FIA Main Event
Santa Pod Raceway, 24th-27th May 2013
Pro Peak Performance Day


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Welcome to our report of today's Pro Racer Test Day, brought to you in association with Alamo Rent-A-Car.

It was a very frustrating day today with several prolonged rain showers and a couple of hail storms. More than once rain returned just as the track was ready to go. Some running was possible though so let's take you through today's numbers.

Graham Balchin was the star of the show with a storming 7.3692/197.15 on his Super Street Bike. Also in SSB Steve Venables made four passes, his quickest 7.6450/188.15. Thomas Granica was also into the sevens with a 7.7619/182.81 off the trailer whilst Mogens Lund clocked a best of 8.6588/132.06 on his two passes. Danny Cockerill put in one pass, an early shut off 8.2805/134.13, and Paul Hambidge ran a best of 8.6282/139.83 from his two runs. Luca Carbonera clocked 9.0512/147.60 on his single pass of the day. Martin Bishop made one pass on his Pro Stock Bike, 7.7308/152.66 looking very good before he clicked it off ahead of the stripe.

Gareth Ellis made a single pass with his Top Methanol Funny Car but it was a short-lived runs as the tyres shook and the motor screamed not far off the start line and he shut it off. Mats Wicktor made a single pass in his Pro Mod, Trevor Langfield of Eurodragster.com sponsor Wizard of NOS in attendance, nice launch then feathered the throttle a little and shut it off a touch early, 7.6491/181.37. Graham Ellis with his #1 motor now in the Superbird pulled the usual big burnout, rolling to a stop at half track. Drove through a little shake and then a violent downtrack move, shut off before the stripe 7.4909/157.97. Andy Frost made it out onto the track with his street-legal Pro Mod having been here since last weekend but not run due to transmission problems. A very aggressive launch, drove through shake, then shut it off by the eighth; 8.8535/110.04 at the stripe. Staying street-legal, Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racers Martin Smith and Colin Lazenby paired up but then Martin had problems burning out so Colin took a bye; the run resembled a no-nitrous pass except that Colin purged the nitrous before running, 9.1112/178.54 at the big end. Burnout problems cured Martin put in his run, an early shut off 9.9363/111.95.

Junior Dragster racer Rhiannon Bellenie made two passes, with a best RT of 0.0232 and best ET/speed of 8.1425/80.79. Nick Curtis was first on-track for the Super Gas contingent, closest to index was a breakout 9.8722/112.50 - the terminal speed showing just how early Nick had to shut it off. Collin Morrice's sole run was a 10.3315/145.24 after which the track crew were summoned to the top end for a brief oil clean-up. I am guessing a baseline pass for Pete Creswell in Super Comp mode, 8.5383/157.97 his only run of the day before the rain intervened. Super Pro ET racer Steve Saunders put in three runs, the best an 8.6100/158.48 against a dial-in of 8.56 showing on the scoreboard. One run for fellow Super Pro racer Simon Gough, 8.6660/159.59. Amanda Cox's very pretty new Nova is headed for Comp Eliminator this weekend; Amanda made two passes, both launches then shut off, the best an 11.5918/67.55. One run for Super Pro ET racer Dave Gibbons, a 9.0534/149.08.

New name to us Arnold Hol made a couple of passes in his Pro ET Plymouth Roadrunner, I am guessing he was on observed runs as both were shut off quite early. The second run was 13.9090/64.93. Also first-footing in Pro ET was Ibo van der Haven in his Pro ET Malibu, his best from two runs a 16.8260/48.31. Rookie Super Pro ET racer Shari Koene made three passes, not helped by the motor quitting as she went to burn out on more than one occasion, the best a low twenty sensibly taking it nice and easy. Finally Pro ET racer Keith Herbert put in a couple of passes, the best a 9.8409/136.50.

Tune back tomorrow and we'll bring you all the news from Sportsman qualifying.


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