2003 Easter Thunderball
Saturday (qualifying)
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20:00
We're all done for the day, the final cycle of qualifying was completed at about 19:20. Given the weather and the other distractions today we never thought we'd make it, but the racers and officials pulled together and Race Director Darren Prentice was a very happy man at the end of the day.
We're halfway to a new speed record in Custom Car Street Eliminator as Steve Pateman clocked 171.86 mph in the final qualifying session, his ET of 8.600 taking the #1 qualifier away from John Sleath who had only just run 8.881.
Here are the top qualifiers in each class:
MSA Top Methanol:
1. Dave Wilson 5.665/253.63
2. Rob Turner 5.951/224.38
3. Steph Milam 6.673/213.45
Super Modified: 1. Andy Hone 9.564/145.65, 2. Kev Perkins 10.456/106.02
Super Pro ET: 1. Mark Flavell +0.008 7.918/173.78, 2. Roger Moore +0.027 8.327/164.82
Pro ET: 1. Terry Wareham +0.011 11.511/119.45, 2. Steve Wells +0.018 9.868/130.67
Sportsman ET: 1. George Greves +0.010 12.610/107.86, 2. Darren Hulkes +0.013 12.013/115.32
Super Comp: 1. Mark Fairhurst 8.956/150.35, 2. Brian Pateman 8.989/143.48
Super Gas: 1. Martin Curbishley 9.930/146.88, 2. Conrad Stanley 9.952/137.31
Super Street: 1. Bob Lees 10.905/131.09, 2. Leigh Morris 10.906/120.84
Junior Dragster: 1. Johnny Walker 0.502, 2. Holly Mitchell 0.538
Custom Car Street Eliminator: 1. Steve Pateman 8.600/171.86, 2. John Sleath 8.881/153.06
VW Pro: 1. Scotty Evison +0.117 12.007/111.44, 2. Paul Woodhead +0.189 11.179/no speed
VW Sportsman: 1. Graham Fairhead +0.006 15.856/84.13, 2. Ian Dale +0.147 13.647/90.09
Top Fuel Bike: 1. Antonio Ferretti 8.685/102.99
Pro Stock Bike: 1. Chris Hope 7.790/162.03, 2. Martin Bishop 7.882/163.03
Funny Bike: 1. Steve French 8.140/165.56, 2. Stu Chamberlain 8.337/160.61
Super Street Bike: 1. Karl Larcombe 8.231/173.59, 2. Graham Dance 8.466/174.99
Comp Bike: 1. Phil Leamon 8.597/157.93, 2. Paul Newman 9.137/146.36
9.90 Bike: 1. Paul Hambidge 9.950/142.38, 2. Fred Furlong 9.960/140.12
10.90 Bike: 1. John Hackney 10.906/130.31, 2. Steve Knapp 10.927/124.96
Today's pictures are now available from the Event Index.
We're now off for a stroll around the pits, tune back in the morning and we'll let you know what we hear.
18:05 Qualifying leaders after second cycle
MSA Top Methanol: Dave Wilson 5.665/253.63
Super Modified: Andy Hone 9.564/145.65
Super Pro ET: Mark Flavell +0.008 7.918/173.98
Pro ET: Terry Wareham +0.011 11.511/119.45
Sportsman ET: George Greves +0.010 12.610/107.86
Super Comp: Mark Fairhurst 8.956/150.35
Super Gas: Tim Adam 9.964/148.19
Super Street: Bob Lees 10.905/131.09
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Andy Frost 8.891/162.66
VW Pro: Russ Fellows +1.97513.075/92.02
VW Sportsman: Graham Fairhead +0.035 15.885/83.97
Top Fuel Bike: Antonio Ferretti 8.685/102.99
Pro Stock Bike: Martin Bishop 7.882/163.03
Funny Bike: Steve French 8.140/165.56
Super Street Bike: Karl Larcombe 8.231/173.59
Comp Bike: Phil Leamon 8.597/157.93
9.90 Bike: Fred Furlong 9.972/140.47
10.90 Bike: John Hackney 10.906/130.31
Qualifying is still continuing with the trackside temperature at 45.3 F, humidity 79% and air pressure 30.03. Stay tuned.
17:45
Top Methanol qualifying Round 2
Dave Wilson 5.66/253.63, Doug Ripley no time recorded
Dave and the American Car Imports team turned the wick up still further in very cold conditions, the car sticking to the track quite happily. Doug clicked it off early, 5.56 coming up on the top end display, but much as we would like to see it, that wasn't a 5.56.
Rob Turner 5.95/224.38, Steph Milam 6.67/213.45
A solid pass from Rob and the Netcall team, the dragster went straight and true with little sign of shake. Steph ran a new PB on this pass, congratulations to the She Devil team.
Top Fuel Bike qualifying round 2
Antonio Ferretti 8.68/102.99
A good launch from Antonio, looked like a cylinder out towards half track and Antonio was off the throttle not long after.
Tony Baker recorded a 6.92/233.04 in Fireforce 1, the team have done something to the afterburner on that car because it is fierce!.
The second cycle of qualifying is now done, stay tuned and we'll bring you the leaders. We are now into cycle three.
17:00
A big hello to our good friend Gittli Koller of Peter Schöfer's crew who is tuned in from Germany doubtless checking out the opposition. Hope you are enjoying the coverage, Gittli.
The weather station is reporting another change, 46.9 F, 69% humidity and rising, and air pressure of 30.06.
The latest lead to change hands is Super Comp, which Mark Fairhurst now leads at 8.95. Steve Harrington made a blizting return to the track, clocking 8.78/153.37, breaking out but Chris Isaacs and the crew didn't care one bit!
In the first round of Super Modified qualifying, Andy Hone clocked 9.56/145.65, looked and sounded like a checkout pass from up here in Race Control. Kev Perkins took an easy half-pass of 13.58/55.21 in Danny Cockerill's Super Mod.
Many thanks to the Top Methanol Championship co-ordinator Dave Alexander for letting us know the story about Doug Ripley's TMFC. It's a story with a happy ending, too. Doug's car failed tech on its fire bottles, but we hear from Dave that Doug got the phone number of a fire bottle manufacturer from Gordon Smith, the fire bottle guy opened his factory especially for Doug, refilled the bottles and replaced the nozzles, Doug came back to the track, fitted the bottles and the car has now passed scrutineering.
Stay tuned!
16:30
The second qualifying cycle is in full swing, with several leads already changing hands. John Hackney of Santa Pod Raceway's timing crew is racing in 10.90 Bike this weekend and clocked 10.906 in the second session to take over the lead. Also on two wheels Steve French took over the lead in Funny Bike with an 8.14, whilst Sarah Jane head suffered a huge fireball a few feet off the line on her bike - she is quite OK as, we understand, is the bike. No changes in the lead in Pro Stock Bike although Ian Burns almost collected the guardrail off the start line trying to better his personal best of 7.92 which he ran in the first session.
Andy Frost has taken over the lead in Custom Car Street Eliminator with an 8.891/162.66, also of note in the CCSE session was Dale Reardon's 10.82/124.11 in Richard Homewood's Willys. Mark Flavell took over the lead in Super Pro ET with a 7.918 on a 7.91 dial-in whilst Trev Capewell (8.27/160.67) and Pat Talbot (7.13/185.84) ran PBs - Pat breaking out and Trev running to the 6.30 index since his car was not displaying a dial-in. Leigh Morris also took over a lead, this time in Super Street, with a 10.906.
Stay tuned and we'll have the second sessions of Top Methanol and Top Fuel Bike, the first session of Super Modified, and all of the other Sportsman class results.
14:50
The first cycle of qualifying is now complete so let's give you the leaders in the classes we have not already mentioned:
Super Street Bike: Karl Larcombe 8.231/173.59
Super Comp (8.90): Mark Fairhurst 9.038/154.75
Super Pro ET (own dial-in): Pat Talbot +0.048 7.228/184.87
Pro ET (own dial-in): Terry Wareham +0.011 11.511/119.45
Super Gas (9.90): Martin Curbishley 9.965/144.62
Super Street (10.90): Mike Bentley 10.921/134.06
Sportsman ET (own dial-in): Al Platt +0.076 12.926/109.86
Comp Bike: Phil Leamon: 8.597/157.93
Pro Stock Bike: Martin Bishop 7.882/163.03
Karl Larcombe's Super Street Bike pass was quite something, we had understood that Karl was to run normally-aspirated in this session but the Krazy Kat team obviously changed their minds! Steve Venables and Tony Clark are both walking like John Wayne after huge mid-track wheelies. Tony still managed an 8.70 on his SSB even with the wheelie but unfortunately he has rodded the engine so he is out for the weekend.
Pat Talbot's #1 qualifier in Super Pro ET was another personal best ET and speed and pretty close to her dial-in; Pat has Rob Loaring and Nick Davies of our Home and News page sponsors ICE Automotive providing consultancy this weekend and Stephen tells us that they are a joy to work with - I guess he feels even better about it now! In Pro ET Bob Doyle wiped out his personal best for the third or fourth time this week with a 10.05 which was way under his dial-in but I don't think that he and wife Tracy will be too worried about that! Fellow Pro ET racer John Everitt is also on a PB with a pass of 9.31, as is Steve Wells with a 9.79.
Congratulations to Rick Denny who has won Eurodragster's Perfect Light Award of �50 with a 0.500 in Sportsman ET qualifying.
The weather conditions on the start line are 50.4 F, 55% humidity, and 30.09 inches air pressure.
The second cycle of a planned three is now underway; we are a couple of hours behind and race director Darren Prentice tells us that he will make the call on a third cycle when he sees how this one goes. Stay tuned.
14:15
Top Methanol qualifying session 1
Steph Milam 7.26/173.97, Rob Turner 12.09/62.30
Steph pedalled shortly off the line then wellied it again and shot up the track, backing off at about 1000 feet. Rob shook violently off the line and was off the throttle by one hundred feet.
Dave Wilson 5.71/244.75
A freezing cold day, a freezing cold track - you wouldn't know it. Dave's first "checkout pass" was as straight and shake-free as you like. Dave had the chutes out in the traps, too.
We understand that Doug Ripley has failed tech, we'll try to get more on that when we do our pit walk later on.
Top Fuel Bike qualifying session 1
Antonio Ferretti 29.95/25.34, Steve Woollatt shut off on line
Antonio's bike sounded very strong indeed but at the hit a belt flew and a torrent of unburnt fuel came out of the headers. Steve was shut off on the line for a fluid leak.
Stay tuned as we're almost at the end of the first cycle of qualifying.
12:55
We had another scary moment here at Santa Pod as Super Gas racer Andy Chilton's engine dumped oil under the slicks near the top end and the car spun out. Luckily Andy was on a checkout pass and was not travelling too fast, Andy managed to keep the car off the guardrail and when the smoke cleared the car was sitting pointed at the top end safety crew. Andy is A-OK, no word yet whether it was the engine or a plug or whatever.
During the downtime Terry and Tina Gibbs proudly announced the birth of Andy and Sarah Carter's son, and their grandson, Albert Terry, who was born at midnight on Thursday. Albert and Sarah are just fine. Congratulations guys!
We're starting again imminently so stay tuned. The weather station reports a very slight change, 47.8 F and rising, 63% humidity and falling, and 30.12 inches of air pressure.
12:00
The weather station reports 45.3 F, 73% humidity and 30.15 inches of pressure on the start line.
The first few classes have had their first qualifier and the leaders are as follows:
Junior Dragster (RT): Johnny Walker 0.502
Custom Car Street Eliminator: Steve Pateman 8.936/168.35
VW Pro (own dial-in): Russ Fellows +4.392 15.492/70.50
VW Sportsman (own dial-in): Graham Fairhead +0.202 15.902/83.80
Funny Bike: Sarah Jane Head 8.402/158.77
9.90 Bike: Martin Walker 10.001/142.73
10.90 Bike: Steve Knapp 10.027/124.96
We were on a hold for a slight drizzle, but it has now stopped. Stay tuned.
10:00
Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway for the first day of the UK National Drag Racing Championships and the Nordic Drag Racing Series. Compared to the last few days it's a bit chilly out there - 47.1 F, 57% humidity and 30.15 inches of air pressure on the start line - but it's dry and qualifying is in full swing. We're here to bring you all the action in association with our friends at American Car Imports.
The Webster Race Engineering/Dragrace Drachten webcam is already on-line, you can view it via the Event Index page.
We had a brief turn around the pits when we got here yesterday and another one this morning and here's what we found out.
Top Methanol Funny Car racer Doug Ripley has a lot of changes to try out on the CC Racing car. "The engine has been bored from 519 inches to 526 inches", said Crew Chief Cliff Gould, "we have upped the blower overdrive, we have new headers, new parachutes, a new wheelie bar and we fixed one of the mags which we found wasn't working. We also have a new trailer which we're finding easier to work from". The car sounded very strong indeed when it was started up yesterday afternoon although Cliff said that it was a little fat. "We're bringing it down a little", he said.
Two pit spaces down, the biggest secret of the off-season was revealed as the new American Car Imports Top Methanol Dragster made its public debut. The dragster is a lot lower to the ground than its predecessor and the rear wing is lower - the latest trend from the USA. "I was gobsmacked at how low it is!", said driver Dave Wilson. "We have had the car for about eight weeks but the wheels only hit the deck two days ago". Car owner Anthony Cohen proudly showed us the Hadman stamp on the car which read 7th January. "This car came out of the workshop straight after Duane Shields' car", he said. One innovation on the new chassis is cables attached at strategic points which can be tightened or slackened to control flex. Whilst your reporter was in the pit, Geoff Martin and Mark Norton of the Tech Crew were inspecting the car and weighing it. The weight break for the ACI dragster put the minimum weight at 1988 lbs, which was easily passed. I asked Dave if he was excited about his first outing, which will be at lunchtime today. "To be honest, I haven't really had time to think about it", he said.
A very busy Eddie Corr and the Carter Motorsports team were working on Andy Carter's dragster quite late into the night. "It's been a long haul getting this car ready", he said. We left the guys to it since they were very busy indeed. Next door in the Fuel pits, Carbon By Design team owner Knut Soderquist was cracking jokes. "Our bullshit department is to be sponsored by a toilet paper company this year, they have given us a year's supply", he said.
Smax Smith, who is having his first run out in Top Fuel this weekend, told us that he had his fitting in one of Knut's cars on Wednesday. "I was in the car for about two minutes", he said, "I can reach the pedals and that's it!". The Purple Loans Top Fueller which Smax is to drive on the FIA Tour this season is not quite ready so Smax is in one of Knut's spares this weekend. "I'm excited about having a go", he said. "I might make my first run today but it will more likely be tomorrow". Smax assured us that the promised scantily-clad Purple Loan girls will be at the Main Event - probably just as well they're not here today. Smax's son Ronan will also be in competition today, driving the Junior Modified dragster which has been named "Astral Projection II" and looks just like Smax's old rail.
Super Gas racer Conrad Stanley is sporting NDRS and Bilsport stickers on his car. Conrad told us that he and fellow Bristol racers Bob Lees, Neil Grant and Zane Llewellyn are planning to run in Scandinavia this season. "Zane's got to come, he knows the way!", said Conrad. Conrad's car is carrying a very nice new colour scheme in a very dark shade of blue, with irridescent flames, and the name of new sponsor Automate Vehicle Generating Systems. "It's an on-board generator system which saves you having to bring a generator", said Conrad. "You start your car's engine and it gives you 240 volts on tickover. There's enough power to stick-weld and mig-weld". Automate MD Phil Butler will be visiting the track soon to get a taste of drag racing.
Top Fuel Bike racer Chris 'Cannon' Hannam will not be on his and Jon Morton's TFB this weekend as the bike is not quite ready. Right now is it being put together under the watchful eye of Frank Brachtvogel. Cannon has found gainful employment this weekend with Neil Midgley's Funny Bike. "It's a lot cheaper than Top Fuel Bike!", he said.
Also on two wheels, Pro Stock Bike racer Martin Bishop arrived yesterday with his van on the back of an AA truck with the caravan towing behind. We understand that Super Gas racer Paul Hudson has also had mechanical woes on the way here. Comp Bike team Jade Racing also had trouble getting here and would like to thank Andy Hayley, Nick Daniels and Dave Bartz for their help.
Super Comp and Gas racer Malcolm Francis was here on Wednesday testing at the Webster Race Engineering test day. "We made some changes to the carbs, manifold and shocks and the car responded", he said.
9.90 Bike racer Stuart Crane is OK after a top end spill on his bike in the first qualifying session. Stuart was straight up as soon as he stopped sliding on the track and the safety crews were there even before then. We're just cleaning oil from the track in the shutdown area and we'll be underway again - stay tuned.