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

20:25

We have now posted today's pictures which you can view via the Event Index page. As we have yet to eat we have a change of plan on the pit notes; Kirstie will post them in the morning. Tune back then and we'll bring you all the news from the Run What You Brung at which we expect to see a number of racers testing.

18:25

The drizzle turned into rain, and more rain etc. but you know how it is with the track crew here at Santa Pod, they never give up and we managed one last session.

Paul Ingar Udtian ran right at the end of the day, with his new parts and set-up we were expecting a launch from the Q8 Oils-sponsored Top Methanol Dragster but it was one of those Maltese sixty foot passes, rolling the beams which would have affected the ET, 6.1909/243.77. Paul's daughter Maja, her Junior Dragster also in Q8 Oils colours, clocked 13.9295/46.44. Team mate Fred Hanssen in Paul's old Super Comp dragster made a nice pass of 8.8386/135.13, pretty obviously shut off early from the speed.

Gino Bernadine managed two runs from his Pro ET Escort in the last session, the first 9.5210/138.67 and then a very gentle pass. Jon Giles also managed two runs in the last session, the first 11.3953/117.12 and then his first transbrake launch, 10.9696/118.48. Street Eliminator racer Mark Perkins clocked 9.6354/155.81 followed by Tim Garlick in his Super Mod with all the dirt cleaned off, a superb 7.6385/173.95. Tim told us that on his run earlier his brakes failed and when he approached the field at the end of the track he could see large rocks in front of him to he steered left to avoid them and went into a less damaging part of the dirt. Apart from all the mud the Cortina was just fine, one tiny paint chip under the front bumper. John Tebenham clocked a much more straight 8.1359/147.59 in his Comp Eliminator Probe. Dave Day closed off his day's account with a 9.9159/144.41 from the Super Comp/Gas roadster.

On two wheels Mark Slade put in his last observed run, 12.7329/68.12 on his 9.50 Bike, followed by a 10.1567/140.36. Graham Dance was next up with a lot of wheelspin off the line from his SSB, 10.5762/91.31. Rene Van Den Berg had two goes at a pass on his Top Fuel Bike, losing fire after the burnout on the first attempt and then a gentle 11.7065/105.04 for the Shark Attack machine.

Next up was Richard Stubbins with a fine 7.8506/186.64 from his SSB, followed by Brad O'Connor whose SSB clocked 9.7063 but the displayed terminal speed of 230 mph was probably not correct! 9.50 Bike racer Augy Harrison's last run of the day was a 9.6825/149.15, fellow 9.50 Bike racer Paul Hambidge followed up with a 9.9418/157.01. Garry Bowe clocked a nice 8.1006/177.51 on his SSB whilst 200mph Club member TC was into the nines at 9.8734/141.55 on his GSXR. Comp Bike racer Al Young made a nice pass, 8.7921/160.54 and last for the bikes was Sandra Chaplain with a 10.8039/124.69 on her Comp Bike.

The plan now is to relocate to our hotel, and to post the pictures and pit notes from there. Stay tuned and we'll be back with those in a couple of hours.

11:35

Next up we had a number of Super Street Bike racers, Scott Baldwin was first with an 8.0845/156.57. Pete Bellenie was next on track, his first appearance in a while, 8.6851/163.57. A nice pass by Richard Stubbins 7.8640/185.34 followed by Dave Smith at 7.8791/185.95. Steve Venables was last out for the SSBs, lots of wheelspin off the line but still 8.2683/192.96.

Augy Harrison was pretty close to index on his 9.50 Bike, 9.450/147.68 and Martin Walker similarly close at 9.5377/143.17.

Back on four wheels and Josh Saunders clocked 8.9241/72.21 in his Junior Dragster. John Tebenham was next up with his Probe which will be running in Comp Eliminator next weekend, a very strong launch but then getting out of shape and shutting off and putting the chute out, still an 8.7574/107.63. Rick Denny was next up with his second run of the day, 11.4790/119.46 from the Sportsman ET Firebird.

Last for this update was Tim Garlick in his Super Mod, 7.8754/175.51 but then into the field at the end of the track as he took the turn off. Tim and the car are OK.

We're now on hold for drizzle, stay tuned.

10:55

A nice observed run by Mark Flavell in his Super Pro ET Funny Car, off the throttle and chute out at 1000 feet but still an 8.1670/127.47. A couple of pairing later was Steve Saunders in his Super Pro ET Zephyr, Steve staged pointing towards the guardrail and started to get out of shape at half track then shut off, 10.5932/89.33.

Junior Dragster racer Josh Saunders pulled a 0.0605 reaction time on his run of 8.8734/72.52. Next up was Street Eliminator racer Mark Perkins with a 10.1776/138.84, if I knew a bit more about that car I would suggest that it was a no-nitrous pass. Regular Peak Performance Day attendee Gino Bernadine clocked 9.5698/141.50 in his Pro ET Escort. Good to see Sportsman ET racer and former National Champion Rick Denny out on track, his first pass of the day an 11.5984/118.54.

On two wheels Ken Cooper opened today's account with a 9.4090/139.97 on his Funny Bike.

One of our Saturday Street Racers has left fluid on the top end so we're down for clean-up, stay tuned.

Trackside conditions are 14.5 C, 72% humidity and 997 Mb of air.

10:00

Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway for our coverage of the first day of testing for the FIA Main Event in association with American Car Imports.

The Webster Race Engineering/MPM Oil webcam is on-line and will post a picture every sixty seconds until the track closes tomorrow.

We have an entry of more than eighty to test today including Top Fuel, Top Methanol, Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Top Fuel Bike and a huge number of Sportsman racers including a large contingent of Super Street Bikes - in fact I so many that I asked the guys whether they were having another Championship round here this weekend.

The track opened a short while ago and the racers who have already run are Garry Bowe (Super Street Bike) 8.5977/166.48, Graham Dance (SSB) 8.5904/171.55, both great baseline passes, and 9.50 Bike racers Paul Hambidge 9.6348/124.79, Martin Walker 10.2620/142.00 and Mark Slade 10.3457/146.10.

About five minutes ago we had very brief drizzle but the track crew are on the case and the track is looking good. Stay tuned and we'll be back again very soon.