John Morris (Pro ET) has rung the changes to the Animal Magic Ford Probe by installing a Steve Schmidt 540 cu in engine and fresh convertor which, when dialled in, should put the car into the mid-eights. The striking paint job is the work of Carl Burton. John thanks sponsors Lesco Builders and Phoenix Air Cargo and all those who helped with the car.

Paul Foote who races this 1956 Ford F-100 truck in Pro ET has also stepped up with a new 540 cu in Merlin BBC with Holley Dominator replacing the previous SBC, and a new Turbo Hydro 400 gearbox and convertor to handle the power. Paul is sponsored by Motorshack and VP Racing Fuels. Thanks also go to crew chief David Walker, Tim Northwood and James Dandridge.

Andy Raw has fulfilled his dream of building and running a VW Funny Car. He said "I am heavily involved with VW Alternate Engine, running a business (AMR Motors) putting non-VW engines in VWs and sponsoring the class. "I raced a yellow Beetle with a Subaru engine for a few years. I wanted something quicker so Roy Wilding built the chassis and my firm built the body. The engine is a Jeff Bull BBC of 441 cu in running on methanol through two holleys. The two speed 'Glide is also from Jeff, who I can't thank enough for all the time and money saving advice he gave me." Andy ran high nines at the Test & Tune and wants to get into the mid-eights, "The car runs dead straight and feels great after spending three years building it. Thanks go to sponsor Pit Stop Automotive of Mildenhall and crew Lee Darby, Glenn Croe, Darren Coleman (who applied the paint) and son Danny Raw.

Jerry Weide (Super Street Bike) is based in Stuttgart with the U.S. Army, where he has been for seven years, and has a 20 year career in ET Bike racing in the States. He said "I was born in Michigan and moved around the U.S. I started drag racing in cars when I was 16, but found that bikes are quicker and cheaper." Jerry had a few years out of the sport but returned when he had an opportunity to help his friend Thomas Granica, who is also here this weekend. "My Hayabusa has a cut-down tank and two stages of boost and produces 450 horsepower. It ran a best of 8.9/172 on an airfield. Since then I have worked on the suspension, installed a boost controller, and had it mapped by Sean Mills at Big CC Racing."

The two car team of Trond Wanvik are first time visitors from Norway and their local track is Gardermoen. "We made the journey to get points for the NDRS Championship", he said. The Pontiac Firebird has a Rodeck BBC of 588 cu in and a home made Flying Toilet-stlye injector system. Early runs suffered from lack of oil pressure. Trond is joined by crewman Joar Rundhaug and daughter Grete who races a Junior DRagster.

Graham Ellis (Pro Modified) has made it to the meeting after picking the Plymouth Superbird up from Andy Robinson's shop. "We tried to fire it up but it backfired and damaged the injector hat. We have had to borrow ANdy Robinson's spare injector hat and blower, which means we won't be able to run the new Kobelco M5 blower. We also found the car is underweight, which is a tribute to the constructors, but we will borrow some weight bars. We missed a lot of sleep and had to throw everything in at the last minute. But we're here, thanks to the efforts of crew Rob Milward, Kev Perkins, Dave Clarkson and son Gareth Ellis." Graham is excited about the M5 blower and has been in close contact with Darren Meyer of DMPE, the manufacturers. "We will probably be the only team in Europe running one apart from a '59 Cadillac that I hear is being built in Sweden."

Steve "Splinter" Nash was pleased with being number 1 qualifier in B&H Automotive Street Eliminator after the first session. "It's good to be back", said the defending champion, "and the car felt straight. But the wind is diabolical and everyone was fighting for traction in the cold conditions. We're happy with the car and are taking it step by step." In the picture of the engine, you may wonder where the twin turbochargers are mounted - they are at the foot of the engine bay.

The Pony Express was run by Mick Hillier and now Mark Richardson has done a great job in restoring it to its original condition. Mark said "I used to crew for the Wicked Lady team and thought it would be nice to have a go at driving. The opportunity came to buy the Pony Express from its owner after Mick Hillier sold it, but it was in pieces and a lot of the driving train was in cardboard boxes. We had to rebuild the SBC 355 cu in engine and the Powerglide trans, and the paint is original."

The new Super Pro ET dragster of Peter Walters is a good-looking piece of machinery. "We started building it in April 2007 from a kit chassis supplied by ART technologies in the U.S. My father Richard Walters built it from scratch with a Donovan 320 cu in SBC and 6/71 blower. The transmission is a three speed Turbo Hydro 400." Peter has done his first licensing pass and hopes that after this he will be able to run an 8.0 or 7.9. "I plan to run the whole championship series. I have been racing since 2001 in a Junior Stock dragster, moving up to Junior Modified in 2004." Once licensed, Peter at the age of 16 will be one of the youngest racing drivers with a full license. "Thanks to my team Tom Watts, Mick Slocombe, Lee Johnstone and my dad Richard. Our sponsors are JW Automotive, Gold RV, PWRD (my graphics company, MHG Precision (who do parts milling) and MG Finishing (who do chrome plating)."

Brendan Clancy is another racer who has stepped up to Super Pro with this beautiful '53 Corvette, which has a carbon fibre body. "It was built by Tim McAmis and run by Bruno Massel, the proprietor of Bruno's Automotive, in Top Sportsman in the U.S. where he ran 6.9s. The chassis is legal for Pro Mod and I will run it in Super Pro for a year and then have a think." Being a Top Sportsman car the combination is unusual, the 610 cu in Keith Black engine running Pro Stock Pontiac heads, Big Stuff 3 injection and a Fogger nitrous system with one stage at present, and a second to be used later. The transmission is naturally a Bruno Lenco. The sponsor is Brendan's company Nova Engineering and thanks go to crew Paul Chandler and Vic Jones.

Last seen on track in a top end crash last Easter, Jack Brewster has rebuilt the Just Mustard Pontiac Firebird and moved up to Super Pro ET. "I rebuilt it mainly myself and there was a lot of work to do on the front end. I have installed a new engine from Pure Pontiac in the U.S. which is 535cu in and runs injected methanol. The transmission is the same JW Powerglide which was new on the car last year."

Harrison Brown was running Super Street observed runs in the Thatadoo Camaro but on the launch suffered broken half shafts. "I came up to the line and released the transbrake and there was a huge bang and the rear wheels were loose." The team do have a spare set of half shafts and are hopeful of getting repaired so that Harrison can complete his licensing.

Nigel Holland is number one qualifier in Sportsman ET after two sessions. Nigel has spent some time promoting the class over the winter break, launching a web site, which gives all the information you will need to join the entry level class in UK championship drag racing, and providing advice to potential new racers. The car count is a healthy twenty at this event and includes five newcomers from the UK and two visitors from the Netherlands.

Simon Rowland of E-Hell Racing, owned by Formula Tanker Rentals, has a second drive for 2008, the Super Pro ET dragster formerly owned by Nick Spence. Simon ran down into the 8.1s on the car's initial runs. Tune in tomorrow for an interview with Steve James, owner of Formula Tanker Rentals, about this fast expanding team.