend Lena Perés has been in touch with some snippets from the north of Europe. Maja Udtian has provided us with some information about a very exciting and special EDRS tracks located far out from the Norwegian coast, on the island of Frøya. Click here to read more. After long and hard admin work, activity to rebuild Gardemoen Raceway is now at a very high level. When the 2016 race season starts the racers are going to find a resurfaced race track with new in the plan throughout the season. Click here for more details. Speedgroup are happy to introduce racers to a new track in the EDRS series Kiltsi Airfield in Estonia where the Estonian Drag Racing Association run drag racing events. We are pleased to announce that they have decided to cooperate with Speedgroup and to run some of the EDRS classes at one of their events. Click here to find out more Swift snippets. 18th March: Good luck and stay safe to Kalle Lyrén (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com sponsor Cosmo Residences (Top Alcohol Dragster), Jonnie Lindberg and Ulf Leanders (Top Alcohol FC) and Jimmy Ålund (Stock Eliminator) who are contesting this weekend's Amalie Oils NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville. After a rain-out yesterday qualifying continues today and you will be able to stay in touch with Team Europe's progress on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com. We will also have more pit notes for you courtesy of David Beitler of Speedseekers.de. Welcome Wobblebox Hire. 17th March: We are very pleased to welcome a new sponsor to Eurodragster.com: Matthew and Danielle Wright's new business venture Wobblebox Motorhome and Caravan Hire Essex. Danielle Wright writes: Motorhomes and caravans for short breaks and holidays have always been a favourite British pastime, whether it's during racing events like us, or simply to avoid costly airline fares, or if you prefer an adventure closer to home with the kids! We realised that so many who enjoy the camping experience do not have the time or space to own a caravan or motorhome permanently. Rental is the next best thing! And with no hassle. Our niche business provides both UK and European travel options for 2-6 berth motorhomes and caravans. All of our motorhomes are less than a year old, ensuring that you have the most luxurious experience possible both on and off the road. So come on get off the couch, stop hibernating! Spring and summer are around the corner and it's time to shake off those winter blues. If you have an event coming up or some long-overdue time off work then hiring a caravan or motorhome is a fun adventure for all the family. If this is of interest but you're not sure how it all works then Matthew or I would only be too happy to take you through the hire process and to answer any of your questions. Contact us through the web site at www.wobbleboxhire.com or call us on 01277 366584. We are based in Billericay, Essex, a stone's throw from Junction 29 of the M25. Ideally situated for European travel! If you would prefer to arrive at your camp site with your accommodation already set up then caravan delivery can be arranged to various locations within the UK, please ring for a quote. We would like to say a big Thank You to Danielle and Matthew Wright for their additional support of Eurodragster.com. Please support those who support Eurodragster.com by considering our sponsors first when shopping for goods or services. NHRA Gatornationals notes I. 17th March: David Beitler of Speedseekers.de has been in touch from Gainesville with his first notes and pictures from the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, in which a number of European racers are competing: The sky in the morning looked rather promising, some cloud cover but a few sun beams breaking through here and there. In the pits the Pro trailers were closed and the pits looked deserted. Some trailers were lined up at the gate to enter the pits, amongst them Morgan Lucas Racing, Clay Millican and Matt Hagan. Sportsman classes pulled into the staging lanes at 08:20. At 08:30 the first pair fired up right on time and we were underway with Q1 for Stock Eliminator, followed by Super Comp and Super Stock. Jimmy Ålund driving the turquoise Fire Escape Racing Stock '70 Nova (left), indexed at 10.60, ran a 9.994 out of the box which had him sitting #60 after the first round. In the second round Jimmy posted a 9.986 and dropped down to #65 out of 76. At 12:15 a few light sprinkles turned into a heavy rain followed by thunder and lightning at about 12:50. The NHRA Safety Safari checked out the track at 13:45. You can check out David's first tranche of pictures from Gainesville, which are presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Event entry update. 16th March: Shakespeare County Raceway's Jerry Cookson has been in touch to let us know that the official entry forms for the MSA/ACU APIRA Springspeed Nationals are now on-line and ready to download from the track's web site at www.shakespearecountyraceway.com. Jerry adds that racers are encouraged to pay their entry fee via Bacs rather than credit card or cheques, as this cuts down on administrative charges and time. SCR's account details can be found on the entry form. Entry is open for Big Bang, a Championship round for VW Pro, VW Sportsman, Nostalgia Fuel Funny Car, Sportsman ET, Junior Dragster, 8.50 Bike, 9.50 Bike and the JDS and FWD Series, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 23rd-24th April. You can download the official entry forms from the Santa Pod Racers Club web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Santa Pod Raceway are pleased to announce that they have joined forces with Fast Bikes and Back Street Heroes magazines to present Race, Rock & Ride, a festival celebrating everything on two wheels, on 21st-22nd May. There's fun for all the family with on track action from Straightliners, bike-only Run What Ya Brung, FireForce Jet Car, Monster Truck, static displays, AC/DC tribute band LiveWire and more. Weekend tickets start from just £23 with sign on at £25. To find out more, visit www.racerocknride.com. Racers entered for the FIA Main Event the following week who wish to test at Race, Rock & Ride are most welcome to come along and take advantage of what will be a fully prepped track, but SPR request that any racers planning on attending this event and looking to set up their pits for the FIA Main Event notify either James Forster at [email protected] or Darren Prentice at [email protected] or call 01234 782828. Swift snippets. 16th March: The Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, one of the traditional European invasion events, kicks off for Sportsman classes tomorrow (Thursday). Good luck and stay safe to Kalle Lyrén (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Michael Manners of Eurodragster.com sponsor Cosmo Residences (Top Alcohol Dragster), Jonnie Lindberg and Ulf Leanders (Top Alcohol FC) and Jimmy Ålund (Stock Eliminator). You will be able to stay in touch with Team Europe's progress on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com and we hope to have pit notes for you courtesy of photographer David Beitler. Booking closes at 17:00 UK / 18:00 European this Friday for discounted advance tickets to next week's Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway. To book your tickets visit www.santapod.com. We would like to say a big Happy Birthday for today to our good buddy John Hackney. Have a great day Hackers. UK network Channel 4 are screening Speed Special with Guy Martin at 21:00 tomorrow (Thursday), a puff piece for C4's Formula 1 coverage which nevertheless includes multiple FIM European Top Fuel Bike Champion Ian King tutoring Guy in the ways of proper motorsport. You can take an advance look at Ian's contribution on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-PcezSlAI. Feature: UK SFI Day. 15th March: The UK leg of the 2016 European SFI Recertification Tour took place at Santa Pod Raceway yesterday (Monday). In association with Lucas Oil Products we are pleased to present a gallery of the day which you can check out by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. SFI Foundation President Arnie Kuhns made what may be his last stop on a European SFI Tour, although we hasten to add not his last visit to Europe, as administration on the Tour has been taken over by Jennifer Faye. Inspections were carried out by Murf McKinney, Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson and Luke Robinson. The death of regular inspector Tim Hyatt in December left a big hole in the close-knit team and Andy said that this year's Tour had had its emotional moments. Jennifer told us that numbers of items inspected were up on last year in The Netherlands and Sweden, slightly down in Finland, and down in the UK. Very few items failed on age or condition and none on unauthorised modifications. Jennifer added that she had enjoyed her second Tour as she knew what to expect, and that Arnie Kuhns had been a good trainer. Per the new UK rule for 2016 a number of Junior Dragster chassis were also inspected by Mark Norton and Dave Cumbridge of the UK's Tech Team. Geoff Martin, who heads up the UK's Tech Team, Phil Evans, who heads up the MSA Drag Racing Sub-Committee, and UK Tech Team member Dave McCready were also in attendance as was European Tech Inspector Frans Steilberg. The new design of silencer for Junior Modified and Junior Modified Advanced dragsters was tested during the day and we will bring you more news about that in due course. Whilst photographing the SFI Day for our Feature we also garnered a few Pit Notes which are presented below in the order in which we spoke to the racers: Jim Draper said that the Draper Brothers plan to run their altered / Funny Car car as an altered in Super Pro ET this season. The car's ignition has been changed. Having completed work on the body, Top Methanol Funny Car racers Steph and Dave Milam have spent the off-season working on the chassis of their ex-Dan Larsen Funny Car including new rails at the front. The car is due to make its competitive début next season. "It's a really nice car", said Steph, "although I have not actually sat in it yet as we only put the seat in the other day!". The current FC will again run as an altered at Dragstalgia and the aim is to take the ET record for a European altered to complement Steph's speed record set in 2015. The Grabhams will be taking the Freddy's Revenge blown-alcohol altered to Dakota Raceway this Saturday for some pre-Festival of Power testing in the hands of Robbie Grabham. The car has new rods and pistons but Dave and Hilary said that just as important was the chance to get the team together and to get back into the swing, getting the car on and off the trailer and working on between-round maintenance. Saturday's plan at Dakota is for burnouts and launches and "To make a bit of noise". Fuel FC racer Kevin Kent said that the West Ten FC has a new set-up this year. "We have a setback blower", he said. "It will be interesting to see how much more it pins me into the seat". Kevin added that John Smith will be tuning the FC at next week's Festival of Power. We asked if Kevin's partner Shelley Pearson is planning to get into the FC again and Kevin said that this would likely happen late this season. "When we win the lottery I'll buy her another!", he said. Super Pro ET racer Mark Flavell's Funny Car will be running a limited schedule this season. The team have spent the off-season working on the car's body after it suffered damage in a blower panel burst at the NSRA Hot Rod Drags. Prompted by the request at the recent Riders' and Drivers' Meeting Mark and team have been scouting a possible racing venue. Top Fuel Dragster team owner Rune Fjeld said that Rune Fjeld Motorsport will be fielding two cars this season. Liam Jones has signed up for the full FIA European Championship Tour whilst previous RFM names of renown will each be contesting a couple of events. RFM will be fielding two Top Fuellers at next week's Festival of Power in the hands of Liam Jones and, confirming our "We understand" snippet on last Friday's news, Steve Ashdown making licencing passes. Rune added that he will be celebrating forty years in drag racing in 2017. 2016 European Top Gas calendar. 15th March: Herman Jolink has been in touch to let us know that the European Top Gas Series racers held a meeting in Molln, Germany on Saturday to vote upon their 2016 calendar. "Twenty Top Gas teams were present at the meeting and twenty two racers are Top Gas members, so if everyone comes to the races we will have a good field in 2016", says Herman. The 2016 European Top Gas calendar is as follows: 13th-15th May: EDRS, Malmö, SE 27th-29th May: AutoMaxx Spring Edition, Drachten, NL 3rd-5th June: Dragster Eurogames, Bechyne, CZ 1st-3rd July: Main Event, Drachten, NL 22nd-24th July: Main Event, Drachten, NL 19th-21st August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, D 2nd-3rd September: Mosten Race Days (eighth-mile sprint), Allingabro, DK The six best of seven rounds will count for the Championship. You can find out more at www.topgas.com. A TMD at sixty. 15th March: Karl Harrison writes with an update from the NUA / RKS Motorsport team, whose entry into FIA Top Methanol Dragster this season has not been kept a secret but there may be at least one aspect which has hitherto not been public knowledge: Driver Rod Harrison, who is also my dad, turned sixty at the end of last year. After years of competing in various types of motorsport he's decided to slow down a bit and enjoy some peace and quiet... not a chance! Santa Pod Raceway have kindly let us enter as a demo car for the Festival of Power so that we can get the driver settled in the car again and all the crew back on their toes. The engine has been freshened up by Andy Raw and I and it has now been fired up for the first time this year. The chassis is all ready to race; we are lucky as the car was a fully-legal Top Alcohol Dragster which had only made twenty runs in NHRA before we got it. We hope to get back to where we finished last year, which was a best ET of 5.86 and best speed of 234 mph, in readiness for the FIA Main Event. We know we are going up some of the best in the world but are relishing in the new challenge. We've had an incredible time racing in Super Pro ET and wouldn't be in the position we are now to follow up not only on an ambition but also what seemed only a dream when we started competing in drag racing back in 2007. Having started our drag racing adventure in Super Pro we would like to thank everyone in the class who has helped, advised and encouraged us. This next step is a very exciting time for all involved but I must say a huge Thank You to NUA Motors and NUA Entertainment for their continued sponsorship this year. Without them it wouldn't be happening. Our plan for this season is the Festival of Power, FIA Main Event, NitrOlympX and the FIA European Finals. Unfortunately we don't have the budget to do the whole tour this year but we intend to give it our best at those rounds we can do. We are also very lucky to have a dedicated crew who also share our passion and dedication to racing, so a massive Thank You to my better half Natasha who puts up with the countless hours I spend doing this, Andy and Lisa Raw, Abby, Jacko, Lee, Jonno and of course young Harley Darby our young Junior driver and my brother Sam. You are all superstars and I thank you. We would also like to thank Post en Dros for their continued support supplying our engine parts, Quick Dive for their help and parts with the converter drive, and Jeff Bull Race Engines for the torque converter and continued help and advice. We - as family, extended family and crew - can't wait. The Nitro Bug Nostalgia Funny Car is coming along too. The project is taking shape at a pace with which all involved are happy and we plan on having the car out mid-season. Andy Raw and I can't thank Jason and Roy at FGR Motorsport enough for their work and for getting us where we are so far with the project. I'd also like to thank the Apache team for their help, advice and loan of parts. The NFC class is looking like it's really going to take shape in 2017, again we can't wait and the great part is we have the same crew from the TMD with the added bonus of Steve Taylor for the Nitro Bug car, Steve and Jacko are also the paint department and Andy, Lisa, Tash and I have no clue on the paint design other than colours! All in all 2016 is looking busy but exciting. See you all at Easter! Swift snippets. 15th March: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with no words. If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. Thanks to Ian Marshall for forwarding us the final version of the official entry list for the Festival of Power, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway next week. You can check out the entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. If you have any queries about Festival of Power entry then please contact Ian by E-Mail at [email protected] or call 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625). VW Sportsman racer Russ Weir tells us that he has been working frantically on engine and transmission upgrades to his Ghia to have it ready in time for the Festival of Power. You can find out more on Russ' Facebook Page. If a racer could earn bonus points for being the first to enter a Championship then Finland's Vesa Ruhanen would now be the leader as he was one of the first riders to register for the 2016 EDRS Pro Nordic Super Street Bike Championship. And not without reason, as after a season with only two races Vesa can't wait to start racing again and is looking for a bit more of everything: more races, more wins and a first six-second time slip. You can read more courtesy of our good buddy Remco Scheelings on the EDRS Pro web site at www.dragracingeurope.eu. UK Wild Bunch racers Pete and Rob Brown have been in touch to say a big Thank You to all at APIRA for considering them for the Iris Page Memorial Trophy, with which they were presented at the APIRA Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation after coming top of the vote of Eurodragster.com readers. "We were both blown away to even see our names on the list!", they say. "Small fish in a big pond sprang to mind!" Dakota Raceway opens for 2016. 14th March: Lee Child of Eurodragster.com sponsor Lee Child International Track Prep Services writes that Devon's Dakota Raceway opens 2016 with a Drag and Drift Day this Saturday (19th): 2015 was a really good season with increasing numbers of spectators and more riders and drivers than 2014. The Devonshire quarter mile is open to everyone. Joining us will be Robbie Grabham testing in the Freddy's Revenge Topolino blown nostalgia altered. Adding to the supercharged action will be Glen Child with his Rodeck-powered T. The nostalgia theme continues with Lee Johnstone testing his blown Volvo gasser Ain't No Saint. The track is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. At our last event in November one of our regular Test and Tune guys made seventy passes in one day, so you can be sure you will get track time. We also have drifting on the largest drift area in the West Country, Show and Shine, and Club stands. As well as this Saturday we have Drag and Drift Days on 23rd April, 8th October and 12th November. For details check out Dakota Raceway's Facebook page. Dakota Raceway is located in Smeatharpe, Devon, postcode EX14 9RF (map). Swift snippets. 13th March: If you are headed to tomorrow's SFI Day at Santa Pod Raceway then the latest information we have is that inspections will be taking place downstairs in spectator-side VIP. If we are informed of any change then we will let you know. Congratulations to Sweden's Ulf Leanders who took the win in Top Alcohol Funny Car in this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series round in Gainesville. Ulf qualified #3 and took the win against Doug Gordon. You can read more on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com. Meanwhile good luck and stay safe to Adam Flamholc who is qualified third for today's Pro Modified elimination at the NMCA event in Bradenton. You can stay in touch with Adam's progress on the Flamholc/MMR Racing Facebook page. We have the macro ready. An Easter invitation. 11th March: The North of England's drag strip York Raceway opens its gates at Easter weekend for its fortieth consecutive season of drag racing with a brace of action packing events. Chris of York Raceway writes: Modified Action on Sunday 27th March features non-stop Run What You Brung action, with York Raceway's very popular Ultimate RWYB class format for street cars and the return of the Mini Showdown. The Mini Showdown always attracts some very diverse machinery looking to take the trophies for Quickest A-series Mini, Quickest 'new' BMW Mini, and Quickest Mini overall. Modified Action is also the perfect opportunity for racers to test and get their race vehicles dialled-in for the PDRC Championship season. On Monday 28th March York Raceway hosts the Easter Nationals, the first round of the 2016 PDRC Championships. Race classes include American Super Stock, Volks Stock, JDM-DRC, Pro FWD, bracket classes Pro ET and Sportsman ET, and the heads-up Super Cup class. The NSCC will also be competing in the first round of their series and there will be track time for RWYB throughout the day. More information on PDRC Championship race classes can be found on the York Raceway web site at www.yorkraceway.org.uk. MSA licence holders who find themselves at a loose end on Easter Monday will be made very welcome at York where they can enter two race classes for only £40 with their MSA licence and APIRA / SPRC membership card. Swift snippets. 11th March: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words "There's a spy picture for you". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. US tuner Will Hanna has been in touch to let us know that he would love to make a trip back to the FIA/FIM Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway and is offering his services as tuner, consultant, colour commentator or driver (Will is building his own TAFC due out at some point this season). If you would like to engage Will's services then you can contact him at [email protected]. With the Festival of Power starting in a fortnight (Don't forget that entry closes today - Ed) racers have a number of chances to test before HM Queen Carole of Race Control and Crown Prince Karl request the kind attendance of racers for Q1. Santa Pod Raceway are hosting a Saturday Night Special and Run What You Brung next Saturday and Sunday (19th-20th) and a Pro Peak Performance Test and Tune Day on the day before the event, Thursday 24th. You can find out more at www.rwyb.com. Alternately Dakota Raceway at Smeatharpe in the West Country is hosting a Drag and Drift event on Saturday 19th. For more details check out the Dakota Raceway Southwest Facebook page. On the subject of the Festival of Power, eagle-eyed readers will have noticed the TBA in the Top Fuel entry. We understand that TBA are Steve Ashdown's new initials but we will bring you more news on this when we get it. We would like to say a big Happy Birthday with hugs to Wild Bunch Race Co-ordinator Claire Meaddows. Have a lovely day Claire. 2016 European Pro Stock preview. 10th March: Many thanks to Ian Hart for forwarding us a run-down of this season's FIA Pro Stock runners and riders: Following the switch to Electronic Fuel Injection within the NHRA ranks several European racers have bought cars, engines and complete packages from the US to swell the ranks of FIA Pro Stock with some highly competitive cars. The familiar hood scoops of Pro Stock cars may be no more in America, but naturally-aspirated motors remain current in Europe and it is European Pro Stock fans who will directly benefit. Stefan Ernryd has decided to step up from sponsoring to driving and has purchased an Allen Johnson Dodge which was previously campaigned by Richie Stevens in the NHRA. Stefan is planning to race at the season opener at Santa Pod Raceway and the Scandinavian rounds and to see how things come together. Stefan licenced in the car over in Florida and had his licence countersigned by none other than Jimmy Ålund. "I told him he will grow to regret signing that licence" says Stefan with a smile. The Crew Chief on the Ernryd Cars entry for 2016 will be ex Pro Stock racer Ulf Wagnhester. Bengt Ljungdahl has purchased Shane Gray's 2015 race car which Shane took to semi-finals with consistent 6.5-second passes. Bengt was racing an ex-Michael Malmgren Pontiac in 2015, a car he has now sold to Pro Stock newcomer Jonas Boberg, who will race it in the class this year. Jonas has some help and serious knowledge in the form of his Crew Chief, the popular and very experienced Pro stock Sacer Tommy Leindahl. Robin Norén has bought the ex-Mats Jacobsson Pro Stock Pontiac, and will compete in the class this year. Robin plans to compete at the two Tierp events and Alastaro, and then may enter the European Finals at Santa Pod dependent on how things go. Hannu Kalliomäki made his first Pro Stock outing in 2015 in an ex-Greg Stanfield Pontiac GXP, which set the number one qualifier position in session one at Alastaro. Hannu plans to race at Tierp and Alastaro. Jimmy Ålund, is going to have some fun over in the US this year racing a Stock / Super Stock 1970 Chevy Nova at Pomona, Gainesville and Charlotte before he comes back over for the European Pro Stock season. Jimmy will race at all events, and will include Malta if the logistics can be worked out. With no plans to race Pro Stock in the NHRA this year, Jimmy will have all his attention and resources focused on Europe to challenge Thomas Lindström for the number one plate. Reigning FIA European Pro Stock Champion Thomas Lindström has new J&J power under the hood for 2016 wrapped up in a new-look car and trailer designed by Nina Lindström. Thomas tells me that since the sponsorship with Ernryd Cars ended last year new sponsors have been contacting the team but that there are still slots available on the sponsorship side. "Winners attract winners so sponsors who would like to be associated with a race team which has a proven record and a high-profile presence can continue to contact us", says Thomas. Magnus Petersson has new sponsors in the form of MPM Oils and Mekonomen. Magnus and Martin have been working hard throughout the off-season to increase the horsepower and they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in 2016. Michael Malmgren will be back and will be looking to improve on the numbers he was running last year. Michael hit PBss for ET and speed in 2015 proving that he has the muscle and the motivation to run with the leaders still and to continue to amass points to his already impressive and record-holding European points tally. Simon Gustafsson will also be returning with the Samantha Racing Dodge, and plans to run the normal calendar. Simon says "We will test at Malmö and we are going to run at the normal FIA events and chase results." With regular Pro Stock campaigners including Richard 'Nixxon' Sundblom, Jan Palmqvist, Christian Sagelv and Sampsa Palos yet to confirm the races they will contest, it is possible that Pro Stock will number fourteen or more cars at some events. Swift snippets. 10th March: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the words "What's hatching in the old chicken shed?". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. Thanks to Ian Marshall for forwarding us Version 6 of the official entry list for the Festival of Power, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 25th-27th March. You can check out the entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Entry closes tomorrow (Friday); you can download Festival of Power entry forms from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Keith Lee writes that as UK legend Dennis Priddle prepares to fly to Florida in the next few days, ready for his induction into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, the news has been picked up by the local radio and TV stations. Dennis was interviewed by BBC Radio Somerset, along with a contribution from Keith, ready for broadcast this morning (Thursday) on the Claire Carter Breakfast Show. It will be available for replay at www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsomerset following the show. Dennis is today heading up to Bristol where he will be chatting live about his racing years on the West of England news programme BBC Points West at 18:30. On behalf of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Geoff Stilwell asked us to say a big Happy Birthday for today (Thursday) to US legends Bob Muravez and Floyd Lippencotte Jr. Our pleasure Geoff, have a great day Bob and Floyd. Save the children. 10th March: Lex Joon Racing is proud and honored to announce a new strategic partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation and its Project ChildSafe firearm safety education programme. Lex Joon Racing will be promoting the programmes Own it? Respect it. Secure it initiative at NHRA events throughout the 2016 season. After moving from Europe to the United States in 2013, Lex gained a better understanding of Americans' passion for owning and using firearms. At the same time, he recognised that nearly all firearm accidents can be prevented if gun owners are aware of and follow safe firearms handling and storage guidelines. "Recently, I read about a firearm accident involving a child and it struck me that I was in a position as a professional racer to use my visibility to encourage the proper storage of firearms", says Lex. Lex Joon Racing's goal is to expand awareness of Project ChildSafe's Own it? Respect it. Secure it safety message and to promote responsible gun ownership. The message is quite simple - if you own a firearm or have one in the home, it should be safely and securely stored when not in use to help prevent access by children and other unauthorised persons. "I have no doubt the NHRA community will support this important safety programme wholeheartedly", said Lex. "We greatly appreciate Lex Joon's passion for helping to reduce firearms accidents and misuse by bringing Project ChildSafe's Own It? Respect It. Secure It message to the fast-growing National Hot Rod Association audience" said Bill Brassard, NSSF Senior Director, Communications. "NSSF is proud to partner with Lex Joon Racing on this exciting initiative. Thanks to corporate partners like Lex Joon Racing helping to raise public awareness about the safe and responsible ownership of firearms and the importance of securely storing firearms, fatal firearms accidents are at historic low levels." The Project ChildSafe program was developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms industry. Project ChildSafe is committed to promoting firearms safety among firearms owners through the distribution of safety education messages and free firearm safety kits. The kits, available through local law enforcement departments, include a cable-style gun lock and a brochure that provides safe handling and secure storage guidelines to help deter access by unauthorised individuals. Project ChildSafe is a real solution to making communities safer. More than fifteen thousand law enforcement agencies have partnered with the program to distribute more than thirty seven million firearms safety kits to gun owners in all fifty states and the five US territories. Project ChildSafe's firearms safety education efforts are supported through tax-deductible contributions to the Project ChildSafe Foundation. For more information about Project ChildSafe, visit www.projectchildsafe.org. Festival of Power entry. 9th March: This Friday (11th) is the official closing date for entry to the Festival of Power, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 25th-27th March. Entry after Friday, if accepted, may be subject to a Late Entry penalty. Please note that the two-week entry deadline is a one-off for the Festival of Power; entry to all other events has the usual three-week deadline. You can download Festival of Power entry forms from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Thanks to Ian Marshall for sending us Version 5 of the official entry list for the Festival of Power, which you can check out by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Sharing Shortys. 9th March: UK Super Comp racer Paul Brown had an interesting season with his Shorty dragster in 2015 and is looking forward to more of the same in 2016. Paul also says that he has done a deal to race in the USA: Things didn't run as smoothly as I'd have liked in 2015 but boy did I have fun and a few wild rides! The Shorty has proved to be a new challenge for me and I've enjoyed that extra power too. Slight engine damage had us out of eliminations at Easter. In the qualifiers at the FIA Main Event we kept being paired up against a certain wild Beetle, both of us trying to be the first to break that seven-second barrier resulting in massive breakouts for both of us. Well done Richard Webb for getting there first. My quickest run of the season was 8.08 so hopefully I'll get the chance to crack the sevens some time this season. During the summer break we had planned to put some upgrades into the car but discovered that we had a broken torque converter. Life was getting in the way as we were all busy on other things, so we decided to finish the season early and get the gear box sorted and the engine refreshed and dyno'd. Having hopefully solved some of the handling issues we are hoping for better consistency this season. All being well, the plan is to run a full season in Super Comp. The car is now ready for testing, we're just waiting on some warm and sunny weather to check the car out properly. In April we will be heading out to Las Vegas to race at the Spring Fling Million, which is a five-day race event. It all started when I ordered a dragster cover from Land Shark Racing, the makers of short dragsters. My parents went to collect the cover whilst they were in Colorado. One conversation with Jeff Strunk, founder and President of Land Shark Racing, led to another and now we're off to Vegas to join him and race his Shorty dragster. The plan is that I race for a couple of days at that event and that Jeff does the other days as there are many different races taking place that week. Then we will drive via the Grand Canyon and Route 66 to Jeff's workshop in Colorado and spend some time there. All being well Jeff will be coming to the UK either in September or next year to race in my car. He originally thought about shipping his own car over here as he liked what he saw on Santa Pod Raceway's web site but our reciprocal agreement seemed a better plan for both of us. My NHRA licence has been issued so I will be packing the racing gear just after Easter and heading over the Pond for a new experience. Socking it to 'em. 9th March: UK Fuel FC racer Jayne Kay has recently teamed up with America Pro Snowboarder Shane Levi Gould, Creative Director and Founder of Fuel, to promote the action sports clothing brand Fuel Clothing. Jayne writes: Fuel Clothing is a foundation started in 1992 built upon the support of skate, snow, surf, moto, music and racing lifestyles. They do most of their advertising through athletes from a variety of sports. Shane is a great supporter of all athletes in the sport industry and helps to push the growth of up-and-coming sports personalities with the support of Fuel Clothing. As well as supporting Jayne Kay with her Nitro Funny Car endeavours, Fuel Clothing is also teamed with twice NHRA Funny Car Champion, Cruz Pedregon, supplying the team with design, production and marketing. One of the reasons I am pleased to be joining the Fuel team is because I get to promote the Sock Karma subscription service. As well as providing Pro athletes with great apparel, Fuel also run an action / motorsport sock subscription service. This service not only sends you socks every month, but also donates the same amount of pairs to homeless shelters on your behalf. I love the passion which comes from the Fuel team, I am grateful for their support in my racing career and can't wait to start promoting their products online and at the race track. Keep an eye out for more posts on the Jayne Kay Motorsport Facebook page. Check out www.fuelclothing.com to find out more! Swift snippets. 9th March: Staying on the apparel theme UK Super Pro ET team Brad Jackson Racing's 2016 team race shirts, designed by Kris Boesen of Six B Apparel in the USA are to feature in his advertisement in Bandimere Speedway's 2016 program. "Seventy five thousand programmes will be printed up and given away, so it is really an honour to be part of the Six B Apparel logo feature", says Wayne Jackson. "Kris has designed our teamwear for the past three years and his service and commitment are second to none. Give him a try at www.6bapparel.com, you will not be disappointed!" Further to Monday's snippet, James Forster of Santa Pod Raceway writes that an illustrated report of Sunday's Dial In Day is now showing on SPR's official Run What You Brung web site at www.rwyb.co.uk/dialin.php. At time of writing Eurodragster.com Photographer and Dial-In Day winner Kirstie is working feverishly to take make use of the free Festival of Power Sportsman ET entry with which she was awarded for her victory on Sunday. Another win for Flamholc. 9th March: Sweden's Adam Flamholc carried on his winning ways with victory in Pro Modified at last weekend's opening IHRA race at Orlanda Speedworld: Our plan was to test on Thursday to make sure that we had found the electrical gremlins we suffered in Bradenton a couple of weeks ago. But unfortunately we couldn't get the truck and new trailer ready in time, so we arrived at the track early on Friday. The car ran OK in qualifying, but not the way we expected and we ended up in fifth position. We worked late into Saturday evening, and finally found the problem. In round one I was up against Billy Glidden. Billy is a great driver who has won a lot of races, so I knew it was gonna be a tough one. We managed to pull off a great run, 5.89 to Billy's 5.98, and advanced to round two. In round two it was time to take on Billy Harper. Billy qualified number one, and recorded a new IHRA ET record (congrats to them). Another good run in a great race, I ran 5.90 to Billy's 5.95. He left a litle bit on me so it was close, but I won! In the final I faced Jerico Balduf. Jerico is a young very talanted guy who has been running very well lately. I knew what he was capable of, so I was very motivated and focused. Unfortunately for Jerico, they had some problems with the car pretty much from the start of the run, so a 5.95 was enough to take the win in the final. Im extremely happy and proud of the guys in our team! They just stay at it and keep the spirit up, and keep on working through good times and bad. Am awesome car built by Joey Martin, a great supercharger from Mike Janis, an incredible motor built by Hameetman Racing Engines and Malmo Motor Renovating. Thanks to Amalie Oil, 5 Days Plantation Shutters and Blinds, Stallningsbyggarna, Performance Plus, Ekdahls Miljo, R&R Rods and Linnarhults Terminalen. Without you guys supporting us, none of our racing would be possible. It feels great to go to Ennis, Texas for round two of the Championship as points leader. This weekend we will be in Bradenton for the NMCA Season Opener. Hopefully we can keep on making good runs and go rounds! Lottie's new livery. 8th March: Spencer Tramm writes that the first of yesterday's two spy pictures shows the new paint scheme on the car of 2015 UK National Lucas Oil Junior Dragster Champion Charlotte Bradford: The paint scheme has been updated to resemble the Przym Paintworks Super Pro ET Dragster, although eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the dark blue and turquoise have been reversed as turquoise is one of Charlotte's favourite colours. Charlotte was just twelve years old when she won the Championship last year. Now she has turned thirteen we have installed the JR Race Cars 515 cc motor which John Przybyl ran in the Lucas Oil car and she is moving up to Junior Modified Advanced for 2016. Charlotte, dad Mark, mum Julie and sister Liv want to say a huge thanks to Andy, Cheryl, Paul and John Przybyl for the great job they did on the dragster. The team hope to get in some testing before the Festival of Power. The story behind yesterday's second spy picture will be revealed here on Eurodragster.com News on Saturday week (19th). Beat the World Champion, then... 8th March: Scott Hauser has been in touch with the concluding instalment in the tale of his trip to Florida to race Tony Morris' dragster at the AMSOIL IHRA Nitro Nationals at Orlando Speed World: Saturday was a lot colder than the previous days and we had a bit of a tail wind. We were scheduled to have two timed runs - not qualifying, basically there is no qualifying! Run number one was pretty good off the trailer, continuing from Friday's runs, a little quicker but that was due to the weather change. The dragster ran 4.862/142.66. For run number two the wind had dropped slightly but the track had got a little better, the sixty foot was a hundredth quicker but a slowed down top end due to the change of wind, 4.864/141.43. Run number three was a little unexpected, I think possibly the track had become too hot and it caused most guys to spin the tyres, we ran three hundredths slower but so did everybody else! It was slow, a 4.896/140.50. Now we were into eliminations! With no qualifying and with so many cars in the Box class we were spread over four pairing lanes and basically the marshal picked two cars at random to race. We were pretty much towards the back of the queue to let the rushing around in the staging lanes sort itself out. When it was our turn to race Tony didn't say anything about the other guy, only what he dialled which was a 6.40 to my 4.88. I then put his dial in time into the delay box. The tree is blinded but the way the bulbs come down is different: because you react off the top bulb using a delay box both of the top bulbs come on together so you react to the first thing you see which is always the quickest reaction. The tree runs as usual but my Tree now only has two ambers left! It's pretty confusing but straightforward once you get the hang of it. I think because I'm used to waiting for the tree a while longer I must have hesitated a bit on the line, my reaction was a 0.056 to his 0.010, I knew I couldn't catch him pretty much as soon as I left the line. Going down the track I was sure I had spun the tyres or was real late on the tree, knowing that these guys don't mess around I had loads of ground to make up. With the finish line in sight it was obvious I wasn't going to catch him, he crossed the line over a tenth in front of me but as I crossed the line I saw my win light on, he'd broken out! He ran a 6.394 off his 6.40 and I'd run a 5.007 from my 4.88, way off! I got real lucky but a win's a win. Afterwards Tony told me that "You took out big Mike" then went on to explain that he was the World Champion, Mike Ruff! I am still shocked even now! Driving back to the pits I heard a bit of a squeaking noise, not really thinking anything of it because all the gauges read OK. I'd never really heard this noise before. I was pretty much at the pit so I parked it up and told Tony it was making a noise. He then went to crank the engine and it really struggled to turn over, Tony said he thought a bearing had spun, so that was that we had to retire the car. It was a real shame but it was the only thing to do! Upon getting the dragster back to Mark Whitner's yard, we decided to take the oil filter off to see what we could find. We took it apart and it was pretty much full of bearing particles, which wasn't a good sign. Tony said that the engine had to come out and be completely stripped so he is going to retire the car for now. I can't apologise enough for pretty much wrecking the engine, I felt and still feel terrible, fingers crossed the damage isn't too bad. I must say it has been the experience of a lifetime racing out here. All the racers were so nice and welcoming, and they all have such a relaxed and hilarious time at the track. A lot of the people loved hearing my accent and even had a go themselves, it was really funny! I had such a laugh that it's a real shame I have to go back home. It was nice to see a few European racers at the track. I met Rene Meierhofer from Switzerland who a six-second Super Pro ET dragster, and I also met Bruno Bader who was crewing with Rene. I'd never met Bruno before but he's a real down to earth guy with a sense of humour. Also congratulations to Adam Flamholc for winning Pro Mod. I would like to say a huge Thank You for all the support I have received, it has meant so much! I didn't have any internet throughout the days so it has been tough keeping up with it all. I would like to say an even bigger thank you to Tony Morris for giving me this opportunity to drive out here especially in such a great car. I will be forever grateful. See you all soon - still got to get our own engine built for the start of the season! Support blows Lisa away. 7th March: Further to our news item of 26th February, The Netherlands' Lisa Selles has been blown away by her new sponsorships and all of the support she has since received since that announcement. Lisa's sponsors GF Innovations Ltd and Accelerate Your Marketing Ltd (formerly Gold RV Racing) have recently teamed up. Accelerate Your Marketing, provider of bespoke marketing solutions, have been appointed as marketing consultants for GF Innovations Ltd and Eurodragster.com sponsor Derek Flynn has been appointed GFI's Director of Sales and Marketing. AYM have definitely accelerated Lisa's marketing by providing the Super Pro ET dragster with a 2000 hp 547 ci blown BBC which was previously campaigned by Vince Gibbs. "AYM would like to thank Luke Robinson of Andy Robinson Race Cars for the heads-up that this engine was available, Brent of SMD who had the engine, and Uganda Dave for agreeing to sell it to us complete as taken out the car", says Derek. "Thanks also to Nigel Turner who came with me to look at the engine. Nigel has kindly agreed to crew for the team to help to look after the beast and he is also allowing us to use his trailer too. Nick of ICE Automotive was also very helpful, as was the motor's original owner Vince Gibbs. Both had both done quite a bit of work on the motor and they were able to reassure us that it is a good item with nearly new parts on which they have done a professional job. We should take delivery of the motor this week and the work will begin to put it in the car. Thanks also to Mark Norton for coming down to tag the car for us. "We still need a Shorty 'Glide and appropriate torque converter capable of handling the 2000 hp beast. If anyone has either or both, or can recommend either, then please get in touch. "We are hoping to début the car in Lisa's hands at this year's SPRC Summernationals. We like to think that when we ran together in Junior Dragster we proved that the Dutch and English connection made for drag race perfection. Lisa won several events and a couple of Championships in the Gold RV Junior, and we feel sure that once she gets used to her new ride she will be a force to be reckoned with. Go For It Lightning Lisa, it will be a blast!" Derek has asked fans and racers to Like the GF Innovations Facebook page and to take a look at some of the great products they have on their web site at www.gfiglobal.com. Derek would like to prove to GFI the power of drag race marketing, adding that the more Likes that GFI get the faster Lisa can go. Also further to last week's news item we are also very pleased to welcome GF Innovations Ltd - designer, manufacturer and distributor of all things connector and cable for the telephone, telecom, computer, audio, AV, on-line media and security industries - as a sponsor of Eurodragster.com News. You can check out GF Innovations' web site at www.gfiglobal.com or click on the banner at left or in the right column, and as mentioned above please Like and Share the GF Innovations Ltd Facebook page if you have not already done so. Swift snippets. 7th March: A big Congratulations to Eurodragster.com staff member Kirstie who won the elimination at yesterday's (Sunday's) Dial-In Day at Santa Pod Raceway. Kirstie took the title in Andy Dibley's Sportsman ET Camaro thereby winning herself a free Sportsman ET entry to the Festival of Power. It happens so often that we are setting up a macro to automatically type out "Congratulations also to Sweden's Adam Flamholc who took the win at...", in this case the weekend's AMSOIL IHRA Nitro Nationals at Orlando Speed World where he took the Pro Mod title. You can read more on the Flamholc/MMR Racing Facebook page. We have two spy pictures for you today. The first (below left) came with no words... ...whilst the second came (above right) with the words "Martin Hill, Julian Webb, Roger Goring, your boys took a hell of a beating!". If you know more about either, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. Starting and ending the news update with a Tramm today, as we would like to wish a big Happy Birthday to Honorary Eurodragster.com Staff Member and all-round good guy Spencer Tramm. Have a great day Spencer. APIRA Perpetual Award winners. 6th March: The winners and runners-up in the 2015 APIRA Ultimate Power Championships and Supercharged Outlaws were presented with their trophies at the APIRA Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation in Warwick last night (Saturday). The winners of APIRA's Perpetual Awards, for whom Eurodragster.com readers had the chance to vote, were also presented with their trophies. Congratulations to the APIRA Perpetual Award winners: APIRA Iris Page Memorial Trophy: Pete and Rob Brown Shakespeare County Raceway Award for Outstanding Achievement: Mark Todd APIRA Shakespeare County Raceway Sportswoman of the Year: Teresa Powell APIRA Endeavour Award: Tim Stanbury Alan Wigmore Memorial Trophy: Andy Hadfield (aka Fadster) McDonald Racing Ireland Best Newcomer Trophy: Andy Dibley Thanks to all of the Eurodragster.com readers who voted. The following special awards were also presented. Congratulations to: Anya Yates "With You All The Way" Memorial Trophy: Kenny Aston 2015 Services to APIRA and Shakespeare County Raceway: Alan Davies, Dave Rowland, Tony Smith Long Standing Services to APIRA and Shakespeare County Raceway: Bruno Sanderson-Brown Supercharged Outlaws Best Engineered Car: Joe Bond, Bond, Hannis & Osbourne slingshot Supercharged Outlaws Most Promising Newcomer: Andy Gallimore Supercharged Outlaws Best Turned Out Team: Pink Lady Racing Supercharged Outlaws Most Improved Team: John Reeve Supercharged Outlaws Best Burnout: Ian Kerr Supercharged Outlaws Wildest Ride: Deborah Laugher Supercharged Outlaws Best European: Karl Heinz Kleider Supercharged Outlaws Melanie Dalton Memorial Trophy (voted by Outlaw members): Team Thing Supercharged Outlaws Quickest ET: John Reeve, 7.142 seconds Supercharged Outlaws Fastest MPH: John Reeve, 189.99 mph Vic Hammond Memorial Trophy (Spirit of the Outlaws): Andy Hadfield and Team Twister Mel's 2 Bob Trophy (sponsored by Jay Gilmore of Feeding Time Productions): Richard Davis Swift snippets. 6th March: 2016 SPRC Comp Eliminator Champion Robin Orthodoxou says that the Chaos Brothers altered is returning to defend the title in 2016. "After an up and down season in 2015 it has been decided to sacrifice some performance in the search for consistency", he says. "We are proud to announce that we have a new sponsor along for the ride, UK Dump Truck Hire." Good luck and stay safe to Sweden's Adam Flamholc and the UK's Scott Hauser who are contesting this weekend's AMSOIL IHRA Nitro Nationals at Orlando Speed World. You will be able to keep in touch with our heroes' progress courtesy of the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com and on the Flamholc/MMR Racing Facebook page, and a webcast is available on the IHRA web site from 13:30 UK / 14:30 European. Racing photographers might be interested in a Canon 100-400mm zoom lens which former Street Eliminator racer Ray Comer has for sale. You can find full details under Rigs, Trailer and Tools in our Jeff Bull Race Engines-sponsored Swap Meet. Allard Chrysler Dragster seeks crew. 5th March: The Allard Chrysler Action Group – the enthusiasts approved by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu to restore Sydney Allard's 1961 Allard Chrysler, Europe's first dragster owned by the museum – is looking for new team members to help to complete the current restoration. After a lengthy engine restoration during 2015 things are now moving on a pace and the car should be ready for cackle and parade demonstrations early in the summer. Because not everyone will be available for all public appearances it is handy to have at least three different crews capable of operating the dragster. There is still work to do to get it it ready so volunteers are needed now to help with the final work and to gain experience in procedures. Knowledge of blown and injected methanol burning engines is ideal and, as the dragster is based at Beaulieu, living within an easy commute is useful. If you would like to join the ACAG team then please E-Mail Brian Taylor at [email protected] or call 01395 579733. Swift snippets. 5th March: Good luck and stay safe to Sweden's Adam Flamholc and the UK's Scott Hauser (see below) who are contesting this weekend's AMSOIL IHRA Nitro Nationals at Orlando Speed World. You will be able to keep in touch with our heroes' progress courtesy of the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com and on the Flamholc/MMR Racing Facebook page, and a webcast is available on the IHRA web site from 13:30 UK / 14:30 European. We have updated the landing page of our Webster Race Engineering / Nimbus Motorsport webcam with a status box which will contain updates about the webcast, for example that it is on test. In addition we recommend that you bookmark the landing page at www.eurodragster.com/webcam and not the webcast page itself as the file name of the webcast page will be set to a random value each day. Alternately click on the WRE/Nimbus Webcam link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Sweden's Kalle Lyrén will kick off his 2016 season where he left off in 2015: in the United States. The 2014 EDRS Pro Nordic Pro Stock Motorcycle champion will compete in the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Florida, the season's first of sixteen races for Pro Stock Motorcycle in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The American Dream part two! You can read more courtesy of our good buddy Remco Scheelings on the EDRS Pro web site. Seven runs on the bounce. 5th March: Scott Hauser has been in touch from Florida where he made seven test passes at Orlando Speedworld in Tony Morris' dragster: Practice times were between 1:00 pm-4:00 pm and 5:00 pm-7:00 pm. During the first session I got in four runs; we could have possibly got more runs but discovered a little problem with the driver. As I was leaving the line I was lifting the throttle slightly, so even though I had made three runs Wednesday night we change the pedals. Basically I've got real short legs (No comment - Ed) so the block of wood on the pedal just wasn't enough. Tony rushed around to get a longer bolt for the pedal stop but nobody had a fine thread bolt. Tony drove to a local automotive store to get one and got back twenty minutes later, great success! On the second run everything was going to plan but as I left the line the car made a bit of a turn towards the wall out of the groove, I got out of the throttle and brought it back to safety. Run number three was the first successful run of the many, 4.874 at 142.43 mph. Run number four was also a good run! I decided to drop the delay box timer as I was much more comfortable being consistent on the Tree. I went red by 0.013 but it was a great starting point, running 4.877/142.40 at the eighth. This time Tony said to get more comfortable go to a thousand feet or even a full pass get used to the car. I decided not to be a wimp and kept my foot in, 7.66/174.53. Upon shutting off I had a bit of a drama getting the car slowed down. Being used to a four-link suspension dragster I'd never driven a hard tail slip joint car, especially this fast. As I got off the throttle I started to apply the brakes slowly as Tony had said that if you brake too early or too hard the car could go into a bounce. I thought I'd got away with it because the car slowed down nicely, then I started to feel the car undulate and everything starting bouncing. It really got my attention that's for sure! Got the car slowed down with no problems. When I got back to the pits I had the biggest grin on my face! It all started to come together on the fifth run. I took a couple hundredths out of the box and pulled a 0.006! Result! With the car running 4.875/141.61 I was real happy that we were going in the right direction getting the 'perfect' run. For the sixth run it was approaching dusk and the air had completely changed, let's just say I was pretty chilly! Leaving everything the same as the last run I wanted to repeat that awesome reaction time. I pulled a .024, I was pretty pleased with that The car ran a little slower but was still within a hundredth, 4.882/141.33. The final run of the evening was made in darkness, I had remembered from Wednesday night that the lights startled me so I tried to focus and stay on my game. I pulled a 0.008 reaction... over the moon! Unfortunately we only received a Reaction Time and sixty foot ont the ticket so we don't know how the car ran, possibly felt a little slower but not by much. I was real happy with how the day went, some good numbers on the board and hopefully scared the competition. Got a pat on the back from Tony with a "Good job!" which topped it all off. We have big weekend ahead of us now. On both days we get two timed runs and then straight into seven or eight rounds of eliminations. Where's Wally? Oh there he is! Can't wait! If you'd like to follow the racing this weekend a link to the live stream is on the IHRA web site. The race starts at 8:30 here which is 1:30 pm in England and 2:30 pm in Europe. Wish me luck (Good luck and stay safe - Ed)! Fletcher signs up with Pers. 4th March: Mark Bodimeade has been in touch to confirm one of the worst-kept secrets in European drag racing, namely that Patrik Pers is now in possession of the former Starkotter Fuel Funny Car campaigned by Leif Helander. Animal says that Patrik will be running in the European Nitro Funny Car Series in 2016: The guys in Sweden have been working non-stop to get things ready in the last couple of months and fingers crossed we are currently on schedule. Sarah and I will fly over at the end of next week and we will hopefully be adding final touches and then be ready to transport everything over to England. Patrik is excited about the new challenge. He is looking forward to getting back in a Funny Car and to having some close racing with the other guys are already in the group. On a separate issue,the Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway at Easter will be the last race for tuner Alan (Action) Jackson. After many years of tuning for Patrik, Micke Kågered, Susanne Callin and Smax Smith, to name but a few from the Knut Söderqvist stable, he is retiring to concentrate on Stock Car Racing with his son. However I am pleased to announce that at Easter a long-time friend from our shores, who has resided in the United States since 1982, has offered us his services on the tuning front and will be there with Alan to take over. Dave Fletcher, whom some of you will know, has agreed to come over and tune the car for us. Dave worked for Austin Coil and Frank Hawley on the infamous Chi Town Hustler. He then went on to John Force Racing with Austin, and spent a while as Crew Chief and tuner for Cruz Pedragon amongst others. Dave is currently under the umbrella of Don Schumacher Racing and will be spending some of his vacation time with us at Speedghost Motorsport. Welcome on board Dave. Big congratulations to Mark and Jackie on their engagement - Ed First-footing in Orlando. 4th March: UK Super Pro ET racer Scott Hauser has been in touch from Florida where he has made his first outing in Tony Morris' Super Comp dragster and already had a few novel experiences: After arriving in the US on Tuesday evening I headed straight to Tony's. We ate and then went to see the dragster to make sure that everything would be OK for me to just hop in and drive. The race car is kept about fifteen minutes away from Tony at Mark Whitner's shop. Mark is a real nice guy and knows his stuff! He also races in a dragster with a SB2 dry sump engine 420-440 ci, running 7.50s. After getting in the car everything felt good and within reach so I gave Tony the thumbs up... then I realised I couldn't reach the pedals! Whoops! I couldn't get full throttle - which becomes relevant later on! - but it was pretty late at that point. We headed back to Mark's shop first thing Wednesday morning after getting some yummy breakfast. It was difficult to move the pedal closer so we decided to make a wooden block to attach to the pedal, it was only about three quarters of an inch thick but it was just right (Known as "A Mottershead door mat" - Ed). The Wednesday night test at Orlando Speedworld was due to open 6:00 pm, we had left at 4:30 aiming to get there around 5:30 to get a good spot, but we ended up getting caught in rush hour traffic! In the end we arrived at 6:00 pm and the queue was all the way out to the main road so we knew it was going to be a busy night. Once we had got set up I drove the car around the pits to get everything warmed up and to get familiar with all the controls and gauges, everything went according to plan. I followed Tony down to tech inspection and pretty much within a minute of getting out the car, signing my name and receiving a sticker, I was back in the car. We were ready to race! I drove down to the lanes and almost without delay it was ready to fire up and go. The plan was not to rush but to focus on the different starting line routine, i.e. leaving off the top bulb with a delay box! It's much more difficult than it looks, especially never having used one. The burnout was good but on the reverse back I slightly went out the groove which was exaggerated by the time I'd got back to the starting line. I got back in the groove and was ready to creep forward, but the burnout area is bigger than at Santa Pod so for the first run I was a little unsure where the start line was. I got the car staged (eventually) and I was ready to race. The tree started running and the first bulb really startled me! I didn't realise that those LED bulbs were so bright! Even with a tinted visor, it really took me by surprise. I got off the button and then hit the throttle, just before the light went green the car shot off. I pulled a 0.086 reaction, we can change that later. I kept my foot down for about two hundred feet just to get used to the car launching. It was such a strange experience letting go of the transbrake button on the first amber then flooring the throttle, the car reacting all by itself, also the way the hard-tail slip joint car handles, they were all completely new experiences! Run number two was a bit of a disaster. The burnout was improved and much better in the groove. Did my thing going into stage, as cool as a cucumber, first bulb... second bulb... Damn! I was meant to leave on the first, I felt so relaxed and in the zone that I almost carried out my usual routine rather the delay box first bulb start! It was a little disappointing but not the end of the world as it was only my second run in the car. Round about three hundred feet the car bounced a little and I realised the throttle was on-off on-off. I realised I'd never left at full throttle! I hit the pedal and the car took off again. The eighth mile was 5.25 at 130.5, with a 0.4 reaction... whoops again! For the third and final run I knew I had to pull something out the bag to redeem myself. Burnout was good and in the groove this time, bumping into stage, cool as a cucumber and all that, the first bulb dropped and I got off the button as quick as I could. I thought at the time it seemed good, but this time I forgot something else - the gas pedal! I remembered on the third amber and hit it. The car left just before the RPM chip but it was still good enough to get a decent launch, reaction was a 0.065, 4.92/140 this time, still about a tenth off. We thought we would try and squeeze another run in before the 10:30 pm curfew. Tony and I were chatting in the staging lanes and then from the track there was a huge "Boom!". We turned and saw a ball of flame which lit the night sky. We both thought it was a car which had an engine explosion, turns out it was a nitrous bottle explosion on a bike. It was such a lovely bike! The bike and the rider were completely engulfed in flames, no real news if the guy was OK but fingers crossed nothing serious. That put an end to the evening and we headed home!   I would like to say a huge thank you to Tony for everything he has taught me so far, and I'm sure there's loads more on the way. All the Americans have been so nice, I'd really love to stay! Whoops, I think I just lost my passport and missed my flight (smile). Yesterday we worked on the car and went to the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. The next racing outing is today (Friday) when we will try a few things. Report to follow. Swift snippets. 4th March: The UK's Danny Cockerill has put his NLR Super Street Bike up for sale. "Those who know me and my bike will know that I have the best of everything on this bike", says Danny. "The motor will be fresh from Rob at Mistral Performance, fresh turbo, new style billet NLR intercooler, Motec C125 colour dash, AMS 2000, Motec M800. Marviv, Brembo etc". Danny is asking £28500 turn-key and you can find out more from Danny on 07971 568266 (outside the UK +44 7971 568266). Thanks to Ian Marshall for sending us Version 4 of the official entry list for the Festival of Power, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 25th-27th March. You can check out the entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Entry closes next Friday (11th); you can download Festival of Power entry forms from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. Eight-second grass roots. 3rd March: Janne Uskali has been in touch with news on the Finnish Blacklist street race series, which runs mainly on unprepped tracks. "The series has grown huge", says Janne. "Now the fastest street cars run eight-second quarter-mile times and almost ninety per cent of the cars on our lisr are different to those we highlighted in our Feature back in October 2014. "The biggest thing is our new own Web TV series, Blacklist Street Racers. The first episode just came out and the next comes out at the end of next week. The series has English subtitles so that you can follow the racing too. The channel to follow is www.youtube.com/user/BeeonePowergear and you can find the first episode at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vwsM_BYac0. Our Facebook site is www.facebook.com/BlacklistRaceTV." Swift snippets. 3rd March: UK Super Pro ET racer Scott Hauser has revealed that last Saturday's spy picture shows his safety kit. Scott is now in the USA where he will be driving Tony Morris' dragster at this weekend's IHRA AMS Oil Spring Nitro Nationals at Orlando Speedworld. Testing takes place today (Wednesday) followed by more runs on Friday. Tony and Scott plan to post updates on Facebook after each run, and Scott promises another report here soon. Good luck Scott and stay safe. Racing as a UK team in 2016? 2nd March: UK National Drag Racing Championships Points Co-ordinator Yvonne Tramm has been in touch with a reminder that if you plan to race as a team in the 2016 UK National Championships, that is to say if the same car or bike will have different drivers or riders at different events, then Santa Pod Racers Club should be informed before the Festival of Power commences on Friday 25th March. If you have not already informed SPRC that you plan to race as a team this season then please get in touch with Yvonne as soon as possible at [email protected]. Today (2nd) happens to be Yvonne's birthday so we would like to add a big Happy Birthday and have a lovely day, Yvonne. Slyfield's progress. 2nd March: With the start of the UK season fast approaching, things are progressing nicely at the workshop of UK Pro Modified racer and reigning MSA British Drag Racing Champion Kev Slyfield: New parts are ready to install and after being plagued by oil pressure problems throughout last season we have installed an upgrade to the oil system. Of course our hope is to repeat the success we had in 2015 and to try to get into the 6.2s, but with more competition and everyone upping their game, it is going to be a mighty challenge. Apart from the new oil system the car will remain as it was last year with a few forced legal requirement changes. A major factor contributing to our success is having a dedicated crew who have stuck with me through difficult times, a massive Thank You goes out to them: my wife Elaine, Angela Cooper, Brian Cooper, James Woodsford, Clive Phayer, Paul Morton and Bert Nutland. Swift snippets. 2nd March: The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com came with the word "Ammunition!". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected]. Thanks to Ian Marshall for sending us Version 3 of the official entry list for the Festival of Power, which takes place at Santa Pod Raceway on 25th-27th March. You can check out the entry list by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. Entry closes on Friday week (11th); you can download Festival of Power entry forms from the SPRC web site at www.eurodragster.com/sprc. It came too late for yesterday's update but DD asked us to say Happy Birthday and hugs for yesterday (Tuesday) to Kerry McCartney, aka Kezza. Hope you had a lovely day Kerry. PDRC honour 2015 Champions. 2nd March: Pennine Drag Racing Club Chair Al Perkins writes that the 41st PDRC Annual General Meeting and Night of Champions were held in Bradford at the weekend: The AGM was well-attended by racers, officials and supporters . Reports back from the track are that winter has been kind to us. Work parties are arranged for 6th and 20th March. With the official part of the day done we assembled in the bar then were called through for dinner. Following a great meal it was time for the awards, hosted by Graham Beckwith. Our guests of honour for the evening were Stu and Bev Bradbury who did a great job of handing over trophy after trophy, posing for pictures with each winner. The traditional raffle followed hosted by our very own comedy duo Smithy and Des. Finally the DJ took over with music and dancing , along with a good dose of bench racing and catching up with other racers. There may have been a drop or two of alcohol involved along the way. A great time was had by all. Congratulations to our winners: Marshal of the Year: Craig Rounthwaite Most Consistent American Car: Dave Billadeau Services to PDRC: Des Brown Best Performance by a British-engined Car: Darren Peart Enthusiasm for PDRC: Claire King Sustained Efforts for PDRC: Stephanie Rudd Best Engineered: Richard Grainger Fastest Doorslammer at York: Andy Hadfield Most Outstanding Performance: Holly Chandler Entertainer of the Year: Darren Peart Crew Chief of the Year: Nicola Peart Most Promising Newcomer: Andy Frear Services to Motorsport: Andrew Leigh Most Consistent Reaction Times: Mick Elsworth Services to UK Drag Racing: Stu Bradbury Raw Horsepower: Pete Youhill Racers' Choice (voted by racers): Pete Youhill Hard Luck Award: Dave Rudd Sportsman ET Champion: Andy Frear, runner-up Nathan Askey American Super Stock Champion: Lee Chiles, runner-up Karen Gregory, 3rd Dave Billadeau Pro ET Shootout Champion: Vic Parsons, runner-up Marc Manning Volks Stock Champion: Dan Spensley, runner-up Adam Proctor Super Cup Champion: Paul Grainger, runner-up Darren Peart JDM Champion: Phil Davison, runner-up Nathan Askey Pro FWD Champion: Matt Davison, runner-up Peter Richardson Car Points Champion: Vic Parsons Next year's event is already booked at the Campanile Hotel, Bradford, on 25th February 2017. Eurodragster.com sponsorship 2016. 1st March: We are pleased to welcome new sponsors to Eurodragster.com as well as sad to say goodbye to others. In the order in which they signed up please welcome our new sponsors: New Eurodragster.com News sponsor Alders Automotive was established in 1999. Richard Alder writes: our workshops are located in East Sussex and cover all aspects of American transmissions and driveline from racing transmissions, overdrive conversions to reconditioning the transmission for your American vehicle. Our workshops can also carry out diagnostic work and the removal and installation of the transmission from your vehicle. All of our transmissions are built in house using the highest quality parts and incorporate the latest modifications to ensure reliability. 2015 was a busy year for us and we are looking forward to 2016. We have been making some changes within the business over the past year. One of our biggest changes we have made is the installation of our transmission dyno, this will ensure that our transmissions are tested, shift correctly and the pressures and cooler flow are correct before delivery to our customer. We have also increased our stock levels to improve turnaround times and service. This year we have decided to sponsor Eurodragster.com and Santa Pod Raceway; this is in addition to our continuing sponsorship of Super Pro ET in the UK. We are UK distributors for Coan Racing, Reid Racing Inc and Winters Performance and have parts shipments from the USA every two to three weeks. Express shipping is also available. We would like to wish everybody the best of luck for the upcoming season and look forward dealing with your enquiries. You can find the Alders Automotive web site at www.aldersautomotive.co.uk, E-Mail [email protected], or call 01323 848448. Since the first time he prepped the strip at Shakespeare County Raceway, the hunger to make tracks quicker and faster with total safety has been the goal of Lee Child and new Eurodragster.com News sponsor Lee Child International Track Preparation Services. Lee writes: The tracks which I have prepped have always have a great range of successes including Personal Bests, track records, National records, continential records and world records. A high percentage of the tracks I prep only have limited days on which they can operate, but the track owners want quick and fast - and that's where I step in. Please Like and Share the Lee Child International Track Preparation Services Facebook page which I shall be updating with updates on my travels. Not only I am providing drag racing surface preparation services and consultancy for tracks around the world, but I can also supply traction compounds and other related products. For more details or orders please contact me through the Facebook page or call 07771 590176. Mick Pusey has long nurtured the idea of US car and parts supplier and new Eurodragster.com News and Blogs sponsor Gearhead Garage, and he decided that now was the time to launch as he thought about slowing down the physical side of his building business. Mick writes: Our market is American cars and trucks from old to new, maybe the odd race car and hot rod, stock and commision sales also catered for. We already have a few stock vehicles and parts for sale. Sourcing of vehicles and parts and containerised shipping from California are possible through our San Diego-based agent. Vehicle appraisals are also possible for those far-away purchases! We have substantial yard storage for up to forty vehicles on site, limited secure garage storage on-site for four cars, and local unit storage for many more within half a mile. For more details or orders please visit www.gearhead-garage.co.uk, E-Mail [email protected] or call 07973 740076. A huge Thank You to all of those existing sponsors who have continued their support into 2015-2016. Please support those who support Eurodragster.com by considering our sponsors first when shopping for goods or services. If you are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com then it is not too late; please get in touch with Tog at [email protected] or with Simon at [email protected]. Finally, goodbye and a big Thank You to departing sponsors Wizards of NOS and PF501.com. Eurodragster.com has had long-standing and generous support from Paul Fischer and Trevor Langfield, for which we remain very grateful. Stay tuned for news about this year's Eurodragster.com Perfect Awards Scheme. Web site updates. 1st March: Sweden's Per Bengtsson and The Beast Dragbike Team will compete in the full 2016 EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship tour and have one ambition: "To take home the title for our main sponsor Red Line Oil". If the season goes as planned and The Beast is as competitive as the team know it can be then England and the USA are the next targets for the most aggressive and noisiest Supertwin in Europe. You can read more courtesy of our good buddy Remco Scheelings on the Drag Racing Europe Blog. Earlier news