1981 Cannonball at Santa Pod Raceway
Photos © original photographer, and reports © Keith Lee and Custom Car
The first Cannonball Funny Car race took place on 4th-5th July 1981 at Santa Pod Raceway. The idea was to draw on the popularity of the 20th Century Fox movie The Cannonball Run and there was plenty of promotion of the movie going on. Also the track saw the popularity of Funny Cars from the Internationals held in previous years and wanted to capitalise on this.
In the movie the eponymous Cannonball Run road race started from a shopping centre in Connecticut and ended in a parking lot in Redondo Beach, California, over 3000 miles and less than 36 hours, away.
The Santa Pod version of the race, obviously, was rather different. Funny Cars had to run a mile in the quickest time, a mile meaning four quarter mile heats. The pairings for the first round were made by draw an hour before the race started, and from there on, the pairings were decided by ETs with the quickest running first in the second round and the aggregate slowest pair starting the third round. Time allowed between rounds would be strictly limited. The final round would consist of the two quickest cars from the preceding three rounds.
In the first edition of the Cannonball, a system of bonuses were awarded depending on wins, fastest speed, coming in as a substitute. Penalties were also deducted for a red light, crossing the centre line, and taking out the finish line centre mirrors.
The Cannonball was run alongside a normal event with the usual sportsman classes. Here is a summary of what happened: Funny Car Cannonball Round One
Allan Herridge (Gladiator Trans Am 426ci) 7.07/203 def. Owen Hayward (SLDO Houndog Challenger 484ci) 7.04/207 Round Two
Allan Herridge 6.73/215 def. Bill Sherratt 7.08/202 Aggregate times after two rounds were: Allan Herridge 13.5, Bill Sherratt 13.76 and Owen Hayward 13.9.
Round Three
Allan Herridge 6.46/218 def. Bill Sherratt 6.47 Final
Bill Sherratt 6.60/218 def. Owen Hayward 8.26/172 (Allan Herridge broke)
In practice, Houndog's oil pipe split during the burnout and Bill Sherratt was unable to make his run as a result. Later, Bill's Cannonball entry broke a rod on the burnout putting even more oil down in the spectator lane. On a second pass, Houndog suffered a broken brake caliper and on reversing after the burnout the car, without brakes, hit the cars parked behind the start line, Owen Hayward desperately trying to stop the errant flopper. Gladiator also suffered major engine damage in practice and the crew worked to 3am to repair it. Bootsie’s engine in Gladiator exploded in the burnout for the final race and a fire had to be doused. Owen Hayward, in third place on aggregate times, was ready to substitute, however the oil-down from Bootsie’s explosion had not been cleared, and Owen was forced to race on the edge of the track – and went up in smoke. Video of this dramatic race by announcer Keith Lee is on Keith's Youtube channel. The final aggregate times were Bill Sherratt who became the first Cannonball champion with 26.73 to Owen Hayward's 28.42. With all the excitement, close racing and controversy, Roy Phelps announced the Cannonball would be an annual event.
Top Fuel/Top Alcohol combo Qualifying Eliminations
Semi final
Brian Hazelton 7.15/186 bye Final
Tony Boden 6.75/209 def. Brian Hazelton 7.48/187
Third Place run
Gerry Andrews 6.80/199
Top Modified (Rained-off final from Big Go) Sylvia Hauser (Sunoco Dodge Challenger 440ci) 10.55/127 def Barry Potter (Palladin Lotus Elan 1898cc)
Super Comp
Eliminations (excerpts)
Round one
Sue Coles (Helzapoppin 23T Chevy 292) 9.04/152 def. Ray Feltell (Penetration dragster British Leyland 1293cc) 10.98/113
Semi finals
Sue Coles 8.73/151 def. Jean Tidswell (Jeans T 23T Chevy 362ci) 10.10/134
Final
Sue Coles 8.63/147 def. John Mills (Plymouth Roadrunner 440ci) 11.17/118
Comp 1 Eliminations (excerpts)
Round 1
Keith Potter (The Devil ’33 Plymouth coupe Chevy 427ci)9.44/137 Semi-finals
Keith Potter 9.40/138 def. Alan Loten (Paranoia Austin Ruby Jaguar 231ci) 10.41/127 Final
Russ Carpenter 8.34/158 def. Keith Potter 9.52/134
Comp 2 Eliminations (excerpts)
Semi-final
Rick Fielding 11.36/109 def Phil Herrick
Final
Rick Fielding (Imagination dragster Triumph 1998cc) 11.77/102 def. Ray Watson (Torq Ot’ North Anglia Chevy 327ci) 13.39/104
Top Modified
Qualifying
Al O’Connor (Al’s Gasser Pop Chevy 305ci) 10.13/131
Dave Collis (Frenzy Firenza Chevy 427ci) 10.22/134
Eliminations (excerpts)
Al O’Connor won first two rounds with times of 10.53/130 and 10.33/132
Semi-final
Sylvia Hauser 10.55/126 def Dave Collis
Final
Al O’Connor 10.24/132 def. Sylvia Hauser (broke)
Bikes Pro Fuel Bike Qualifying (excerpts) Eliminations (excerpts)
Semi final
Jeff Byne 8.59/156 def. Pip Higham 8.76/153
Jonny Munn 8.71/155 def. Brian Chapman 8.78/162
Final
Jonny Munn 8.76/158 v Jeff Byne 8.84/154
Top Bike
Qualifying (excerpts) Eliminations (excerpts)
Round One
John Clift 8.82/156 def. Eddy Lloyd (Freight Train Kawasaki 2250cc) 9.25/149 Semi-finals
John Clift 8.80/155 def. Peter Wood (Capella Triumph 498cc) N/A Final
John Clift 8.78/159 def. Mick Butler 9.49/106
Senior Bike
Eliminations (excerpts)
Semi final
Eamon Hurley 8.84/152 def. Phil Whiteley (The Candidate Triumph 650cc) 9.19/151
Final
Eamon Hurley (Concorde Rotary 1980cc) 9.18/150 def. Dave Houghton (Scouse Power Triumph 498cc) 9.70/145
Middle Bike
Eliminations (excerpts)
Final
Rod Pallant (Heavy Metal Buick 3500cc) 9.94/139 def. Tony Lewis (Pro Street Triumph 689cc) 10.30/132
Junior Bike
Eliminations (excerpts)
Final
Brian Simpson (Engineuity Kawasaki 1100cc) 11.93/122 def. Dave Knowler (Wild Dream Triumph 650cc) 11.85/111
Pro Stock Bike
Eliminations (excerpts)
Round one
Pip Higham (The Deuce Suzuki 1190cc) 9.57 bye
Semi final
Pip Higham 9.67 def Paul Andrews (Crusader MkII Kawasaki 1197cc) 9.47
Final
Pip Higham 9.60/138 def. Brian Johnson (Imperial Wizard Kawasaki 1265cc) 9.38/141 DQ red Street Bike
Eliminations (excerpts)
Final
Martin Hill (Instyle Kawasaki 1085cc) 10.72/127 def. Peter Harrison (Kawasaki 1200cc) 12.33/105
Event programme (4 Mb pdf file)
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