Pro Modified racer Wayne Nicholson has a new front end wrapped by Paint Killers in Wayne's home town of Ossett. After some tyre shake during testing last weekend, Wayne launched to a 1.07 on a launch, the car sounding quite aggressive under power.

Pro Modified racer Mark Harteveld is here for licensing, having previously driven the Superbird into the six second zone in Super Pro ET. A 1.03 launch produced a half pass of 8.13/121 and other test passes showed promise.

Pro Mod racer Michel Tooren who is licensing the Cuda formerly campaigned by the late Robert Joosten is on a steep learning curve without any seat time prior to this event, but plentry of experience on the Pro Dutch crew. The inscription on the rear screen says 'Robert Joosten - we'll meet you further on up the road. R.I.P'. On his third pass Michel ran a great half track 8.50 including a 0.97 60 foot time and looked confident in his handling of the car.

Pro Mod racer Jean Dulamon's Camaro is still bearing the scars of incidents from last year. His first run was 6.956/212, good for second position in the first session.

Pro Mod racer Chris Isaacs ran a 6.9355/216.04 to go first in the initial session. Co-owner Spencer Tramm reported that the boost level on the start line was 12lb/ft compared with the maximum allowed of 43lb/ft. The team are investigating the cause.

Top Methanol Dragster racer Rod Harrison is looking forward to running FIA races this year. Sponsorship is being sought for overseas events in addition to that provided by NUA Entertainment. The car is here for testing and will be fully competitive when the FIA season starts at the end of May. Rod's second pass produced a 5.9691/230.21 with visibly soft settings.

Hope Racing are fielding two bikes this weekend, the Super Street Bike of Alex and Mark's Comp bike which is now running in Super Street Bike trim and will likely move to that class later in the year. The Pro Stock bike will be racing at FIM events in the UK and the team are investigating FIM rounds in Europe.

Jet Dragster racer Julian Webb has had his car wrapped in a design by Eurodragster.com sponsor Peter Walters Race Design. Julian will be running alongside Martin Hill in any of three Fireforce cars.

Sportsman ET racers are now in team pairs as exemplified by Ricky Hale (left) and Jemma Hale (right) in their Toyota Supras.

Wild Bunch racer Keith Crampton's car is a neat setup with 364cu in Buick and TH400 gearbox. Keith was winner of the overall Wild Bunch series in 2015.

Super Pro ET racer Craig Wright was excited to be moving up two classes and going quicker by over six seconds. He is supported by Eurodragster.com sponsor Paul Marston Racing who are giving Craig driving hints. Craig's first pass was a 8.58 on a 8.60 dial in so the combination seems to work well.

Wild Bunch racer Phil James in his Funny Car has a best of 9.278/143.27 but the 492cu in engine has not yet had any nitrous from the installed 275hp kit. Phil is supported by Carl James, Matt Lisley and Mike James. Phil was with Dave Wilson's TMD team for four years before buying his own car and joining the Wild Bunch.

Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Mike Lacey won the Eurodragster.com/Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award on his first pass. He said 'We had a new gearbox and front coil springs over the winter so I guess the car knew what to do'. The new gearbox is another TH400 so the team can have a spare. 'It launches nicely', said Mike. 'I've been racing for twelve years and I've been close but today was my first perfect light'.

Pro ET racer Geoff Cowley had significant engine damage suffered at the Euro Finals to repair over winter. 'We saved the heads but they both had to be welded and re-engineered. The engine was completely rebuilt by Mark Pacey of tractor pulling fame who is also based in Northants. We had to get new pistons, valves and titanium valve springs. I took the engine and the car to Mike Lacey to install and fire up the engine and many thanks to Mark, Mike and to Geoff Hauser and Lee Guy. The first pass was a squirrelly 9.5, about four tenths off what we thought the car would do, but we were first down and I pedalled it after it drifted a little'.

Pro ET racer Paul Baynton is again sharing the driving of the Capri with daughter Laura who is in the car at all Santa Pod rounds. He said 'We have had extra bars put in the roll cage and the car should tag to 8.50, but our performance aim is to run a nine soon. Thanks to Chris Isaacs for the chassis work. The engine is as last year and the transmission was rebuilt in 2014. At the end of the year we will have the engine rebuilt by Dave Milam. Although Laura had only just got her road license when she first drove the car she knows it well and has grown up with it'.

Pro ET racer Gino Bernadine was runner up at the National Finals running a string of 9.6s and decided to leave the setup the same over winter. 'We entered that race just for testing and have only changed a couple of small things as it ran consistently. The car has a Garrett T76 turbo on a Cosworth engine with a best of 8.6/135 although on that run it burnt a piston. We have a new Syvecs S8 engine management system which we are using to help startline performance. The convertor is a seven inch model by Cohen.

Pro ET racer David Nichol has an innovative setup of a RED powered by a turbocharged Toyota 2JZ engine. He said 'Last year I ran a Hauser chassis with a Supra body and engine. It was my first time in drag racing and any form of motorsport. I found it wasn't consistent or competitive and I then thought about the dragster. I found a chassis from the Giles & Hartley team who many years ago had planned to use it to step up. While it is tagged to 8.50 it would be easy to obtain a tag of 6.00 with an additional brace.' The engine is mainly stock but boosted by a single HKS T04R turbo, with 1000cc injectors and race cams to 750hp. The combination still has an intercooler and radiator. The gearbox is an Andy Frost Powerglide. The engine control unit comes from sponsor EMU and is tuned by David's other sponsor JamSport. David's plan is to run Pro ET at SPR but scrutineering issues (mainly rear brake calipers of insufficient thickness) will prevent the car from taking to the track this event.

Pro ET racer Bob Molden has a rebuilt engine with 570hp on Kenny Coleman's dyno, a 70hp increase on the previous setup. 'We have aluminium Edelbrock heads and new bottom end bearings and all-new ignition system. It also has new tyres and we had to repair a split in the rear axle. First time out this morning we didn't know what it would run and dialled in a 9.8 and run 9.819 which was pleasing.'

Pro ET racer Neil Hunter, pictured with son and crew member Alex, has a rebuilt engine in their Capri, which they will be campaigning throughout the year. Neil said 'The engine was damaged in Easter 2014 after we had new back axle and suspension in 2013. We did all the work ourselves. I still have the Firebird but love Pro ET.'

Pro ET racer Dan Williams (teamed with Eurodragster.com sponsor and OCS Paint owner Nic) has converted to a Jericho four speed gearbox and McCloud clutch (one of the last built by the late Tim Hyatt). 'We also have different tyres as the rules mandate bias ply slicks rather than radial. It is different to drive, I dump the clutch (which has a two step limiter) at 5800rpm and go through the gears by moving the lever forward and backwards, just like an early Pro Stock car'. The plan is to take the Nova to Tierp, store it with Joran Larsson and race there at June and August and a Stock/Superstock shootout at a nostalgia meeting and at Sundsvall. The wheels have been resprayed by OCS Paint.

Junior Dragster racer Jordan Payne bought and ran his car last year. He said 'My dad Nigel raced since he was sixteen and I am now fifteen. The deal with my parents was that we each funded half of the purchase price of the car and I then pay the costs of running it out of my own pocket and from sponsors' money. I see it as giving back to my parents what they gave to me. It also has given me great experience of approaching and talking to sponsors, which has taught me about different businesses. It is also good training for life and racing when I am older.'

Junior Dragster racer Matthew Dowdy has had a new paint job by Eurodragster.com sponsors OCS Paint. Dad Michael Dowdy explained 'We live in Wootton near to Flore and have bought the car from Paige Wheeler last September. It is running in Junior Modified but can be converted to JMA by removing the weight bar which is 90lbs'. Matthew is eleven as of last Tuesday and so when he reaches 13 the weight bar will be consigned to storage.

Junior Dragster racer Aaron Fensome (left) has a fantastic new paint job from Eurodragster.com sponsors Peter Walters Race Designs, while Holley Marshall has the ex-Annie Wallace car with the additional benefit of crewing from Pete and Joe Kellett.

Sportsman ET racer Andy Dibley owns the two Fifty Shades of Racing team cars. The green Camaro is being raced by Eurodragster.com member Kirstie at this and other events when time allows. Team sponsorship comes from Andy and his Dad David's firm Hutchison and Dibley which does CNC machine engineering, and from www.V8UK.co.uk. This is Andy's second season and last year he won Avon Park's Best Newcomer award.

Super Pro ET racer Martyn Jones suffered a broken reverser in the morning session and a similar-looking incident this afternoon. Hence no time in the qualifying list. The car does appear respledent with new body panels by Richard Walters and a new wrap by Peter Walters. Martyn added 'The dollar notes in the wrap are not real ones, we spend so many on the car we can't afford to use any in the paint scheme.'

Nostalgia Funny Car racer Tim Garlick has a new intake manifold which I.C.E. Automotive made from billet aluminium. Tim said 'We measured the flow of the old manifold and it wasn't enough to realise the potential of the engine so Rob Loaring made a new one which makes the engine the maximum height allowed by NHRA rules'. The car ran a great 6.3169/177.12 lifting at 1000ft on its second pass.