US Top Fuel racer Doug Herbert paid a visit on Friday as a guest of customers Jeff and Belinda Bull. Famous for his record-setting runs and four IHRA Championships, Doug is now planning an attempt on the blown wheel driven Land Speed Record with a goal of 500mph at Bonneville this summer. "The vehicle is powered by two Viper engines with Prochargers pushing out 2000hp each." Doug built the car with help from his late father, drag racing pioneer and land speed Chet Herbert. Doug is also busy in Top Fuel, reaching the final at the Z-Max raceway NHRA Four-Wide Nationals last weekend. "It's weird racing four wide. There are a lot more lights and distractions, so it's difficult to concentrate, and running in the middle two lanes you have a car either side of you which is strange. And of course the organisers had to have twice as many safety crews and two helicopters present."

Doug founded B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) in memory of his two sons Jon and James who died in a car accident. "The idea is to teach kids about better driving standards and being responsible on the road. The organisation provides expert instruction in dealing with skids, avoiding accidents and dealing with distractions." Over the years, Doug has supplied cars as well as parts to European racers and was pleased that two of his former cars have won European Top Fuel Champions in the hands of Urs Erbacher, H�kan Nilsson and Andy Carter. Doug's own racing plans for 2010 are to run at NHRA races in Bristol and Charlotte.

Pro ET racer Deborah Laugher and husband Dusty have been into hot rods for twenty years. But being based in Wollaston, four miles from SPR, they have visited the track. In 2009 they decided to take the plunge and buy this '74 Camaro from High Wycombe, a "sound 12 second car" last raced two years ago. The car is as bought with a 468cu in big block and Holley 1050cfm carb added. New Center Line wheels were added and a trailer bought and Deborah has alreadt run a 11.4 and is now looking to run the car in the low l0s.

Pro ET racer Tim Stanbury and crewman Paul Edwards are from the Devon/Cornwall border, a distance of 266 miles from the track and are also at their first competitive meeting. Their '67 Camaro was bought on Racing Junk from the US from an Idaho racer who competed in the Northwest states. Tim and Paul gave the car the once over. "Thanks to Geoff Martin for spotting some faults and to Ian Marshall for helping make a new Lexan windscreen. Someone said 'That's why they call them bracket cars, you have to make so many brackets up.'" Tim and Paul's experience includes owning a Mustang for over 30 years and running in run what ya brungs in the 1980s.

Pro ET racer Mike Lacey installed a new engine and wheels and worked on the suspension and fuel system after taking 2009 off. "One of the greatest improvements is from changing the pinion angle of the diff from zero degrees to three degrees. This has greatly reduced wheelspin, reduced 60ft times to 1.27 with 9.31/142 at the stripe. Mike's new engine is a 555cu in big block from Nyes Automotive, a family company based in the US. Mike is more involved with Pro ET than ever, managing the class sponsorship scheme. "I want consistent performance in the championship", said Mike. In his first run though, the car's torque caused a rear suspension failure which resulted in a wheel parting company on the launch and a repair problem before the next round.

Pro ET racer Liz and Iain Malcolm's Just 4 Fun dragster looks as nice as ever. Changes are planned for 2011. "We got a new crank trigger for this year and have bought a small Whipplecharger to get the power up to around 300bhp on methanol and get the car to run nines next year." The blower gives 1.2 litres of air per revolution. Iain said "We built a new workshop to house the car which has meant we can work on it easily at home, but it has cost us our annual trip to the US."

Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Kaz Aston has been in the sport for just a year and last weekend obtained her racer's license. "We are racing in support of multiple sclerosis charities. I suffer from MS and want to show others how motivated MS sufferers can be to enjoy every moment." A qualified district nurse, Kaz has kept her clinical hours up tending to crew members with MS. "When I had a ride in the two seater I knew I wanted to race and am grateful to Gordon Northway for letting me race his Ford F150." Kaz has been highly successful in promoting the MS cause in the sport and media: the MS Trust are the main charity supporting the FIA Main Event and on your screens this weekend Trans World Sport a running a 12 minute piece on the sport and Gordon's team. The F150 has a turbocharged engine with 500hp, good for tens in the relatively heavy vehicle. "I just want to drive down the track without the limitations of breakouts", she said.

Sportsman ET racer Nigel Holland has been promoting the sport to disabled people and Motorsport Endeavour organised an event here on 27th March. At least 20 people tried the SPR quarter mile and the event was a success. Nigel's Mustang will soon be sporting a nitrous system to get the car down into the thirteen second zone.

Sportsman ET racer Matthew Seamarks is now racing a stock Camaro formerly owned by Funny Car racer Wendy Baker. Matthew said "We asked through Eurodragster for a suitable car and we then got it resprayed." The car is from Florida, has a V6 engine and Matthew's long term wish is to fit a small block Chevy engine.

Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Andy Hadfield has run his wild Model T at nostalgia meetings for a few years and now wants to get more serious. "The car is a pussycat on the street. I ran it for 4500 miles last year and 137 runs on the track. Moving up from RWYB will give the car more exposure." Andy's Jago T which is over 30 years old has run a best of 8.8/154, has been tagged to 8.5 with original chassis rails. The engine is a small block with Dart heads, a 400 shot of nitrous and a 6/71 blower with a two speed 'glide transmission. "Thanks to John Sleath for his work on the cage and the engine, he is a magician."

Super Street racer Nick Griffin has brought out this pretty '65 Chevelle for its first outing. The car was completely rebuilt by Nick and his crew over the winter and has been named "Southern Belle", after the B17 Bomber of the same name that flew out of Podington Airfield in 1943.

Pro Mod racer Ray White aka Doctor Evil is racing his Zephyr on the whole European tour with crew including Danny Cockerill, Steve Mac and Adrian Spencer. "We've bought the tickets, so it's too late to pull out now", he said. "Depending on sponsorship we may extend our tour to the Norwegian Top Doorslammer round at Gardermoen the week after the Mantorp event." The car has had a new clutch and fresh Brad Anderson Stage 6 engine supplied by Eurodragster.com sponsor Graham Ellis.

Santa Pod are offering passenger rides in the Red Dragon Ride Truck. This promises punters to get closer to Monster Truck action than they have ever been before for the princely sum of �7.50.

Pro Mod racer Kev Slyfield was delighted to have the car run close to its potential with a 6.5 at the European Finals. "The main thing that helped us was changing the stall speed on the torque converter from 4500rpm to 8200rpm. "I could see in the video the wheels going up on every gear change as the trans locked up and the higher speed has calmed the car down greatly." The engine has a new crank and other pieces but the most visible change is the new paint job supplied by BLDGroup.co.uk