2005 Xtreme Wheels International

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Anyone who remembers the classic Custom Car shows of the late 1970s and early 1980s, including some at Alexandra Palace, will have felt at home at Xtreme Wheels International in 2005. When coming up with the Xtreme Wheels concept a couple of years ago, organiser Terry Gibbs stated that he was aiming to recapture the atmosphere of the CC shows which he fondly remembered, and this aim was spectacularly achieved this year. Two exhibition halls and the lobby were filled to bursting with the best in drag racing, hot rods and customs, the concept brought right up up date with the inclusion of the finest examples of today's Import and Hot Hatch scenes, together with trade stands and live entertainment - even featuring live radio broadcasts from the Show.

Eurodragster.com went along to Alexandra Palace to check out the sizeable drag racing contingent in association with American Car Imports, and here, in the order in which we met them, are the racers we found to talk to.

Drag bike team owner Paul Rose said that his ACU Championship-holding Pro Stock Bike does not yet have a rider for 2005, although he has had many enquiries. However Kev Charman, who will be riding Paul's Comp Bike this season, jokes that Paul would not let him ride the PSB. Kev explained his move to Comp Bike quite simply: "I'm too poor for Super Street Bike!", he said. The Kawasaki factory-backed bike of Tim Blakemore Racing was on display, albeit with a gap where the gearbox should be. "It's on its way!", said Paul. "Tim can't wait to get on the bike", he added. "If it's ready then we will test before Easter". Tim Blakemore said that he was very pleased that his bike was at Xtreme Wheels. "This show is doing a great job of promoting our sport", he said.

The Webster Race Engineering stand featured a work-in-progress: a Camaro headed for Street Eliminator and the American Car World Street Racer series. "It has a 434 which makes more than seven hundred horsepower", said Jon Webster. "The owner wants it to look as streetable as possible". Jon said that with the start of the UK season only five weeks away it was all hands on deck at the WRE 'shop. "We're starting to get the Canto Top Fuel Dragster together", said Jon, "the trailer may have to wait though!"

The UK's newest Super Street Bike racer, David Warren, said that his first outing on the Krazy Kat SSB was planned for next weekend. "I'm going to take it nice and easy, one step at a time, and see how things go", he said. "It has a lot more horsepower and torque than the other bikes I have raced. Roger Yelland said that he can de-tune it but only so far! I started it up for the first time on a workshop visit a couple of weeks ago and I thought "Bloody Hell"!". David added that his younger brother Stephen may take a turn on the Manor Racing 10.90 Bike later this season, after he has reached his sixteenth birthday. "That'll make my mum turn grey!", said David. Roger asked us to pass on this important message to Super Street Bike racers: "At parties, please do not kiss nitrous bottles - it's a safety issue."

The American Car Imports stand featured the very latest Ford Mustang GT Premium as well as the ACI Racing Top Methanol Dragster, Dodge Ram, and a Harley. ACI joint MD Anthony Cohen told us a little more about the Mustang. "It's a new classic", he said. "It has a 4.6 V8 with twenty four valves, and makes three hundred brake horsepower. Nought to sixty is about five and a half seconds, it'll do the quarter in about 13.8 seconds, and the top speed is 145 mph". Anthony added that another new vehicle, the Dodge SRT10 quad cab pick-up, may be the ACI Racing team's tow vehicle this season. "There are only two hundred of these on the planet", he said, "and it's no slouch - we would have the fastest tow vehicle in the world!".

As well as the renewed Silverline Tools sponsorship reported on Eurodragster News a couple of days ago, Anthony revealed that the ACI Racing team had a big new sponsor in the form of Employment Law Advisory Services. "They want to promote their business, but also to have some fun!", said Anthony. "Most of our existing sponsors have already renewed, including Creative Car Sounds who have stepped up in a big way. We have got a solid basis for a hat-trick of FIA Championships. We ran pretty well in 2005, most of the time in the 5.5s and a lot of 5.4s. Dave's 270 mph in Norway last year is definitely repeatable, it wasn't a fluke."

Nobby Hills said that he is aiming to run his Houndog Fuel Funny Car in about twelve weeks. "I really have to focus on it", he said. "We have to get a drive shaft and safety gear. We are still planning to test privately because I want it running right before we take it anywhere". The Houndog display included a great new video show featuring historical footage of all of Nobby's previous race cars. The video exhibit proved very popular, with a number of visitors asking after copies whilst your reporter was there. "I love to see all this old stuff", said Nobby.

Chris Johnson's beautiful Super Comp MG has been repainted into the MG Racing colours of grey with green lettering, and very nice it looks too. The car also now features a 'seal' bulge on the bonnet. Unfortunately when your reporter returned to the MG stand with his notebook, Chris and his family had gone for lunch so stay tuned for more news from the Woftam Racing team. Also sporting excellent new paintjobs were Ross Norris' Body Snatcher Junior Dragster, featuring a design by Power Race Graphics, and Peter Waters' JD which has a nice flame scheme. The Giles and Hartley Super Pro ET dragster has also had an update to its paintscheme, and the team has been joined by a very nice-looking Junior Dragster. You can see pictures of all of these cars in the Photo Gallery.

Super Pro ET racer Derek Flynn was showing off his very nice-looking new Gold RV Racing dragster. The Tube Carz chassis totes a 509ci Checvy and Littlefield blower, which have produced more than 1500 hp on the dyno. "It's tecched, it's all ready, and I can't wait to go!", he said. "I am looking for 200 mph with this set-up. It will be a learning curve because I haven't been quicker then 8.36 and I have never driven a blown car before, but Steve Johnson and I have shaken on running side-by-side 200s". Also showing on the Gold RV stand was Arlo Reddick's Junior Dragster which looks as if it has been covered in gold leaf. "J&W and Gold RV are manufacturing Junior Dragsters", said Derek. "We can supply Stock, Modified, or Modified Advanced dragsters. We are also now the European agency for Tube Carz chassis, so if you see any Tube Cars chassis which you like then we can bring them in for you."

Supertwin Fuel racer Wendy Clutterbuck said that this is her first weekend in a long time not working on her bike. "Dad decided to carry on racing his new bike", said Wendy. "So I bought Dad's old bike off Chris Stebbings and I have been working on it ever since. I want to beat him fair and square by the end of this season, although to start with I realise that what I need to do is to get a big slick up the track in a straight line. But going on Dad's bike was the greatest thing I ever did!". Wendy said that she is also building a Junior Drag Bike for her son Tyler, a Honda CB 125 machine which started as a replica of Steve Clutterbuck's Supertwin Fuel Bike but may not end up looking like it!

Ben Allum, newly-designated Crew Chief for 2004 FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter, said that he is about to leave for Norway for a week in the workshop of team owner Rune Fjeld. "I can't wait for the new season", said Ben. "I want to get going. Rune has been shopping in the USA and it will be interesting to see what he's got". Ben has some years' experience with Fuel engines, getting involved in a Top Fuel Hydro in 1999, the boat running the first five-second pass in its class. However he said that he feels he still has a lot to learn. "Rune is there for me to work with", said Ben. "You only get to learn by doing it. Rune will be making the calls this year whilst I will be managing the operation and learning from Rune with a view to taking over in 2006. It's a weird situation taking over from Eddie Corr, we're already TF1 and the best you can do is to stay there. Andy has been fantastic, he realises this is a learning year, but with our combination of crew, Rune and driver we should be up there this year."

Andy Carter was visibly suffering from a cold which was trying its best to lay him low, but he did his usual fine job of meeting and greeting visitors to the Carter Motorsport display, which featured Andy's rig as well as his show dragster. "It's great to be here", he said. "I am very pleased for Terry Gibbs and Bob Glassup that this show is going so well". Andy said that his plans for 2005, commencing with his attempt at a first-ever Pro Fuel Shootout hat-trick at the Easter Thunderball, are coming together very well, not least his choice of Crew Chief. "I think that Ben is going to do a great job", he said.

Tony O'Sullivan, aka "Uncle Tony" to Trev Capewell's Southern Rebel Top Methanol Funny Car team, said that this year's aim is quite simple: to run a five. "We've had work done to the roll cage, and we have freshened the engine", said Tony. "New pistons, new bearings, new liners, new headers and some work on the front of the body. A few expensive bits!", he said.

Dave Grabham's Freddy's Revenge blown-alcohol altered is sporting a new chassis and a new paintjob on its Topolino body. "The new chassis was built by Phil Cornish in 4130 chromoly, to current Funny Car spec", said Dave. "We are eternally grateful to Phil for a wonderful job. We had to get a new chassis because the speeds we were starting to run were beyond the old chassis. We will be running the same 331 Small Block as when we last ran in 2002, and will hopefully add a two-speed Lenco later this year". Dave said that he was delighted when the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association was formed. "I've always loved altereds, and I'm not into throttle stops and braking!", he said. "I would love to run into the mid-sevens, this combination does it in the 'States. I am looking forward to running at Santa Pod again and we will not be there to make up the numbers!"

Frank Bennett's blown Topolino altered, although looking healthy on the outside, unfortunately won't be gracing the strips this year. "We broke a crank and all that was left was the block", said Frank. "Luckily the diaper caught everything. So we have to rebuild everything and also there are some new regulations for us to catch up with. We are looking for sponsorship funds to help out."

Santa Pod Raceway's display featured the SPR display Top Fueller, Fireforce 1 Jet FC and Andy Barnes' ten-second Nissan Skyline. The show Fuel FC was in Alexandra Palace's Palm Court greeting visitors to the show. SPR's staff were doing a stirling job handing out flyers and calendars, whilst the Fansfueler project team were putting unsuspecting members of the public in the seat of a Top Fuel Dragster with an excellent simulator which pitted them against Andy Carter. We spoke to Barry Sheavills about the progress of the Fansfueler project, and you can read what he said in a news item on the 20th February news update on Eurodragster.com.

Super Comp racer Andy Williams said that he is raring to go with his Wild Child rail. "We've done routine maintenance but we really want to get back on the track to get some seat time", he said. "We will be attending the APIRA Test and Tune at Shakespeare County Raceway in March and then on to the Easter Thunderball". Andy said that he felt right at home in the dragster after many years in his roadster which didn't always go in the right direction. "I should have done this years ago, it goes like a dream and it's obviously where I'm supposed to be!", he said.

Super Street racer Pete Thompson said that he was not sure in which class he would be racing his Chevelle, newly-acquired from Sweden thanks to an advert on Eurodragster's Jeff Bull Race Engines and Performance Parts-sponsored Swap Meet. "The car was not realy ready but I got it here", said Pete. "I am not sure we'll make Easter, it will be cutting it fine and any case until I have a few goes I don't know which class I'll be in!". Pete said that even though the Chevelle is a big car, it is actually lighter than his previous Ford Capri race car, although to be fair that did feature a car stereo and collection of Wham! CDs.

The noticeably-large number of visitors to Xtreme Wheels included a fair proportion who had obviously not encountered drag racing before and who were showing a lot of interest in the cars and bikes. The drag racing contingent were a credit to the sport, displaying a thoroughly professional attitude througout and taking advantage of the fine shop window which the Xtreme Wheels organisers had provided for them. Racers and organisers alike should take a big pat on the back for their hard work which can't fail to have piqued the interest of the public and which, if it reaps the result it deserves, will result in larger gates at the races.

We took several more photographs at Xtreme Wheels International, which you can view by clicking here or by returning to the Event Index page.

For their help and hospitality at Xtreme Wheels this weekend we would like to thank Terry and Tina Gibbs, Bob and Cath Glassup, Pete and Jan Smith, Andy Carter, Martin Allerton, and Nev and Libby Mottershead.

Eurodragster.com's Xtreme Wheels International coverage has been brought to you in association with American Car Imports.