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A change from Santa Pod Raceway this year as the traditional pre-event Press Day was moved away from the track and down to London, where the majority of the media are located. The Press Call took place at The Sports Café just off Trafalgar Square and Eurodragster.com went along to have a word with the racers in attendance and with European Championship Promoter Keith Bartlett.

First opposite us in the interviewing booth was Pro Stock Bike racer Martin Bishop who had impressed with an early shut off 7.7-second pass at Shakespeare County Raceway a few days earlier.

Eurodragster.com: That was a nice pass at the weekend!

Martin Bishop: It was set so soft that I was gobsmacked with what it did. I am not doing the ACU Championship this year so I was testing parts for the Main Event. I've had to modify some parts since the race but I did what I wanted to. It was a bad sixty foot time but a good speed of 149 at the eighth, I was on three cylinders three seconds into the run because of a fuel problem, and I shut off at half track.

Eurodragster.com: What's new on the bike this year?

Martin Bishop: A new exhaust system, a new pump evacuation system, new electronics, an updated engine, and a bigger rear wheel. That's quite a lot to mess about with!

Eurodragster.com: Are you doing the full European Tour?

Martin Bishop: Yes, I am doing all the rounds including Norway. It's going to be very hard this year, there are a lot of fast runners. Last year two tenths separated the field, and I think it will be pretty much the same this year.

Eurodragster.com: Fields were growing last year and there was talk of sixteen-bike fields, but we have nine Pro Stock Bikes at the FIA Main Event...

Martin Bishop: A lot of bikes are up for sale. It's all very well buying the engines, but maintaining them is expensive and to do Europe takes two engines because you need the back-up. If you don't change the parts when you should then it's bang and big money.

Eurodragster.com: Have you got any sponsors?

Martin Bishop: I get some sponsorship from JS Designs, an architectural firm. I don't have any other sponsors. I run three companies so it's a time thing really. But if someone were to come along to alleviate the pressure then it would be lovely.

Pro Modified racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson has had two outings this season, firstly pulling indoor burnouts at Autosport International and then taking the event win at the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball.

Eurodragster.com: What have you been doing to the Stude since we last saw you?

Andy Robinson: The car is in the paint shop right now. It's going to look slightly different - the same theme but newer. Since Autosport we've put the latest heads on and set the blower back. We're trying to keep up with the latest tech from the USA. We will be running at the Pro Peak Performance Day. It's been a pretty intense year getting Graham Ellis' car together.

Eurodragster.com: What do you think it will take in Pro Mod this year?

Andy Robinson: Pro Mod is very strong in Europe. Not only the existing cars but there are new cars being built and cars being brought in from the USA. I think we have a chance of running a 6.0 but not a five. Micke Lindahl and Micke Gullquist are close too but I'd like to be the first one! I'd like to go over 230 miles per hour and back it up for the record. Others have been 230 but not backed it up.

Eurodragster.com: Do you think anyone will surprise us?

Andy Robinson: Who can surprise us? Anybody! We've all got more or less the same equipment. We've done a lot of work on the car and it would be foolish to think that no-one else is doing the same. You could be a complete nobody with the right kit and come out of nowhere. Lots of people have the new Kobelco blowers, for example. Some of these guys have serious money. The nitrous guys can do whatever they want this year, but the unleaded fuel they have to run is a real hindrance.

Eurodragster.com: How was the nitrous-blower transition for you?

Andy Robinson: The crew have put in one hundred and ten per cent. When we talked about the change from nitrous I put it to the crew and all but one of them said yes. We found the transition easy but we had a system of operating from our years of nitrous. Dave Wilson's help allowed us to put in a programme and we have learned so much. The difference with the blower car is that you can make a change and it will respond, whereas nitrous was like banging your head against a brick wall. But we were consistent with nitrous and we're consistent now.

Eurodragster.com: You're doing the full tour of course?

Andy Robinson: Yes, but I am not sure that any of the other UK racers are doing it. Pro Mod is not cheap to run. I am going to miss Gordon Appleton's company though, it was always fun travelling with Gordon.

Top Fuel Dragster racer Andy Carter also had an outing at Easter but found it a mainly fruitless weekend, and he has also had a busy promotional schedule with the Lucas Oil / Landmeco Show Dragster. But Andy left us in no doubt that he is ready to race.

Eurodragster.com: We hear you've been out of the country again!

Andy Carter: I've been to the USA and I just came back from Spain. We have been doing a lot of shows. We were at Big Bang and at Billing for the AACI. This weekend we're at the PTM Show at Santa Pod and then we concentrate on the racing.

Eurodragster.com: You have had a lot of promotional work to do both at the track and away from it.

Andy Carter: Yes, I need three team members on the promotional side. Phil, Gary and Dan look after the sponsors, handle the merchandise, post the live updates from the pits and handle the marketing. I wouldn't be without them.

Eurodragster.com: What did you get out of Easter?

Andy Carter: Nothing at all! I had to pedal three times on each run. To be honest though it was amazing that anything happened that weekend.

Eurodragster.com: Is the race car in Denmark?

Andy Carter: Yes, the car is in Denmark at Per and Karsten's shop and it is ready to go. We were short of a few pieces at Easter but we have everything now. I talk to Karsten once a week, and they are as excited as we are, they can't wait.

Eurodragster.com: Do you think 4.5s are on this year?

Andy Carter: I think you will see a 4.5 from Lex, Urs or myself but not consistently. You can run consistent 4.7s and win. We aren't interested in the records, I just want to get to the other end first - the records are a by-product. It's going to be a tough year. The main rivals will be Lex and Urs...as a driver Lex is almost as good as me! Micke is always a threat too.

Eurodragster.com: Any test passes at the Main Event or straight into the full passes?

Andy Carter: We don't do launches! Every run is meant to be a full pass. We have the spares and we don't need to save money. If we shut off it's because something has happened.

Jet Funny Car pilot Martin Hill has no less than thirty bookings for the Fireforce Jet Funny Car team in 2008. Waiting in the wings are Martin's Jet Bike and another Jet FC whose body is currently in the paint shop.

Eurodragster.com: You've got a Jet bracket car!

Martin Hill: We're running conservatively. We want to get through this year running consistent 6.0s or 6.1s and then get back on the numbers next year. We're busy every weekend so we have no time to work on the car.

Eurodragster.com: When are we going to see you on the bike?

Martin Hill: We fired it up a few weeks ago, ran it up to eighty per cent and everything is fine and working as it should. We are putting on a new tailpipe and then we'll do some tie-down tests at a hundred per cent. We'll be into June before that happens, but it would be nice to get the bike out for the Bug Jam.

Eurodragster.com: You've been driving Jet cars forever, do you still enjoy it?

Martin Hill: Every time I get in the car I want to drive it. The day I hesitate, I'm done.

Santa Pod Raceway CEO and European Championship promoter Keith Bartlett's job is not one we would have, not least because of the weather which this year has seemed to wait for races to start before playing up. We had a word with Keith about the forthcoming European Championships and the long-term future.

Eurodragster.com: Easter must have been hellish for you.

Keith Bartlett: We've had some bad weather this year, including the first Easter with snow since 1994 which was a setback for what is traditionally a big and popular event. The Alternative Energy event was good, though. and we have a lot more activities in that direction.

Eurodragster.com: The European Championships are almost upon us...

Keith Bartlett: I am disappointed that the Championships have so few rounds. I would be delighted if we could see Hockenheim back in. Entry is looking good in all classes though, we are anticipating between ten and twelve Top Fuellers at Mantorp and at the European Finals. Pro Mod is huge as always, and Pro Stock and Top Methanol are all increasing. I know I sound like a cracked LP and said all this last year but we need seven or eight rounds. But that is easier said than done, we can't go back to the standard of tracks we had years ago. You can't run on runways any more and we have to be professional for everyone, racers and fans. We need grandstands, proper pits, showers and other amenities, good access and good quality corporate hospitality.

Eurodragster.com: It must be a hard market out there now.

Keith Bartlett: We have to take more back to the sponsors and we are looking to entertain them more than before. Print and TV are now so cheap that they are more effective than sponsorship. You need good facilities to get these people along, and to get those facilities you need to invest, it's a circle. There are lots of circuits but not very many drag strips. The TV coverage is on the increase, it's on terrestrial channels in Sweden and Germany, and it's strong but not strong enough in its own right.

Eurodragster.com: Any expansion on the horizon?

Keith Bartlett: We've been working on Italy for two and a half years and I am back out there next week. We're up against green governments now and I can tell you that nitro has the worst carbon footprint of any racing fuel. But I am quite sure that we'll get the Championship up to eight rounds and I see Eastern Europe and the Middle East coming in alongside Italy and Germany. And we need to own and build more tracks in England.