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22:15

These pit notes have taken their time coming because we have had some serious internet connection issues here today. Luckily Shereen Bushehri of the Bahrain International Circuit came to our rescue this evening so that we could get today's gallery posted, and these pit notes are being posted from the Business Centre in our hotel because the internet access in our room doesn't work. But we will be reporting from the Media Centre at the BIC tomorrow so that will be an end to the problems.

The temperature went into the forties today. Your reporter can attest that it was very hot on the start line just before noon as I walked the track with Gary Page and both of us thought we were going to melt.

The track temperature didn't do any harm later on in the afternoon when Ali Aryan and Harlan Thompson both put in sixty-foot squirts in their respective new mounts. Ali is driving the car previously driven here by Susanne Callin whilst Harlan Thompson is in the new Carbon By Design Top Fueller built by Mats Eriksson. I had the chance to look this car over today and as one would expect from Mats it is immaculate.

Ali went first and he made a very creditable first run, standing on the throttle on the green and staying under power to sixty feet, then pedalling briefly before getting off the throttle. Harlan also put in a great launch, the car was moving to the right off the start line but Harlan had it covered and he was only on the throttle to sixty feet which wasn't long enough for any trouble to start. We didn't get any sixty foot times for these two passes but they did look very good. In both cases the tyres stayed glued to the track, which is in excellent condition. Everyone was naturally delighted and one crew member was sufficiently confident of the track conditions to predict a four-second pass some time in the next couple of days.

We have got a bit ahead of ourselves in the above since the test launches took pace at the end of the day and were followed by a press call with all eight racers here. The teams spent most of today working on their cars, and we had a number of fire-ups to check everything out before tomorrow's two rounds of racing.

During the day I managed to talk to all of the racers and here's what they had to say, in the order in which I caught them.

Siw Nystad expressed herself disappointed that she had no hero cards to give out but was otherwise enjoying herself. "I'm still pinching myself to see if I am really here!", she said. "Everyone in Bahrain is very nice and they have been taking good care of me. And the food is very good! We have an audience here which is so dedicated and who love their racing so much. I am having a great time and I can't wait to run. The track seems good and the fire-up went well."

Harlan Thompson said that his sixty foot launch went well. "It felt real good", he said. "I had a little problem steering but we'll sort that out in the morning. It's just like the old times, nothing has really changed except that I don't feel quite as comfortable as I did. But I felt that I could handle anything which happened and nothing went wrong. Bahrain and this facility are absolutely beautiful, the people here are nice as can be". Harlan spent a lot of today at a local US Naval base. "I had a great time with the troops", he said. "A couple of thousand of them are coming to the race."

Patrik Pers was similarly impressed on his second racing visit to the BIC. "It's a real nice place!", he said. "The car is all done, we're set to go". I asked Patrik if his two runs so far in Top Fuel had allowed him to decide whether he preferred Pro Mod or Top Fuel, and this led to an interesting couple of revelations. "What I think so far is that with a Pro Mod you are driving it, and in Top Fuel you go where the car goes", he said. "I really like door cars and Funny Cars. I have sold my Corvette Pro Mod to a guy in Västerås and I am looking for a nitro Funny Car. If not next year then in 2008 - I am waiting to see what happens because I want to look at the numbers. A lot of other guys are talking about buying nitro Funny Cars or building them in Sweden. A lot of people talk, but I want to do it".

Patrik said that his wife Anneke likes Fuel FCs. "The first time she saw Funny Car she saw John Force blow one up!", he said. "Maybe she wants the insurance money, I don't know!"

I asked Patrik why he thought there is a resurgence of interest in Fuel FC in Scandinavia. "I've been talking to my guys about a nitro Funny Car for for or five years", he said. "I think that Leif Helander has been showing them recently that it is easy."

Patrik added that he has purchased a new Pro Mod. "It's a 1967 Camaro, but I won't say any more", he said. "If we find a nice Funny Car that we like then we'll buy that too!"

Thomas Nataas has been quoted on Eurodragster.com as saying that he would like to run a Fuel FC so I asked him how that project was going. "We are looking at a Fuel Funny Car maybe for 2007 or maybe for 2008", he said. We're not going to rush it. For myself, Top Fuel is relatively boring. You get used to the speed and acceleration. I always loved Funny Cars and the dream is to drive one. It would be fun, it just needs the people to do it. Funny Cars are the show cars, the hot rods, and the fans love them the most. I need to drive something else before I get bored and quit."

I asked Thomas whether a Fuel FC would be instead of or as well as the Top Fuel Dragster. "Maybe one, maybe the other", he said. "We will go to the NHRA and see what we can get and when. It won't definitely be 2007 but it will happen. And when it happens, it will be with Rune or it won't be at all."

Barry Sheavills said that he would not be getting into a Fuel Funny Car because he wants to get back into Top Fuel. "It was nice to sit in the car for the warm-up", he said. "I would have loved to have had a go today like Ali and Harlan". Barry is very impressed with the BIC. "The facility is good, the track is good, and I hope we can put on a good show."

Gary Page is predicting that the track record will be falling tomorrow. "The track looks remarkably good", he said. "It's looking good, or it will when my car turns up, it's been at the Naval base with Harlan today". Gary was impressed with Ali Aryan's first pass. "He left the line straight", he said. "He had two stabs at the throttle but he didn't knock anyone over! Harlan, well, it's a bit like putting on an old pair of slippers and it looks like he is still wearing them!"

Ali Aryan said that the Top Fuel experience was completely different from his Pro Mod. "It's a new experience and it got my attention", he said. "In time I will get used to it, but it was a big kick in the back". Ali attributed his double stomp of the throttle to a pedal extension which made it difficult to bury his foot.

I asked Micke Kågered if he was planning to join the rest of Scandinavia in acquiring a Funny Car. "I will not be driving a nitro Funny Car", he said in as authoritative a voice as the gently-spoken Swede could manage. Team Manager Åsa Kinnemar said that the team have had some interest in their Top Methanol FC but that as usual it's a case of seeing the money. "We will be concentrating on a fuel car next year", she said. "We need to do better than we have". The Bahco Tools-sponsored team have one more exhibition appearance and then can put down the drawbridge for the winter although Micke and the guys are building a new workshop in Linköping.

Tomorrow is the first of two days of racing and the first two of four rounds of the Top Fuel Exhibition. Tune back tomorrow for results of each round of the Exhibition in as real time as we can manage, for another gallery, and for more pit notes.