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19:30

Today's pictures have now been posted, you can view them via the Event Index page.

Tune in tomorrow and Simon will bring you all the news from qualifying; your reporter has a day off to commentate alongside Graham Beckwith.

16:00

The rain has stopped but the track is not going to be dry by the time we have to finish today so Event Director Darren Prentice has called a halt. So we'll be back here tomorrow morning for qualifying.

Roger is working on today's pictures so stay tuned and we'll have those for you in a while assuming we get our Broadband back (we're on dial-up right now).

14:55

It's now raining and we're getting flashes of lightning and thunder, what am I doing up here in a raised metal structure I ask myself.

Before the rain kicked in, Dave Smith clocked 7.6701/191.47 on his Super Street Bike, followed by Scott Baldwin with an 8.1680/175.12. For 9.50 Bike Martin Walker clocked 9.7768/136.39, Carl Atkinson 9.8789/140.26, Andy Haley 10.1318/138.05 and Fast Harry 11.2941/138.07 with a bog off the line.

Al Simms and Steve Unsworth were on the line with their RSSE and Sportsman ET cars respectively when the rain came. The rain is not too bad and the track is warm so we may not be stopped for long. Stay tuned and as soon as things change we'll be back.

14:40

We're now in lunch break and we had a great session leading up so let's take you through it.

Gordon Appleton was our first Pro Mod runner of the day, 1.0529 to sixty feet, 4.3220/165.31 to the eighth and off the throttle at half track, 7.2592/137.08. We managed to convince Chief Timekeeper Steve Horn to put a dial-in of 6.16 on the board, 6.17 being the European record, but we don't think anyone on Gordon's crew noticed. Super Mod racer Andy Kirk pulled a nice burnout but then the Camaro sat out at about 200 feet and Andy shut it off and was pushed back.

Ashley Bell made his second pass of the day in his Super Pro ET Cobra, 9.376/144.57, a nice-looking pass. Next up was Steve Unsworth with his Sportsman ET Mustang, 15.325/94.53. Stu Doignie followed with a 10.3481/141.00 with his Super Gas BMW. Steve Wells' pick-up went under the SG index again at 9.5937/133.50. Back to Super Pro ET and Crunch made his second pass of the day in Martyn Jones' dragster, another nice burnout and much harder launch, 9.0411/143.33.

Tethys laid down a perfect 8.9001/155.16 in the PMR Ugly Stick Super Comp dragster, alas no money on offer for a Perfect ET on test days. Also for Paul Marston Racing Mick Howling clocked 9.8676/124.33 in Grumpy's Dodge and the Whoopass Monza clocked 9.7943 although we are not absolutely sure who was in the driving seat. Steve Bolton clocked 9.6599/140.23 in his Scamp and John Tebenham 8.3238/163.60 in the Comp Eliminator Probe with the chute out before the line.

A couple of our lady racers next (just checking you're reading this Kirstie), Heide Page with a 13.8342/110.82 in the Panic Pro ET Firebird and Teresa Letchford with a 13.7043/99.05 in the Sportsman ET Camaro.

Pete Ashworth laid down a very good-looking 8.4289/153.69 with the Dayglo Twister Outlaw Anglia. He was preceded by Mark Pointer with his Fordson but the Hooligan lost his blower belt in the burnout. Al Simms took the bye in his Street Eliminator Cresta, 9.3303/146.40. Also in RSSE Ray Comer opened his account with a 9.4441/147.92 whilst Colin Lazenby's second pass for the day was an 8.5360/175.11 which included two pedals for wheelspin and a drift towards the guardrail.

Onto two wheels and no problems for Conrad Skett on Stephen Moon's Comp Bike this time around, 9.3871/141.78. Shaun Spiers clocked 9.6419/143.27 on his 9.50 Bike Busa whilst Steve Partridge's latest pass was a 15.4390/95.54.

Tim Blakemore told us that he thought he had taken too much out of his Funny Bike, a nice-looking pass this time around, 7.7960/182.23. Neil Midgley was next along, lost fire after the burnout but then on the re-start wasn't happy and pushed back.

A bunch of Super Street Bikes next, Scott Baldwin started with an 8.2010/180.65. Steve Venables was next up with a storming 7.6278/193.17 and then Graham Balchin who just missed the timing reflectors on the finish line on his pass of 8.0369/174.47. Pete Bellenie pulled a big wheelie and then seemed to have gear selection problems and shut off, 19.0430/43.47. Just as I went to post this update we re-started and Peter Granica clocked 9.7120/155.84.

Finally for this update, Carl Atkinson put down an 9.8770/140.15 on his 9.50 Bike followed by Chris Jones with a 9.7320/139.75 and Martin Walker at 9.8759/134.70.

We've just started again and I haven't even has lunch! Trackside conditions are 26.0 C, 42% humidity and 29.15 inches of air. Just off to my left we had a big flash of lightning so how long we have left is a moot point, but stay tuned.

13:20

Ken Cooper's first run of the day on his Funny Bike was an 8.0940/141.94, the bike sounding as if it were misfiring in the second half so there is plenty left in there. Paul Wing's second run of the day on his Comp Bike was a 10.7310/127.44, looked from here as if Paul was off the throttle in the second half. Also on two wheels Andy Haley's second run for today was a 9.9582/156.33, then Steve Mead and Comp Bike racer Conrad Skett paired up, the Comp Bike died off the line and Steve seemed to have gear selection problems and was off the throttle for a long time in mid-track, 12.7150/111.11. Carl Atkinson's latest run on his 9.50 Bike was a 9.8047/141.04 and Shaun Spiers still in his Busa 9.870/144.67.

John Tebenham's world record-holding Probe clocked 9.3310/146.62 on its first pass today. Then we had a couple of bye runs from Real Steel Street Eliminator, first up was Steve Pateman. A gentle-ish launch and then the Calibra started to slide around as the power came in and Steve was off the throttle by half track, 13.174/63.20. Colin Lazenby followed up with a gentle-looking 8.667/174.42 in the Team 56 Chevy. Next RSSE racer along was Jeff Meads, his first run of the day in the yellow Pop a 10.3341/130.73. Jason Weir pulled his burnout whilst Jeff was making his pass, this I believe Jason's first run with a new set-up, 10.0179/143.27.

Next we had a Super Comp match-up, Tethys in the Ugly Stick dragster and Stuart Morrice in the Morrice Boys Camaro. Tet got there first 8.7820/155.16 to Stuart's 8.9880/147.58. Dan Page folowed on with his first-ever pass in Jon Morton's Camaro, 9.4709/114.25, Dan looked like he had been driving that car all his life! Super Comp racer Paul Letchford made his first run of the day with Steve Pateman in the other lane, 9.2612/156.25 for Paul and an up-in-smoke 10.4320/99.33 for Steve. There was an ominous-sounding bang from the Calibra at about 1000 feet.

Finally for this update Joe Kellett and Zak Johnson paired off in their Junior Dragsters, 0.0230 RT for Joe to Zak's -0.0200, Joe clocked 9.0500/70.64 to Zak's 9.0050/71.20. Nick Mugridge was next up, 8.0220/80.61 for the Junior Modified advanced.

Trackside conditions are 28.7 C, 41% humidity and 29.15 inches of ait.

12:10

So far today it's been a bit of a bike benefit and they are coming thick and fast so let's take you through the runs we've had since the last update.

Tim Blakemore put in a half pass on his Funny Bike, 8.4070/117.79, 4.9349/146.62 at half track. Fellow FB racer Neil Midgley recorded a 7.2572/189.85 and that was with the rear slick chattering for the first couple of hundred feet.

Shaun Spiers has switched to his 9.50 Bike Busa and went straight into the nines, 9.5522/144.18 and 9.7123/143.28. Also in 9.50 Bike we've had Carl Atkinson clock 10.1100/137.23 and Andy Haley 10.1289/137.24. Super Street Bike is well-subscribed today with Mark Watkins having run 8.3072/175.03, Peter Granica 10.3349/131.11, Steve Mead 9.2149/153.02, Scott Baldwin 8.1572/179.85, Steve Wood 19.2628/35.46, Pete Bellenie 8.8671/143.49, Steve Venables 8.3419/166.22, Graham Balchin 10.7570/105.67 and Dave Smith 8.0501/183.65. Supertwin ET racer Steve Partridge has made three passes so far today and has clocked 13.6390/93.73, 13.4651/97.18 and 13.4593/98.26.

We've got a (so far) mystery bike rider here who has been pulling some huge speeds on a read and black Busa carrying the number U1. So far we have had a 9.1509/173.77, 8.9691/171.70 and 9.3751/173.66.

Onto four wheels and Super Pro ET racer Ashley Bell has made his first run on his new engine, sounded to be taking it a tad gently but the car went nice and straight and the engine sounded very strong, 9.4250/143.59. Dave Crunkhorn aka Crunch is making licencing passes in Martyn Jones' Super Pro ET dragster on which he has been crewing since 1991, a great burnout and then 13.4719/114.48 with a bog off the line.

Stuart Morrice pulled a great rolling burnout and then 9.0638/146.10 in the Morrice Boys Super Comp/Super Gas Camaro. On to Super Gas and Stuart Doingie's second run of the day was a 10.2281/14285 with a 0.0909 reaction. Still in Super Gas, Steve Wells opened today's account with a naughty but wicked-sounding 9.5538/134.00 for the Team Orange pick-up.

Kev Long and Steve Unsworth are getting their monies' worth with their Sportsman ET cars, Kev pulling a 0.0368 reaction on his pass of 15.6432/89.26, 15.6319/89.32, 15.5499/89.61 and 15.1611/93.17...and as I went to post this update Kev clocked 15.6606/89.14. Steve Unsworth has run 14.9701/95.16, 15.9539/88.90, 15.1611/93.17 and 15.2419/91.86 with a 0.0840 reaction time. Finally for Sportsman ET Teresa Letchford's first run of the day was a 13.4149/103.71. I was just about to hit the upload button for this update when Heide Page appeared around the corner with the Panic Pro ET Firebird and clocked 17.3052/96.54 for her first run in the car.

Junior Dragster racer Zak Johnson has made his first run of the day, 0.0398 reaction and 9.0581/71.32 at the stripe. Next JD racer along was Joe Kellett, 9.1169/70.22 with a -0.0350 red light.

11:05

Still a very pleasant day here at Santa Pod. Trackside conditions are 25.6 C, 51% humidity and 29.18 inches of air.

First racer out on to the track was 9.50 Bike racer Martin Walker who clocked 10.4228/133.99 and has just run 9.8341/136.34 for his second pass of the day. Fellow 9.50 Bike racer Shaun Spiers on his Bandit has run 10.4940/127.08 and 10.7611/125.74.

Super Street Bike racer Graham Dance's first pass of the day was an 8.8751/152.48. Paul Wing clocked 10.7099/126.45 on his Comp Bike, I don't know what Paul has done to that bike but it now sounds like Shaun Branch's supercharged Funny Bike!

On four wheels the first racer to emerge was Sportsman ET racer Kevin Long, his first run of the day a 19.1550/61.72 followed by a 17.3739/61.23. Fellow Sportsman ET racer Steve Unsworth opened his account with a 15.4791/93.75 in a very pretty yellow Mustang.

Stu Doignie's BMW Super Gasser clocked 0.0691 reaction and 10.2779/141.04 for his first run of the day. Joe Kellett followed up with a 0.0528 reaction and 9.1140/70.53 in his Junior Dragster.

10:05

The track is being sprayed, we'll be good to go in a few minutes.

One thing I didn't mention in my morning greeting is that the Barn is still here and that it will be open for this weekend's race. If you're reading this, Rubber Chicken Man, you and Charlie know where to be this weekend...

9:20

Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway for the pre-SPRC Summernationals Peak Performance Day. 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 will be broadcasting a picture every sixty seconds twenty four hours a day until the track closes on Sunday afternoon.

Contrary to what the weather people and all those who love to tell your reporter about gloomy forecasts have been saying, it is quite a nice day here. Cloudy with sunny intervals is how I would describe it, but we had a long clear period earlier which allowed the sun to dry the track after overnight rain. Right now the racing surface is being sledded and the shutdown area is almost done. Whether the weather stays this good is open to debate but let's hope so.

We were originally planning only to post a photo gallery of today's but when Jo Harris of Santa Pod Raceway kindly sent us today's entry list and there were sixty or so racers listed we quickly changed our minds and decided to give this Peak Performance Day the full treatment. From my perch in Race Control it already looks like we have a race meeting underway, the pits are pretty busy. Today we have representatives of just about every class from Pro Mod to 9.50 Bike. A big welcome to Marc Meihuizen (Pro Mod) and Peter Granica (Super Street Bike) who have made long journies to come and test today and of course they will be staying over to race at this weekend's SPRC Summernationals. It is Peter Granica and not Thomas as on the entry list; Thomas has been in touch to say that he could not make it this weekend for personal reasons so Peter has stepped in.

Stay tuned and as soon as the track opens we will start to bring you the testing news.