The Easter Thunderball
Monday (race day)

The latest updates are at the top. Click on your Browser's Reload button periodically to be sure of picking up the latest news. Click here to go back to the race update index.

18:45

Today's pictures have now been posted; they are available via the raceday update index.

That's the end of our coverage of the 2001 Easter Thunderball from Santa Pod Raceway. Thanks very much for tuning in and staying with us through the weekend.

Many thanks for their help this weekend to Race Director Darren Prentice; Andy Marrs, Steve Horn, Martin Wallis, Lisa Smart and John Hackney of Santa Pod's timing crew; chief starter Ian Marshall and his crew; Chief Fire Marshal Bob Day and his crew; track announcers Graham Beckwith, John Price and Paul Venners; SPR track manager Kjell Petterson; Sue Morris in SPR's Media Centre; Kathy Taylor, Carol Ismail and Paula Marshall; and of course to all of the racers for giving us quotes and action to write about and photograph.

Eurodragster's next event coverage will be the APIRA Test and Tune at Shakespeare County Raceway and Roger Goring's Jet FC demonstration at the Performance Bike Show in Sheffield, both next weekend (21-22 April); our next event coverage from Santa Pod Raceway will be on Saturday 19th May when we report from the pre-Main Event private test. See you then!

17:50

Here are the final results from the Easter Thunderball.

Pro Fuel Shoot-out: John Spuffard 8.12/179.81 def. Andy Carter 12.08/77.99
Pro Fuel Shoot-out 3rd/4th run-off: Gordon Smith 10.18 bye (Barry Sheavills DNS)
Top Methanol: Rob Turner 5.99/227.59 def. Dave Wilson 6.01/235.78
Super Pro ET: Pat Talbot 7.659/175.21 def. Martyn Jones 7.617/172.26 break-out
Pro ET: Dave Ward 10.274/123.61 def. Jon Evans 9.997/132.90 red light
Sportsman ET: Rick Denny 13.513/99.82 def. Gareth Mogford 12.514/111.71 red light
Super Comp: Tim Adam 8.961/146.99 def. Brian Pateman 9.023/151.29
Super Gas: Will Furniss 10.231/131.91 def. Dave Townsend 9.858/137.19 break-out
Super Street: Bob Doignie 10.926/116.12 def. Stuart Peck 10.968/114.60
VW Pro: Russ Fellows 12.083/112.23 bye
VW Sportsman: Neil Robinson 15.091/87.56 def. Neil Davies 18.065/71.74 break-out
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Jeff Meads 9.467/153.09 def. Steve Pateman 9.581/164.94
Junior Dragster: Phill Cook 8.803/76.64 def. Nicholas Mugridge 14.273/41.95 break-out

Top Fuel Bike: Ian King 6.71/179.79 def Brian Johnson 6.48/177.89 blue line violation
Pro Stock Bike: Dave Beck 7.544/172.56 def. Chris Hope 8.312/158.46
Funny Bike: Shaun Branch 8.379/164.60 bye (Chris Hannam left before lights ran in semi-final bye)
Competition Bike: Phil Leamon 10.880/134.42 bye (Helen Curran DNS)
Super Street Bike: Graham Dance 9.219/144.37 def. Steve Venables 10.413/159.56
9.90 Bike: Mark Fisher 10.067/137.77 def. Paul Watson 9.936/137.14
10.90 Bike: Steve Templeman 11.315/121.48 def. Iain Jack 11.273/121.15

Stay tuned as we are about to upload today's pictures.

17:25

We're all finished here at Santa Pod and what a great day it has been. We were all set for about a 4:00 finish and that was with a half-hour open practice session but then unfortunately Nigel Payne oiled the entire length of the shutdown area with his new Super Pro 'Vette.

The Pro Fuel Shoot-out was won for the second year running by John Spuffard in the Showtime Fuel FC. Andy Carter made up some of Spuff's 0.400 advantage with a great 0.47 reaction to Spuff's 0.57, but he went up in smoke very quickly as did Spuff, and for a few moments they were trading pedals until Andy decided to save his engine. Spuff gave it a few more goes and got there first, 8.12/179.81 to Andy's 12.08/77.99.

Gordon Smith put in a 10.18 squirt to take third place.

The MSA Top Methanol final was a classic side-by-side drag race. Rob Turner put in a long burnout and then Dave Wilson came round the corner and pulled an equally long burnout. Dave however set some sort of speed record for backing up and the two cars were ready at the same time. There was a 0.001 difference in reaction times and the cars were glued together down the track, Rob just getting there first 5.99/227.50 to Dave's 6.01/235.78.

The Top Fuel Bike final was over before it began when Brian Johnson was disqualified after one of his crew committed a blue line violation. Ian King was therefore the winner, 6.71/179.79 to BJ's 6.48/177.89.

Steph Milam had a very hairy moment in the 'She Devil' TMFC when the car veered off the track and into the field and back again after an observed pass of 8.80. Steph was quite OK and we understand that the car isn't damaged.

Wendy Baker put in her first observed run in the 'Krypton' TMD, very gentle burnout and launch.

Tune back in a few moments and we'll bring you the complete set of results from the Easter Thunderball.

14:30

A stupendous run by Brian Johnson in the Top Fuel Bike semi-finals. Absolutely straight and true all the way down the track, picture-perfect, staying on it to the back door to record 6.116/225.26. Andy Marrs of SPR's timing crew tells us that both time and speed will be new ACU records if BJ runs 6.177 or quicker, and 223.01 or faster. Andy also says that BJ's eighth-mile speed of 191.40 this morning was almost identical to his eighth-mile speed when he set his last European record last year. As of last Saturday, BJ is carrying Eurodragster stickers on his bike although we're making no claims!

In the other TFB semi-final, Ian King got there first with a 6.70/190.88 to Steve Woollatt's up-in-smoke 10.29/126.87. Ian feathered the throttle very briefly at half-track but it looked like a good one.

More news soon.

13:45

And as Tony Baker powers into the distance on a pass of 7.62/218.03 in the Fireforce 1 Jet FC, we have the results from the first round of the Pro Fuel Shoot-out.

The first pairing was Barry Sheavills v John Spuffard. Strong burnouts by both cars and then Spuff took full advantange of his 0.4 head start. Barry waited the full 0.4 and then he was away, by which time Spuff had gone up in smoke and Barry too went up in smoke before he got to the Christmas Tree. A brief pedalling battle ensued with Spuff trying everything and Barry getting off it after one attempt. Spuff eventually got off the throttle and recorded 12.01/85.31, to Barry's 18.87/56.41.

The second race was between Andy Carter and Gordon Smith and this one proved to be drama-filled. Andy took it very easy on the burnout, just the slightest haze off the tyres, whilst Gordon pulled a nice burnout beyond 60 feet. On the green Andy and Gordon both launched hard, Gordon started to veer towards the guardrail in his lane, staying on it as the car barely missed the concrete - the proverbial cigarette paper wouldn't have fit between the car and the guardrail. Gordon pedalled and wrenched the car back into the middle of his lane, and a parachute came out. Gordon must have noticed that Andy wasn't out in front of him since he got back on the throttle and stayed on it towards the finish line, trailing the chute, only to turn hard right at about 1100 feet. Gordon really had his hands full staying out of Andy Carter's lane and turned the car through about 45 degrees to stay on his own turf.

Identical ETs of 8.47 appeared in each lane, Gordon's speed was 135.92 and Andy's 98.69. Everyone was of course watching what was happening to Gordon so we didn't notice that Andy had got off the throttle early. When the smoke had cleared, two telltale tyre marks could be clearly seen in Gordon's lane, the tyre track on the right was across the centre line so Race Director Darren Prentice had no option but to disqualify Gordon's pass from the Shoot-out qualifying.

So the final of the Pro Fuel Shoot-out will be between Andy Carter and John Spuffard, and there will be a third and fourth place run-off between Barry Sheavills and Gordon Smith. This is due some time after 4:00.

The first round of Top Methanol was equally exciting. Dave Wilson pulled his traditional long burnout and then a supercharger burst plate blew about thirty feet off the start line. Dave recorded 20.28/45.05. Doug Bond and Rob Turner then matched up, Doug gave Rob a head start on the burnout after Saturday, and the cars went to the start line together. On the green Doug got a huge lead over Rob but Rob reeled him in, driving through tyre shake to record 5.93/216.28 to Doug's 6.48/197.58.

Steph Milam put in another observed run in the She Devil TMFC, recording 9.43/152.66.

Neil Midgley had a spill from his Funny Bike at the bottom of the shutdown area. Sharkman at the top end said that Neil was fighting the bike all the the down the shutdown area and eventually bailed out although at low speed. Neil is fine.

The "girlie race" and race of the Eurodragster sponsors took place in the second round of Super Pro ET: Pat Talbot whose husband Stephen finances Eurodragster's monthly ISP subscription, and Fay Fischer whose company Speedflow is one of our home and news page sponsors. A great side-by-side race which saw the 0.35 difference in dial-in work out almost perfectly at the finish line, Pat winning with 7.64/174.99 on a 7.63 dial-in to Fay's break-out 7.97/156.40 on a 7.98 dial-in.

Steve Pateman backed up his new CCSE speed record with a pass of 9.61/156.33 which makes his earlier 156.87 the new record. In the other CCSE semi-final Jeff Meads clocked 9.26/153.49 so the final between Jeff and Steve should be a close-fought affair.

Paul Marston put in another observed run in the PT Bruiser, a great burnout followed by a half-track pass of 9.05 at 113.48. Paul is going to need some serious throttle stop if he is running in Super Comp!

We are running well to schedule, if not slightly ahead, at the moment. Race Director Darren Prentice joked that we'll be running Sportsman finals within half an hour!

And just as we went to post, Barry Sheavills has come up to race control to announce that he has broken the crank in his TF engine after it revved to 12000 rpm when he went up in smoke in his Shoot-out round, so he will not be able to contest the third-fourth place run-off with Gordon Smith.

Stay tuned and we'll bring you the results as they happen.

11:45

Welcome back, it's been a frenetic morning so let's give you some of the highlights.

We had an extra session of Top Fuel Bike qualifying this morning. Steve Woollatt was first out, he is suffering an abscess under a tooth and his face is puffed right out. So in some pain he put in a pass of 7.94/194.76 with a little feathering of the throttle. Brian Johson was next up, a great burnout followed by wheelspin off the line and a shut-off at 1000' - but still BJ recorded 6.68/199.37. Ian King was next to the line, with what looked like a planned half-pass, 7.60/128.33. So BJ will have the bye in round one and Ian King and Steve Woollatt face off.

Also on two wheels, Tony Clark is turning into the class of the weekend in Super Street Bike with an excellent 8.87 in round one. Dave Beck recorded 7.64/181.16 in the first round of Pro Stock Bike, whilst Chris Hope managed about half a mile around the track in his race against Ray Debben, recording 7.93/161.71.

Pat Talbot and Fay Fischer will be able to have their long-awaited girlie race in round two of Super Pro as they both got through round one and that's how the ladder has worked out. Also in Super Pro ET, Tim Garlick returned and recorded a great 9.00/144.26 on an 8.88 dial-in.

Derek Annable set some sort of record in Sportsman ET, suffering tyre shake all the way to sixty feet in his Honda street car. Bob Main put in a superb 13.703 on a 13.70 dial-in, also in Sportsman ET.

A shock in Super Gas as National Champion Tim Adam went out in round one, redlighting his chances away. Those naughty boys Curbishley and Lathan did it again, running a double-breakout 9.71 and 9.25 respectively.

Top Methanol and the Pro Fuel Shoot-out are due very shortly, stay tuned.

10:05

Good morning again from Santa Pod Raceway for day three, race day, of the Easter Thunderball. We're scheduled for a ten o'clock start and the track is looking just great despite yesterday's deluge, another sterling job by the track crew who were out prepping the track before a lot of us were even out of bed. It's pretty cold, but the wind is not as hard as it was yesterday when it forced bikes to run one lane only.

The usual raceday good morning to our USA correspondents Ed O'Connell and Kathy Hileman who are tuned in from New Hampshire. Hope the snow's long gone, guys.

A sad piece of news yesterday as during an interview over the PA, Top Fuel Bike racer Brian Johnson confirmed that this will be his last year racing in Top Fuel Bike. "This is my 25th year racing, and it's definitely my last year", he said. Brian is determined to put in his five-second passes this season and he said that if (when - Ed) it happens, it won't be in the USA, it will be at Santa Pod.

After we finished up last night, we went for our walk around the pits and discovered that they were shut! A spooky experience with just about every trailer buttoned up against the elements, and hardly anyone around. We found about eight guys huddled under a small awning in 9.90 racer Steve Ashby's pit, doing their best to have a good time and succeeding by the look of it.

We also managed to catch Showtime Fuel FC driver John Spuffard and crew Chief Bob Jarrett just before they left last night. John had a wild ride yesterday afternoon, the car going in several directions at once. "The wind blew the car big time", said Spuff. "I pedalled it the first time and got it back, but then the wind got it again so I got off it. When I pulled the chutes they came out sideways!". Bob Jarrett was happy enough with yesterday's pass. "We did a .915 sixty foot", said Bob. "It's right where we want to be. It'll be the same tune-up on Monday, we won't change anything. When we get the weather, our 5.39 record is gone. We want to run in the 5.20s this season, the idea is to go forward every year". There will be two rounds of the Pro Fuel Shoot-out today, with the quickest FC and the quickest Top Fueller pairing up in the second session, which will be the final.

Tim Garlick appears to have repaired his Super Pro ET Cortina after yesterday's mishap, Sharkman at the top end has just reported seeing Tim's car being driven back from the scrutineering bay. Great news.

Jon Evans and Steve Dunn are very happy indeed with their #1 position in Pro ET, with a 10.003 on a 10.00 dial-in although that is not the whole story since Jon put in a number of passes in the 10.0s. "I think we had a little bit of luck", said Jon. "My trusty weather station helps out a bit, but they're a pleasant surprise these 10.0s!". Jon and Steve will be taking turns to drive the car this season, doing two events in the driving seat and two out.

It's been a real weekend of attrition in Custom Car Street Eliminator. Sixteen cars were entered, thirteen turned up, and we are down to eight, and possibly even seven, in today's eliminations. Tony Hill didn't manage the hot start during last night's cruise and so was disqualified. Steve Nash has suffered valve train damage, and Barry George has transmission problems although he will run today to get the points. Barry had a bit of a hairy ride yesterday when his transmission went into reverse as he went through the top end. "I just had to let it roll", said Barry. "When I got out of the car there was a huge pool of trans fluid. I'll have to get a new gearbox - somehow!".

We encountered Super Comp racer Jon McIntyre last night. Jon had to cancel after blowing a two-inch-square hole in a head last weekend. "I warmed it up in the garden", said Jon, "and there was a bang. So I came up here to see if there's anything for sale!". Jon is after Merlin heads, so if anyone out there has Merlin heads for sale then please get in touch with Jon.

Pro ET racer Steve Wells was very happy after setting new personal best ET and speed yesterday. "It went 10.62 at 121", said Steve. "I've never been faster than 117 before! I didn't care about breaking out!". Steve built a new chassis over the winter and boxed in the pick-up bed. "Hatfield University's engineering department are using my car as a project", said Steve, who thinks that there is more to come yet.

The Sportsman ET racers are fired up, so we're all set. Tune back later on and we'll bring you the highlights. The first rounds of Top Methanol, Pro Fuel Shoot-out and Top Fuel Bike are scheduled for 12:00.