2007 UK National Finals
Saturday (qualifying)


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20:15

Super Comp qualifying top five after session 2:

  1. Peter Creswell 8.9001/150.50
  2. Chris Johnson 8.9039/153.09
  3. Frank Mason 8.9259/147.97
  4. Shaun Lathan 8.9388/153.09
  5. Paul Knight 8.9571/154.71

Real Steel Street Eliminator qualifying top five after session 2:

  1. Steve Pateman 8.1422/173.73
  2. Colin Lazenby 8.3079/181.38
  3. Steve Nash 8.4320/172.55
  4. Andy Frost 8.5669/160.22
  5. Jerry Charles 8.7010/171.08

That's the end of qualifying for today, stay tuned for today's pictures.

19:45

Super Street Bike qualifying top five after session 2:

  1. Steve Venables 7.5239/194.69
  2. Graham Balchin 7.7410/189.10
  3. Dave Smith 7.7569/189.88
  4. Richard Stubbins 7.7919/186.89
  5. Jamie Sneddon 7.8662/169.86

9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 2:

  1. Chris Reed 9.5030/139.31
  2. Fred Furlong 9.5160/144.26
  3. Richard Sawatzki 9.5282/143.22
  4. Andy Haley 9.5418/134.64
  5. Julian Harris 9.5738/140.16

The plan for the rest of the day is to run Super Comp and Street Eliminator and then complete the second session at the start of Sunday following which we will be straight into eliminations.

19:05

Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 2:

  1. Chris Orthodoxou +0.0120 7.8420/168.53
  2. Barry Giles +0.0121 7.7221/172.25
  3. Wayne Nicholson +0.0132 7.3132/187.28
  4. John Everitt +0.0389 8.1489/166.10
  5. Nick Spence +0.0450 8.1650/166.69

We're on hold for oil, stay tuned for Super Street Bike.

18:45

Competition Eliminator qualifying after session 1:

  1. Spencer Tramm +1.0622 8.7922/152.96
  2. Chris Isaacs +2.0429 10.3429/99.08
  3. Jim Smith +4.519 12.6919/68.58

Pro ET qualifying top five after session 2:

  1. Keith Herbert +0.0022 11.4022/116.57
  2. Rick McCann +0.0149 9.8049/135.91
  3. Charlie Chivers +0.0220 10.7220/126.73
  4. Carl Burton +0.0230 11.2230/119.04
  5. Chris Hodgkins +0.0260 9.8260/138.43

Big moves for Rick McGann to 2nd and Charlie Chivers to 3rd.

VW Pro qualifying after session 2:

  1. Toby Wright +0.0750 11.4750/112.28
  2. Michael Geraghty +0.4189 13.3389/99.79
  3. No.47 +0.7717 11.7617/109.85
  4. Jason Aldred +6.0357 16.3357/60.15

VW Sportsman qualifying top 5 after session 2:

  1. Adrian Wigley +0.0000 17.0000/85.83
  2. Steve Parfitt +0.0640 13.0640/82.71
  3. Martin Ayton +0.1131 14.5631/94.29
  4. Graham Fairhead +0.1131 14.3190/91.64
  5. Paul Herbert +0.1190 13.3921/98.91

Congratulations to Adrian Wigley on a perfect ET to four decimal places!

18:10

Junior Dragster qualifying top 5 after session 1:

  1. Ross Norris 0.0130
  2. Gabrielle McDonald 0.0288
  3. Rosie Hunt 0.0369
  4. Joe Kellett 0.0467
  5. Daniel Giles 0.0539

Super Gas qualifying top 5 after session 1:

  1. Jon Morton 9.9141/147.41
  2. Brendan Clancy 9.9463/130.02
  3. Stuart Morrice 9.9610/147.53
  4. Bob Doyle 9.9863/138.85
  5. Peter Creswell 9.9981/139.74

Weather conditions: 14.4 degrees centigrade, 70% humidity and 1004mb pressure.

18:05

Super Street qualifying top 5 after session 1:

  1. Bob Lees 10.9588/130/79
  2. Leigh Morris 10.9698/120.34
  3. Mark Watkins 10.9741/121.00
  4. Ian Brown 10.9980/102.76
  5. Nick Griffin 11.0069/97.18

Sportsman ET qualifying top 5 after session 1:

  1. Hans van der Spek +0.0219 12.3419/110.83
  2. Kevin Long +0.0389 15.3789/90.59
  3. Lee Huxley +0.0541 15.4041/80.35
  4. Geoff Cowley +0.1160 15.4660/89.11
  5. Lee Hollis +0.1211 19.3511/69.01

17:50

ACU Competition Bike qualifying top 5 after session 1:

  1. Kevin Charman 7.5730/173.75
  2. Sandra Chaplain 8.5350/140.21
  3. Alan Young 8.6291/166.60
  4. Philip Leamon 8.8459/152.04
  5. Nick Holland 9.0690/139.71

NAST Super Twin Top Fuel qualifying after session 1:

  1. Wendy Clutterbuck 9.0232/151.01
  2. Shawn Rodman 9.5031/138.53
  3. Ian Carruthers 10.0150/96.35

17:35

ACU Funny Bike qualifying after session 1:

  1. Neil Midgley 6.7859/197.48
  2. Stephen French 7.1409/182.18
  3. Ken Cooper 7.4507/169.09
  4. Dave Bailey 7.9992/154.69
  5. Tim Blakemore 9.5118/126.80

Well done to Stephen French on a new PB.

ACU Pro Stock Bike qualifying after session 1:

  1. Len Paget 7.4268/177.22
  2. Dave Beck 7.5270/175.19
  3. Richard Gipp 7.7452/170.44
  4. Ray Debben 7.9481/168.47
  5. Philippe Runget 20.919

17:25

Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association qualifying session 2:

Dennis Wratten 7.1438/188.50, Clayton Round 7.0407/190.81
Joe Bond 7.3568/182.87, Frank Bennett 7.2789/178.48
Jim Usher (bye) 8.7871/100.49
Matthew Wright then ran an 1.356 60ft time on an observed run.
Tony Betts did not run this session.

Cumulative times after two sessions:

  1. Dennis Wratten 14.2918
  2. Frank Bennett 14.4547
  3. Joe Bond 14.7959
  4. Clayton Round 14.8558
  5. Jim Usher 18.3752

Martin Hill then ran a 6.3191/257.08 in Fireforce 3.

16:45

ACU Top Fuel Bike qualifying after session 2:

  1. Steve Woollatt 6.3778/211.28
  2. Steve Carey 6.8130/201.77
  3. Ian Turburville 8.6697/130.06
  4. Rene van den Berg 22.1990/37.43

Great run for Steve W, a new PB. Steve C got very close to the wall but kept with it to run a 6.9597/178.69, no improvement on his earlier time.

MSA Pro Modified qualifying after session 2:

Bert had a wild run 8.6309/134.69 and Ian Bishop in the left lane lifted to 9.6622/102.98. Andy Robinson de-suited so we're guessing he has found some kind of problem. No change in the standings:

  1. Philip Englefield 6.7300/208.61
  2. Ian Bishop 7.0688/191.49
  3. Kev Slyfield 7.8409/183.75
  4. Andy Robinson 7.9383/138.48

Top Methanol qualifying after session 2:

Dave Wilson 5.6921/248.59 had consistent run and Derek Flynn 7.8458/115.76 spun his tyres on the start line and then went into big tyre shake. Then Steve Turner with a 330ft burnout and careful reversing into the tyre tracks followed by shake off the line and a pop from the blower burst panel at 1000ft. Standings after session 2:

  1. Dave Wilson 5.6079/254.63
  2. Steve Turner 5.9948/216.65
  3. Derek Flynn 7.8458/115.76

16:40

Super Modified qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Andy Hone 7.6376/177.21
  2. Rob Smallworth 7.7105/177.70
  3. Paul Mander 7.8600/177.88
  4. Nigel Payne 7.9430/171.80
  5. Craig Gibbs 8.0678/171.73

Many happy returns to Andy Kirk whose birthday it is today. Son and Bahrain-based crew chief Lee flew over to the UK as a surprise and even dressed up in disguise as a fan before Andy realised who it was. Well done to Andy on the first half of a new speed record and to Paul Mander who blasted his PB.

Wild Bunch qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Darren Law +0.2558 9.7058/132.34
  2. Chris Hartnell +0.3651 9.6151/133.06
  3. Peter Yates +0.9028 10.0228/141.06
  4. Phil Sweeney -0.0950 8.5350/150.46
  5. Darryl Howells -0.09530 10.2047/133.24

16:25

Real Steel Street Eliminator qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Steve Pateman 8.1422/173.73
  2. Colin Lazenby 8.307
  3. Andy Frost 8.566/
  4. Steve Nash 8.5991/180.63
  5. Jerry Charles 8.7010/171.08

NAST Super Twin Top Gas qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Chris Stebbings 9.6190/131.66
  2. Les Harris 9.6200/137.14
  3. Chris Mott 10.5359/120.00
  4. Brian Udall 10.6129/133.87
  5. Don Irvine 11.0187/121.00

NAST Super Twin ET qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. John Hackney +0.0880 9.9880/140.62
  2. John O'Sullivan +0.1010 12.4010/111.39
  3. David Shorthose +0.1718 11.8718/125.34
  4. Mike Nelthorpe +0.1940 14.1940/107.97
  5. Peter Harrison +0.6179 12.8179/110.53

16:00

Super Comp qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Peter Creswell 8.9001/150.50
  2. Frank Mason 8.9259/147.97
  3. Paul Knight 8.9571/154.71
  4. Chris Isaacs 8.9718/149.99
  5. Belinda Bull 8.9771/160.85

Congratulations to Peter Creswell for winning the Eurodragster.com/LA Racing Parts Perfect ET award.

15:50

9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Fred Furlong 9.5160/144.26
  2. Richard Sawatzki 9.5282/143.22
  3. Jason Macan 9.6002/144.21
  4. Julian Harris 9.6220/140.18
  5. Chris Jones 9.6739/145.69

We're on hold again for fluid spillage, stay tuned.

14:45

VW Alternate Engine qualifying after session 1:

  1. Ian Huggan +0.3370 12.870/110.59
  2. Mark Skeen +1.6720 15.0720/89.65
  3. Matt Attwood -0.0569 12.7731/107.38

Super Street Bike qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Graham Balchin 7.7410/189.10
  2. Dave Smith 7.7569/189.88
  3. Richard Stubbins 7.7919/186.89
  4. Steve Venables 8.4880/146.10
  5. Pete Bellenie 8.6421/139.43

14:30

VW Pro qualifying after session 1:

  1. Toby Wright +0.0750 11.4750/112.28
  2. Michael Geraghty +0.0809 13.4271/100.00
  3. Jason Aldred +6.322 16.3357/60.15

VW Sportsman qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Graham Fairhead +0.1210 14.321/91.81
  2. Paul Herbert +0.1421 13.392/98.91
  3. Becky Allen +0.4270 17.427/72.70
  4. Martin Ayton +0.5931 14.593/93.94
  5. Mark Malone +0.7191 18.7191/70.00

13:45

Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association qualifying session 1:

  1. Tony Betts 6.7189/194.88
  2. Dennis Wratten 7.1480/188.88
  3. Frank Bennett 7.1758/182.07
  4. Joe Bond 7.4391/182.18
  5. Clayton Round 7.8151/188.22
  6. Jim Usher 9.5881/78.26

Clayton had to lift after shake whereas Frank went straight on a quicker-than-it-looked run. Dennis on only his second pass of the year running very strongly, both running straight. Next the two nitro cars, Tony straight and Jim hanging onto it for as long as possible. More oil was spotted in the Auto-Glym lane, we gather Jim Usher's oil tank exploded. We hope Matt Wright and John Wright (not related to the best of our knowledge) will be out later.

13:15

Top Methanol qualifying session 1:

  1. Dave Wilson 5.6079/254.63
  2. Steve Turner 5.9948/216.65

Both Derek Flynn and Steve Turner shook the tyres hard, Steve went the long way round whereas Derek's car broke a blower belt after he pedaled it at the tree. Derek was pushed back from the 330ft mark.

Dave Wilson in the Silverline Tools car drove through shake and was straight through to the finish.

MSA Pro Modified qualifying session 1:

  1. Philip Englefield 6.7300/208.61
  2. Ian Bishop 7.0688/191.49
  3. Kev Slyfield 7.8409/183.75
  4. Andy Robinson 7.9383/138.48

PB speed for Kev after shake, nice run for Ian drifting to the left. Tremendous run for Bert, Andy driving through shake but getting off it after 800ft.

13:00

The right-hand (aka Auto-Glym) lane had oil in it and the track crew are now working on it. Top Methanol Dragster is up next, stay tuned.

12:40

Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Wayne Nicholson +0.0132 7.3132/187.28
  2. Chris Orthodoxou +0.0509 7.8809/169.19
  3. Nick Spence +0.0510 8.1910/164.84
  4. Spencer Tramm +0.0549 8.7849/152.57
  5. Barry Giles +0.0559 7.7359/171.08

Personal bests for no. 1 qualifier Wayne Nicholson, Team Stardust's Kerry Rolfe in her first competitive run at 7.498/173.61 and Paula Atkin with a wheels-up launch to 7.503/180.09. Well done to all.

ACU Top Fuel Bike qualifying session 1:

  1. Steve Carey 6.8130/201.77

Well done to Steve Carey with what we think is a PB after the usual 330ft fishtail. Hard luck for Ian Turburville who failed to start.

12:30

Pro ET qualifying top five after session 1:

  1. Keith Herbert +0.0022 11.4022/116.57
  2. Chris Hodgkins +0.0260 9.8260/138.43
  3. Dave Cherrett +0.0411 9.9911/132.67
  4. Ian Brown +0.0590 10.8190/121.29
  5. Carl Burton +0.0598 11.2598/119.41

9:30

Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway. It's the final weekend of the 2007 UK National Championships and we're here to bring you all the action in association with American Car Imports.

The Webster Race Engineering/MPM Oil webcam is on-line and broadcasting a picture every two minutes.

Right now we have a damp track which is being dried out by the track crew as I type this. The rain was quite heavy over night and your News Editor was talking about ball bearings on the roof of the caravan at 4am. The wet stuff has stopped now and the cloud level is rising so there is optimism about action taking place today once the surface damp has been taken away by the sweeper and track dryer. The forecast is better for this afternoon and tomorrow. Current conditions are 12.6 degrees centigrade, 94% humidity and 1002mb of air pressure.

Les Harris has paid us a visit with his 2008 calendar, with some great pics of the newly painted fairing on his Super Twin Gas Bike and other racers, available for five pounds each. Bert Englefield also came by to ask us to thank Spencer Tramm for organising the sponsorship from News Page sponsor Direct Plastics for this meeting.

Stay tuned and we'll be back as soon as qualifying starts.


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