2006 FIA European Finals
Thursday (Sportsman qualifying)
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The latest updates are at the top of the page. Click on your Browser's Refresh key to be sure of seeing the latest news. Click here to go back to the event index 20:30 Today's pictures are now available, you can view them via the event index page. If you don't see the pictures when you load the gallery page then click on your Browser's Refresh key. We'll be back tomorrow morning with all the news from day two of the FIA European Finals. 17:00 Junior Dragster qualifying top five after session 4:
Matthew Seamarks moved into #3 spot in the first pairing of this session. He was then bumped down a place by Michael Herron who came into the top five at #3 and again by Peter Walters who took over #4 spot. Becky Evans then took over #3 spot with her first run of the day and the last run of the session. Comp Eliminator qualifying after session 4:
Andy Frost got to run in this session and took over the #1 spot. That's the end of qualifying for today. We're now going to start work on today's pictures so stay tuned and we'll have those for you soon. 16:50 Sportsman ET qualifying top five after session 4:
Mick Smith moved into the top five, #3 at that point for the historic Money Hungry. 16:45 Super Comp qualifying top five after session 4:
No changes to the top five in this session. The top twelve qualifiers are now in the 8.9s. 16:35 9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 4:
Shaun Spiers moved back into the top five with a Personal Best, good for #5 at that point. Anders Gronvall then came in at #4 and bumped Shaun down a spot, two of our four Swedish visitors together in the standings. Andy Bird then came back in to the top five at #2 and that left us with nine of our qualifiers in the 9.5s. As we have now got behind with a couple of lengthy (in distance) clean-ups, we are now not going to have a fifth cycle today. Track temperature at the end of this session was 32.3 C, air temperature was 22.1 C and air pressure 30.27 inches. 15:55 Nick Davies followed the Super Pro ET session with a 7.865/123.90 in the Havoc blown-alcohol altered. The engine was smoking at half-track, 4.574/152.12 at half track, by which point Nick had shut off and he then put the chute out at about 1000 feet - and still ran a seven! We're now on hold for clean-up, stay tuned. 15:50 Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 4:
Mick Kemp moved into the top five, into #4 spot in the last but one pairing of the session. Pat Talbot returned to the sixes with a 6.964/193.16 - it was on a 7.00 dial-in but a jubilant Steve Talbot didn't look that bothered about the break-out! Also breaking out was Lee Darby with a superb 8.550/159.62 from the DKM Construction pick-up, on an 8.56 dial-in. Next up is Nick Davies in the Havoc blown-alcohol altered. 15:20 Martin Hill's first run of the event in the Fireforce 3 Jet FC was a 6.588/254.35. Super Street qualifying top five after session 4:
Bob Lees moved into the top five in this session, #5 at that point. Track temperature at the end of this session was 29.2 C, air temperature 21.3 C and air pressure 30.24 inches. 15:05 Super Gas qualifying top five after session 4:
Tim Adam moved into the top five at #4 in the first pairing of this session. The top twelve qualifiers are in the 9.9s. Next up is Martin Hill in the Fireforce 3 Jet FC. 15:00 Pro ET qualifying top five after session 4:
Anthony Wilkins took over the lead from twenty ninth place with today's third perfect run, but then the Chevy left a trail of trans fluid down the shutdown area, hopefully nothing serious. Nick Good moved into #3 spot in the last but one pairing. Before the clean-up, SPRC Race Director Darren Prentice had just announced that he was looking at adding a fifth cycle of qualifying. 14:25 Junior Dragster qualifying top five after session 3:
Jayne Kay took over the lead in the first pairing of this session. Next up, Clare Giles moved into the top five, #5 at that point. Peter Walters then took over #5 spot but in the next pairing was bumped down a place by Matt Seamarks. In the final pairing of the session, Vicky Molden moved into the top five at #3. Comp Eliminator qualifying after session 3:
Spencer Tramm the only participant in this session and he improved still further with another Personal Best, well done Spencer! We're going into cycle 4, stay tuned... 14:10 Sportsman ET qualifying top five after session 3:
Graham Fairhead moved back into the top five at #4, and then Nick Gay took over #4 from him in the next pairing. 14:05 Super Comp qualifying top five after session 3:
No changes to the top five in until the very last pairing when Pete Cresswell took over the #1 spot. 14:00 9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 3:
Shaun Spiers shaved off a thousandth but stayed in place, a few pairings later Ed Smiley moved in at #4 and bumped Shaun down a place. Chris Jones clocked 9.576 on his return to racing after engine damage, which was good for #6 spot at that point. A couple of pairings later Jonas Mohren became the first of our Swedish visitors into the top five, #3 at that point. Next to run was Richard Hann who moved into the top five at #3. The top ten qualifiers are in the 9.5s, and the naughtiest SSB racer is Steve Venables at 7.703. 13:50 Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 3:
Congratulations to Steve Green who took the Eurodragster.com/Speedflow Perfect Light Award with a 0.000 in this session, and the Pat Ginn Appeal receives another £25. Paul Marston moved into #4 spot. No other changes to the top five but a new Personal Best ET for Nev Mottershead, 8.422 which was a breakout on his 8.50 dial-in, but after his fuel pump problems yesterday he will be pleased to be going back in the right direction. Another Personal Best too for the Hooligan himself, Mark Pointer, with a 7.418/185.26, good boy! Jöran Persåker returned to the fray only having got his engine back yesterday. His Trans Am hit bad shake off the line and weaved all over its lane but Jöran wasn't getting off it for anything and ran 7.450. From Race Control the shake marks look like a pair of very fat caterpillars and spell out a big S on the track. 13:30 Super Street qualifying top five after session 3:
Ful Lievaart improved, holding on to #1 spot. At the end of this session we have nine in the 10.9s and four breakouts. 13:25 Super Gas qualifying top five after session 3:
Changes within the top five in consecutive pairings as Jon Evans moved up to #3 and in the next pairing Brian Pateman moved up to #4. Alan O'Connor reminded us of days gone by with a big wheelie from Al's Gasser. He's still got it! The top nine qualifiers are in the 9.9s. 13:15 Pro ET qualifying top five after session 3:
Aidan Kenny moved into #5 spot at that point, the top five really tightening up, and then Kev Slyfield moved back into the top five and bumped Aidan down a spot. Side-by-side improvements for Chris Hodgkins and Neil Hunter, Chris by a thousandth to stay in #2 and Neil to move back into the top five at #3. Air temperature at the end of this session was 22.3 C, air pressure 30.18 inches, and track temperature 31.4 C. 13:00 Sportsman ET qualifying top five after session 2:
Graham Fairhead improved but stayed in place, then in the next pair Ian Petrie took over #2 spot at that point to bump him out of the top five. A couple of pairings later Martin Lewis moved into #3 spot. Dave Nelson spun his Jaguar in the shutdown area during this session, the re was a big cloud of smoke but when it cleared it was clear that car hadn't hit anything and that Dave was quite OK. What Dave's dad thought about that we can only imagine! Junior Dragster qualifying top five after session 2:
Scott Hauser moved into #4 spot in the first pairing, only to be bumped down by Jayne Kay in the next pair. Come the next pair Nick Mugridge took over #5 spot. Ross improved his reaction and held on to #1 spot. Comp Eliminator qualifying after session 2:
Andy Frost again didn't get to run as he was shut off for a fluid leak. Spencer Tramm improved and stayed in #1 spot. That's cycle two done, we're going straight into cycle 3. 12:40 Super Comp qualifying top five after session 2:
Paul Knight took over #1 spot in the first pair. A very slight improvement and a fraction on the terminal speed for Marck Harteveld but he stayed in place. In the next pairing Chris Johnson took over the lead from Paul Knight. One pairing later Phil Bennett moved into #3 spot at that point. Another pairing later Belinda Bull moved into #2 spot with another 8.9087 but Chris having run it first stayed in #1 spot. Interesting to see Geof Hauser overseeing Eurodragster.com Home and News sponsor Malcolm Francis on his pass. 12:30 9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 2:
Andy Haley took over the lead with a perfect run, well done Andy and better luck next time on the Perfect ET money! As far as we can recall that is the first perfect run since 9.50 Bike started. Phil Surridge moved into the top five at #2 in the next pairing. 12:25 Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 2:
Pat Talbot moved into the top five at #2 at that point, running on the blue bottle this weekend. A couple of pairings later, Eurodragster.com News sponsor Derek Flynn won the Eurodragster.com/LA Racing Parts Perfect ET Award going bang-on his dial-in, and that's £25 to the Pat Ginn Appeal in Derek's name. In the next pairing Barry Giles moved into the top five at #5 only to be bumped down a place by Ian Tubb who went in to #2 spot. Nigel Payne was in the next pairing and moved into #4 spot. I had trouble keeping up with all of the changes in this session, the top five is unrecognisable from the first round! Wayne Nicholson's first full pass in his beautiful new 'Vette was an 8.444/155.06, plenty left as there was a little hesitation on the run. Track temperature at the start of this session was 26.3 C, air temperature 23.1 C and air pressure 30.15 inches. 11:55 Super Street qualifying top five after session 2:
Nick Griffin went right side and into #2 spot at that point, only for John Grant to improve and tyake his #2 spot back. Dave Cherrett must have backed off at about 400 feet this time after backing off at half track in the last session and running a 10.7 but he moved into #4 spot. Also into the top five in this session came Paul Spiers. 11:45 Super Gas qualifying top five after session 2:
Lots of changes to the top five in this session. First up was Brian Pateman who moved in at #3 with his first run of the day. Mike Bentley improved but stayed in #4 at that point, then in the next pairing Bob Doyle took over the lead. Wayne Hiscock moved into #5 but was then bumped down a place by Frank Mason who moved in to #3. 11:40 Pro ET qualifying top five after session 2:
Kev Slyfield made a big move in this session, from the thirties up to #4 spot at that point. Paul Baynton then took over the lead and almost relieved us of £50. A couple of pairings later Moose took over #4 spot and Kev was out of the top five. Saving the best to last was Anders Envall who moved up more than forty places to take #3 spot in the last pairing and beat his personal best. Well done Bostic! Matt Eley had a hairy moment in his Risky Trip Pop when it pulled up the front end and made a hard right turn. The car was up on wheel for a moment, started to tip over and crossed lanes but Matt did a great job to save it, getting off the throttle and calmly steering back to his own lane. We think a new PB or thereabouts for Street Eliminator racer Jason Weir with a 9.486 despite smoking the tyres off the line and having to pedal. 11:20 Junior Dragster qualifying top five after session 1:
Comp Eliminator qualifying after session 1:
Street Eliminator racer Andy Frost running in AT/A was pushed back from the start line in this session. That's qualifying cycle 1 done and dusted, straight into cycle 2. 11:10 Sportsman ET qualifying top five after session 1:
11:00 Super Comp qualifying top five after session 1:
Seven racers broke out in this session! 10:50 9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 1:
PiPPi tells us that our four Swedish visitors are all from Malmö, and that it is their first time here. All four bikes are street-legal. Steve Venables' Super Street Bike, which is running in 9.50 Bike this weekend and leads the naughtiness at 7.983, is sporting a very nice new paint scheme in green. The bike wouldn't look out of place in Mats Eriksson's pit! Mark Watkin's bike disappeared into a cloud of smoke in the shutdown area and pieces of metal were found on the track. Track temperature is 25.5 C, air temperature 21.3 C and we have 30.15 inches of air. 10:25 Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 1:
Mark Pointer clocked a Personal Best of 7.531 in his panel van. We had a worrying moment in the next pairing as the returning Al Golding's Firenza disappeared into a cloud of smoke in the shutdown area, but word came back from the top end that it was a tyre rubbing on the bodywork. We think also a PB for Nigel Payne in the Sticky Situation 'Vette, 7.969 on a 7.99 dial-in. Nev Mottershead had to change a fuel pump last night after problems at the Press Day, I guess it worked fine! A PB too, we think, for Rick Cooke who told us that he will be turning it up a bit this weekend to try to get into the sevens. 9:55 Super Gas qualifying top five after session 1:
Eight of the field broke out in this first session. Super Street qualifying top five after session 1:
Nice to have two cars the right side of the index! 9:45 Pro ET qualifying top five after session 1:
Track temperature on the start line at the start of qualifying was 17.5 C, air temperature 16.0 C and air pressure 30.12 inches. A bit of an iauspicious start to the event as the starter's button failed to run the Tree in the first pair but it was sorted within seconds. It was a great start for Anders Envall who broke into the nines, 9.911/137.20 and a huge breakout for the Impala SS, after all the aggravation Bostic had getting here from Gothenburg that was a nice pay-off. Nick Good clocked 9.080 on a 9.20 dial-in, we're thinking that's pretty close to a PB. Carla Pittau and Rick McCann are back at base in Essex working to put their spare engine in the Heaven and Hell Camaro after problems with a lifter at yesterday's Press Day. Hope it is going OK guys and that we see you back here very shortly. 8:45 Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway. It's day one of the FIA European Finals 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 is posting a picture every two minutes. You can reach the webcam from the Event Index. I don't mean to rub it in for everyone stuck in an office today, but it is a beautiful day here at Santa Pod. There is not a cloud in the sky and there is a gentle breeze, our weather station has a nice big sun on it, it really doesn't get much better than this! Well, in one way it could be better because the humidity element of the weather station's remote sensor is knackered, but a replacement is on the way. Right now the temperature outside is 16.8 C and the air pressure is 30.12 inches. One of those stuck in an office today is our pit reporter Simon who is earning his family's next meal. Luckily Simon will earn enough today that his family will be able to eat from tomorrow until Monday so he will be with us from this evening. In the meantime Simon has supplied us with some notes compiled after an analysis of the entry list. The pit notes can also be viewed from the Event Index. We have four complete cycles of qualifying scheduled today, starting at 9:15 and a scheduled finish at 17:10. Stay tuned and as soon as the track opens we'll start to bring you all the qualifying news. Reports and pictures ©Eurodragster.com |