Easter Thunderball
Saturday (qualifying)

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20:00

The top two qualifiers at the end of the first day of qualifying are as follow:

MSA British Top Methanol: 1. Dave Wilson 5.597/252.84, 2. Doug Bond 7.272/119.44
Super Pro ET (own dial-in): 1. Martyn Jones +0.098 (7.748/175.30), 2. Steve Johnson +0.132 (7.592/174.66)
Pro ET (own dial-in): 1. Aiden Kenny +0.050 (11.551/116.14), 2. Steve Dunn +0.050 (10.050/131.81)
Sportsman ET (own dial-in): 1. Paul Voyce +0.013 (13.913/98.43), 2. Ian Jackson +0.030 (14.380/91.53)
Super Comp (8.90): 1. Mark Fairhurst 8.921/151.54, 2. Phil Bennett 8.921/141.36
Super Gas (9.90): 1. Martin Townsend 9.933/139.38, 2. Martin Curbishley 9.945/139.89
Super Street (10.90): 1. Martin Green 10.955/120.75, 2. Bob Molden 10.958/121.39
Junior Dragster (Reaction Time): 1. Stuart Morrice 0.503, 2. Ricky Emms 0.505
Custom Car Street Eliminator: 1. Sue Jackson 9.099/158.59, 2. Steve Pateman 9.100/154.89
Super Modified: 1. Danny Cockerill 8.619/162.58, 2. Rob Smallworth 9.222/144.80
VW Pro (own dial-in): 1. Paul Jackson +0.194 (8.594/148.12), 2. Jon Rathbone +0.759 (11.665/122.86)
VW Sportsman (own dial-in): 1. Stephen Lee +0.087 (15.387/74.32), 2. Brian Burrows +0.568 (14.238/97.89)

Pro Stock Bike: 1. Nick Pepper 7.824/173.54, 2. Helen Curran 8.058/140.68
Funny Bike: 1. Dave Holland 7.221/179.22, 2. Chris Hall 7.240/182.47
Competition Bike: 1. Klaus Brinkmann 8.417/155.47, 2. Sarah Jane Head 8.851/149.07
Super Street Bike: 1. Graham Dance 8.537/168.29, 2. Tony Clark 8.576/171.87
9.90 Bike: 1. Paul Hambidge 9.904/133.66, 2. Paul Newman 9.906/132.50
10.90 Bike: 1. TJ O'Brien 10.927/124.90, 2. Sandra Chaplain 10.931/111.43

Today's pictures are now posted and are available from the event index.

We're off round the pits now to see what we can find out. Tune back tomorrow morning!

18:15

We've just had our day here curtailed by rain. Susanne Callin was lined up in the Carbon By Design Top Fueller all ready to start when the precipitation started. The track crew started to dry the track but then the rain came back and Race Director Darren Prentice had no choice but to call an end.

We are working on today's pictures and qualifying standings so stay tuned and we will be back with those soon.

17:05

The second round of Top Methanol qualifying was contested by three cars. First up was a pairing, Rob Turner and Steph Milam. Rob shook a little past the tree, pedalled, and then got off the throttle past half-track to record 7.39/141.71. Steph put in a solid 8.88/150.38. Next was Doug Bond on a single as Dave Wilson elected to sit this session out. Doug pulled a fine wheelie and was really moving before getting off the throttle at half track, clocking 7.27/119.44. So Top Methanol qualifying stands as follows after two sessions:

1. Dave Wilson 5.59/252.84, 2. Doug Bond 7.27/119.44, 3. Rob Turner 7.39/141.71, 4. Steph Milam 8.88/150.38.

Martin Hill followed up with a pass of 6.45/235.94 in the Fireforce 2 Jet FC.

As you will know from earlier reports it's been a day of thrills and spills and it's not over yet as Colin Aldred had a go at the wheelie altitude record in his Pro ET slingshot. The car easily made 45 degrees before thumping back down. Colin is quite OK and the chassis didn't look to have suffered any major damage. We have pictures so tune back later. As we were typing this update Sarah Day took a wild ride in the Double Trouble roadster, the car getting out of shape and hitting a pendulum effect before swapping lanes. Sarah kept hold of it and managed to keep the car off the guardrail.

Custom Car Street Eliminator qualifying is currently underway and Sue Jackson has just become #1 qualifier with a great pass of 9.09/158.59. Steve Neimantas is turning up the wick in his blown Aston Martin, clocking 9.35/156.25. Just waiting for Steve Pateman...in stage...9.24 at a huge 164.37 so Sue Jackson keeps the number one spot for now.

We'll be back later on with news of the rest of the day's qualifying.

15:10

No sooner do we get going again than we have another spill, this time Tim Garlick in his Super Mod. A water hose leaked and the fluid got under the rear slick at launch, and the Cortina turned hard right and started to spin round. Tim did a great driving job as at one point it appeared that the car was headed for the guardrail, but Tim saved it and just tapped the rail on the front right side.

The preceding Funny Bike qualifying session had some fine performances, with Neil Midgley getting the first hard and straight launch I think I've seen him make on this bike, clocking 8.10/137.91. Chris Hall improved on his earlier stunner with a 7.24/182.47, and Dave Holland stepped up with a great 7.40/173.75.

We'll be back later on, we are now running an hour or so late. Stay tuned.

14:30

We're just stopped for cleanup here as Roger Moore on his first Super Pro ET pass after a year out has demolished the Christmas Tree in a frightening start line accident, thankfully without any injury. The car turned hard right off the line and went up on its side, taking the Tree with it and sliding into the right hand guardrail. The Tree ended up wedged between the Herald and the guardrail. It was quite a complex operation getting Roger out of the car but he walked to the ambulance and is perfectly OK. The tech crew are now working very hard indeed to replace the Tree whilst the track crew are finishing the cleanup.

The lead in a number of classes has changed hands in the last qualifying cycle. Amongst the highlights were Steve Johnson's return to Super Pro ET also after some time out, running 7.59 on a 7.46 dial-in, and Steve Pateman running 9.1/154.89 in Custom Car Street. The current standings are as follow:

10.90 Bike: TJ O'Brien 10.927/124.90
9.90 Bike: Paul Newman 9.906/132.50
Super Street Bike: Graham Dance 8.537/168.29
Pro Stock Bike: Helen Curran 8.276/164.94
Comp Bike: Sarah Jane Head 8.851/149.07
Funny Bike: Chris Hall 7.257/187.07
VW Sportsman: Stephen Lee +0.087 15.387/74.32
VW Pro: Paul Jackson +0.194 8.594/148.12
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Steve Pateman 9.100/154.89
Sportsman ET: Paul Voyce +0.013 13.913/98.43
Pro ET: Aiden Kenny +0.031 11.551/116.14
Super Pro ET: Steve Johnson +0.132 7.592/174.66
Super Street: Martin Green 10.955/120.75
Super Gas: Dave Townshend 9.944/139.45
Super Comp: 8.921/151.54
Junior Dragster: Stuart Morrice 0.503

Stay tuned and we'll be back when action re-starts.

12:30

We've just had the first session of MSA Top Methanol qualifying and Dave Wilson has delivered the first warning shot to his competitors with an astounding 5.597/252.84. The tyres didn't light up on the burnout but it didn't seem to bother Dave at all, a very straight pass with the car really accelerating hard towards the top end. Nice one guys! Steph Milam in the other lane was on a planned squirt to the top of first gear, recording 12.71/69.28.

Darren Hulkes did indeed completely destroy the transmission on his first qualifying pass in Sportsman ET so we won't be seeing him again this weekend. Other casualties have been Pro ET racer Jack Brewster and VW Pro racer Scotty Evison. Jack was towed off the track with ominous clanking sounds coming from the car.

Another of today's undoubted highlights was a superb, straight 7.25/183.07 by Chris Hall on his Funny Bike. We were also pleased to see the return of Sarah Jane Head on a Comp Bike, putting in a nice pass in the 8.8s at 149 mph. Helen Curran's first full pass on a Pro Stock Bike netted an 8.27/164.94 but she got a little out of shape at the top end.

Some of the qualifying sessions have been light on contestants but right now the #1 qualifiers in each class are as follow:

Super Comp: Paul Knight 9.150/150.52
Super Gas: Martin Curbishley 10.070/141.52
Super Street: Bob Molden 11.117/115.85
Custom Car Street Eliminator: John Sleath 9.871/133.60
VW Pro: Paul Jackson +0.194 8.594/148.12
VW Sportsman: Martin Ayton +0.363 17.063/80.57
Pro ET: Aiden Kenny +0.031 11.551/116.14
Sportsman ET: Paul Bishop +0.084 17.084/80.04
Super Street Bike: Graham Dance 8.649/170.51
9.90 Bike: Paul Hambidge 10.177/131.05
10.90 Bike: TJ O'Brien 11.066/125.11
Funny Bike: Chris Hall 7.25/183.07
Junior Dragster (RT): Stuart Morrice 0.503

The charity bed race for Sue Ryder resulted in a straight-up win for the Enemas against the Drips.

Stay tuned and we'll be back with the next set of qualifying highlights very soon.

10:40

Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway on the first day of our Easter Thunderball coverage in association with American Car Imports. It's the first day of the 2002 UK National Championships, it's a nice spring day, and we're all set for the first session of qualifying.

A big Good Morning to all of our friends in Malta whom we know are tuned in today.

When we arrived yesterday the first pit we reached was, appropriately enough, the American Car Imports Top Methanol Dragster pit. The new dragster arrived in one piece from the USA and it looks just great. The 250+ mph car features all of the latest gadgets and state-of-the-art parts including a Racepak computer and PSI blower. Driver Dave Wilson has had a very busy time of it with the trip to the USA. "I've had easier off-seasons when I've been building a car!", he said. "We've got the tune-up from our last run at Pomona in the car for the first run, we'll just adjust it for the air and see how it goes", said Crew Chief Andy Bissett.

Car owner Anthony Cohen is very pleased with his purchase. "We have two complete engines", he said, "new transmission, new clutch, new heads, new everything! The computer has every parameter you can think of including a G meter. I'm particularly proud of the new PSI blower. No-one in the USA who is serious about racing doesn't have one". Anthony is also very impressed with the team. "I like to have the best and they are the best", he said. They work well both together and individually. Dave is a good driver and is renowned for understanding the engineering side of drag racing. And Andy Bissett is a very bright guy". American Car Imports have got into drag racing in a big way this season, as well as sponsoring the Top Methanol Dragster and Eurodragster's live coverage the company have bought sponsorship boards at the track, have a number of their customers here this weekend experiencing drag racing, and are loaning Santa Pod a pick-up at each race.

Not far from the Top Methanol pits we found the Super Modified field setting up. Tim Garlick was the first Super Modified racer we encountered. Tim has a new rear end on the Cortina, a Pro Gear which is beefier than the Street item previously in place. Tim told us that he has not had to do a lot of work on the engine over the winter. "I just want to make it reliable before I start work on the clutch and nitrous", he said.

Next door, fellow Super Modified racer Steve Rawlings explained that he had had some chassis modifications made over the winter. "I did my licencing passes at Shakespeare County Raceway last year but I had to stay below ten seconds because the chassis didn't pass tech", he said. "I've got new TSR gearbox components, a new Pro Mod converter, and an ICE nitrous system". The car was originally built for Pro Mod some years ago. "Super Modified is now running the times which Pro Mod was running at that time", said Steve.

In the Fuel Funny Car pit, Mark Hawkins told us that the North Herts Engineering FC is ready to go with new pilot Gary Page. "We'll do a burnout and a launch today and then go for it tomorrow!", he said. The car has some additional detailing with some fetching green checks on the bonnet, and yellow NHE on the butterflies. The name SL Transport is also on the bonnet. "SL Transport own the rig", explained Mark, "and they work on the car. Steve and I have known each other for a long time."

There was a lot of new equipment on display at the Shockwave Fuel FC pit. "New fuel timers, new fuel management system, new mags and mag drive" said driver Gordon Smith. The Firebird also has a new rear wing which looks very smart indeed in the FC's red and gold colours. "We also have a new engine in the trailer which Dave (Crew Chief and co-owner - Ed) will be putting together today", said Gordon, "and as if that wasn't enough we have a new tractor and trailer". There is an impressive list of sponsors on the car: ABAC, Autolite, Ko Propo, Fram, Earl's, RCS Cables and Millennium Computers are all involved this season. I asked Gordon if he would be putting in any shakedown passes today to test out the new kit. "Really you need about eight runs to work out the fuel system and timers", he said, but you can't afford to do it. So we are going straight into it tomorrow. But luckily Dave is bloody good, we don't have a computer on it so Dave tunes it on what I tell him and what he sees".

Defending Pro Fuel Shootout Champions Showtime Racing are working with a new blower belt system this weekend. "The blower belts were three inches wide, but are now 3.4 inches", said Crew Chief Bob Jarrett. "Three inches was enough for us but they don't make them any more!". Bob showed me the new kit necessitated by the new-width belt: a pulley, thirteen other small pieces, and an invoice for $675.

The Fireforce 2 Jet Funny Car looks very clean in its new paint scheme which was designed by twelve-year-old Henry Spinks. Martin Hill and the team performed some tie-down tests on the afterburner and were pleased with the outcome. "It's not been lit since last year, so we were just checking it out", he said. "It works! We have one run today, if it works OK then we will lean on it tomorrow."

If you come to Santa Pod Raceway this weekend then be sure to swing by the pit of Custom Car Street Eliminator racer Sue Jackson. Sue and husband Ian have some great T-Shirts on sale this weekend. The front of the shirt features the team logo, and the back of the shirt has a picture of the 'Vette and the legend "The bitch is back".

Also in the CCSE pit, Jon Webster raised eyebrows by towing a trailer behind his new Mustang. "The trailer had all my tools and everything else I needed", said Jon. The Mustang currently totes the engine from Jon's roadster although a new turbo-equipped engine is on its way later this season. "I feel like I'm bringing a knife to a gunfight", said Jon. There are a number of surprises in this car, for example air-conditioning, CD, electric mirrors, door alarm and cup holder. As an added attraction, the nitrous purges through the mouth of the Cobra ornament on the front-left wing of the car. We'll get to see the first purge tomorrow as Jon plans normally-aspirated passes today and a small amount of gas tomorrow. Jon has had a lot of help with the Mustang from various companies. On one side of the car is the web address www.rrp.uk.com, a fabrication company which Jon tells us has made a big contribution to the forthcoming turbo engine. Borla Exhaust have given Jon a lot of support and product, and Pace Products provided the radiator. In addition, Jon tells us that he is very grateful for the continued support of Dave Eady.

Pro ET racer Colin Aldred has also entered his new Classy Chassis slingshot into Super Comp this weekend. "I'll be happy with a 9.5", he said. Colin's new chassis is almost a duplicate of his previous item although the new Andy Robinson-built version is good to 7.5 seconds. Colin also has a number of sponsors to thank. "My primary sponsor is Delphi Automotive", he said. "Direct Lighting supply logistics, Koni donated a pair of shocks, and TRS donated a five-point harness in silver to match the bodywork!".

Very welcome visitors from Germany are Klaus Sarembe and Klaus Brinkmann on their Comp Bikes. "I hope to do better this year", said Klaus Sarembe. "I've made changes to the nitrous and the clutch and tried to get some weight off it."

A couple of pit bays down, Funny Bike racer Dave Holland doesn't dare do any damage this weekend. "My spare motor isn't ready", he said. As well as Titanium International Limited, Dave also has sponsorship from Duncan McCullock at Turbo Services. "Duncan has got a lot more involved this season", said Dave. Nigel Hoskison of TIL is again with Dave's team this weekend and they are joined by Tony Lawrence also of TIL. The team also have a birthday to celebrate today - happy birthday to team member Claire.

The two Volkswagen Drag Racing Championship classes are well-represented this weekend and we have some new entries. VW Sportsman racers Natasha Garcia and Adele Atherton are making their first competitive outings here at Santa Pod; Adele has attended three RWYBs and Natasha has made a run down the track although not in her Beetle. Steve Nelmes is also running his first full season in his 1776 cc Beetle. "I don't know how much money and time I have spent getting ready for this season", he said. Steve's VW is carrying the name of the Dopey Buggers, a VW group in Gloucester. The VW classes have contingency sponsorship this season, Volksbits are sponsoring VW Sportsman and Volkszone.com are sponsoring VW Pro.

Qualifying started bang on time at 10:00 and very soon after we had to stop after Sportsman ET racer Darren Hulkes left a trail of trans fluid all the way down the track. From race control it looked as if a slick was rubbing as Darren left a trail of smoke all the way down, but unfortunately the word came up from the track that we had liquid. Qualifying will re-start shortly, so stay tuned and we'll bring you all the hot news.