North Weald Airfield, 2nd July 2017
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Click here to go back to the event index The Inaugural Gearhead Garage No Prep Nationals took place during the Test and Tune at North Weald Drag Strip on Sunday 2nd July 2017. The event, organised by Paul Marston Racing, was open to doorslammers with a field of sixteen and was a return to drag racing's roots being contested over an untimed eighth mile. £1000 was guaranteed to the winner, increased to £1125 on the day with £225 to the runner-up courtesy of an additional £250 posted by Jeff and Belinda Bull of Eurodragster.com sponsor Jeff Bull Race Engines. The entry list was as follows:
Andy Thetford was making an early outing in the Camaro recently campaigned in Pro ET by Pete Wise. Glenn Pallant was making the first outing with a supercharged motor in his Consul. Glenn was concerned that the motor was misfiring and changed a chip before eliminations. In other news Glenn, wife Lisa and team were allowed in to the airfield to set up on Saturday evening, only to find themselves locked in at dinner time. Glenn's crew phoned a local Indian restaurant which obligingly delivered to North Weald Airfield, handing bags of food over the gate. Steve Kiddell did not contest the event, although running in the Test and Tune, Ryan Garrett's Dart broke and had to be rescued from the top end of the track during the first of the two Test and Tune sessions in the morning, and Lee Bezer did not show for the first round of eliminations. Various launch methods were attempted during the Test and Tune sessions ranging from hammering it to tiptoeing off the line and adding power along the track, all with mixed results. Some racers were (totally legally) spinning their tyres in a puddle of traction compound prior to staging, bringing back memories of the 1970s. Eliminations round 1 Pairings were drawn out of a hat with the opportunity for call-outs in round one.
Dave Wiggins def. Andy Thetford DQ red light With no timing equipment at the eighth it fell to Gary Springford to stand next to the track and judge the first to the stripe and indicate with a flag which lane had won. Ray Tucker shut off before staging but put in his bye at the end of the session. The race between Belinda Bull and George Babika was very close indeed, the margin of victory less than a car length and having to be verified by video. There was drama before the match between Harrison Brown and Dennis Reynolds when Dennis' Corvette turned left through ninety degrees in the burnout, running over the start line timing beams. The Corvette was then in the path of Harrison Brown who was reversing from his burnout but crew and dad Ian signalled Harrison to stop. Eliminations round 2
Steve Matthews def. Glenn Pallant DQ red light Three of the four red lights were simple early departures whilst Belinda Bull's pick-up jumped out of stage going up on the revs. Semi-finals
Chris Skinner def. Dave Gibbons DQ red light Final Dave Wiggins def. Chris Skinner The final was a very close race with a top end photograph showing Dave and Chris half a car length apart, and again the video had to be scrutinised twice. Dave was then presented with his £1125 and trophy and Chris with his £225 and trophy, Dave having memorably commented that he had "Brought a penknife to a gun fight". A special mention must be made of Paul Marston and his team who ran the event smoothly and efficiently, and to Tony, Richard and the North Weald Motorsport team who managed this event-within-an-event with the minimum of fuss. Every racer to whom we spoke was very complimentary and said that they would be the first to enter the next running. We would like to add our own thanks to Paul Marston Racing, to Tony and Richard and the North Weald Motorsport team, and to Damian Burke for their ready help and co-operation. Nothing was too much trouble for any of the above and it was much appreciated. Reports and pictures ©Eurodragster.com |