2004 FIA Main Event
Run What You Brung, Sunday 23rd May
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22:20
We've now posted today's pictures; you can access them via the Event Index page.
We'll be back on Friday for the first day of qualifying for the FIA Main Event, stay tuned to Eurodragster News for all the latest in the run-up to the race.
18:05
Micke Kågered rounded off the day with a launch in the Bahco Tools Top Fueller. A short burnout and then the car stuck to the track nice as you like, 0.862 to sixty feet and then Micke was off the throttle.
17:45
Håkan Nilsson closed out his account for today with a 7.189/125.60 in his Pro Mod. The car left the line very hard, 0.090 Reaction Time and 1.047 to sixty feet, when Håkan got to about 500 feet the car started to sway left and right, he pedalled briefly and then got off the throttle and had the chutes out by 1000 feet.
Stay tuned.
17:25
Patrick Wikström's last run of today was a great 6.445/208.42. Patrick pulled a huge burnout and rolled to half-track, then 1.030 to sixty feet and the chutes out on the line again bringing the speed down.
Micke Kågered is due to run in the Bahco Tools TF within the next half hour, stay tuned.
16:40
Micke Gullquist followed in his Pro Mod shortly after Håkan Nilsson and a much better result for Micke this time. The car seemed very languid off the line, 1.220 to sixty feet would tend to confirm that, but more importantly no shake and pretty straight. Micke pedalled for a moment at about half track and it didn't sound as if he got the top gear, 7.356/188.39.
Colin Aldred went immediately after Micke and clocked 9.360/141.02 in the Classy Chassis slingshot, no wheelie off the line this time.
Stay tuned.
16:30
Håkan Nilsson is in the 6.4s again with a 6.438/211.18 on his latest pass. The Veidec Camaro was blackstriping for a lot of the way and the car was moving around some. Håkan pulled a nice 0.091 reaction time and got to sixty feet in 1.043.
Finnish Pro Stock Bike racer Vesa Rautio has put in his first pass of the day, a promising-looking run had to be cut short when the bike crossed lanes just before 1000 feet. Vesa clocked 4.914/124.61 to half-track.
Also on two wheels, Comp Bike racer Stuart Crane clocked 9.559/134.41 on his latest pass...and just as I type this here he is again...9.251/138.55. A very nice-looking Supertwin Gas bike belonging to John Floyd clocked 10.693/131.97.
Mark Pointer's latest pass in his Super Street Mustang was a 10.997/122.53.
15:45
Urs Erbacher has taken Low ET and Top Speed of the weekend with his second pass of the day in his TMFC, 5.932/243.31. There is plenty more in there as Urs hit shake just after he passed 60 feet in 0.986 and the shake went on to 300 feet - you could hear the throttle being gently feathered.
Patrick Wikström followed with his quickest run of the weekend so far in his Pro Mod, a nice burnout followed by a long time sat behind the start line as the crew measured the wheelie bar height, then 1.030 to sixty feet, some shake between about 80 and 150 feet, but stayed with it to record 6.433/207.18. Patrick had the chutes out just before the line which explains the 'low' speed.
Robert Koper was next up in his Pro Mod and there was audibly more power off the line, the car headed left and Robert very briefly pedalled, 1.092 to sixty feet, chutes out at 1000 feet, 8.025/119.40.
Trackside conditions right now are 20.2C, 36% humidity and 30.36 inches air pressure, stay tuned.
15:10
Jöran Persåker has had another new Top Fuel experience with a fire on his latest pass, a very strong launch with a 0.879 sixty foot time, then a lot of things happened at once. The car turned to the right, one of the tyres started to smoke, the header flames turned green on one side, then there was a huge ball of flame from the engine. Jöran rolled through to an 11.144/56.52 leaving a trail of oil behind him. The safety crew met Jöran on the shutdown area and he is perfectly OK.
Micke Gullquist hit the dreaded shake on his latest pass in his Pro Mod. After a 100 foot burnout the car left strongly at the hit but then suddenly turned hard right at about thirty feet with the 'caterpillar' tracks plainly visible. 1.061 to sixty feet, Micke got off the throttle, straightened it up and then nailed it again, recording 9.162/161.82.
On the Sportsman front, Matthew Seamarks clocked 15.891/38.16 in the Gingerman Racing Junior Dragster, with a 0.173 reaction time. Colin Aldred clocked 9.290/141.04 in his slingshot moments after your reporter guessed 9.28 for this pass, Mark Pointer was back in the 10s with a 10.971/120.82 in his Super Street Mustang, and Nicky Frost clocked 10.660/128.45 in her Pro ET Camaro.
We're down for cleanup at the moment, stay tuned.
14:20
Håkan Nilsson was the next racer to put in a pass after Micke and it was another very good-looking run. Håken blackstriped almost the entire length of the track, 1.067 to sixty feet and 6.507/214.31 at the stripe for the Veidec Pro Mod. Robert Koper followed up, a much better-looking run on this occasion although the car appeared to hesitate a couple of times, 1.093 to sixty feet and 7.995/148.61.
13:55
Micke Kågered kicked off this afternoon with his second-ever pass in the new Bahco Tools Top Fueller. A nice burnout and a very solid launch, 0.918 to sixty feet although it looked quicker. The tyre tracks were solid from the start line to 100 feet and then you can clearly see where Micke hit shake, he got off the throttle and idled through to a 9.102/71.19.
13:15
Henri Joosten's second pass of the day in his Pro Mod was a 6.818/197.59. Henri clocked 1.115 to sixty feet then drove through shake from about 100 to 200 feet. Robert Koper's latest pass was very similar to his previous run, gentle off the start line and then the car headed for the centre line and Robert got off it, 10.455.
Super Comp/Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com/Scorpion Racing Award sponsor Colin Aldred's first pass of the day in his Classy Chassis slingshot was a 9.366/139.80. Colin pulled the customary wheelie off the start line. In the other lane, rookie Pro ET racer Nicky Frost ran 11.159/128.51.
Kane Jones' second run of the day in his Junior Dragster was a 10.887/58.13, 0.120 Reaction Time.
We're now on a lunch break until 13:45 so come back after that time and we'll bring you all the action.
12:45
Roger Johansson told us earlier on today that he was planning half passes in his Pro Mod...I guess he changed his mind with a 6.690/205.27, recording 1.099 to sixty feet. There was a lot of smoke at the finish line but word came back from the top end that Roger thought that it was a tyre rubbing on the bodywork.
Magnus Hansson followed on in his Pro Stock, we knew it was coming and Magnus delivered: 6.979/198.22. The run was a lot straighter than his previous passes this weekend but still not arrow-straight, so there is some more in there yet. Nice one Magnus!
Stay tuned.
12:30
Jöran Persåker's second pass in the Persåker Speed Shop Top Fuel Dragster was a 10.359/83.83. Crew Chief Alan Jackson said that he had backed it down a little after yesterday's very rapid sixty foot time, on this run it was 0.885. The car left very strongly, Jöran got off the throttle at about two hundred feet and idled through.
Robert Koper followed in his Pro Mod, a nice burnout and then the car left the line at what sounded like low revs, as Robert opened the throttle some more the car went out of shape so he aborted the run, 11.100/86.40.
Next up was Patrick Wikström, a great burnout to 300 feet had the RWYB spectators on their feet clapping, on launch the car headed for the centre line with tyres shaking a little, 1.023 to sixty feet, Patrick stayed on the throttle and got the car back to the middle of the lane. Chutes out on the finish line but still recording 6.573/211.29.
Håkan Nilsson was the last of this group of Pro Mods, burnout to the Tree and then a tremendous pass, no hint of shake, 1.036 to sixty feet, straight as you like, 6.416/215.35.
Track conditions right now are 17.4C, 41% humidity and 30.39 inches of air pressure.
Stay tuned and we'll be back soon with more of today's news.
12:10
Urs Erbacher has put in his first pass of the day in his TMFC and it was a very fine run. 0.977 to sixty feet, not much of a hint of shake, off the throttle at half track and the chutes out before the finish line to clock 6.949/115.60. Urs' left chute punted the finish line reflector across the track.
Dave Day's second pass in the roadster netted him a 9.634/147.48, whilst Mark Pointer's latest pass in his Super Street Mustang was an 11.030/123.29. Comp Bike racer Stuart Crane is here, with Steve French crewing, and his first pass of the day was a 10.393/131.64.
Jöran Persåker is about to make his first pass of the day, stay tuned.
11:15
Henri Joosten was next up of our Pro Mod contingent and he put in a very nice pass, 1.118 to sixty feet and on the chutes right on the finish line, 6.858/190.69. Roger Johansson followed, a fine burnout and then Roger was shut off for an oil leak.
Robert Koper was next up, when he hit the throttle the car jumped up - I'd swear that all four wheels came off the track - and he hit bad shake, idling through to 14.264/75.74. Micke Gullquist closed off the group of Pro Mods with terrible shake although he got to sixty feet in 1.063, the car then turned hard right and Micke got off the throttle, 13/566/58.89.
Magnus Hansson's first run of the day in his Pro Stock was also hit by tyre shake, 1.050 to sixty feet but he was off the throttle not long after, cruising through to a 16.417/85.51.
10.90 Bike racer Phil Pratt's latest run was a 10.853/125.69, and Junior Dragster racer Kane Jones pulled a 0.118 reaction and an 11.119/56.62 in his JMD.
Urs Erbacher and Jöran Persåkers' cars have been warmed up, the pairing lanes are busy, stay tuned.
10:30
Good morning and welcome back to Santa Pod Raceway on another fine day. We have hardly a cloud in the sky, 15.0 C, 51% humidity and 30.39 inches of air pressure at the start line. It's the second day of testing for the FIA Main Event and we're here to bring you all the news in association with American Car Imports.
The Webster Race Engineering/MPM Oil webcam is on-line and broadcasting a picture every two minutes, you can reach the webcam via the Event Index.
We're straight into the action today as the strip was opened early. First racer out on track was Dave Day in his and Sarahs' Super Comp/Super Gas roadster, an 8.589/153.03 a good opener. Super Street racer Mark Pointer was next up with a 10.915/121.85 followed by a 10.826/122.94.
The first Pro racer to venture out today was Pro Mod racer Håkan Nilsson, a very nice pass: no hint of shake, 1.046 to sixty feet, chutes out just before the finish line, 6.511/198.22. That will have been a great 43rd birthday present for team member Conny Johansson, happy birthday Conny!
Roger Johansson, Henri Joosten and Robert Koper are in the collection area so tune back shortly and we'll let you know how they get on.