The Easter Thunderball
Sunday (qualifying)
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18:55
Here are the top two in each class at the end of qualifying here at the Easter Thunderball. We understand that there may be some issues to be resolved with a couple of classes, but this is how things stand at the end of today, and we'll let you know of any changes in the morning.
Pro Fuel Shootout TF*: 1. Barry Sheavills 6.516/128.24, 2. Andy Carter 9.469/92.81
Pro Fuel Shootout FC*: 1. John Spuffard 6.015/189.62, 2. Gordon Smith 6.538/150.75
*The cumulative quickest TF and FC after all qualifying runs will meet in the final round.
Top Methanol: 1. Dave Wilson 6.012/228.02, 2. Rob Turner 6.879/167.43, 3. Doug Bond 7.377/141.04
Super Pro ET (own dial-in): 1. Martyn Jones +0.064 (7.764/171.16), 2. Pat Talbot +0.073 (7.713/173.05)
Pro ET (own dial-in): 1. Jon Evans +0.003 (10.003/131.73), 2. Dave Ward +0.067 (10.467/123.86)
Sportsman ET (own dial-in): 1. Gareth Mogford +0.007 (12.687/109.39), 2. Bob Main +0.010 (13.810/96.85)
Super Comp (8.90): 1. Phil Bennett 8.956/141.71, 2. Brian Pateman 9.050/147.98
Super Gas (9.90): 1. Dave Townsend 9.917/140.95, 2. Frank Mason 10.010/137.33
Super Street (10.90): 1. Stuart Peck 10.921/123.07, 2. Bob Doignie 10.965/114.72
VW Sportsman (own dial-in): 1. Neil Robinson +0.059 (15.359/75.79), 2. Cathie Bishop +0.350 (16.850/71.96)
VW Pro (own dial-in): 1. Russ Fellows +0.047 (11.947/117.83, 2. Nigel Green +0.097 (11.397/112.45)
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Jeff Meads 9.798/151.26, 2. Steve Pateman 9.920/151.90
Junior Dragster: 1. Collin Morrice 0.519, 2. Phill Cook 0.543
Top Fuel Bike: 1. Ian King 9.306/93.20
Funny Bike: 1. Ken Cooper 7.309/163.73, 2. Neil Midgley 7.40/177.29, 3. Dave Holland 7.906/163.23
Pro Stock Bike: 1. Chris Hope 7.608/172.08, 2. Dave Beck 7.784/161.37
Competition Bike: 1. Helen Curran 8.459/155.40, 2. David Hughes 9.176/154.06
Super Street Bike: 1. Tony Clark 8.861/166.06, 2. Mark Pointer 9.114/150.71
9.90 Bike: 1. Paul Watson 9.967/136.41, 2. Lee Baxter 10.001/142.07
10.90 Bike: 1. Ady Reade 10.934/116.46, 2. Darren Winnard 10.976/130.01
We'll be back in the morning with the latest developments.
17:50
Today's pictures are now available from the raceday update index page. Race Director Darren Prentice has confirmed that qualifying is now finished, so we will bring you the final standings when the race officials have finished photocopying and posting them. Stay tuned.
17:15
As you will have realised from the silence at this end, the rain has been a bit of a problem this afternoon. We've had a couple of occurrences of an almost-dry track being rained on again, and just as I started to type this update to say that Sportsman ET was ready to go, it started to hail and qualifying has been called.
Tune back shortly and we will bring you up to date on the final qualifying standings. In the interim Sharkman is working very hard on today's photographs and they should be ready very soon.
14:15
We're currently down with for rain, a brief but heavy shower has us out of business for a short while.
Bike classes have been running one lane only this morning - the right lane - because of the severe crosswind.
A drama for Super Pro ET racer Tim Garlick this morning as his line lock came in on the way down from a wheelie and the Cortina sideswiped the guardrail. Tim is quite OK and the car only suffered cosmetic damage.
Martin Curbishley and Shaun Lathan featured in a spectacular double-breakout in Super Gas, you get the feeling that one was leading the other on. "We're going to have to separate you two" was track announcer John Price's comment at the time.
Some other standouts this morning have been Helen Curran who improved to 8.45/155.40 in Competition Bike, and Paul Watson who consolidated his #1 spot in 9.90 Bike with a 9.96. Jeff Meads proved that he has the best of the track with a pass of 9.87 in his CCSE Pop. A number of the CCSE contenders are having trouble sticking to the track this weekend, times are tending to the low tens where you would normally expect to see nines.
Earlier on we mentioned that Martyn Jones and his crew chief Crunch had solved the problem with Martyn's Super Pro ET dragster, Martyn proved the point by taking number one spot away from Pat Talbot with a 7.764 on a 7.70 dial-in.
This morning saw the first pass by Nigel Payne in his new Super Pro ET '62 Vette. A beautiful car as you will see later on when we post today's pictures. Nigel did his first observed run, a squirt to 60 feet, everything looked OK.
The current leaders in all classes are as follow after today's one complete cycle (the fourth) of qualifying:
Top Fuel Bike: Ian King 9.306/93.20
Funny Bike: Ken Cooper 7.309/163.73 (although Ken has of course withdrawn)
Competition Bike: Helen Curran 8.459/155.40
Pro Stock Bike: Chris Hope 7.608/172.08
10.90 Bike: Ady Reade 10.934/116.46
9.90 Bike: Paul Watson 9.967/136.41
Super Street Bike: Tony Clark: 8.861/166.06
Super Pro ET: Martyn Jones +0.064 (7.764/171.16)
Pro ET: Jon Evans +0.003 (10.003/131.73)
Sportsman ET: Gareth Mogford +0.007 (12.687/109.39)
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Jeff Meads 9.798/151.26
Super Comp: Phil Bennett 8.956/141.71
Super Gas: Dave Townsend 9.917/140.95
Super Street: Stuart Peck 10.921/123.07
VW Sportsman: Neil Robinson +0.059 (15.359/75.79)
VW Pro: Russ Fellows +0.047 (11.947/117.83
Top Methanol: Dave Wilson 6.012/228.02
Pro Fuel Shootout: John Spuffard 6.01/189.62
The track is currently being dried; stay tuned and we'll be back as soon as we have more qualifying to report.
13:30
We've had our first passes in the Fuel and Methanol classes, with a little intermission for rain. Steph Milam was first up in Top Methanol, clocking 9.26 at 147.87 miles per hour, a straight run and Steph looking more confident with each pass. Dave Wilson was next to make a pass, and a 6.01/228.02 was outstanding in the very cold conditions. Again the rear tyres were shaking at least as far as 100 feet which is where your reporter was stationed at the guardrail, but it appeared to be that type of shake which the Nemesis team find acceptable! Dave's clutch locked at the bottom of the shutdown area and Rob Turner was shut off just before his burnout to allow the car to be moved off the track. Rob Turner put in a nice long burnout and then hit vicious tyre shake off the line, there was daylight under the rear slicks as he came past at 100 feet. Rob recorded 6.87/167.43. We didn't see Doug Bond in this session, and Darryl Bradford has had to withdraw after the chassis of the Canto Consultancy dragster was found to be bent. So MSA Top Methanol now stands as follows:
1. Dave Wilson 6.01/228.02, 2. Rob Turner 6.87/167.43, 3. Doug Bond 7.37/141.04
Next up were the Fuel cars. John Spuffard went first with a way out of shape 6.01/189.62, on and off the throttle a couple of times before getting off altogether at about 1100 feet. Gordon Smith was pushed back into the collection area with a minor problem so Andy Carter was next up with his planned 60-foot squirt. He had just pulled his burnout when it started to rain and he was shut off.
After a very brief rain delay, Barry Sheavills and Andy Carter paired off. Barry pulled a long burnout whilst Andy took it very easy on his burnout with his clutch probably still warm from the previous run. On the green both cars hooked up and went, Andy recording 0.89 to sixty feet then backing off as planned, and Barry staying on it to half track and looking very strong indeed although a 6.51/128.24 indicates a soft clutch setting since Barry's car is easilly capable of five-second half passes as he has said himself.
Gordon Smith then came back with the Shockwave Fuel FC, this being Gordon's first pass with the new direct drive a short pass was planned. A very strong launch and then Gordon backed out at about 600 feet, recording 6.53/150.75.
Check back shortly and we'll bring you some more of today's qualifying highlights.
09:40
Good morning and welcome back to Santa Pod Raceway on day two of qualifying for the Easter Thunderball. If you were with us yesterday then you will know that we eventually lost to the weather in the early evening, although we managed to get through three complete cycles of qualifying which with oil-downs, rain and other problems was an impressive achievement by all concerned. The rain didn't stop until 4:30 this morning but the track crew have done a superb job of drying the surface and we're minutes from starting. The forecast looks a lot better today, too.
Out in the pits we found Henri Joosten packing up and getting ready to return to Holland with his Pro Mod. It turns out that on Henri's qualifying pass yesterday a valve broke and a piston was holed. "When I got to half track I changed to third and the track was a little slippy, the revs went up and the engine broke", said Henri. "It could have been worse - if it had happened further down the track then the engine would probably have been destroyed". Unfortunately the engine damage means that we won't be seeing Henri at the Main Event.
Pro Stock Bike racer Len Paget has also joined the casualty list after putting a couple of rods through the front of his engine. Len is running a unique Hayabusa-based set-up, and so parts are not easy to come by. "I'm going to park it until I can source another engine", said Len.
Across the bike pits, Chris 'Cannon' Hannam seemed very cheerful despite problems yesterday. He was very pleased with the launch of the bike on his final pass yesterday and we can confirm that it left like a rocket, shaking the ground. "The fuel regulator was sticking", said Cannon. "On my first pass the engine was running on pure nitrous at one point. On the next pass the regulator stuck again, but now we've fixed it and it's sweet as a nut! I could feel it biting on the second pass, but when I shifted it just ran out of fuel". Cannon and his team have made a number of changes to the Funny Bike, with a new engine and a larger seat, and Cannon has new leathers. "I can put my chin on the fuel tank now", he said. Cannon also let slip one of his ambitions: "I'd love to do the full length of the track on the rear wheel". He doesn't think it will be too long before he can do it, either.
Neil Midgley was very pleased with his 7.4 pass on his Funny Bike. "I had tyre shake for one and a half gears, and then it sorted out", he said.
Top Fuel Bike racer Ian King was the only one in his class to put in a pass yesterday, a planned short squirt to test changes to the clutch and gearing, and a new tyre. "I'm quite happy so far", he said. Ian has a TV crew with him this weekend, making a documentary for the Discovery Channel. "I don't think they were too impressed with the weather", he said. "I tried to tell them that drag racing isn't the most exciting sport in the rain!".
Fellow TFB racer Brian Johnson has added another piece to the puzzle in his quest for a five-second run by fitting new, bigger rear brakes to his bike. "Bigger is the operative word!" said Brian.
Super Pro ET racer Martyn Jones made his usual commute from Amsterdam to participate in this weekend's event. His good friend and faithful crew chief Crunch brings along the dragster and sets it up the night before the race, and Martyn flies out from Holland in the small hours and is usually at the track in time for the first Super Pro qualifying session. Crunch tells us that both we and Martyn missed a spectacular sight last night as the bolts on the torque converter hit the motor plate during a warm-up. "There were sparks flying everywhere!", he said. Martyn and Crunch were very happy after yesterday's qualifying pass, having solved a problem with the fuel injection. "It was fattening up on every pass", said Martyn. "We knew what was wrong, but we didn't know how it got wrong!".
The Shockwave Fuel FC team have had Alan Jackson advising them today. The move to direct drive has necessitated changes to the fuel system and AJ has been helping them out. "Al's a great guy", said driver Gordon Smith. "He's been a lot of help, and he waited around for us while we got our act together!". The engine sounded very strong during a couple of warm-ups last night, and is idling a lot faster than it used to. "It sounds different and feels different", said Gordon. "It sounds so sharp and heavy. We also have one of Knut Soderquist's new clutch cannons on the car - at the moment we are the only car in the country running one. There are no stall springs on the clutch and it should hit a lot harder on the launch". The team were planning to put in a short squirt yesterday but time was against them, so they are straight into competition this morning. "It's not what we wanted to do, but you have to go with the flow", said Gordon.
The Canto Consultancy TMD didn't put in an appearance in yesterday's qualifying session, and driver Darryl Bradford filled us in on the reason. "I've got an absolutely fantastic crew", he said, "they've put in two days of solid work. Our new bellhousing only arrived on Wednesday and when we put it on today we discovered that the engine and the coupler didn't line up. We made some changes to the alignment at the front end of the engine and now everything lines up OK. So judgement day is back on for tomorrow!".
Nemesis TMD crew chief Andy Bissett told us that the team were very pleased with yesterday's number one-qualifying pass. "We put in a very soft tune-up", he said. "There is no sign of damage or stress on the engine at all". Andy was unconcerned about the tyre shake on yesterday's pass. "It wasn't real tyre shake", he said, "both the tyres stayed in contact with the track! They were wobbling more than shaking". Regular readers will remember that the Nemesis crew give their engines names. Last year the engines were named Harry and Billy, this year the engines are Zippy and Bungle, with Zippy currently in the car. "The engine in Wendy Baker's car is now called Hillbilly!" added clutch technician David Wilson. New crew member Ricky is having a lot of fun. "I haven't had too much to do yet, but I'm really enjoying it", he said.
Pro ET racer Laurie Craig had a torrid day yesterday, his altered unable to light the tyres during the burnout. The problem was traced to clutch settings and the Cool Runnings team are confident that their woes will be behind them. "Yesterday it was all revs and no go", they said.
CCSE new girl Sue Jackson tells us that her 'Vette is in bits at the moment. "Trans fluid is leaking out from all sorts of places", she said. Although it was ultimately disappointing, Sue was pleased to get out in the car yesterday. "I know what to do now", she said.
Super Street racer Dave Cherrett has had a thrash and a half in the last couple of days to get his Dark Revenger van ready for action. "We've had quite a rework over the winter", he said. "We have a new engine, and new tyres. We got here at three o'clock yesterday morning having worked on it all day Friday, and we worked on it all day yesterday too".
We're about to start qualifying, so stay with us and we'll bring you the action as it happens.