Easter Thunderball
Monday (eliminations)
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17:15
Today's photographs have now been posted, you can get to them from the event update index.
That's the end of our coverage of the Easter Thunderball, thanks for tuning in over the weekend. Your reporters and photographers were Tog and Sharkman of Eurodragster.com.
Thanks for their help this weekend to Race Director Darren Prentice; Chief Marshal Steve Horn; Andy Marrs, Lisa Smart, John Hackney and Martin Wallis 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 and John Price; SPR track manager Kjell Petterson; Jon Cross; Dave Alexander; Ivan Sansom; Spencer Tramm; Sue Morris in the SPR Media Centre; Caroline Day; 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 from the APIRA Test and Tune at Shakespeare County Raceway, our next event coverage from Santa Pod Raceway will be the Speedfreaks Ball in May.
This weekend's coverage was brought to you in association with American Car Imports.
16:50
Andy Carter is the winner of the 2002 Pro Fuel Shootout. On the green Spuff was away with his 0.35 head start then Andy went into chase mode. The Showtime FC turned hard left at 300 feet, Spuff at one point had the car up on one wheel with everyone at the track wondering how on earth he kept it off the guardrail. Andy ran straight and true to a 5.46/236.71, Spuff decided that discretion was the better part of valour and shut off to a 10.87/80.41.
Rob Turner took the win in MSA Top Methanol, driving through vicious tyre shake to clock 6.134/219.85 to Steph Milam's 7.554/172.71.
The Top Fuel Dragster match race between Barry Sheavills and Robin Read was over on the start line as Robin's tyres went up in smoke. Barry was off it very early clocking 6.46/135.95 to Robin's 14.14/75.44.
Martin Hill's last run of the weekend in the Fireforce 2 Jet FC netted him a 6.11/267.87
Here are the final results in all classes:
Pro Fuel Shootout: Andy Carter 5.46/236.71 def. John Spuffard 10.87/80.41
Top Methanol: Rob Turner 6.134/219.85 def. Steph Milam 7.554/172.71
Super Pro ET: Steve Johnson 7.822/166.50 (7.55) def. John Tebenham 8.381/159.14 (8.40) breakout
Pro ET: Aiden Kenny 11.558/112.47 (11.48) def. Steve Wells 10.432/120.50 (10.34) redlight
Sportsman ET: Lance Richards 13.942/98.87 (13.84) def. Simon Chalkly 13.903/96.30 (13.84)
Super Comp: Brian Pateman 8.962/146.98 def. Martin Curbishley 8.975/146.67
Super Gas: Martin Curbishley 9.927/140.24 def. Frank Mason 9.920/138.35 deep stage foul
Super Street: Leigh Morris 11.000/123.59 def. Martin Green 10.828/114.61
Junior Dragster: Ricky Emms 10.114/57.39 (8.90) def. Joe Bond 9.472/66.92 breakout
Super Modified: Danny Cockerill 7.956/172.56 def. Rob Smallworth broke
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Steve Neimantas 9.155/152.05 def. Sue Jackson broke
VW Pro: Paul Jackson 8.790/118.64 (8.40) def. Russ Fellows 12.190/111.74 (11.63)
VW Sportsman: Steve Nelmes 16.773/67.59 (16.00) def. Paul Oliver 18.817/71.47 (18.20)
Pro Stock Bike: Dave Beck 7.790/167.40 def. Nick Pepper 8.024/167.13
Funny Bike: Shaun Branch 7.793/166.40 def. Chris Hall broke
Competition Bike: Klaus Brinkmann 8.168/158.35 def. Tim Whetton 10.839/97.05
Super Street Bike: Graham Dance 8.495/169.73 def. Mark Fisher 9.135/152.88
9.90 Bike: Paul Valentine 10.025/128.60 def. Mark Hammond 10.380/126.92
10.90 Bike: Glenn Randles 10.998/123.56 def. Darren Winnard 10.964/126.30
We're now working on today's pictures, stay tuned.
15:00
We've had a real shock in the first round of Top Methanol as Steph Milam took the race against Dave Wilson. Dave launched but then the revs shot up and he got off the throttle, recording 15.25/45.75, but Steph was long gone with an 8.12/154.15. Dave is up in Race Control right now and tells us that the throttle cable snapped. Rob Turner soloed to a 6.24/217.84, the Turners' earlier problems seem to be a thing of the past.
We've had lots of other highlights this afternoon, Paul Watson clocking 8.88 on his first outing in Super Street Bike...and just as I type this he goes 8.87! Jerry Collier has been still quicker at 8.48/152 on the two-stroke Comp Bike. In Super Modified, John Ellis was the next into the 8.0s at 8.08, he faces Danny Cockerill in the final. Steve Neimantas is having a great weekend in CCSE with his latest pass an 8.92/152.64 against a red-lighting Steve Pateman. Just as we went to post, Martin Hill put in a 6.15 at a huge 262.34 in the Fireforce 2 Jet FC.
We are currently running right to or even ahead of schedule. The finals are scheduled to start at 4:00 including the Spuff v Carter Pro Fuel Shootout which is to be accompanied by a Sheavills v Read Top Fuel match race.
Stay tuned and we will bring you the final results.
12:30
Today's final qualifying session of Top Methanol was contested by Steph Milam, and it was fitting that she should be the sole star of this session as she stepped right up with a great pass of 7.28/191.49. Steph will face Dave Wilson in round one at 2:30, and Rob Turner gets a bye as Doug Bond has broken.
The final qualifier of the Pro Fuel Shootout was contested by all three Top Fuellers and the one remaining Fuel FC. Andy Carter took a 5.94/169.16 bye, the blower belt flying high into the air at about 900 feet whilst Andy was really motoring. Barry Sheavills then took a bye, a 0.91 sixty foot, off it at 800 feet with a cylinder out all the way and still recording 5.41/214.19. Finally we had a match-up between Robin Read and John Spuffard. Robin was up in smoke off the line and idled to a 12.52/82.96 whilst Spuff was on one until the car started to move around in the second half of the track and got off it at 1000 or so feet, clocking 5.45/241.88.
So it's Andy Carter v Spuff in the final, a repeat of last year, and both looking very strong.
Other highlights this morning have been Steve Pateman back into the eights with an 8.91 in CCSE, Jerry Collier recording a superb 8.81/144.12 on the two-stroke Comp Bike, Klaus Brinkmann smashing his personal best with an 8.09 on his Comp Bike, Rob Smallworth into the 8.0s in Super Modified, and another seven from Danny Cockerill at 7.99 also in Super Modified.
Stay tuned and we will bring you more of the action soon.
10:30
Good morning and a raceday welcome from Santa Pod Raceway for the third day of our Easter Thunderball coverage in association with American Car Imports. It's a much nicer day today and we're all set for the action.
A couple of raceday Hellos, firstly the usual greeting to our good friends Ed O'Connell and Kathy Hileman in Rye, USA, a good morning to regular viewers Steve and Jacky Young, and another special Hello to Jon Gwilliam - glad to hear that you can read us loud and clear, Jon.
The Pro Fuel Shootout is down on numbers today, with mechanical problems forcing an early exit for Gary Page and the North Herts Engineering FC, and the Shockwave FC reportedly out with an exploded fuel tank. The final is probably already set as only Andy Carter and John Spuffard have made both qualifiers so far, but in drag racing nothing is certain except that nothing is certain.
We had a walk round the pits last night and another this morning and this is what we found out.
Our good buddy Spencer Tramm is having a busy weekend, crewing for Martin Curbishley and working with some of the VW racers, and he was able to bring us news on both fronts.
Martin Curbishley has been steadily creeping up on the combination in his Super Comp/Super Gas roadster. "We went through the routine of setting the stops", said Spencer. "That gave us something to work on and we went 8.999 in Super Comp and 9.94 in Super Gas. Yesterday with the strong wind we didn't know how much to add or take out, so we did a run without changing anything and the car slowed down, then we worked out what to add in for the headwin and went 9.90!".
In VW Pro, only one of the five teams involved hasn't broken anything this weekend, and that is Russ Fellows. He only arrived yesterday as his wife has broken her ankle and Russ has been at home looking after her, but he got a pass out for yesterday and today. If you're reading this, Mrs Fellows, we hope that you make a full recovery very soon. Scotty Evison broke his new engine during a warm-up so he went back to Nottinghamshire for his spare engine. John Rathbone is out with a broken ring and pinion in his gearbox, and Matt Venables is out with no oil pressure. #1 qualifier Paul Jackson has had a number of problems over the weekend but John Rathbone has been helping Paul out and he is expected to make his first-round bye this morning.
It's slightly better news in VW Sportsman where Natasha Garcia is already making a reputation for herself as being very quick out of the hole. Natasha was due to race Cath Bishop this morning but has a bye as Cath has bent a pushrod in her new ride. Chris Kouzaris is also a casualty as his water-cooled engine has a water leak. Spencer tells us that all of the new recruits are doing well and most importantly enjoying themselves.
Super Modified racer Steve Rawlings is also having a very enjoyable weekend, especially on his last qualifying pass. "I tried the transbrake for the first time and I love it!", he said. I told Steve that my impression of riding a transbrake-equipped car is a feeling of being picked up and thrown and he agreed that that is exactly how it is. Steve faces #1 qualifier Danny Cockerill today and even though he is the underdog on paper he is not too worried about the outcome. "I'll get the 100 points for the first round", he said, "and that will be my first points for twelve years". Steve has had a few problems this weekend but said that it was not unexpected. "We expected trouble but we're working through it", he said. "Tim Garlick is going to have a look at my MSDs, and we will have the gas on at Shakespeare County Raceway in a few weeks' time!".
Super Pro ET #1 qualifier Martyn Jones told us that he will be glad to see the back of the tyre shake which he has been suffering this weekend. "Until the last run, the car was vibrating around me rather than shaking me, but it really shook on the last one", he said. Martyn's Crew Chief Crunch has theorised that taking an axe to the chassis would cure the shake, and in fact a number of spectators noticed him talking into the injector stacks on the engine. "I was threatening it!", said Crunch.
In Pro Stock Bike, #1 qualifier Martin Bishop faces ACU Champion Dave Beck in round one. "It's typical, I runa seven and qualify top and then I get Dave", he said. Becky has been experiencing problems with his bike this weekend but was heard to comment that the bike, and perforce Martin, were sorted.
Top Methanol #1 qualifier and new British TM record holder Dave Wilson was "gratified" to hear how easy the American Car Imports team have been making it look this weekend. "You've got to remember that we have only made four full passes in this car", he said, "two at Pomona and the two here". This is the first time in very many years that more than a tenth has been taken off the British record in one go, but Crew Chief Andy Bissett is very modest on the subject. "All we've done is to change the Pomona set-up for the weather here", he said. "I've had to eat humble pie this weekend because I didn't think we could run this quick in Europe!", added Dave Wilson.
Super Pro ET racer Roger Moore was very glad to get back on the horse after Saturday's spill. "I needed that run", he said. "It was a brilliant feeling to get back in". Roger confirmed that the absence of a wing was making itself felt. "It launches like a fuel car - I thought I'd struggle with the Lenco but it's coming - but then it starts to go away at half-track", he said. The car was not damaged too badly. "The Tree did the most damage", said Roger. "It smashed the carb float bowls, and I've been picking pieces of glass out of the manifold". The team will be putting on a new rear wing but Roger says that they are not likely to paint the car again this season.
Pro ET racer Steve Good is having more fun than he thought possible. Steve previously raced in Super Street Rover but doesn't see himself moving back again. "I've had a few problems, but we're getting there", he said. "I've been blowing head gaskets and was using two gallons of fuel a run! Once the clutch has bedded in it will leave a lot better. Everyone has been very helpful, Malcolm Motler and Al Golding have been marvellous".
Fellow new Pro ET racer Terri Lee is also finding the atmosphere genial. "All of the other racers have been so supportive", he said. "I have been a bit nervous but I am really enjoying it". Terri has been to a few RWYBs but is finding racing a different proposition. "It's nice to be on a prepped race track", she said. "You can put your foot right down because the track is so good."
Over in the Top Fuel pit, Andy Carter's Crew Chief Eddie Corr is happy with the way things are going. "Andy's sharp on that pedal", he said. "Andy said that the second run felt different to the first, but the car was tuned exactly the same. Weird". Eddie said that with thirteen seconds to play with to get into the Pro Fuel Shootout final, he has scope for experimentation in today's qualifier. "It'll either be a full pass on the current set-up, or a half-pass on the new tune-up", he said. "The new tune-up is a lot harder from 300 feet, it's too risky off the start line."
Across the way, TF racer Robin Read was pleased to be back. "It's good to be back in the office", he said. "It's a bit like breathing, you don't forget how to breathe. When you get in the car and you're ready to go you feel very calm". Car owner Knut Soderquist gave us the inside story on Susanne Callin's fire yesterday. "A rod split from the wrist pin down, which I have never seen before", he said. "We also found that the clutch we bought from Kenny Bernstein wasn't set up right. But we're putting in a new motor today". Knut has been very impressed with Susanne's progress so far. "She has done everything right", he said. "I am looking forward to seeing her racing at some events this year". Knut is also pleased to have Alan Jackson on the team. "I consider Alan to be one of the best drivers and mechanics there is", he said. "He is not driving because of his business commitments but he enjoys the tuning as much as the driving". We will be seeing the Carbon By Design TF at the Main Event although the pilot has yet to be decided. "The car has low 4.9 potential, and we will have three complete motors at the Main Event", said Knut. "Knut will be ready as always!"
Knut also told us that he is helping out Nobby Hills with his return to Fuel Funny Car. "I've got him an ex-Geromino late-model Camaro body, a Chrisman with carbon brakes, a Nuclear fuel pump, clutch can, and an AFT clutch from Schumacher", he said. "We will help Nobby as much as we can with tuning although he has his own ideas about fuel and clutch management!"
Racing is now underway, stay tuned and we'll bring you the highlights.