European Drag Racing News

Paul Rose.
28th February: We were very sorry to hear of the death of UK drag bike legend Paul Rose. Paul passed away peacefully last night after a long illness.

Paul seemed to have been around drag racing forever. As a racer he was particularly renowned for multi-engined bikes but he will also be remembered for his contribution to the sport in bringing on the careers of a number of UK drag bike racers.

Paul was a character by any definition of the word, one of the few unique acts left in drag racing. Certainly no-one else could or ever will carry off carpet slippers at the drag strip. Thinking back we can't remember seeing Paul without a smile and his cheerful down-to-earth character and sense of humour were legendary. Paul's death is going to leave a gap in the sport, but that gap will forever have Paul's name in it so he most certainly will not be forgotten.

Our deepest sympathies to Paul's partner Marie, his sister Linda and her partner Frank, and to all of Paul's family and many friends. If you would like to send a tribute to Paul then Ian King is hosting tributes on the King Racing web site at www.kingracing.com where you can also read more about Paul's life and career. Please send tributes to [email protected].

Attention Eurodragster.com sponsors.
27th February: Thank you very much to those sponsors who have already responded to their renewal E-Mails and to those who have already paid for this year. There are still, however, some existing sponsors who have not responded to their E-Mails which is making it difficult for us to finalise our 2009 budget and to set up this year's web code for our sponsor links.

Renewals are due tomorrow (Saturday): if you have not received your invoice and it is not in your Spam folder then please drop us a line at [email protected] and we will send you another copy. If you have paid or are in the process of paying but have not told us about it, or if you do not intend to renew this year, then please also drop us a line - it would be helpful for us to know either way.
©Eurodragster.com
Introducing the Pink Lady.

27th February: If you were tuned in to Eurodragster.com News on Monday then you will have seen the spy picture accompanied by a rhyming couplet. A lot of readers successfully identified the vehicle involved as Dan Larsen's Top Methanol Funny Car, which is now in the UK and being prepared for Super Pro ET duty in the hands of former Junior Dragster racer Jayne Kay.

"We bought the car in late November as a Christmas present for Jayne", says dad Gary. "We wrapped up a picture of the car and gave it to Jayne on Christmas Day together with tickets for the DFDS ferry to Denmark. Jayne's face was a picture - we had kept an eye on Dan's car since September when we decided to sell the Junior, and she had been gutted when we told her it had already been sold. We just didn't tell her who had bought it!"

Gary and Jayne collected the car last week, travelling from Manchester to Harwich then to Esjberg to meet Dan and Per for the handover. "We had a stroll around Esjberg before boarding the ferry back to Harwich, then drove on to Somerset to J&W Automotive", says Gary. "Richard and Lee will be painting the car with Peter Walters on hand for final design. Having left the body safely with them it was onward and homeward to Manchester with the chassis. A tiring but adventurous three days for Jayne and I.
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"Now that the rolling chassis is home we can start building it all up. The blown Hemi is waiting, and Jayne is practicing the cockpit orientation as I type.

"Thanks to Dan, Joan, and Per, Peter Walters, Richard and Lee at J&W Automotive, Jayne herself, and DFDS Seaways.

"If anyone is interested in sponsoring a good-looking car and team then we would be happy to talk to you. This is a good opportunity to get in at the start". You can contact the team and find out more about Pink Lady Racing on the team's web site at pinkladyracing.moonfruit.com.

Swift snippets.
27th February: No spy pictures today (there will be at least one on the next update, though) but we do have two workshop pictures and both are early contenders for 2009's Best Appearing Car (click on pictures for large versions):
©Eurodragster.com

Yesterday we congratulated Dutch Pro Mod racer Henri Joosten on twenty five years of racing and today Henri has been kind enough to send a shot of his Chevy in its new colours. On the right is the new ride of UK Pro ET racer Antony Wilkins who tells us that he was bored over the winter so he built another race car. "It's going to be road legal like my '55 Chevy, so I can do my testing down the Rushden by-pass", says Butch. "In first gear of course to obey the speed limit". We're glad you added that, Butch.

Roll up for Wheels USA.
27th February: If your idea of 'proper' transport involves acres of chrome, a displacement measured in cubic inches, and plenty of cylinders, then you'll love the Wheels USA show at Santa Pod Raceway from 1st to 4th May.

For one weekend, the Northamptonshire countryside echoes to the blissful sound of big block Hemis and flathead Fords, as the cream of the UK's American cars and their enthusiastic owners descend on the venue for a weekend of racing, dancing...and fun! Although it's a Yank-lovers paradise, the event is for all genres of custom, classic and retro car and bike owners, so whether you're running a Chevy or a Chevette you'll be made very welcome.

Precious metal from both sides of the Pond is welcome with 'Run What You Brung' sessions all weekend to allow pub arguments on who can out-drag who to be finally settled. Just bring your driving licence and a helmet and tear up the world-famous quarter mile! It's not just about V8 grudge matches on the strip however, with a full programme of live bands and DJs on hand, with suitable Transatlantic rock-and-roll set-lists to provide the perfect soundtrack for those who prefer their music not to come from a set of headers!

There's a hotly contested Show and Shine on the Sunday to satisfy the most ardent of polishers, and with twenty different categories, covering the entire spectrum of two and four wheeled Yank ownership, there's no excuse for not breaking out the Autoglym!

There's free camping of course, with an RV area for those lucky souls who are really living 'The American Dream', a funfair to keep the kids (both young and old) happy and a mobile dyno, just in case you didn't get the result you wanted on the quarter! Best of all, under-16s get in free and all full weekend tickets include entry to Monster Monday on the 4th including superb Monster Truck and Stunt Show action. What are you waiting for? Get your bod to the Pod!

For more details on Wheels USA, please visit www.santapod.com or call the ticket hotline on 01234 782828.
©Eurodragster.com
Bradshaw seeks crew.
26th February: John Bradshaw and Abbey Motorsport, who race their 7.7-second Nissan Skyline in HKS Pro and in Super Pro ET and Comp Eliminator at UK Championship events, are urgently seeking a couple of motivated, experienced and passionate petrolheads to join the crew and to help them push the car forward in 2009.

Ideally the Abbey Motorsport team are seeking an experienced person to be responsible for all clutch work, and a further experienced person to be responsible for all four-link and suspension work.
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"It's going to be an exciting season for the team who plan to push the car forward again in 2009", says John. "The team will also make a big announcement in the late spring/early summer which will be fantastic for new people coming in to the team. It could be a real eye-opener for an experienced person who wants to get involved in something different and would like to help push an import car further forward.

"Travel expenses will be paid and all food and drink will be provided at events. We have a great team spirit and the new team members will find it a friendly, lively place to be."

If you are interested then please give John a call on 07747 628397.

Swift snippets.
26th February: UK Pro Mod racers and anyone considering moving to Pro Modified for the 2009 MSA British Drag Racing Championship are reminded of the meeting at 11:00 am this Saturday (28th), in Pitside VIP at Santa Pod Raceway, to discuss this year's MSA Championship for Pro Modified. If you plan to attend this meeting then can you please let SPRC Club Secretary Paula Marshall know either at [email protected] or by phone on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625).

Swedish Top Methanol Funny Car racer Leif Andréasson's next US racing date is this weekend's NHRA Division 7 season opener at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix. The race starts tomorrow (Friday) and continues to Sunday although Leif plans to test today. Leif has promised to keep us in touch with his progress, and full results will be available under the Sportsman heading on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com.

FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter features in a new book from Haynes Publishing. Top Trumps: Extreme Wheels 2 features a double-page burnout shot and two further pages with a write-up about the Lucas Oil-sponsored dragster and a stats table. The book, which also features Les Harris' Tilly 3 Supertwin and the Grabhams' Freddy's Revenge altered, is available from all good bookshops or directly from the Haynes Publishing web site at www.haynes.co.uk.
©Eurodragster.com
We have two birthdays today. Firstly Nicola, Owen and Mason Prentice asked us to say a big Happy Birthday to Santa Pod Racers Club International Race Director, International Soiler, and hamster exhibitor Darren Prentice. Have a great day Darren. Today also happens to be the eleventh birthday of Eurodragster.com; those of you who know the history of Eurodragster.com News will be as pleased as we are to see a news item from Andy Carter on this of all days.

Congratulations also to Dutch Pro Modified racer Henri Joosten who tells us that he is in his twenty fifth season of racing this year. Henri celebrated by becoming the first person to submit an entry form for a UK event in 2009 as his Easter Thunderball entry has already been received.

Editor's note: Enough with the Crane Cams E-Mails, thank you.

Remember, Pricey, you're retired.

26th February: Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe recently spent a pleasant evening at dinner at the home of former Santa Pod Raceway commentator John Price and his wife Debbie. Roger says that a lot of time was spent talking about what else but drag racing:

Although John retired as commentator at Santa Pod Raceway late last year his passion for the sport and its close family of racers has not diminished. "Every morning at work I switch on my computer and the first thing I do is check what's on Eurodragster", said John. "I'm kept extraordinarily busy at Flint Insurance where I work, I have a lot of drag racing clients and a lot from the world of pop and television - you can't just say "Thanks, you're now a client" and forget them, you have to keep them all happy."

So how is retirement after just six months? "It's fantastic. It doesn't seem as if I'm retired, I still see Keith Bartlett every week and of course deal with a lot of racers in my job. In fact I returned a call and left a message on a racer's answer machine recently and when he returned the call he said "Listening to the message I almost grabbed my helmet and gear, I thought I was back at the Pod"!". John is still asked to return to his old SPR duties. "I find that very flattering but I'm not sure", he said, "and Debs is quick to point out that I am retired."

Roger asked Pricey his reaction to winning the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy along with fellow retired commentator Graham Beckwith. "Very, very humbled", he said. "Alex was a good mate and to get a trophy named after one of your friends is very humbling. I'm sure that Graham feels the same."

Web site updates.
26th February: In the latest entry in his Racer Blog, FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter takes us through a whirlwind couple of weeks in the life of a racer - it tired us out just reading it. As ever you can check out the latest Blog update by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
An eighth page of Competition Altered pictures from yesteryear has been been added to the Alan Currans Collection on his own Acceleration Archive. The update features such stalwarts of the sport as Norm Wheeldon, Sue Coles, Brian Mondey, Anders Lantz and many more. The new page, which consists of forty two images, is easily accessible from the What's New link on the Site Map at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk.

2009 Junior Drag Bike calendar.
25th February: Sharron Collier has been in touch with the latest news about the UK's Junior Drag Bike class, starting with the 2009 Championship dates which all take place at Shakespeare County Raceway:

2nd-4th May: Springspeed Festival
16th-17th May: Public Track Day
11th-12th July: British Mini Showdown
21st-23rd August: Open Sport Nationals
3rd-4th October: Public Track Day

"We are looking for companies to sponsor each round", says Sharron. "The cost will be £200 per weekend, which will get the company two tickets on the gate, PA advertising over the weekend, inclusion on the Junior Drag Bike web site, their name on the winner and runner up trophies, and a decal on each of the bikes in the Championship.

"Over the winter Jerry has been working out a new ruling with Les Harris of the National Association of Supertwins regarding Supertwin ET which is their street and street modified class, running on a dial-in basis. We are pleased to say that starting this season any Junior leaving Junior Drag Bike after their sixteenth birthday has the option of taking the same bike into the Supertwin ET class with any twin engine up to a maximum of 500 cc, taking the wheelie bars off, and running alongside the adults. They will be allowed to race this way for two seasons.

"This is to provide a step up for Juniors to continue their career in motorcycle drag racing without jumping straight into an unlimited heads-up class. Of course they don't have to go this way, they are allowed to go into any class they like, but it is an option. It also means that the rider would get more use out of their chassis and so making Junior Bike a more viable option for older children whose parents may not want to buy a race bike which will become redundant once the child is sixteen. Our thanks go to the Supertwins for their co-operation."

For information about Junior Drag Bike either check out the class web site at www.juniordragbike.co.uk or give Sharron and Jerry a call on 01246 570304 or 07935 801171.
©Eurodragster.com
Swift snippets.
25th February: We were sorry to hear that UK Drag Bike legend Paul Rose has been taken into a hospice due to continued ill-health. We're sure that everyone joins us in sending Paul our fondest regards. You can read more on the King Racing web site at www.kingracing.com.

Any sane drag racing fan is into Nostalgia so the latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com had us very interested (below left). Our mole, however, didn't have a lot to say. If you know any more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then please drop us a line at [email protected].

Antonio Ferretti tells us that the first test of Drag Team Ferretti's new Top Fuel Bike, at Italy's Adria International Raceway, had some unexpected excitement as the cylinder head let go (above right). There is a video of the run on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXejVFxUcdk.
©Eurodragster.com
UK Pro ET racer Paul Foote has announced that he will be racing the Salt Lake Racers pick-up in Super Gas in 2009. Accordingly Paul has added a Super Gas discussion forum to his web site at www.saltlakeracers.co.uk

We would like to wish a very Happy 10th Birthday to our good buddy and Eurodragster.com fan Carl Zettervall. Have a great day Little Z.

Longtime readers will know that 1st March is the start of Eurodragster.com's sponsorship year. We always have room for new sponsors so if you are interested and if you can move quickly then please drop us a line at [email protected].

Triples revved up for action.

25th February: The Kawasaki Triples Club have confirmed that they will be running a series of five challenge events at Shakespeare County Raceway this year, writes Jerry Cookson. This year's SCR dates are:

18th-19th April: Public Track Day Weekend
13th-14th June: Triples Main Event
3rd-4th October: Public Track Day Weekend
17th-18th October: Public Track Day Weekend
31s October-1st November: Halloween Bonfire Burn-Up/Public Track Day

With additional dates at Santa Pod, and one to be confirmed at North Weald in August, 2009 is looking very promising for the Triples Club especially around mid-summer as it is anticipated that some European riders will be making their first visits to England and to Shakespeare County Raceway for the event on 13th-14th June.

Also looking to make a return trip to these shores is American legend, and exponent of Kawasaki's potent H2 motor, Two-Cycle enthusiast Bill Baxter. As defending 2008 PMRA Superbike Champion and Rider of the Year Bill, who has spent most of his life trying to build the world's quickest naturally-aspirated Kawasaki H2 750, will be following up his 2006 and 2007 visits with H2 riders Steve Chandler and Joe Bird. In fact in 2007, riding one of Bill's machines, Bird surpassed the late great Dave Schultz's twenty year old NHRA Pro Stock Record for a 750 cc naturally-aspirated motorcycle with a record run of 8.33 in New Jersey.

For the latest news and lively debate about the racing scene then stop by the Club's forum at www.kawasakitriplesuk.info.

Picture courtesy and ©Rupert Barnes
©Eurodragster.com
Web site updates.
25th February: The Allard Chrysler Action Group presence on Alan Currans' excellent Acceleration Archive has been upgraded to provide more information on this important project. Brian Taylor's regular Blog entries have morphed into Latest News (2009) and News (2008) and several informative pages have been added such as information on ACAG, the history of the car, contact details etc. The existing gallery of pictures remains and a page has been added of links to organisations supporting the project. Check it out at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk

The web site of Sweden's MSS Motorsport Pro Mod team at www.mssmotorsport.se has been updated with news of a new sponsor and also of the gargantuan engines which Europe's quickest nitrous outfit will be fielding this season.
©Eurodragster.com
Drag, Rod and Classic Review magazine at www.drcreview.com has been updated with a story of the rebuild of the 1965-66 car driven by UK Dragfest participant Bob Keith.

Santa Pod's first feature event of the year, Stunt Night, took place last Friday evening and SPR's webmaster DJ tells us that the Stunt Night web site at www.stuntnight.co.uk has been updated with a report and photo gallery.

2009 Outlaw Anglia calendar.
23rd February: Many thanks to Paul 'Guv' Wright for sending us the 2009 calendar for the UK's Outlaw Anglias:
©Eurodragster.com
25th-26th April: Big Bang, Santa Pod Raceway
2nd-4th May: Springspeed Festival, Shakespeare County Raceway
30th-31st May: Yanks American Weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway
13th-14th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway
27th-28th June: NSRA Nostalgia Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway
18th-19th July: Bug Jam, Santa Pod Raceway
7th-9th August: Bulldog Bash, Shakespeare County Raceway (non-points eight-car demo)
21st-23rd August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway
19th-20th September: NSRA Hot Rod Drags, Shakespeare County Raceway

Seven out of eight rounds count for the Championship and bonus.

A spy picture revealed.

23rd February: If you were tuned in to Eurodragster.com News last Wednesday you will have seen a spy picture submitted by eleven-year-old Eurodragster.com fan Callum Pudge who told us that the picture showed his favourite race car. Callum kindly sent us a picture of the whole of the car (click on picture for large version) and dad Ollie tells us that the vehicle in question is Cliff Griffin's Outlaw Anglia which is being prepared for a return to the track.

"Cliff and dad Frank stripped the car back to a pile of pieces and pretty much started again", says Ollie. "The chassis has had new tube work so that it can be tagged to 7.50. All of the running gear has been cleaned, painted and uprated where needed. The blown Big Block and trans have been freshened and there may be a new engine in the pipeline. A new set of wheelie bars have been built and fitted to try and stop a repeat of the last meet at Shakespeare County Raceway where it got a bit hoppity and skippity and flattened the bottom of the grille. The body and chassis are painted in matching blue with pearl and are really looking good.
©Eurodragster.com
"Frank will be Crew Chief for Cliff until the car is sorted, or until he gets itchy feet to get back into his own car. There is a new body ready and waiting to repair Frank's car which after its crash at SCR escaped with damage to the body and bugcatcher but no apparent damage to the chassis."

Picture courtesy and ©Callum Pudge

Swift snippets.

23rd February: The latest spy picture to arrive at the Eurodragster.com office came with a poem:

"Christmas present here at last
Clue: tall, blonde and fast"

So far as your News Editor is concerned everyone is tall so that doesn't narrow it down much, although we do recognise the car. If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected].
©Eurodragster.com

The artist, still at work.
23rd February: Back on 30th January we featured the legendary Money Hungry Pro Stocker, now in the hands of UK Pro ET racer Mick 'The Fish' Smith and toting a new Jeff Bull motor. Just as legendary as the car is its paint, and on his recent trip to the USA Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe caught up with Phillip Ritchie who designed and applied what must be one of the most famous colour schemes in UK drag racing history.

Phillip met up with racer Tony Dickson back in the 1960s and the pair used to take turns in racing a push button automatic Plymouth Fury at Santa Pod Raceway where he recollects the track running in the opposite direction in those days. "That was my introduction to drag racing" he says. "Tony lived in West Wickham and I lived in Croydon before moving to Robertsbridge in Sussex and I used to visit Tony when Good Vibrations (an Olds powered Anglia running in Comp Altered with brother John and friend Roger Marshall) was being built. I ended up painting the car for him and it raced well for quite a long while". The Money Hungry car was purchased from the US in around 1971/2 and was originally blue and silver, but Tony wanted to improve it and with Duckhams Oil sponsorship a new paint job was required. "We got to work on the car, it took some time to strip it all down, remove all the metalflake paint, gutting out the trunk and altering the chassis rails to fit in the new big wheels and tyres and lower the body. We even sanded down the body panels inside and out to lighten the body as acid dipping was not an option. I scrapped out all the old body filler and underside coating and it totalled twenty-seven pounds of crap! It was all exploratory avenues of making the car lighter, anything that didn't need to be there we cut out or did away with" joked Phillip.

2009 Entry Fees for all UK classes are to remain as they were in 2008:

Class	One- or two-day event	Three-day event	Four-day event
MSA British Pro Modified; Top Fuel Dragster / Fuel Funny Car / Pro Fuel Shootout; Top Methanol; Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association; Exhibition	£135	£145	£155 NB FIA classes pay FIA fees for FIA European Championship events
ET classes; Super classes; Super Modified; Junior Dragster; Comp Eliminator; Street Eliminator; VW classes; Outlaw Flat Four; Wild Bunch; Outlaw Anglia; other Sportsman car classes	£110	£120	£130
ACU Top Fuel Bike	£140	£150	£160 NB FIM/UEM classes pay FIM/UEM fees for FIM/UEM European Championship events
ACU Funny Bike; ACU Pro Stock Bike; ACU Comp Bike; ACU Super Street Bike; 9.50 Bike; 8.50 Bike; NAST Supertwin including Supertwin Fuel	£115	£125	£135

Although entry fees are to be frozen in 2009, prize money will increase by two per cent for UK National Championship classes. Prize money for ACU classes will be as per the 2009 ACU Handbook.

Fees for pitside power supply at Santa Pod Raceway will increase by the equivalent of £2.50 a day. The point was made at the meeting that in 2008 Santa Pod Raceway and Santa Pod Racers Club subsidised the supply of power to the tune of twenty thousand pounds. This year's pitside electricity fees are:

Event duration	Single phase	Three phase
1-2 days	£35	£110
4 days	£50	£130

There will be no three phase electrical supply at the Big Bang, Bug Jam and Extreme Performance Bike Weekend.

Other matters arising:

To run at UK National Championships in 2009, racers must be members of either the Avon Park International Racers Association, Santa Pod Racers Club or Volkswagen Drag Racing Club.

2008 Santa Pod Racers Club Champions will again receive free entry to rounds at Santa Pod Raceway in 2009. In the case of teams with more than one driver, one team driver per event will receive the free entry. Pitside power must still be paid for. The free entry must be used during 2009.

Sportsman racers who signed on at the 2008 FIA European Finals have been given £50 credit which can be offset against entry to an event or Santa Pod Racers Club membership. This credit is non-transferable and must be used in 2009. Racers not competing in 2009 can contact Paula Marshall at Santa Pod Racers Club for a refund.

Starting this year, ACU classes will be all-run fields up to eight bikes, and then an eight-bike field will be run, or a sixteen-bike field if thirteen or more bikes qualify.

8.50 Bike will run on trial in 2009, and UK National Championship status will be reviewed for 2010. 8.50 Bike rounds will take place at the Big Bang, Springspeed Festival, Open Sport Nationals and Extreme Performance Bike Weekend.

Noise reduction measures such as fitting mufflers on Sportsman vehicles are to be discussed by the next Tech Committee meeting which takes place on 25th March. The point was made that drag racing should deal with this subject in-house before rules are imposed, and that muffling is already mandatory in NDRS for example. The tentative timetable is discussion in 2009, optional muffling in 2010 and mandatory muffling in 2011. The Tech Committee would be pleased to hear from racers with comments or suggestions.

The 2009 rule book is being printed.

Handicapped starts during ET class qualifying will be investigated for the timing system at Santa Pod Raceway.

Volkswagen Pro and Volkswagen Alternate Engine are to merge for 2009. The merged VW Pro class is for cars running up to 12.99 seconds and VW Sportsman cars from 13.00.

Racers are reminded that golf carts and pit bikes should only be used for their proper purpose and not for joyriding in the pits. Golf carts should only be driven by adults.

A new Medical Centre and covered scrutineering bay are currently being built at Santa Pod Raceway and should be ready for the Easter Thunderball.

Kröger heads for Super Comp.

22nd February: Germany's Ove Kröger is moving up to Super Comp in 2009.

Ove, also known as Hotrodove (as he is a Hot Rodder at heart), has been around the drag racing scene since 2006. He first started with a Hot Rod '37 Ford Business Coupe named Lemon Dropped in Street Eliminator Germany and in other Street classes. He was successful right from the start and for example won the PR class at the NitrolympiX 2006 and also at Vandel.

Ove needed to go faster and made himself a present: a beautiful 1932 Ford Roadster Super Gas roadster - of course it had to be a Hot Rod! He was the first German to use Bioethanol (E85) in a dragster and still is. His Personal Best is 8.49/249 kmh recorded in 2008. He was third in the 2008 Dutch Super Gas Championship and has decided to run mainly in Super Comp in 2009 because the car has much more potential, being way too quick for Super Gas.

Right now the roadster is at the well-known Engelage Speedshop in Bremen. The engine being updated with new headers and a general service ready for the new season. Ove also plans to try a new set-up with different tyres to get better sixty foot times and to go quicker in general. The main aims for 2009 are to go racing, to go faster and to win.

As one of the most-travelled German racers Ove will be seen at Luckau, Hockenheim, Mantorp Park, Drachten and elsewhere.

Ove would like to thank his sponsors Hirschgas, H. Geissler Bau, Truefan.de and of course the Engelage Speedshop. For pictures and more information visit Ove's web site at www.hotrodove.com.
©Eurodragster.com
Translation and picture courtesy Markus Münch

Swift snippets.
22nd February: After fifteen years away from the track, Switzerland's former Top Methanol Dragster racer Rolf Vogel is returning to drag racing as a team owner and Crew Chief having acquired Ike Maier's five-second 1969 Camaro Pro Mod from the USA. The car is to be driven by Armin Roth. Rolf and the G-Force Helvetic Doorslammer team plan to spend 2009 getting a handle on the car and may contest a couple of FIA rounds. You can find out more at www.g-forcehelvetic.ch.

2008 UEM Top Fuel Bike Champions King Racing are honoured to be featured in two new books to be launched on the market in the next few days. The books will interest our younger readers as they are childrens' activity books, the first of which (below left) is entitled My Bike Sticker Activity Book. Published by Picthall and Gunzi the books will be available later this year.
©Eurodragster.com

The new hero card for team Turboville.com (above right) currently features a gap in the printing credit on the back side (click on picture to see back side). Supertwin racer Ian Turburville tells us that he desperately needs a printer to join the team and put their company name there. "All we want in return is 1000 A4 cards printed", says Turbo. "Amazingly that's how many we gave out last year at the ten events we attended. We also send a hero card out with every mail order as a giant business card so it is good advertising space! It's not too late to add your company there as a team member, whatever you sell!". If you would like to help then you can contact Turbo via his web site at www.turboville.com.

SFI Tour update.
20th February: Jeffrey Vergunst of The Netherlands' eXplosion Drag Racing Club and SFI Foundation President Arnie Kuhns have been in touch with updates about the forthcoming European SFI tour.

Jeffrey tells us that the Dutch SFI Day takes place between 08:45 and 11:30 on Thursday 5th March at:
©Eurodragster.com
KartCentrum Silverstone
Weerenweg 21- 23
1161 AE Zwanenburg

Jeffrey adds that there will be no chassis certifications at the Dutch SFI Day. For more details of the Dutch SFI Day check out the eXplosion web site at www.explosiondragracing.com.

Arnie says that the following parts will be certified at all of the European SFI Dates:

Description	Service life	Spec
Bellhousing	6.1: 5 years, 6.1-6.2: 2 years	6.1 to 6.3
Flexplate	3 years	29.1
High performance flexplate	3 years	29.2
Flexplate shield	3 years	30.1
Nitro rear wheels	2 years	15.3
Screw supercharger	3 years	34.1
Clutch assembly	1.1-1.2: 2 years, 1.3-1.4-1.5: 1 year	1.1 to 1.5
Rigid auto trans shield	5 years	4.1

For the full European SFI Tour schedule see our news item of 3rd February.

King seeks design partner.

20th February: Current European Top Fuel Bike Champions King Racing are seeking a custom paintshop in Europe who would be interested in becoming a associate partner for the coming season by using their skills and creativity on the canvas that is the swoopy aluminium bodywork of the famous race bike.

In a rare opportunity to display the talents of the associate on what is probably the bike with the highest global profile, King Racing will supply the paint from another associate, world class paints and finishes company House of Kolor (UK).

This is an opportunity rarely available for those companies or individuals that seek exposure for their skills and creativity. It arises due to the fact that longtime associate partner Wackyshack Paint Shop have become the latest unfortunate victim of the worldwide recession and have disbanded.

Interested parties should contact Ian King at [email protected] or call 01763 853985 (outside the UK +44 1763 853985).
©Eurodragster.com
Grandstand's Pro Mod pleasure.
20th February: Eurodragster.com News sponsor Grandstand Motor Sports is delighted that a new sponsorship deal will keep Pro Modifieds racing at selected NHRA events this year. Guests of Grandstand's Drag Racing USA tours will be treated to outstanding Pro Mod action at two events.

The exhibition series lay in jeopardy after its previous backer's withdrawal but an eleventh-hour deal will bring the world's fastest, most colourful doorslammers thundering back to the track. The Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx is the name of the show and Grandstand guests will experience all the action when the curtain rises at Gainesville in March and falls at Las Vegas in October.
©Eurodragster.com
Gainesville's 40th annual ACDelco Gatornationals is just three weeks away but there is still time to book for Grandstand's tour which includes flights, car hire, race ticket, a premium hotel location in Gainesville itself and the services of a tour manager. Latecomers who book by 1st March will still be entered in the special prize draw to spend a day at the races with Don Schumacher Racing. Grandstand's drag racing programme also features mainland Europe's biggest events, Sweden's Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park in July and Germany's NitrolympX at Hockenheim in August, and finishes with NHRA's season-ending Las Vegas Nationals and Auto Club Finals at Pomona in October/November.

For more information and a free copy of Grandstand's final-edition 2009 brochure, please telephone 0845 375 0300 (outside the UK +44 116 231 1222), visit www.grandstandmotorsports.co.uk, or simply click on the Grandstand logo at right.

Swift snippets.
20th February: Matthew Seamarks and the entire Double Trouble Super Comp / Super Gas team have asked us to wish a big Happy Birthday to driver Sarah Day. Our pleasure guys, have a lovely day Sarah.
©Eurodragster.com
Attention UK Pro Mod racers.
19th February: UK Pro Mod racers and anyone considering moving to Pro Modified for the 2009 MSA British Drag Racing Championship are invited to a meeting on at 11:00 am Saturday week, 28th February, in Pitside VIP at Santa Pod Raceway. The meeting will discuss this year's MSA Championship for Pro Modified.
©Eurodragster.com
If you plan to attend this meeting then can you please let SPRC Club Secretary Paula Marshall know either at [email protected] or by phone on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625).

Joon stays in Europe.
19th February: Dutch Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com Blogger Lex Joon has announced a limited European racing schedule for 2009. In agreement with primary sponsor and joint Eurodragster.com webcam sponsor MPM Oil, Lex will be contesting July's Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park and August's NitrolympX at Hockenheim and may yet add other events.

"MPM Oil and Lex Joon Racing work together really well", Lex told Eurodragster.com. "MPM want to continue but it's getting more and more expensive. So we decided that we should run at events which will give a good return. MPM can bring a lot of clients to Mantorp Park and Hockenheim."

Lex told Eurodragster.com that he considered quitting because funds were not available. He had also been investigating running on the NHRA Tour in the USA and currently has a representative in the USA working on securing backing. "I want to make a commitment for years to come", said Lex. "Top Fuel racing is the biggest thing you can do and I want to continue with it. Our car is still here and not in the USA so we will race here.
©Eurodragster.com
"Looking at the economy now it is sensible to cut our programme. MPM said that they are happy with our plans, and we may yet add the Main Event at Santa Pod to our schedule because MPM have a lot of clients in Ireland. But after Mantorp Park and Hockenheim we will see where we are in the Championship and then maybe go to the European Finals, or maybe take the car and race at the last two NHRA events.

"We have an agent in the USA looking for sponsorship and even though it is difficult to get backing right now things are looking fairly good for us."

The dragster itself has been stripped down and will shortly be making the trip across the Channel to have the mandatory 2009 chassis upgrades carried out by joint Eurodragster.com webcam sponsor Webster Race Engineering. "After Jon Webster helped us with a problem in 2005 I said that I would always ask him to do our work", said Lex. "Jon is a craftsman and will do a great job of getting everything ready."

Most of Lex's crew remain on the team and Lex said that he and wife and Team Manager Gerda feel good about things again after the disappointment of missing out on the 2008 Championship, which was going down to a single race ultimately prevented by rain at the European Finals. "We are looking forward to working with MPM", he said. "They are growing rapidly and it is good to be involved. After last year I am not so much up for running for the Championship. There are some things in the car we want to explore and maybe we can set some records."

Swift snippets.
19th February: UK racers please remember that the 2009 UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting takes place at 11:00 this Sunday, 22nd February, at Rushden and Diamonds' conference centre in Irthlingborough (click here for a map). If you don't come you can't moan, although knowing how literally our words tend to be taken sometimes we hasten to add that we are not saying that there will be anything to moan about. You can check out the minutes of last year's R&D Meeting (Word format) by clicking here.

Dexter Price of Team Gridlock tells us that the UK's Wild Bunch racers will have a stand at the Historic Motorsports Show which takes place at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry on 13th-15th March. "Chris Hartnell's Backdraft, Scottie Durrant's Tikki Monkey and Adam Price's Go Hard or Go Home will be on display in Hall 4 close to the indoor action arena", says Dexter. "Come over and support the Wild Bunch at this great show". You can find more details about the Historic Motorsports Show at www.raceretro.com.
©Eurodragster.com

Santa Pod Raceway are hosting their first Saturday Night Special of 2009 on Saturday (21st). The track will be open for Run What You Brung from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and various ticket and track fee options are available depending upon how long you wish to stay. There will also be demonstrations from the Fireforce 3 Jet FC, music in the evening, and catering and bar facilities. For more information check out www.rwyb.co.uk/sat_night_special.php. There will also be a normal Run What You Brung at Santa Pod on Sunday; for more information check out www.rwyb.co.uk.

Santa Pod are also hosting Stunt Night tomorrow evening (Friday). Quickly established as a family favourite, Stunt Night includes Monster Trucks, stunt drivers and riders, and Jet vehicles. Gates open at 4:00 pm and the action starts at 6:00 pm For more information visit the Stunt Night web site at www.stuntnight.co.uk.

Note for HKS Drag Series racers.
19th February: Rick Cuthbert, who co-ordinates the HKS Drag Series, has been in touch with a reminder for racers planning to take part in the Series in 2009:

Remember that to run in 2009 you will need a race licence, you must be a member of a Racers' Club, and if you're running quicker than 9.99 then your car will need to be tagged. Details at www.japdragseries.co.uk/how2enter.php. Drivers will need to enter each event before its official closing date through Santa Pod Racers Club. An official entry list will be published before each event.

If you intend to run in the HKS Drag Series could you please also E-Mail the following information to [email protected]: class (Pro/ Fac Mod / Street / FWD); driver's name; car; engine; team/company name; best ET and speed; best result (event win or best finish); car specs; sponsors; web site address and banner (220 x 50 pixels, usually your main sponsor or team web site); contact telephone number (this will not be made public); and pictures of car and driver. If you have run before then we will use our best 2008 pictures to start with and then replace them after the first events.

Once the entries start coming in, DJ will post a 2009 Drivers page on the Series web site at www.japdragseries.co.uk.
©Eurodragster.com
I ♥ Leanders clutches.

19th February: Valentine's Day weekend was no time for wives or girlfriends for Jeff Prock, Bob Malek, Todd Tutterow, and the WYO Motorsports team as Eurodragster.com News sponsor Jörgen Leanders flew in from Alfta, Sweden for the first US testing session of the Leanders clutch.

Prock and Leanders have a dozen years of working together on various projects. "It was important for Jeff to come testing with us because he is a big part of our efforts in the United States", explained Leanders. "Also, we wanted him to learn, firsthand, the characteristics of our clutch."

Tutterow and Leanders met at the 2008 PRI Trade Show through Bob Malek of Friction Unlimited. It was here that they began talking about opportunities to work together. After several overseas calls, it was decided that Tutterow would be the right choice for US testing. His Pro Mod bona fides are without question and Leanders knew that results would be consistent and reliable.

Testing began on Friday at Farmington Dragway. After the third attempt at a clean run, Leanders confidently predicted one more pass would be needed to have the set-up in place. True to his boast, Tutterow had a successful pass with a 4.077. In all, eight runs were made, with valuable knowledge gained on each.

Saturday was spent servicing the Brad Anderson powerplant of the yellow C5 Corvette. While everything under the hood was fine, as expected, the sweetest part of the day was the condition of the rear main bearing. If a clutch lacks rigidity, the first place that it will be revealed is in the rear main bearing. It is typical for layers of material to be worn away in as little as one run down the dragstrip. However, after eight runs the previous day, no wear or tear was evident.

On Sunday, the caravan headed to Piedmont Dragway for additional track time. The lanes opened shortly after noon and when Tutterow pulled his chutes, he had just completed the first three-second pass in the fifty two-year history of Piedmont Dragway – and on DOT tires no less! His elapsed time of 3.950 at 196.7 mph came on a conservative clutch set-up. "It is still light, I don't think we are pulling on it hard enough", Prock was overhead saying to Leanders.

With a better idea of what the track could take, Leanders, Prock, and Tutterow decided to be more aggressive with the lock-up setting. Tutterow was pulled back to the staging lanes and he blistered the track with a 3.909 at 198.15 and an awe-inspiring 0.955 60ft. As the day drew to a close, the track getting cold, and the sun sinking low, Tutterow, Malek, Prock, and Leanders agreed the data showed much more was available.

"I love this clutch. I am not taking it out. We are going to the ADRL event in Houston with it", said Tutterow with a grin.

The Leanders brothers, Jörgen and Ulf, are two-time European Champions in Top Methanol Funny Car. In 2006, they set out to create a clutch that would be more rigid and stable – a better mousetrap, so to speak. After completing the design, they began the process of getting SFI approval. They are the only clutch manufacturer outside of the United States that SFI has ever approved. In 2007, they received that most important accreditation and began testing the clutch on the track.

After some minor changes from the original design, the clutch débuted in the United States at the December 2008 PRI Trade Show in Orlando. Interest was high as the clutch is easily recognized to be a quality piece. The clutches are made from the strongest aluminum that SFI has tested. The levers and pins are heat treated tool steel. The discs are from the specialty clutch disc manufacturer Friction Unlimited of Mooresville, NC.

"The biggest advantage that our clutches offer is in the floater and stand design", stated Leanders. "We spent countless hours on our computers and our clutch dyno for maximum success. We know that we have produced a design that racers will immediately recognize as a performance improvement."

The clutches are available in lock-up or standard configurations. In fact, the clutch has been designed to allow the customer to convert the same unit back and forth with just two bolts and a lever.

The Leanders brothers have reached an agreement with Jeff Prock of Applied Nitrous Technology for his assistance with technical questions and distribution for all US customers. His extensive knowledge of Pro Mod cars will enable him to answer questions for a wide spectrum of customer applications. To place an order or for additional information, he can be reached at 423-921-9540 or via E-Mail at www.appliednitroustechnology.com. Additionally, Dennis Zeckser of DZE Clutch Surfacer in Wilmington, Ohio has been contracted to service the clutches for all US customers. His many years of experience with NHRA Pro Stock clutches made him the obvious choice for the Leanders brothers. All resurfacing and servicing will be done in the United States. He can be contacted at 937-486-4000.

To reach the Leanders directly, please contact them via their web site at www.leandersclutch.com. A short technical bulletin with photos is available in PDF format on their web site.
©Eurodragster.com
Brander returns.

18th February: One of Finland's best-known racers, Tami Brander, is returning to Pro Modified with a brand new 1967 RS Chevrolet Camaro says team member Jami Kananen (click on picture for large version).

"Tami and the team have built the car at his own shop, Brander Race Cars", says Jami. "Motive power comes from a 526 ci blown methanol engine, and it's pure evil!"
©Eurodragster.com
This year will be more about testing and finding the right set-up for the car and team, then serious racing with the big boys in 2010. "This is a long-term project and there's so much to work out", says Tami. "So let's just see what happens in the future."

Just to make us really jealous, Jami adds that Tami has a street-legal '67 RS Camaro in his garage.

Rendering courtesy and ©Jussi Alasalmi, Alasalmi Graphics

Meca hosts Bike event.
18th February: Marcus Andersson tells us that SRIF is to hold a bike-only race at Malmö's Meca Raceway on Friday-Sunday 15th-17th May.

"A request has been made to SVEMO for Swedish Championship status for this event for Twin Pro Bike, Pro Street Bike and the RM Class Supertwin Top Gas", says Marcus. "We expect that all bike classes will be invited. We have had interest from the European Destroyer Cup and a number of European Top Gas Bikes, so maybe it can be a round of the European Top Gas Cup, let's keep our fingers crossed.

"You can test on the Wednesday evening before the event, then spend Thursday enjoying spring in Skåne (don't miss a trip to Österlen!) and then it will be all go again on Friday.
©Eurodragster.com
"Don't miss this opportunity to support Swedish Drag Bike racing and to help yourself, and to get a real kick-start to the 2009 drag bike season. For more details stay tuned to www.harleydrags.com and www.srif.se."

Swift snippets.
18th February: We have no less than four spy pictures for you today (click on any picture for large version):

The picture at top left was taken and sent to us by eleven-year-old Eurodragster.com fan Callum Pudge who tells us that the picture shows his favourite racer's car which is nearing the end of an upgrade programme. Top right is a new car with which its constructor is "Chuffed to bits", says our mole. The pictures at bottom left and bottom right came with no information at all. If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected].
©Eurodragster.com
UK Pro ET racer Charlie Chivers has asked us to thank Platinum Choice Insurance for their sponsorship of his Taxi Express for the 2009 season. "Platinum Choice cover all types of insurance: household, motor vehicles and commercial", says Charlie. "They are a very professional company and if anyone contacts them and takes up a policy and quotes Drag Car 496 then they will get a 5% discount on their policy. So please give them a call on 01993 810333 and ask for Martin or James, or E-Mail [email protected]."

A word to our sponsors.
18th February: Sponsors of Eurodragster.com please note that renewals are due on 28th February and that we have now E-Mailed invoices to all of you. If you have not received your invoice and it is not in your Spam folder, if you would prefer a paper version sent by snail-mail, if you have any queries, or indeed if you are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com, then please drop us a line at [email protected].
©Eurodragster.com
Web site updates.

18th February: The NHRA Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals became an extended event as rain storms deluged the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona stringing out qualifying to one shot and delaying eliminations until Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. It made the Winternationals one of the longest ever events, taking a whole seven days to complete. Eurodragster.com Photo Editor Roger Gorringe stayed the course and supplied our race report and a selection of photographs on Sunday evening, and he has now had time to update his own web site at www.nitroexposure.co.uk with a further selection of photographs different to those which you have already seen here on Eurodragster.com.
©Eurodragster.com
A chance to live the dream.
17th February: Would-be drag racers can live the Top Fuel dream easier than ever before through a training and rental program offered by four-time FIA Champion and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Urs Erbacher and Crew Chief Wayne Dupuy. In an effort to raise funding for their race team so they can remain on the NHRA tour for the entire 2009 season, Erbacher and Dupuy will teach clients the intricacies of piloting an 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster, get them licenced, and turn them loose at an NHRA national event.

"We think there's a group of people out there, maybe competing at a lower level of drag racing or some other form of motorsports, who have always wondered what it's like to drive a Top Fuel Dragster, even if it's just for one race", said Wayne Dupuy. "This is their chance."

Prospective racers will take control of Erbacher's back-up dragster, which posted competitive 3.8s at 310 mph last season. They'll be trained for as long as necessary at the team's Stateside shop, which is next to Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, and will have the services of Erbacher's championship-winning crew. As soon as they are licenced, they'll be entered in a National event as a teammate to Erbacher.

"They'll get the full experience, for one race, two races, whatever they want to do" said Wayne. "We want these people to have fun and to experience something they'll never forget. At the same time, we're going to be very, very careful with them. Safety will always be the top priority.

"I've been drag racing my entire life and everywhere you go people always say they would give anything to drive a dragster. If they're serious, we're going to give them that chance."

The team already has signed up one client, German Super Comp racer Jens Riehl, a seven-year veteran on the European tour who is selling his entire operation to realise this longtime goal.

"I got my first impression of drag racing visiting Mantorp Park in Sweden with my brother in the late 1980s and since then I have always been dreaming about Top Fuel", said Jens Riehl. "There have been many successes in Super Comp but this new challenge will become the absolute highlight.

"If everything fits, we're planning to do the licencing a day after the Las Vegas event. I like the way Team Erbacher demonstrates how professional a European Top Fuel team can be in the US. He is showing that we are very competitive over here. It's a big honour for me to get the chance to work together with this great team. Germany has no Top Fuel racers at the moment so this is the time to jump into the battle."

Dupuy and Erbacher are still working out the exact cost of the experience but expect it to be affordable, even by nitro racing standards. "Every time you run a car down the track you're spending X amount of dollars, whether it's during licensing or a race", said Wayne. "You can't put one price on this deal because maybe one guy will need ten passes to feel comfortable, while another guy might need twenty. It's going to be an individual, case-by-case deal.

"I do know we've become real good at running the car as efficiently as possible. We're going to give our clients a safe, competitive race car that can qualify for a national event and win some rounds. For some people, that's priceless."

Interested parties should contact Wayne Dupuy directly at (#1) 570-709-7195 or via E-Mail at [email protected].
©Eurodragster.com

Swift snippets.
17th February: Proving that not only does he produce great T-Shirts, sweatshirts and hoods but also that he is psychic, Benny Edvardsson of Eurodragster.com News sponsor Tireshake.com has produced a new design which could have been created specifically to illustrate the above news item. The design is available as a T-Shirt, sweatshirt and hood and can be ordered at www.tireshake.com.

In addition to the return of Finnish Top Fuel Dragster legend Anita Mäkelä, the Pro Fuel Shootout at Santa Pod Raceway's Autotrader Easter Thunderball now also features Linda Thun Tønseth (Top Fuel), Risto Poutiainen (Top Fuel) and Thomas Nataas (Fuel Funny Car). We understand that there is at least one more name to add; stay tuned for details and in the meantime you can read about the Easter Thunderball on Santa Pod's web site at www.santapod.com.
©Eurodragster.com
Mike Chadwick tells us that Derbyshire-based Custom Cruisers UK has become a master distributor for Simpson helmets in the UK. "We also stock used three-layer and above nomex firesuits etc", says Mike. You can find out more on the Custom Cruisers web site at www.customcruisers.com.

Courtesy of Terry Morgan comes this great shot of Phil Steele firing up the legendary Rouge et Noir Mcoy Weslake at the weekend's at the Bristol Classic Bike Show in Shepton Mallet. Click on the picture for a large version; what we like about this shot is that during any fire-up there is usually one person who thinks they're hard enough not to cover their ears, but notice that everyone has their ears covered for this one. OK, excepting Paso himself.

Web site updates.
17th February: In the latest entry in his exclusive Racer Blog, UK Top Methanol Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Derek Flynn tells the story of a weekend spent at Pomona with Larry Miersch's Top Alcohol Dragster team and a relaxing break in the company of tuning consultant Jim Rizzoli. You can check out our Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Journalist Brian Taylor has also been hard at work writing up his Blogs on Alan Curran's Acceleration Archive and has produced February updates describing recent progress on his book Crazy Horses - the History of British Drag Racing and the Allard Chrysler Action Group, which Brian chairs and behind which he is the driving force. "Those of you who are into nostalgia and have not yet signed up to ACAG should seriously consider joining this élite band of nostalgia nuts", says Alan. You can read Brian's Blogs at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk.
©Eurodragster.com
UK photo-journalist Mark Gredzinski has updated his web site with more examples of past work on the Artwork, Paint Schemes and Work in Progress sections. "I keep discovering photos of artwork I'd forgotten I'd done", says Mark. "As usual it's on www.gredzo.com and thanks to Jon Best for updating the pictures. Further fine tuning will follow in due course."

Feature: NHRA Winternationals.

16th February: The latest in our occasional series of Features presented in association with John Woolfe Racing is Roger's report and pictures from last week's protracted NHRA Kragen O'Reilly Winternationals at Pomona Raceway.
©Eurodragster.com
You can check out Roger's Feature by clicking here, or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left hand side of any Eurodragster.com page and selecting the 2009 NHRA Kragen O'Reilly Winternationals.

Carter's Ultimate new look.
16th February: For a number of years, the Autosport Show has proved to be hugely beneficial to UK Top Fuel Dragster team Carter Motorsport, with many new sponsors being added as a result of introductions being made at the Birmingham motorsport showcase. 2009 was no exception and the team are delighted to announce a new marketing partnership with artwork experts Ultimate Airbrush:

Ultimate Airbrush will be providing an exciting new design to appear on Andy's crash helmet. If you had the privilege of visiting their stand in person, you'll have seen the incredible standard of work provided by the company. It's not only helmets to which Ultimate Airbrush can apply their design genius: with twenty two years' Airbrush experience behind them, they can create some of the most individual custom paintwork around for bikes, cars, trucks, remote control aircraft and even fridge doors...if it can be painted then they probably already have turned on the compressor and applied their creative magic!

"I love going to the Autosport show and meeting new people and new companies", says Andy Carter. "I was drawn to the Ultimate Airbrush stand by the sheer quality and vibrance of the work displayed. Following an introductory chat with company head Richard Carman I asked if he would be able to produce a unique new look for my helmet and he was more than happy to oblige. I can thoroughly recommend the quality of his work and invite any racers interested in any airbrush work to come and see the finished article at the track."

You can see samples of the company's work by visiting their web site at www.ultimate-airbrush.co.uk where you will also find full details of how to contact Richard Carman for a quote or to discuss your requirements. "We are delighted to welcome Ultimate Airbrush to our ever growing list of marketing partners", says Team PR Dan Welberry.
©Eurodragster.com
Swift snippets.

16th February: Colin Weber tells us that the fan-favourite Mustang Sally is to return to the strip in the UK with a planned move up to Super Street. "The car is at the moment at Large Engineering in Brenchley in Kent", says Colin. "They are doing a great job as you can see, still a lot of work to do but all the family are involved and we can't wait to get back to the strip. There are a few blank spaces so if anybody wants to add some sponsorship we would be very grateful - contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you all as soon as we can."
©Eurodragster.com
Collier offers fabrication, welding.
16th February: UK Pro Stock Bike racer Jerry Collier has recently set up his own business offering a design fabrication and welding service.

The picture shows the latest complete bike which Jerry has just, Giselle Moor's new Junior Drag Bike which has been made in chromoly to house two different engines, a 125 cc Aprillia for JDB and a Suzuki 500 when Giselle steps up to Supertwin at the age of sixteen. Jerry also reworked his own H2 chassis into the Pro Stock Bike chassis which he currently campaigns.
©Eurodragster.com
"As well as complete chassis, Jerry can design, fabricate and mount exhaust pipes and wheelie bars, do one-off machining of parts and re-loop chassis as well as the other side of his business which is stainless and mild steel balustrades, gates and security posts", says Sharron Collier. "Basically if it is made from some kind of metal, Jerry can weld it. Everything is built with care and perfectionism, and Jerry would not send out anything he would not race himself. We are at the tracks most of the summer and can provide an on-site service as we have portable equipment also. No fuss, no bull, just amazing work with a down to earth attitude.

"Jerry's web site is at www.projoint.co.uk or enquiries are welcome on 01246 570304."

Travel with an Elegant sponsor.
15th February: We are very pleased to welcome Cheshire-based Elegance Executive Travel as a sponsor of Eurodragster.com News.

Elegance Executive Travel provides minibus travel services in the north west of England. "Our luxury, executive and corporate mini bus hire branches serve Chester, Wirral, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and Manchester International Airport", says proprietor Peter Pritchard. "We provide a luxury executive chauffeur service. Your chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz minibus will arrive promptly and be immaculately clean inside and out at all times. We are fully insured, reliable and have been operating safely in the North West for years.

"Elegance Executive Travel can supply transport for groups of up to sixteen to all types of events including airport transfers, sports and tourism. Service is prompt, punctual, and reliable and flight times are monitored to ensure customers do not carry the extra expense of waiting time."
©Eurodragster.com
We would like to say a big Thank You to Peter Pritchard for his support of Eurodragster.com and if you are in need of transport in the north west of England then please be sure to return the compliment by considering the services of Elegance Executive Travel.

For more details see the Elegance Executive Travel web site at www.elegancetravel.co.uk, click on the logo at right, or for a quote call Peter on 07809 620962 or E-Mail [email protected].

2009 Malta calendar.

15th February: Many thanks to Malta Drag Racing Association Secretary Jason Camilleri for sending us the 2009 calendar of events at Hal-Far Raceway:

7th March: Run What You Brung
14th-15th March: National Drag Racing Event (closing date 7th March)
21st-22nd March: Street Legal Only Event (closes 7th March)
31st March: MDRA for Eden Car Show
18th April: RWYB
2nd-3rd May: National Drag Racing Event (closes 25th April)
19th June: Night RWYB
10th-11th July: National Drag Racing Night Event (closes 25th June)
7th August: Night RWYB
21st-22nd August: National Drag Racing Night Event (closes 17th August)
26th September: RWYB
10th-11th October: National Drag Racing Event (closes 3rd October)
17th-18th Octover: Street Legal Only Event (closes 3rd October)
14th November: RWYB
28th-29th November: National Drag Racing Event (closes 21st November)
©Eurodragster.com
You can find the MDRA web site at www.maltadragracing.com.

Swift snippets.
15th February: Jeni Long is offering a unique photographic service to race teams who would like pictures which a little different from the usual burnout and launch. "You can hire me for the day and I will follow you around catching moments in the pits and on the track", says Jeni. You can contact Jeni via her new web site at www.yawningcatphotography.com.
©Eurodragster.com
More work accumulates...
15th February: UK Rocket Dragster pilot Carolynne Campbell has been in touch with an update from the Laffin-gas workshop:

The mark one accumulator has now been pressure tested. Oh dear! The welded flanges parted company from the vessel. Fortunately it was a hydrostatic test so there was no drama, just a sad exit of a flow of water. On examination, the actual weld material was fine but there was a crystalline substrate that had formed at the penetration boundary. It was, after all, an experiment, and now we know that the bottles don't like even the best of welding.

David has been hard at work in a freezing workshop manufacturing Mark Two. This time we've gone for threaded construction as we know that the bottles hold a thread very well. A large cap made from high-grade billet aluminium is now screwed on to a fine thee-inch thread on the bottle. We now have to add the piston and the internal stops to prevent point-loading on the vessel and it's back to the testers at Jackson Keay, who have been extremely helpful. David is very expert in the machine-shop and mechanical construction is an area of expertise - neither of us can make any claim to be experts at welding dissimilar metals!

The very cold weather has slowed us down a lot, so we're behind schedule. Nothing new there then. We'll be taking the new construction for testing in the next week or so and, if all goes well, David will press on with the other three accumulators.

We've had an interesting E-Mail from the NASA White Sands Testing Establishment, offering advice and consultation following on from the article we wrote about the explosion at Scaled Composites' testing facility. It is very welcome and it does show that our efforts are being followed by some very serious people. Ever since that tragic accident in the Mojave Desert, we have had to back-track, consult, and re-design to ensure that our operations are as safe as possible. The addition of the accumulators is central to this.

Suppliers have come forward with specialist lubricants and explosion protection that have made it possible for us to move forward. Many others that we have contacted cannot get it together to make a promised phone call! In such hard times as these, it is a bit gob-smacking that the business-as-usual culture of lousy customer service still seems to be the norm in the UK. We know that an order from us will not make or break any company, but the world is watching us now, and you'd think that with the entire engineering sector under real pressure, there might be an effort to improve customer relations and to take advantage of any PR opportunities that might come up. The survivors of this recession will be the firms that make a real effort, and the ones where complacency reigns supreme can expect to end up on the scrap-heap.

We will be joining our American friends at Alconbury on 5th March to display the car and take part in their annual USAF Motorcycle Safety Event. It's good to see our American guests taking safety on our roads so seriously and we are delighted to assist in their efforts. As these folk can rightly claim to be the fastest bunch on the planet, we're really looking forward to rubbing shoulders with some serious jet-jockeys.

The rest of our schedule for the coming season is still very sketchy as we don't know exactly when we'll be ready to have another go in public, but we are hopeful to be on track by late April or early May. We'll keep you posted.
©Eurodragster.com
Top Fuel Dragster safety kit.
13th February: Geoff Martin, who heads up the UK's Tech Crew, has been in touch with an addition to Wednesday's news item:

The 2009 FIA rule for Top Fuel Dragster drivers' boots is SFI spec 3.2A/15.
©Eurodragster.com
Also to clarify the rumours about Impact racewear, the suits affected are new SFI 3.2A/15/20 with 2008 SFI labels, and SFI 3.2A/20 overboots with a large SFI 2008 label. Impact have contacted most purchasers but if anyone has this equipment it should be returned to Impact for checking and recertification.

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

Web site updates.

13th February: Luke Bennett has been in touch to let us know that Escape Design's web site can now be found at www.escapedesign.net. The company's E-Mail address has changed to [email protected] and the phone number to 01268 499078. "Call us anytime for an estimate on a website or any design work", says Luke. "As always we still offer superb design services and very competitive prices. To date we have built sites for Bennett Racing, Malmgren Racing, the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association and many more. As you can see a web site is an excellent way to attract a sponsor and to show photos and information to fans and sponsors alike. We still offer a one page web site for only £70 and this includes your domain name, for example www.yoursite.com. We can sort this all for you, there is nothing you need to do other than tell us what address you would like and we buy it and build the site. Obviously we can also build larger sites if needed. If you have any questions then please get in touch at [email protected]."
©Eurodragster.com
What's new at Swecomposite.

12th February: Kenneth Holmberg has been in touch with news from the workshops of Swecomposite.

"We recently we finished carbon intakes for G2/Buell Pro Stock Bikes", says Kenneth. "For example Ulf Ögge will use them this season.

"Next week we will deliver new carbon doors, roof, wheel tubs etc. for Mats 'Green Goblin' Eriksson (click for large version). We made new moulds from the old doors and roof. The old pieces were one-off but now we can easily make new parts if something happens to the body.
©Eurodragster.com
"We have also finished a Chevelle Pro Mod body for Sjodin Motorsport and a new Plymouth 38 Coupe carbon front for Pitchblack Racing who will compete in Pro Street during 2009 and change class to Top Doorslammer / Pro Modified for 2010."

You can find out more about Swecomposite's products and services at www.swecomposite.com.

Pictures courtesy and ©Stefan Boman

Stripteaser's sponsors.
12th February: UK Pro ET racer Andrew Gibb has confirmed that Castrol Oil are to continue their sponsorship of his Stripteaser altered into the 2009 season.

"We will once again be using Castrol Edge Sport in our engine, as well as the usual Castrol transmission oils in the Lenco and rear end", says Andrew. "I would like to thank Donald Smith at Castrol Oil for his continued support and for his understanding over last year's issues with the engine.
©Eurodragster.com
"Also on board this year is John (Mr Mopar) O'Sullivan's new venture, Moose Juice Racing Fuels. John is in a position to supply methanol at a very competitive price to racers which you would hard pushed to beat: a forty five-gallon drum costing as little as £150.00. This can be delivered to the track for those travelling from Europe or living too far from John's base in Swindon to collect. There will also be a facility to collect from our base here in Romford. Smaller quantaties can also be purchased, all you need to do is to contact John on 07860 129572 (+44 7860 129572); there may be times when he may be busy at his lathe or CNC machine so leave a message and I know he'll call you back.

"All that is left for me to do is to wish John all the best in his new venture and to thank him for his support both for Stripteaser and also for Annalieze's Lisensed Addolesense Junior Dragster. Thanks mate from Sandie, myself and the girls."

Swift snippets.
12th February: Thomas Dahlblom sent us a couple of workshop pictures of the Dahlblom Dragracing team's Pro Mod / Top Doorslammer which is being fitted with a blown-alcohol BAE motor (click for large versions):

"It's coming along fine and hopefully we will be ready some time this summer", says Thomas. You can stay in touch with updates from Dahlblom Dragracing at www.ddracing.se.
©Eurodragster.com

Drag Bike racer Phil (Paso) Steele will be showing Keith Parnell's Rouge et Noir 2 Mcoy Weslake at the Bristol Classic Bike show this weekend (14th-15th) which takes place at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet. Paso says the bike will be part of the National Sprint Association display. As well as the static display, the Little Cherub Racing team have been asked to fire up the bike a couple of times a day during the course of the weekend, weather permitting. The bike will also be on display at the Race Retro Show in March.

Further to Tuesday's news item, the web site of joint Eurodragster.com webcam sponsor Webster Race Engineering has now been updated with the entry forms for this year's WRE Test Days at Santa Pod Raceway. You can download your entry form at www.webster-race-engineering.co.uk.

Paul and Sue Spiers would like to thank Mark and Sarah O'Halloran for the purchase of their cherished '69 Camaro Super Gasser. Mark had planned to ship the Camaro to Australia and had fitted extra safety features as requested by ANDRA, but instead decided to sell his race car as a roller on Eurodragster.com's Jeff Bull Swap Meet. "Thanks to Eurodragster", says Paul. "As I already knew the Morrison-chassis car from the track, it was an easy decision to purchase. Although it was previously fitted with a Small Block Chevy, I am fitting my Jeff Bull-built 540 with a Powerglide, also supplied by Jeff, and we look forward to racing in Super Comp later in 2009. Mark and Sarah are still going be involved with the '69 Camaro as Mark is to fine tune the chassis, we look forward to seeing them at the track."

Phil Toppin and everyone in the UK Pro ET class have asked us to wish a Happy 43rd Wedding Anniversary to Brian and Jean Huxley of Team Top Banana. No sooner said than done, congratulations Brian and Jean and here's to many more years.

Ronan's patience rewarded.

12th February: Ronan Smith has finally had enough of watching dad Smax and brother Aidan having all the fun out on the track and has acquired a street Chevelle to have some fun of his own:

Since my last Junior Dragster race at Hockenheim in I have been sat at the sidelines watching my dad and Aidan race. After moving to Canada I quickly outgrew the Junior before I could do any local events, and that only meant one thing: it was time to get a new ride! But it's not that easy. After building the Altered for Aidan and dad aquiring a Top Fuel ride, all the time and budget went to those two cars. Feeling as anxious as a fish without water, I was dying to start off the 1320 racing the way my dad did, in a wild street car.
©Eurodragster.com
Dad and I had been looking for a street car, anything, as long as it was loud and would do monster burnouts I didn't care, I just wanted to get down the track. Season after season I crewed on Aidan's car, and helped a bit on dad's, and this made me want to race more. The closest I got to going down the track was in the tow vehicle.

After a great deal was offered, dad and I borrowed a truck and trailer and drove down to Buffalo USA to pick up the third addition to the Ant Hill Mob Drag Racing Team. This car is my dream car, I've always wanted a Chevelle and a street one at that. But don't worry I won't be street racing - with a 468 Big Block and Nitrous I wouldn't waste my time embarrassing them. I'll be doing all the cruises and car shows and racing at all the local events such as Toronto Motorsports Park, St Thomas Raceway and Grandbend Motor Plex, and maybe a cruise or two to the beach.

Bennetts Post another sponsor.
12th February: UK blown-alcohol altered team and Eurodragster.com Bloggers Bennett Racing are proud to announce the addition of another sponsor. TopFilmPosters.co.uk is an on-line only company which specialises in the best on-line choice of iconic film posters.

"You can buy film and television posters using secure on-line ordering on their fully illustrated web site at www.topfilmposters.co.uk", says Luke Bennett.

"Film posters include Sin City, Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, Back To The Future, Star Wars, Reservoir Dogs, Trainspotting, The Godfather, King Kong, Scarface, Quadrophenia, Jaws, Goodfellas, Saw, James Bond, Jackie Brown, E.T., Alien, Raging Bull, LA Confidential, Superman, Batman, Wall-E, The Terminator, The Goonies, Teenwolf, Halloween, Harry Potter, The Shining and Slumdog Millionaire. TV posters include The Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, American Dad, The A Team, Knight Rider, Friends and Only Fools and Horses.
©Eurodragster.com
"They can also print any poster you require on their fully commercial printers. So get in touch for a superb print of your race car or bike! Contact them today at [email protected]."

Attention FIA Top Fuel racers.
11th February: Geoff Martin, who heads up the UK Tech Crew, has asked us to draw Top Fuel Dragster racers' attention to the changes in the 2009 FIA rules.

"There are revisions to eight items for 2009 and there is still time to get things done before the start of the season", says Geoff. "For a start SFI 49.1 wing stickers are mandatory this year as are SFI 15.1 boots.
©Eurodragster.com
"If you have any questions I will try to answer them. Please contact me at [email protected]."

You can check out the 2009 FIA rules, which are in PDF format, under Sport at www.fia.com or individually:

Sporting Regulations
SFI Specifications
Technical Regulations and Race Procedures
Drawings

Changes to SFI Specifications and Technical and Race Procedure regulations are highlighted in red within the documents.

Oakley: Not just eyewear.
11th February: Drag racing sponsor Oakley are well known for the quality of their eyewear with many patents on lenses and coatings, but Swedish Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren, who is himself sponsored by Oakley, is keen on the entire Oakley range which includes both ends of the temperature scale with firesuits and ski suits.

"The USA, Canada and Japan are Oakley's biggest markets", says Michael. "They make all kinds of apparel such as jeans, T-Shirts, shirts, bags, duffles, golf clothing and shoes, surfing gear and even watches. I visited the Oakley stand at the PRI Show and came away with the Oakley Tank, a very cool watch! I wear my Oakley ski gear all the time whilst I am skiing. My favourite kit is the Mystic pants and jackets and of course a pair of Wisdom ski goggles. It's hard to find anything better out there.
©Eurodragster.com

"Oakley also have a racing division which makes high-quality FIA- and SFI-approved shoes and gloves as well as mechanics' gear such as shoes, sport sneakers and so on. The latest thing is the super lightweight driving suit in different styles for different types of motorsport. It's very soft and comfortable and of course extremely good-looking. All of their gear is available for men and women and if you read the Oakley Factory Pilot competitors' list then you can see just how popular their gear is - it's a lifestyle.

"For more information see oakley.com or feel free to drop me an E-Mail at [email protected]."

Swift snippets.
11th February: An impromptu meeting held last Sunday between Dutch Nitro Harley riders and members of eXplosion Dragracing has brought a three-race Nitro Twin Series at Drachten a step closer. "Hopefully we will have everything finalised at eXplosion's annual meeting on 1st March", says Karl Thiecke. If you are interested then you can find out more by E-Mailing Karl at [email protected].
©Eurodragster.com
On the subject of meetings, please remember that if you have any items for the agenda of the UK Riders' and Drivers' meeting, which takes place in Irthlingborough at 11:00 on Sunday 22nd February, then please send them either to Paula Marshall of SPRC at [email protected] or to Julie Willcox of APIRA at [email protected]. For more details about the meeting check out our news item of 22nd January.

2009 Supercharged Outlaws calendar.
11th February: Many thanks to UK Supercharged Outlaw racer Lee Gallimore of LA Commercials Red Mist Racing for forwarding us this year's Supercharged Outlaws calendar, which was agreed at last weekend's class AGM:

1st-4th May: Wheels USA, Santa Pod Raceway
30th-31st May: Yanks Weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway
27th-28th June: UK Truck Show, Santa Pod Raceway (sponsored by LA Commercials Ltd)
6th-8th August: Bulldog Bash, Shakespeare County Raceway
4th-6th September: VW Action, Santa Pod Raceway
18th-20th September: Hot Rod Drags, Shakespeare County Raceway (Finals, cacklefest)
31st October-1st November: Halloween Bonfire Burn-up, Shakespeare County Raceway
©Eurodragster.com
"A big Thank You to all the Supercharged Outlaw teams who attended the meeting", says Lee. "Thanks also to Jerry Cookson for attending the AGM and to Jerry and Anthony Hodges for the invitations to Shakespeare County Raceway. We would also like to thank Santa Pod Raceway for inviting us to their new Wheels USA meeting in May.

"All the best to all the Supercharged Outlaws teams, drive safely but as fast as you can. The time is near so, just to get you charged up: Supercharged Outlaws, start your engines."

WRE Test Days return.
10th February: Race vehicle builder, performance parts supplier and joint Eurodragster.com webcam sponsor Webster Race Engineering have announced that they are to hold three Test Days at Santa Pod Raceway in 2009. A fourth Test Day may be added later in the year.

"Webster Race Engineering have again formed an association with Santa Pod Raceway to provide midweek Test Days specifically for race condition testing", says Jon Webster. "The track will be prepped to Championship standards to ensure that test results are valid providing continuity for race days. Full timing data, safety equipment and staff will be available.

"The Test Days will take place on the following dates, with a possible fourth later in the year:

Wednesday 18th March
Friday 19th June
Friday 10th July

"Initially, but not exclusively, these days have been reinstated to benefit and provide back-up service to our customers, however we are limiting the entry to approximately fifteen riders and drivers, thus enabling those attending to maximise their track time. The entry limitation will also enable WRE to manage trackside assistance more realistically.
©Eurodragster.com
"Potential attendees should be aware that absolutely no normal street tyres will be permitted, other than recognised Drag Radials, MT Sportsman Pros or Hoosier Quick Times. If there is any doubt then please contact us for advice before entering. Although not totally excluded, Pro cars will be considered for entry and if entry is granted, extra cost may be incurred.

"Santa Pod Raceway's gates will open at 8:00 am and will close at 6:00 pm. The strip will open at 10:00 am and close at 5:00 pm with a thirty-minute break for lunch. The entry fee is £180 + VAT with contingencies for weather. All entries must be submitted to WRE ten days prior to the Test Day using the form which will shortly be available on our web site at www.webster-race-engineering.co.uk.

"We are very excited about these Test Days, as we know from previous years that they open up another avenue for the rookie and seasoned racer alike to hone their set-up, verify changes, or develop or underline their racecraft. We know that this facility will be a huge benefit to any team which wishes to use it."

"Anyone who has attended a previous WRE Test Day will know how invaluable they can be to any team making a full charge on the season", says Darren Prentice of Santa Pod Raceway. "We are very lucky to have some of Europe's best race car builders. WRE not only turn out high-quality race cars and bikes but have a whole team which understands what it takes to get a vehicle down the track and with an in-depth knowledge in all areas of the sport. For us it is important that racers are given the time to tune their cars and bikes and to hone their racecraft to perfection in a stress-free environment. During these Test Days WRE can offer just that with the added advantage of hands-on advice to any team which requires it."

Upton eyes second win.

10th February: Ex-pat UK Top Fuel Bike racer Jay Upton and his Top Fuel Promotions Team recently broke the drought at Australia's Perth Goldenstate Championships with their first win for more than a year.

Since then the team has debuted a new chassis and body, and at this coming weekend's Summer Nationals in Sydney will continue to up the ante with a new and much revised Honda Power Plant. The new combination sports a longer stroke and a larger capacity Sprintex Supercharger and promises both more power and smoother operation.

"We were very happy with the new chassis at the Queensland round in January", says Jay, "It's really asking for more power now, so we've gone ahead with the new engine to fill that need". The bike ran sub-record early increments with ease and Jay says that "It was so easy that it was like driving to the shops!".

Lying second in the National Championship with four rounds remaining, the team is well placed to reclaim their Australian number one status and has their eyes firmly focussed on an event win in Sydney. The ANDRA Championship Summer Nationals will be held over two days and nights, 13th-14th February, at Western Sydney International Dragway.

Jay and the team continue to be backed by Honda Australia MPE and Gates Belts and Hoses.
©Eurodragster.com
Swift snippets.
10th February: Julie Willcox, Tash, Kayleigh, Katie, Kim, Richard and all of the track staff at Shakespeare County Raceway have asked us to say a big Happy 30th Birthday to Andrew Willcox. "Andrew has been a rock to me over the years", says Julie. Have a great day Andrew.
©Eurodragster.com
IOPD update.
10th February: Recent British Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductee Steve Murty has been in touch to bring us up to date with what the International Organisation of Professional Drivers is all about:

The IOPD now probably issues substantially more event permits for Drag Racing and Run What You Brung events at more venues than any other governing body. In fact the IOPD probably issues more event permits for Auto leisure than any other governing body. The IOPD is one of eleven Authorising Bodies and was incorporated in January 1990. The IOPD is recognised by the Department of Transport under the terms of the Road Traffic Act 1992 and is empowered by the statute to inspect, approve and sanction off highway venues and issue authorising permits under the Road Traffic Act legislation given under regulations made by the Secretary of state. The IOPD by issuing such a permit is empowered to change the legal status within the curtilage of an Authorised Auto event (which is a 'public place') taking it outside the scope of the Road Traffic Act Regulations and Road Safety Regulations, by placing the activity under the Off Road Event regulations of 1992.All authorising bodies are instructed by the Department of Transport to notify the appropriate police authority if they revoke or refuse a authorisation permit when safety standards are not met.

The IOPD was specifically asked to attend the needs of commercial auto leisure providers, manufactures, event and circuit operators in addition to sporting and competitive activities not belonging to the franchises of the FIA/FIM governed by the RAC/MSA and the ACU.

Since the Empowerment of the IOPD under the 1991 Road Traffic Act (Off Road Event Regulations) in pursuing the remit the Department for Transport asked us to take up we have slowly increased the number of days of Authorised Activities permitted under IOPD rules, regulations and inspection systems to the point that the IOPD is now covering around 15,000 days of Auto leisure activities per year for an estimated 131,000 participants and over one million spectators.

High profile organisations affiliated to and authorised by the IOPD include The National Motor Museum, The Brooklands Museum, Daimler-Chrysler Off Road "M" Class Experience and Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands UK Ltd. The IOPD also Authorises Landrover Experience Centres along with The British Off Road Driving Association, member venues amongst others. These types of off road activity are of immense economic importance to the nation operating as they do almost every day of the year.

The IOPD has been following very closely the legislative and guidance changes, which might impact on the Off Road Auto Activity Leisure Industry, most recently the 2006 Road Safety Act and the publication of the DEFRA Guide to the use of Motor Vehicles Off Road (December 2005).

In 2006 the IOPD established and funded an on line information web site at www.iopd.org.uk to inform off road event operators of the relevant legalisation which may affect them and offer to advise on how they might become authorised under the regulations. This site received an average of around 250 hits per month in mid-Summer 2006. This quickly rose to 3,000 a month by October 2006 and topped 6,000 hits in February 2007. This was probably as a result the publication of the DEFRA Guide and the 2006 Road Safety Act.

In February 2007 the IOPD funded a Major Conference at the Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands to promote understanding of these evolving regulations and consistancy of enforcement. The Guest List for the conference was extensive and included the Motor Sports Association, many non-authorised Auto Leisure Associations, representatives from Health and Safety, Environmental Health, and the Association of Chief Police Officers. There were also representatives from the main Insurers and Journalists from the main Auto Sports News groups. At the Conference the IOPD launched a number of information Guides that were supplied to the Press, the Insurers, the enforcement agencies and IOPD affiliates.
©Eurodragster.com
Carter lays it on the line.
9th February: UK Top Fuel Dragster racer Andy Carter has been in touch from California to give us his driver's eye view of his first round race against Brandon Bernstein at the Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals:

I knew I had a good chance of beating Brandon as we were on a track that had hardly anything down it all weekend and loads and loads of rain on it, also a really narrow groove - if any groove at all. Although the controls on Terry's car were not ideal for me, especially the reverser, I did feel comfortable and once Richard had strapped me in I could have been anywhere, I was hungry and ready!

I have not seen the run on video but my recollection of the run was that it left good, my light was 0.080, but I hit big and hard shake at about fifty feet. I could see Brandon right by me so I didn't let the car settle as I normally would with this kind of shake, I just squeezed it down but quickly and got going. At about 660 feet I maybe got a wheel out of the non-existent groove because it made a hard turn right and I remember stopping it from crossing my stripe of the centre line. As I did this three body panels went flying by my window, caused by the flexing and stress on the chassis from turning that hard, but then I was heading straight for the finish line cones and remember thinking "I mustn't hit them". I managed to miss the cones and thought I had it, I got the win light and there was lots of cheering on the start line and, people told me, in the crowd too.
©Eurodragster.com
Then the officials deemed I had crossed the centre line. I didn't believe it and said so in an interview at the end of the track. Once we got back it had started to rain again so I walked the track and saw I had crossed the line - it couldn't have been much more than a quarter of an inch according to the tyre tracks, but I did cross it.

In all my time drag racing I have never hit a cone and have never crossed a centre line, what a bad time to cross my first centre line! I have the timing ticket right here next to my laptop and it says my time was a 4.525 at 239.23 WIN, Bernstein 4.758 at 192.69, so I got a winning timing ticket at Pomona for what its worth. I think that I drove well considering that I hadn't been in a Top Fuel Dragster for five months and that the track was loose. Losing didn't seem to hurt much at the time and I thought "This is funny, why is it not hurting?", but last night it started and it's hurting me now. But a couple of days and I'll be fine.

I would like to thank Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, all at Lucas Oil USA and Lucas Oil UK, Terry Haddock, Impact Safety, Richard Bruton, Eddie Corr, Jimbo E, all the crew, everyone who came over and offered support - there were many - and all of my friends and family. Thanks, it was a hell of a weekend!

Twelve thousand miles, but worth it.
9th February: Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Urs Erbacher and his mostly European crew travelled 12,000 miles to make exactly two passes down the 1,000-foot course at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, yet the four-time FIA European Champion says the effort was worthwhile despite a weekend filled with rain delays and cancellations.

"No one enjoys race weekends like this but we're still very pleased with the new car and how it is working for us so far", Erbacher said. "We managed to qualify in the top half of the field, which is very encouraging for our team, and we were set to have a big race day. It just wasn't meant to be this time."

Three of the four scheduled qualifying sessions were lost to a relentless rain that has blanketed normally sunny southern California since the 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals began Thursday. The sixteen-car elimination field wasn't set until Saturday after officials managed to get one session into the books.

Relying on American crew chief Wayne Dupuy's tune-up, Erbacher managed to post a solid 3.915 at 305.63 mph with a set-up that Dupuy described as "Extremely safe." The elapsed time placed him sixth in the field and pitted him against number eleven qualifier Doug Kalitta, who went 4.016 in the lone qualifying session.

After yet another rain delay Sunday morning, Erbacher selected the less-than-desirable right lane in his elimination race against Kalitta. The gamble backfired as his Midland Oil racer struggled to find traction and he ended up losing to Kalitta's 4.648 at 194.49 mph. Erbacher was ahead at the starting line and led at for the first incremental timer but started smoking his tires from there. His final ET and speed didn't register on a balky timing system which had been misfiring all weekend.

"The left lane was the preferred side but when we walked the course before our run we could see where water was seeping up through the cracks on that side", Erbacher said. "They were wiping it up but it was still an area of concern for us so we decided to switch to the right side. It was a mistake, as we all saw, but we just have to live with it now.

"The crew did a great job and I think we all deserved a better outcome than this. But this is the nature of drag racing sometimes. At least we know we have a great race car and we're ready to move forward."

Erbacher will skip the next National event in Phoenix before returning for the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville on 13th-15th March. He will be accompanied then by a crew from SF1-TV (Swiss Fernseh), the top news channel in his native Switzerland, who will be filming a documentary on the top drag racer and custom motorcycle builder.
©Eurodragster.com
Swift snippets.

9th February: UK Super Street racer Mark Watkins writes to show us the ultimate drag racing gift - a model of your own race car. The 1/24 scale model of Mark's Datsun was produced by Canada's Big-E-Models whose web site you can find at public.fotki.com/big-e-models.

Our good friend Helen Todd of Powerpoint Communications has been in touch to let us know that the out-of-sync soundtrack on Sunday's MSA British Drag Racing Championship coverage on Motors TV was the fault of Motors TV and not Powerpoint Communications. We didn't catch it ourselves but Helen tells us that a number of programmes on Motors TV on Sunday suffered this problem, and given Powerpoint's thoroughly professional past form we would never have suspected that they had anything to do with it. A repeat is to be shown at 15:30 UK today (Monday).
©Eurodragster.com
During Saturday's joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance we received a number of compliments, for which many thanks, and enquiries about the drag racing slide show which ran through dinner and then again during the disco. The slide show was randomising from your News Editor's 13,000-picture photo library, which is available on DVD for a small fee. If you would like a copy of Tog's photo library then please drop him a line at [email protected].

Also on the subject of the UK Dinner Dance, a big Thank You and pat on the back to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Paula Marshall who did her usual excellent (and patient) job of organising the event.

Web site updates.
9th February: We had two photographic teams taking pictures of the trophy presentations at Saturday's APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and you can check out Eclipse Photos' shots at www.eclipsephotos.co.uk.
©Eurodragster.com
NHRA Winternationals coverage.
8th February: Urs Erbacher, Andy Carter and Leif Andréasson are contesting this weekend's Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals at Pomona in California. Andy Carter again kindly found the time to send four more of Roger's pictures from Pomona (click for large version):

Andy Carter, in thirteenth place in Top Fuel Dragster after the single qualifier, told our US correspondent Ed "You look like Tog only higher up" O'Connell that the car was all over the place, shaking and sliding, but that he got to the other end OK thanks to his Lucas Oil/Impact Safety crew and all their supporters. Andy had no chutes but got it stopped OK just before the sand trap. Ed asked Andy if he noticed any difference between the concrete launch pad at Pomona and the European tracks. Andy said "European tracks are much better...but seriously, it's a different car, I have new safety equipment, and I haven't driven in four months, so it's impossible to make a comparison."

"It was not a perfect pass with a pedal and lots of skating about from 800 feet but we're in", said Andy in an E-Mail to Eurodragster.com. "I'd like to say thanks to Lucas Oil, Impact Safety, Terry Haddock Racing, all the crew and of course all the spectators who are coming up and saying good luck! We have Brandon Bernstein in round one, which will be tough but who knows - keep 'em crossed."
©Eurodragster.com
As well as the usual up-to-the-moment event coverage from our own preferred supplier Drag Race Central and NHRA.com, fans will get a bonus this weekend with at-the-track updates from Fuel tuner Eddie Corr. Eddie will be posting to his own web site at www.eddiecorrracing.com and you will be able to find his updates by clicking on Drag Racing then Live race updates. You can also stay in tune with the latest from Urs' pit at www.erbacher.biz.

Thanks to Kathy Hileman for her help in getting Ed's report to us

UK Champions, Perpetual winners honoured.
8th February: The winners and runners-up in the 2008 UK National Championships, MSA British Drag Racing Championship, APIRA and Santa Pod Racers Club Championships, and British Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductees were presented with their trophies at the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation in Northampton last night. The winners of APIRA's Perpetual Awards and SPRC's Perpetual Awards and Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year trophy, for whom Eurodragster.com readers had the chance to vote, were also presented with their trophies.

Congratulations to the Perpetual Award winners:

APIRA Iris Page Memorial Trophy: Nigel Statham
APIRA Alan Wigmore Memorial Trophy: Julie Willcox
SCR Award for Outstanding Achievement: Geoff Cowley
Anya Yates Memorial Trophy: Jim Usher
SCR Ladies' Trophy: Claire Meaddows
APIRA Marshal Award: Dave Derry
©Eurodragster.com
SPRC Best-Appearing Car: Graham Ellis (Pro Modified)
SPRC Best-Appearing Bike: Ivan Birch (Comp Bike)
SPRC Most Professional-Appearing Team: Backdraft Wild Bunch team
SPRC Most Promising Newcomer: John Bradshaw (Super Pro ET, Comp Eliminator)
SPRC Paul Giddings Memorial Trophy: Rene Van Den Berg (Top Fuel Bike)
SPRC James Edgar Memorial Trophy: Karsten and Per Andersen (Top Fuel Dragster)
SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy: John Price and Graham Beckwith

Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year: Spencer Tramm
SMRA Crew Chief of the Year: Graham Barrs
Red Light Trophy: Chris Bray

British Drag Racing Hall of Fame
John Bennett
Dave Grady
Alf Hagon
The Murty family
Rune Fjeld

Dave Grady's family and the Murty family will be presented with their British Drag Racing Hall of Fame trophies at the forthcoming Pennine Drag Racing Club Dinner Dance and John Bennett at the FIA Main Event.

Many thanks to all of the Eurodragster.com readers who submitted votes for the SPRC Perpetual Awards and the Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year trophy.

Swift snippets.
7th February: We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to to Fiona Flynn of Eurodragster.com Home and News sponsor Gold RV. Husband Derek and the whole Gold RV crew also asked us to wish Fiona a great day. No sooner said than done, have a lovely day Fiona.
©Eurodragster.com
Grandstand brochure available.
7th February: For the first time, a top British motorsport tour operator has added a comprehensive programme of drag racing holidays to its international travel portfolio. Eurodragster.com News sponsor Grandstand Motor Sports devotes a four-page spread to our sport in its colourful, final-edition 2009 brochure, just published. This initiative finds drag races in Europe and America rubbing shoulders with Formula One, Le Mans, MotoGP and the host of other motorsport attractions already included in Grandstand's matchless roster of worldwide events.

Following the success of last year's inaugural end-of-season tour to Las Vegas and Pomona, Grandstand has expanded its NHRA Full Throttle Series programme to include next month's ACDelco Gatornationals at Gainesville. The short tour departs for Florida just over four weeks from now (11th March) and there is still time to book for drag racing fans yearning for a dose of nitro thunder while snow blankets the land. NHRA's Las Vegas Nationals and Auto Club Finals at Pomona will again highlight the season's end in October and November. As recently announced, Grandstand's special prize draw for guests to win a day at the races with Don Schumacher Racing has been extended to the Gatornationals as well as the Vegas and Pomona events - book before 1st March to be included in the Gatornationals draw.

Mainland Europe's biggest races are a mid-summer feature of Grandstand's programme. Trips are presented to Sweden for July's Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park and to Germany for August's NitrolympX at Hockenheim. A special introductory offer has been arranged for both events and will be announced soon.

Grandstand Motor Sports, the UK leader in motorsport travel, is the only travel company serving the drag racing community and its drag racing tours, developed in conjunction with drag racing specialist Blueprints For Travel, all include flights, quality hotels, track transfers or car hire, and the services of a tour manager. Grandstand's staff are always happy to customise itineraries for guests who'd like a longer stay or who don't find existing programmes exactly meet their needs. For a free copy of Grandstand's final-edition 2009 brochure, please telephone 0845 375 0300 (from outside UK: +44 116 231 1222), visit www.grandstandmotorsports.co.uk, or simply click on the Grandstand Motor Sports logo at right.
©Eurodragster.com
The ultimate snowmobile?

7th February: Arctic conditions may have ground the entire UK to a halt, but staff at Santa Pod Raceway came up with a unique solution to the problem: their twelve foot tall Monster Truck Podzilla.

The impressive beast usually entertains the crowds at many of the venue's exciting events, but when a lack of gritters made the entire 180-acre site inaccessible, General Manager David Lloyd-Jones decided to pull off the covers and have some fun in the snow.

"She's not the most practical winter transport", laughed David. "With the race fuel that Podzilla runs, we only get fifteen gallons to the mile - yes that is the right way round! - but with those massive six-foot tyres, the snow suddenly doesn't seem to be much of a problem!"

As well as providing a useful mode of transport around Santa Pod's enormous grounds, Podzilla seemed to be a big hit with local kids, who couldn't resist the temptation to hook up their sledges for a 1200-horsepower tow. Weather permitting, Podzilla will be pressed back into normal service for the action-packed Stunt Night at the venue on 20th February, where scrap cars rather than snow drifts will be dealt with in a similar manner!

For more details on Stunt Night, please visit www.santapod.com or call the ticket hotline on 01234 782828.
©Eurodragster.com
NHRA Winternationals notes.
6th February: Andy Carter kindly gave Roger the means to drop us four pitside pictures from Pomona (click for large version):

The first picture shows Andy and Sarah Carter beside Terry Haddock's Top Fuel Dragster which Andy will drive, as it was being readied by the team with Lucas Oil decals. Next up is Eurodragster.com News sponsor Urs Erbacher's new car without the wing, sitting waiting for the pit awnings to be erected. John Force unveiled his stunning new Castrol Edge-backed Ford Mustang at the NHRA luncheon, and finally a spy picture of a car headed for these shores.

After testing in Las Vegas Urs reported that the grip at was such that cars were using one set of tyres per run, and that lifting at 1000 feet is causing tyres to re-bite and chunk.

Our US correspondent Ed O'Connell is also at Pomona and was spotted in his Eurodragster.com shirt by no less a person than Leif Andréasson. Ed has touched base with Roger, Andy Willsheer, Eddie Corr, Urs Erbacher and Siw Nystad (actually I think "He made a beeline" might be more accurate where Siw was concerned - Ed) so between them we should be good for snippets from the track once it stops raining.

Tre Kronor pilot announced.

6th February: Johnny Nilsson has been in touch with news of the driver of his Tre Kronor Nostalgia Funny Car, which will be making its first outing at the March Meet at Bakersfield in March.
©Eurodragster.com
"James Day will be hitting the throttle in my new Funny Car", says Johnny. "James is a son in law of the legendary Don Schumacher. He is a very good driver and was also in the big show with his own Funny Car in 2006. It will be nice to work with these guys - James will bring some of his own crew to the race to assist us. My son Dennis and I will fly over two weeks before the race to organise everything.

"It is twenty four years ago that I raced over there at with my alcohol Funny Car with Kent Persson in the seat. To all Nostalgia Nitro fans, don't miss Bakersfield - Johnny Nilsson Racing from Sweden will be there."

Swift snippets.
6th February: As of this week we have someone else for European fans to cheer on at Pomona: congratulations to Finland's Tomi Laine who has signed up as Crew Chief for NHRA Pro Stock racer Tom Hammonds. Tomi has worked with a number of Pro Stock teams in the USA and had by all accounts been on Tom's Wanted list for some time.

Congratulations also to Impala SS racer extraordinaire and regular European visitor Karl Ellwein and his fiancée Leni Weisl who have announced their wedding on 28th March.
©Eurodragster.com
San and Bri Noble tell us that the US' Speedway Motors sell weather vanes in the shape of Top Fuel Dragsters, Funny Cars and Pro Mods. "We have recently bought a weather vane and it is absolutely superb", they say. "The company are great to deal with and have no problems shipping to any country". Check out the range at www.speedwaymotors.com and then do a search on weather vane.

Grady accolade cheers Lazenby.
6th February: UK B&H Automotive Street Eliminator racer Colin Lazenby was very pleased to read of Dave Grady's election to the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

"I knew Dave Grady pretty well", says Colin. "I often hung around him at York in the late 1970s and early 1980s when he ran his black, evil High Spirit '57 F*rd Fairline. He was the Yorkshire version of a down to earth Chip Foose, and his energy around drag race cars was tireless. His DeTomasso Pantera, then his hot rod - late 1950s/early 1960s truck and even his ill fated parts shop in Swillington, near Leeds. This place was frequented by many, though it was a big mistake when he put the pool table in... Our kid bought loads of stuff off him when he was improving his Australian Charger some fifteen years ago.
©Eurodragster.com
"Salt of the earth, Dave Grady, a real toff. He stopped me once a few years ago at the Pod and told me there was a point when he jointly owned our '56. He had his hallmark blue jeans on, and his cowboy boots, and wore a permanently fixed genuine smile - man he was soo cool. Hell I remember the photo shoot outside the Damm Yankee in Leeds, that black car up on the pavement looked hard as nails.

"It almost broke my heart when I heard he had been killed... That's enough of that."

Dave will be posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame during tomorrow's APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation.

Web site updates.
6th February: UK Sportsman ET racer Don Brittain has launched a web site at www.cobra-racing.org. The site features details about Don's Mustang and how you can become involved in sponsoring his team.
©Eurodragster.com
European royalty battle at Pomona.
5th February: Top Fuel driver Urs Erbacher has a reality TV show called Kings of Nitro that plays in more than 150 countries around the world. This weekend, at the season-opening 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals, the 2007 Champion of the European FIA Drag Racing Series will face the man who knocked him off the throne in 2008, fellow Top Fuel ace Andy Carter, who just released a book entitled Andy Carter - King of Europe.

"It looks like we'll have lots of royalty in Pomona", Erbacher said in his Swiss accent. "Maybe the two European 'kings' will get to race and see who is the best. Andy is one of our main competitors on the FIA tour and he won the Championship last year so he's the guy we're all aiming for this year. We're both using NHRA races to warm up for the FIA season so it's a great chance for American fans to see how we do things over there.

"Of course, the American racers are all very tough and we'll have a lot of work to do to keep up with them. We did reach the semi-finals here in Pomona at the NHRA Finals last November so maybe we can carry over some of that momentum."

Erbacher, a four-time champion on the FIA circuit, is excited about the brand-new Hadman chassis he'll début at this event. The car was built specifically for him and is considerably lighter than the one he raced in 2008. "We tested in Las Vegas this past weekend and had very good results", Erbacher said. "Our American crew chief, Wayne Dupuy, says the car is responding well to everything he's trying with it, which is very good news. We didn't make full passes in Vegas because we didn't need to but the incremental times we ran were our best ever. We're very anxious to run this weekend and see how we measure up with the others."

A custom motorcycle builder by trade, Erbacher will run the first four NHRA national events before deciding if he's going to stay stateside or return to Europe. "It all depends on sponsorship", he said. "We are working very hard to find a company to align ourselves with. Just as it is here, the economy is very down at the moment in Switzerland, however, business must continue around the world and we feel as though we have a very unique opportunity to offer potential sponsors, especially with the success of the TV show."

Discovery Channel's Kings of Nitro follows Erbacher and his team to various drag races as well as motorcycle rallies and car shows where Erbacher is treated like a rock star by his fans. "Our hope is that the TV show will get picked up here in the States", Erbacher said. "It would give people a chance to get to know us much better and I think everyone would like it very much. If it helped in getting us a sponsor, all the better."
©Eurodragster.com
Qualifying commences for Urs, Andy and Leif Andréasson today (Thursday). As well as the usual up-to-the-moment event coverage from our own preferred supplier Drag Race Central and NHRA.com, fans will get a bonus this weekend with at-the-track updates from Fuel tuner Eddie Corr. Eddie will be posting to his own web site at www.eddiecorrracing.com and you will be able to find his updates by clicking on Drag Racing then Live race updates.

Swift snippets.
5th February: Darren, Owen and Mason Prentice have asked us to say a big Happy Birthday for today (Thursday) to Nicola Prentice. No sooner said than done guys, have a great day Nicola. This one came too late to be published on the day and then we compounded things by accidentally deleting the text message (Sorry Sandie - Ed) but we would like to say a big Happy Birthday for Tuesday to Dan Giles. Hope you had a great day Dan.
©Eurodragster.com
Best wishes to occasional Street Eliminator racer Pete Smith who John Price tells us slipped on some icy stairs, separating the ligaments and tendons in his left leg necessitating an immediate trip to Barnet Hospital and an emergency operation. "Pete is now undergoing physiotherapy at the hospital but hopes he will be released back into the wild later this week", says John. "Knowing how much pain he has been in, could you wish him well from all his friends - and there are many of those - and we hope that his recovery will be absolute although scheduled to take about three months - almost as long as Pete's Corvette takes to do the quarter!". Get well soon Pete.

If you are going to the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation on Saturday then please remember that presentations start at 6:30 pm, so please be in your seats for that time. It's a pity that we have to ask this every year but it would also be appreciated if the chatter and other noise could be kept down during the presentations as a courtesy to both to the trophy winners and to the MCs.

Web site updates.
5th February: UK photo-journalist and designer Mark Gredzinski has finally launched a web site at www.gredzo.com. The site features examples of the photography, artwork and model making of a guy whom we would put up there with KennyYoungblood. "This is just a snapshot of my portfolio of work as I didn't want to overload the various pages, though I'll be adding to it as the season progresses", says Mark. "The creation of it is all thanks to Jon Best who constructed the entire thing for me. Jon is the owner of the Bassline Nostalgia Nitro Slingshot for those that are not familiar with his name and I must also thank Bill Felstead of Fester Race Cars who put me on to him. I think the site is pretty easy to navigate and Jon made the whole thing a painless experience for a Luddite like myself. It goes without saying that if anyone is interested in commissioning or buying work, they can use the contact details on the site."
©Eurodragster.com
Ro Deatherage.
4th February: It is with great sadness that we all said goodbye to Edward James Deatherage last weekend, writes Paul Marston:

Edro, as his friends knew him, was Crew Chief to his son Steve Deatherage, a multiple Divisional and National Event winner, with their JW Performance backed Super Comp Dragster and his was one of the first true friendships which I struck up on my very first visit to Florida.

Edro was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet, always made you feel welcome, had a gritty sense of humour, was a great Crew Chief, generous, never complained, never said "No" if someone needed help, lived life to the full and had a great relationship with his son Steve. Ro also had many other adopted sons and daughters at the Dragstrip, more than you could count!

It's people like Ro who made me realise that drag racing truly is an international language spoken by many. It never crossed your mind that this full of life individual was in his mid seventies. Now Ro is meeting all his old friends and making new ones in a better place. Regardless of that, there sure are a lot of people who are going to miss that man down here.

Ro was buried Saturday with full military honours, the hundreds of people came to say goodbye is a measure of just how many lives Edro touched in a positive way.

Swift snippets.
4th February: We have no less than two spy pictures for you today:

The picture at left came with no words at all, and our mole for the picture at right tells us that this is an existing UK race car which has been repainted and renamed Nosferatu. We have our own theory about the identity of the car at right but if you know more about either car, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at [email protected].

Swedish Pro Stock Bike racer Ulf Ögge tells us that when Team Bikeline attended the motorcycle show in Stockholm they visited Kenneth from Swecomposite who has made new air inlets in composite for the Buell:

"Thanks Kenneth!", says Ulf. "Then we went to Charley Karling were we had a meeting with Sten from Auto Verdi who will try to develop an oil pump for the G2 Buell Pro Stock Bike, and we will try that pump this season."
©Eurodragster.com
We are always very interested to hear from drag racing modellers and Jim Whalen has been in touch with pictures of a couple of his works:

"The first is a stretched Golf body on a super-detailed Funny Car chassis (click on picture)", says Jim. "The paint is Halfords VW Mars Red, one of the three colours in which GTis were available in the early 1980s. The other Cristen Powell's Reebok dragster. The model has aftermarket decals (Gecko) which depict the colours the car ran in the 1997 NHRA Winston Finals where Cristen lost to Gary Scelzi in the semis by 0.008 seconds. The model has also been super-detailed with a mix of aftermarket, scratch-built parts and parts from the spares box - the spare engine (click on picture) shows how the engine came in the kit."

Due to demand, John Sleath Race Cars has purchased a 2400hp 4x4 Dyno Dynamics rolling road so now can offer full engine diagnostic, mapping and tuning and also test transmissions under race conditions. "The rolling road complements the 2000+ hp land and sea engine dyno I've had for some years now", says John, "and being the UK/Europe distributor for FAST fuel injection I'm now in a position to offer a complete tuning service. Full information on engine,chassis and transmission services can be found at www.john-sleath.com."

Lots of useful spark.
4th February: UK Supertwin racer Ian Turburville tells is that he has been talking with Terry Stewart at Shaker Products of California, who has been working on a Top Fuel version of the new ARC ignition system with Dynatek.

"The reults are fantastic!", says Turbo. "Check out the demonstration on YouTube at uk.youtube.com/watch?v=95CpLMYZdMw. A number of racers have been beta-testing this set up with great success already this year - Mike Lehman went 6.2 at Moroso last weekend using this. In these days of big fuel pumps and massive pressures we need all the controllable spark we can get to burn that fuel without hydraulicking. If you are one of the car or bike racers running the good old (safe) D4000 Superpro then this is the answer to your prayers. Small, cheap, plugs right into your existing ignition (just swap the coils and wire it in) and developes a spark second only to a 44 amp magneto by converting it to a capacative discharge system! This unit throws a multitude of sparks over a twenty five degree spread burning every molecule of fuel. It 'restrikes' five times every time it fires.

"It has a retard function, limiters and you can add the TSRAM advance module for even more control! It even works from 8-20 volts so no panic when your battery goes down a bit. It can also be run on four cylinder machines and cars of any type with the D4000 Superpro box. Terry sells the whole TF set-up and can be contacted via Shaker Products at www.shakerproducts.com."
©Eurodragster.com
Web site updates.
4th February: Urs Erbacher, Andy Carter and Leif Andréasson will be opening their 2009 accounts at this weekend's Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals at Pomona in California, which starts tomorrow (Thursday). As well as the usual up-to-the-moment event coverage from our own preferred supplier Drag Race Central and NHRA.com, fans will get a bonus this weekend with at-the-track updates from Fuel tuner Eddie Corr. Eddie will be posting to his own web site at www.eddiecorrracing.com and you will be able to find his updates by clicking on Drag Racing then Live race updates
©Eurodragster.com
Swedish Top Methanol Dragster racer Krister Johansson has treated his web site to a makeover. You can get up to date with the latest from Krister's injected-nitro pit at www.kjohanssonracing.com.

It has been a busy (and expensive) time for the UK's Chaos Fuel Altered team following a well-publicised prang at Shakespeare County Raceway on August Bank Holiday Monday last year. Much has been achieved, the chassis repairs are complete and the body has been repaired and upgraded. To read a short report and view a number of images of the work to date click on the Latest News link at www.chaos-fuel-altered.com .

2009 European SFI Tour.
3rd February: Many thanks to Arnie Kuhns of the SFI Foundation for passing on the dates of the 2009 SFI Recertification Tour:

Thursday 5th March: Certifications between 08:45 and 11:30 at:

KartCentrum Silverstone
Weerenweg 21- 23
1161 AE Zwanenburg
The Netherlands

Friday 6th March Certifications between 08:00 and 13:00 at:

Finnish Hot Rod Association
Tiilenvalajantie 6
02330 Espoo
Finland

Phone: 09 - 2515 250
©Eurodragster.com
Saturday 7th-Sunday 8th March Certifications between 13:00 and 16:00 on Saturday, and certifications between 11:00 and 12:00 on Sunday, at:

Persåkers Speed Shop
Solbergavägen 28
640 60 Åkers Styckebruk
Sweden

Phone: 0159 - 133 70

Monday 9th March Certifications between 09:00 and 15:00 at:

Santa Pod Raceway
Airfield Road
Podington
Northamptonshire
NN29 7XA
England

Phone: 01234 782828

Rapp's new ride.

3rd February: Swedish Pro Mod racer Ulf Rapp will be quarter pounding with a new race car this season after acquiring Jörgen Karlsson's Mustang, which was last year raced by Micke Nord.

"After last year's disaster we still made it back to the European Finals but unfortunately we couldn't make a qualifying attempt because the catch can was full", says Ulf. "After the event we had some discussions with Jörgen and he agreed to sell the car to me when he saw that it would be going to a good Ford home.

"It feels good to step up with a car which has all the best you can get. We will continue to race with our current engine and geabox. We will take this season step by step, starting at Gardermoen at the beginning of May and then the FIA series."

Ulf will be launching a new web site and a Blog soon.

Swift snippets.
3rd February: Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Urs Erbacher made one test pass with his new rail at Las Vegas yesterday. "I ran 3.14/269.37 over the eighth mile", says Urs. "The car is driving like a Cadillac, it went straight and drove well. Now we are packing everything to go to Pomona."

Also on the subject of Top Fuel Dragster, Finland's Anita Mäkelä will be making a return to the track in 2009. Anita will be re-licencing at the Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway in April and then we guess it's a battle of wills over the breakfast table with husband and fellow Top Fuel racer Tommi Haapanen before each FIA European Championship event.
©Eurodragster.com
A reminder to Supercharged Outlaw racers, and those interested in running with the Outlaws, that the Supercharged Outlaw AGM takes place at 11:00 am this Saturday (7th) at Ettington Village Hall near Stratford upon Avon. "We will be signing teams on for the season and setting the race calendar for the year", says Lee Gallimore. "We hope that everyone can make it so that we can get good input from teams for this year's rules etc. We look forward to seeing everybody."

If you are going to the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation this Saturday (7th) then please remember that presentations start at 6:30 pm, so please be in your seats for that time. It's a pity that we have to ask this every year but it would also be appreciated if the noise could be kept down during the presentations as a courtesy to both to the trophy winners and to the MCs.

Web site updates.
3rd February: We have no less than three Blog updates for you today. First up is Dutch Top Fuel Dragster racer Lex Joon who gives us a brief update on what he and wife Gerda have been up to recently (Stop sniggering at the back - Ed). Next up is UK Top Methanol Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com Home and News sponsor Derek Flynn who passes on a season review from Jessica Selles' Gold RV-sponsored Junior Dragster team, and finally Luke Bennett reveals the design of the 2009 Bennett Racing T-Shirt. You can check out our Blog updates by clicking here or by clicking on the Racer Blogs link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
Editor's note: It's a rushed news update today because of the situation in the UK (although we realise that the whole of Scandinavia is laughing at us). Your News Editor never actually went home last night - the UK's finances were kept running by five people yesterday - and so was not able to settle down with the laptop. There may be a further news update at lunchtime but if not then tune back tomorrow for a couple of great spy pictures, the latest from Team BikeLine Racing, extended SFI Tour details and more, and please keep those news items coming to [email protected]..

British Drag Racing Hall of Fame 2009.

1st February: The British Drag Racing Hall Of Fame continues into its fourth successful year with five new members. Nominees are eligible by dint of having raced, owned, designed, built, maintained, prepared, promoted, officiated, supported or taken part in British drag racing in any capacity, having been involved for at least twenty years or having made a significant and recognisable contribution to the sport.

The 2009 inductees to the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame are:

John Bennett: As Chairman of the BHRA, John was interested in the organisational side of things. Instrumental in organising the first British Custom Car Show in Easter 1963, John then turned his attention to drag racing with BHRA events held at Duxford airfield and Graveley. John soon realized that the growth of British drag racing was being held back by the lack of a permanent venue and at the 1965 BHRA AGM announced the acquisition of a ninety-acre site in Bedfordshire suitable for a permanent drag strip. John formed a company known as National Dragways to develop the site which was to become Santa Pod Raceway. Serving as Chairman of the later BDR&HRA, John stood down in 1969 having achieved so much to get drag racing off the ground in the UK.

Dave Grady: There can have been few people who have generated so much enthusiasm, or given the opportunity to so many to involve themselves in drag racing, during their time in the sport than Dave Grady. Dave had such an infectious enthusiasm for participating in, organising and promoting drag racing that it was impossible not to be swept along with his ventures and plans. These were the driven visions of a man whose inner passion for all things drag racing were to make Dave Grady one of the most innovative operators in the sport.

Alf Hagon: The birth and development of the drag racing motorcycle as we recognise it was shaped by the figure of motorcycle sprint and drag racing pioneer Alf Hagon. At the 1964 International Dragfests Alf got his lightweight JAP down to a 10.57 at 139 mph and began his quest to get into the nines. This achieved he set a long standing record at Santa Pod of 9.432 at 153 mph and also became the first British rider over 200 mph with a 206.54 run over the flying mile.

The Murty family: Steve Murty and several associates formed the Pennine Drag Racing Club in the early 1970s to promote and establish the growing and popular sport of drag racing in the North of England. PDRC events at Crossland Moor and Aintree were the forerunners to the PDRC's permanent home since 1977, York Raceway. A number of highly successful motorsport extravaganzas followed showcasing the family's stable of demonstration vehicles. Today the Murty Family continue to run events at York Raceway with tireless dedication, ensuring that the track is in safe hands for the foreseeable future and, along with the PDRC, continue to generate the enthusiasm which has led to some of Europe's fastest and best racers having a local track to learn their trade.

Rune Fjeld (overseas member): From his arrival in England in September 1978 with a Pinto bodied Pro Comp Funny Car, Norwegian Rune Fjeld has thrilled European drag dacing fans with a long line of highly successful Fuel Funny Cars and dragsters. Now retired from driving, Rune continues as celebrated team owner and tuner for the many nitro cars currently active from the RF Motorsport stable. We honour Rune for his outstanding contribution to European drag racing.
©Eurodragster.com

Members of the Hall of Fame receive a 'Bootsie', a trophy encapsulating an image of the late Allan 'Bootsie' Herridge, a man who put so much into British drag racing, together with an exclusive commemorative pin. They join the élite list of inductees from previous years and are included on a dedicated web page with fuller biographies which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the British Hall of Fame link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page. It is also planned that the Hall of Fame will have its own section in a racing museum. The Hall of Fame trophies will be presented at the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance this Saturday.

The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame is sponsored by USAutomotive, Santa Pod Raceway, Shakespeare County Raceway, Pennine Drag Racing Club/York Raceway, Avon Park International Racers Association, Santa Pod Racers Club, Power Race Graphics, Eurodragster.com, KJ Partnership, and Drag, Rod and Classic Review

Trophy picture courtesy and ©Ian Messenger

Swift snippets.
1st February: Swiss Top Fuel Dragster racer and Eurodragster.com News sponsor Urs Erbacher will be testing his new Hadman car at Las Vegas tomorrow (Monday). Results will be most readily available on the Drag Race Central web site at www.dragracecentral.com and we shall of course bring you any news we receive.
©Eurodragster.com
Motors TV have amended their planned schedule for screening the 2008 MSA British Drag Racing Championship. The UK Pro Mods will now be screened both in the UK and across Europe at 8:30 pm UK time on Sundays 8th, 15th and 22nd February and 1st March. Keep an eye on your provider's programme guide in case of late schedule changes.

2009 Wild Bunch calendar.
1st February: The UK's Wild Bunch Nostalgia Drag Racing Club held their AGM in Bredon last Sunday and race co-ordinator Claire Meaddows has been in touch with details of their Series dates for 2009.

The Wild Bunch will be running a ten-round Series for their main contingency sponsor Real Steel Performance Automotive Products (RS) with the results decided on the best nine of ten rounds. Six of these rounds, as listed, are run as the Wild Bunch Series (WB), with results decided on best five of six rounds. The three-event Roy Wilding Nostalgia Race Cars Series (RW) counts all three rounds.

10th-13th April: Easter Thunderball, Santa Pod Raceway (RS 1)
2nd-4th May: Springspeed Festival, Shakespeare County Raceway (RS 2)
16th-17th May: Spring Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB 1, RS 3)
30th-31st May: Yanks American Weekend, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB 2, RS 4)
13th-14th June: SPRC Summernationals, Santa Pod Raceway (RS 5, RW 1)
27th-28th June: Nostalgia Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB 3, RS 6, RW 2)
11th-12th July: Mini Showdown, Shakespeare County Raceway (WB 4, RS 7)
1st-2nd August: UK Northern Nationals, York Raceway (WB 5, RS 8) provisional
21st-22nd August: Open Sport Nationals, Shakespeare County Raceway (RS 9, RW 3)
26th-27th September: UK National Finals, Santa Pod Raceway (WB 6, RS 10)
©Eurodragster.com
"The Wild Bunch are very grateful to Real Steel who have again provided contingency sponsorship, available at all ten rounds, and there is £350 in vouchers to be won for the Top 4 in the Series", says Claire. "In 2009, the Wild Bunch are again running an MSA Event Challenge over the five MSA rounds, the prize for the winner is one free event entry in 2010. Further details can be found at www.the-wild-bunch.co.uk.

"The Wild Bunch are really looking forward to the coming racing season, beginning at the Easter Sun-derball and we will be welcoming some new members as well as some returning members with their rebuilt cars. We would like to thank all the marshals, officials, track and safety crews, promoters, media and event organisers in advance for all their hard work. We wish every racer all the best for a quick, safe and sunny 2009 season!"

Web site updates.
1st February: Eurodragster.com News sponsor Grandstand Motorsports have updated their web site with itineraries for their 2009 drag racing trips to the USA, Sweden and Germany. To look over your options or to order a brochure check out the Grandstand Motorsports web site at www.grandstandmotorsports.co.uk or click on the logo at right.

An eighth page of the Lawrie Gatehouse Collection has now been added to Alan Currans' excellent Acceleration Archive. Lawrie is best known these days as the promoter of the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association and owner of the Chaos Fuel Altered, but back in the 1970s he was busy with his camera and this new page contains thirty two images of Competition Altereds of the period which illustrate the variety of machinery which, sadly, is largely missing from the strips today with a few notable exceptions. Check it out at www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk.
©Eurodragster.com
Dick Bodily has updated his Fotopic gallery with pictures from the 2008 UK National Finals at Santa Pod Raceway. You can take a look at Dick's pictures at dicksphotos.fotopic.net.

Earlier news