Xtreme Wheels 2004
Friday (Press Day)

Click here to go back to the event index.

The Xtreme Wheels show is a new concept from Obsession Motorsport in which the drag racing, modified, import and hot hatch scenes have been brought together under one roof, Alexandra Palace in north London which was the scene of some legendary Custom Car shows in years gone by. We went along to the Press Day to check out the show in association with American Car Imports.

Visitors to Xtreme Wheels are greeted by Bob Glassup's blown-alcohol altered in the Palm Court. Bob told us that his daughter Holley already wants to drive it. Holley is, actually, not far off being old enough to drive the altered so Bob's enforced retirement may not be too far in the future. Bob confirmed that he is planning to contest both Supercharged Outlaw and Super Pro ET this season.

Roger Goring's Firestorm Jet Funny Car and Charles Berg's Twisted Sanity Rocket Dragster were included in the Press Call which preceded the opening of the halls to the media. Roger was originally scheduled to fire up the FC at the press call, "To send a sonic boom across London" as show organiser Terry Gibbs put it, but it was just as well that he didn't since just about the entire roof of Alexandra Palace is made of glass and there would have been an expensive call to Everest shortly after Roger's first burner pop. Roger and Charles gallantly stayed well out of the way as two young ladies were draped across their vehicles; the presence of Roger's partner Helen may have contributed to his modesty!

The entrance to the show is via the US Automotive-sponsored drag strip, which features a very tidy roadster and a nitrous-equipped milk float pulled up by a Christmas Tree. The show is housed in two halls with the vast majority of the drag racing exhibits in the Great Hall. If you check out our Photo Gallery you will be able to see a picture of every drag racing vehicle at the show. Not every racer whose vehicles are at the show were present on press day but these are the press day highlights and the racers we encountered.

The Gibbs family's Obsession Super Mod Camaro was unveiled for the media and quickly drew an admiring crowd. The Specialist In Design-built and painted Camaro is very low indeed and has Pro Mod lines; Craig Gibbs told us that the car is eventually destined for Pro Mod with a blown-alcohol engine but that the plan is for a season in Super Mod to start with. "I can't wait to get back out on the track - it has been three years since I last raced", said Craig. "We will go to the first Webster Test Day in March, I will drive up and down the pits to get a feel for the new gearbox, and maybe do a few burnouts and launches. Then hopefully we will be able to test again before the season starts. Craig agreed with us that the car is a real gem. "Jon and Sharon Hogarth have done a great job", he said. "Jon has raised the rear wings by four inches, chopped the roof, and lengthened the wheelbase. There are lots of little details, for example Jon has hand-built the dash. I am chuffed with it!". Craig asked us to thank Jon and Sharon Hogarth, and his parents Terry and Tina Gibbs. He also asked us to blame Super Mod racer John Atkinson. "It's all his fault!", said Craig. "We were only having a new back end and new paint originally!".

Top Fuel Dragster racer Andy Carter was presented with a sponsorship cheque by Derek Flynn of new associate sponsor Gold RV. "I'm very pleased to be associated with Andy", said Derek. "We went to Santa Pod last year, we loved it and I decided that we had to get involved".

"It's great to have another associate sponsor on board", said Andy Carter. "The deal came about through Terry Gibbs and Bob Glassup and I am grateful to them and to Derek". Andy told us that he is looking forward to the season more than he has in recent years. "I really enjoyed Autosport, and I am really enjoying this show", he said. "I think it might be because this year I don't own my own car so there is less to worry about. I have lost a lot of weight over the winter and there is a little way to go yet - I am under strict instructions from Rune. The only problem is that I want a curry tonight and I can't have one! I also have a personal trainer and I feel better mentally and physically. So I am hungrier, and hungrier!".

Gary Malin's new Super Pro ET and Super Comp rail is making its public début at the show. The rail is beautifully turned out, built by Webster Race Engineering and painted by Martin Curbishley, and sporting an alcohol-burning 540 ci Jeff Bull Chevrolet engine. Gary said that he plans to give the dragster its first run out at the Webster Test Day on 24th March, and that the engine will be started for the first time this week. Gary will be driving the car in Super Pro ET and his wife Lin in Super Comp. We understand that there may be a temporary driver change later this season in the person of a hirsute and vertically-challenged journalist of Eurodragster readers' regular acquaintance.

Pro ET racer Terri Lee's blown Escort van is ready to race - or it was until Terri and Ian got to Alexandra Palace yesterday. "We ripped the fuel lines off the car when we got it off the trailer but apart fron that we are ready", said Terri. "We have a new engine, called Jake, and so we are ready to rock and roll and hopefully for a whole season this year!". Terri said that the car is no longer named 'Blown It' but doesn't yet have a new name. "If any Eurodragster readers have an idea for a name for a blown Escort van then please get in touch", said Terri. "Clean names only!", she added. Terri's husband and Crew Chief Ian commented that their new engine may have prompted Steve Wells' move to Super Gas. "He must be scared", said Ian.

Nobby Hill's Houndog Fuel FC, which appeared in the Daily Mirror this morning, is carrying the names of additional sponsors since its début at Autosport. Darren West took us through the list. "We now have Teng Tools and Homes Direct In the Sun on the car", he said. "We also have Seicaffe which is part of the same company as Brights Car Sales and Brights Coachworks, who painted the car and gave us garage space. Mick Liney in Portsmouth doing quite a bit with us, G-Max have come on board, and Saxon Gate Motorists Centre have bought us new tyres. And Good Fabrications made the headers for us". The team also welcomed a new member, Craig Phelps who is the son of Roy of erstwhile Santa Pod fame. "We have a new web site launching in the next few weeks", said Darren. Stay tuned for more news on that.

Liz Malcolm's new Pro ET rail is another Xtreme Wheels début. The car was built by Norm Wheeldon and sports a two-litre alcohol-burning Pinto which husband Iain tells us is blueprinted, with a ton of trick parts hiding inside. The car weighs a thousand pounds and puts out 220 horsepower so should be pretty rapid. Iain also said that Andy Robinson has been a lot of help during the construction. "He's such a helpful guy", he said. "We only bought one part from him yet he has given us no end of help". Liz and Iain have been going racing since 1987 as spectators, and apart from the odd RWYB in their street car this will be Liz's first time on the track.

Pro Stock Bike racer Richard Gipp said that he is still looking for a sponsor. "I will primarily be contesting the UK Championship but might do selected European events", he said. "I am surprised that it is so difficult to find sponsors with the TV coverage which is on offer". Fellow PSB racer Martin Bishop's bike has a very nice new paintjob which you can see in our photo gallery, as have Top Fuel Bike racer Ian King and Comp Bike racer Sandra Chaplain whose bikes are both sporting smart new Wackyshack paintjobs.

As well as the drag racing exhibits, Santa Pod Raceway and Custom Car Magazine have stands at the show. Santa Pod's stand features the Fireforce 2 Jet FC, their show Top Fueller, and Andy Barnes' ten-second Nissan Skyline, whilst Custom Car are hosting Steve Pateman's 8.1-second Calibra, Wayne Allman's wild VW, Goldrush and Honky Tonkin' representing the Gasser Circus, and a rat rod. You can also find a couple of very nice Gassers on the Mopar Muscle Association stand as well as a contingent from Surrey Muscle, and the NASC is in attendance with a very well-presented display including some incredible Tot Rods. Our sponsor American Car Imports has also got in on the act with a shiny new Dodge Ram in one corner of the Great Hall.

Terry Gibbs of show organiser Obsession Motorsports said that he is very pleased with the way that the show has turned out. "We have had tremendous support and backing since we started work on this show in July", he said. "Setting up the show has gone so smoothly because everyone has been so co-operative". Terry said that a number of venues were under consideration. "We looked here, we looked at the NEC, Olympia and Excel", he said. "We came here because the people are so accommodating. There's also the nostalgia aspect of the shows which took place here in the 1970s and 1980s."

Whilst talking to Terry we asked how Obsession Motorsports are getting on in their search for a track. "We've found somewhere and now we have to do all the planning", he said. "We want to come back and we think that the UK needs another track as drag racing is expanding."

Although we have of course concentrated on the drag racing content of the Show in our report, the distinction between drag racing and the import, modified and hot hatch scenes is becoming closer by the day and the Xtreme Wheels Show has got in on the ground floor in giving enthusiasts an introduction to each others' fields of interest.

We took a large number of pictures at Xtreme Wheels which you can view by clicking here.

For their help at Xtreme Wheels today we would like to help Terry and Tina Gibbs, Dan Welberry, Bob and Cath Glassup, Marie and Darren Herbert-White and Steve Silvester. Thanks also to Caroline Day, Kjell Pettersson and David Lloyd-Jones for allowing us to use the Santa Pod trailer to store our laptop and camera bags. Apologies to Ray White, Charles Berg and the couple of other racers who were at the show for a while but whom we missed interviewing before their departure.

Our coverage of Xtreme Wheels has been brought to you in association with American Car Imports.