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

15:30

Andy Burfitt (9.50 Bike), winner of the Eurodragster.com/LA Racing Parts Perfect ET award said "I took last year off to get married and did a fair amount of work on the bike, including installing a lock-up clutch, some engine work and a new nitrous system with a progressive controller to gain consistency compared with the manual button system. It will run quicker than 9.50 in some conditions and I got close at the Big Bang with a 9.503. My Dad Dave runs a similar setup to mine and so far this season we've done well in the points."

Andy Frost said "We exploded a brake disc and are trying to get a replacement from a local Halfords. It's from a Mercedes C200 and are out if we can't find one. It's been disappointing as we have not done a proper run so far this weekend."

Craig Gibbs (Super Mod) said "We ran a PB of 7.72 at the Big Bang. But this weekend we have one cylinder running less than ideally and are having to nurse the motor to try to get through to the end. We then plan to strip the engine down completely and let Rob Loaring carry out his tuning magic on it. I'm still learning the driving but it feels good going down the track and launches better now with changes to the tyres and four-link. This is becoming a tuners' class and times are very close." Thanks go to all the class sponsors on the Super Modified website www.supermodified.co.uk.

Ian Hook (Real Steel Street Eliminator) said "We have been delayed installing a new engine by about six weeks after our shipping agent lost a new block and headers and even to get it installed by the Bug Jam round is doubtful. I want to prove the car with the new engine before I retire from racing and sell and there won't be time to do this in 2007. So we may have to run for some of 2008, which pleases the team but empties my hip pocket. I'm running the 460cu in Ford engine out of Tim Jackson's Ford Mustang in the meantime. He was going to put this in the Pony Express altered but will now be selling it with its existing running gear.

Ian is running a new design Hi Power Nitrous system with the aid of Trevor Langfield. "This is an infinitely variable system that shows a lot of promise, particularly in classes where fine control of power output is important such as Street Eliminator. We can drop the power as well as increase it. So there is a lot to look forward to."

14:30

Super Mod driver Andy Chilton said his weekend has not gone according to plan. "In our first qualifier the Lenco got stuck in first due to a lever adjustment. In the second the starter motor failed, and in the third a previous oildown prevented us from running. Our best run so far is a 8.32/165 with a slipping trans at the Big Bang. We want to get down to 7.90s by the end of the year. We have a computer but have been unable to use it so far as there is a broken sensor ring on the Lenco. The motor is a 540 cu in without nitrous; we're doing things the hard way as only Nigel Payne and I are running without gas. The car, built by Kev Jenkins ran in Super Street Rover in 1999 and then Super Gas. But the chassis is 60% new this year in chrome moly, the work being done by Andy Robinson." Thanks go to team members Rob Chilton, Gary Mantell, my girlfiend Susan, Andy's mum (who does the cooking) and Tim Wheeler who runs Bishops Home Improvements and sponsors us.

In Outlaw Anglia, class organiser and leading driver Paul Wright has unfortunately had to withdraw for the weekend due to a bad back, and our best wishes for a speedy recovery go to him.

Dave Sidaway is enjoying his first championship meeting. His Fordson van which runs a 468ci big block Chevy with a TH400 gearbox. "It took me five years to build the car. I wanted it to look like a Pro Street car and retain the stock appearance. The car is all steel. Wayne Allman of Intergalactic Custom Shop did a cracking job on the chassis and roll cage. I plumbed and wired the car and Wayne completed the ally interior." Dave took part in a rwyb two weeks ago and ran a 11.8. His best so far this meeting is a 11.2/113. "The speed is down from what we want and there is a ten in there." Dave's crew is Al Williamson who runs a 502 cu in '54 Chevy pickup, and wife Ellie who does startline duties. Sponsorship is from Andy's business AW Upholstery which runs a Dr Vinyl franchise.

Chris Jones reported on 9.50 bike as follows: "Fast Harry and Jason Macan have had a nightmare with clutch settings. On my own bike we're happy, it's running sound and I've got a new tyre on this time. Tony Smiley is here ironing out the problems on his new Suzuki GSX1100 nitrous bike developed with son Ed, who's helping dad rather than racing this weekend. Today there has a tail wind which has helped reduce the times and both Paul and Steve Coombs have broken out. Fair shout to Andy Burfitt for a perfect 9.500. Geoff Connor has run a 9.6 which is none too shabby for his first run of the year with very little work on it over the winter. And the Hyenas have had consistent performances from Chunk (Martin Walker) on his 'Busa."

13:00

Tim Blakemore has had a frustrating weekend so far, with traction woes and a broken shaft. "We have been making more power this year and have changed the gearing for this event to calm the bike's performance down. We're now adjusting the clutch settings to suit the new gearing and aim to have sorted this out before the Main Event. The drive shaft broke at the Thunderball but the damage didnt become apparent until we ran yesterday. Thanks to Bob Glassup for helping with repairs."

Tim's partner Wendy Clutterbuck is pleased with running a personal best of 8.70/149.6 on her Supertwin Fuel Harley. She said "We are working on the clutch as the 60 ft times are down. It's quite a manic weekend as we are two crew members down and have only two to work on four bikes (Tim and Wendy's, Tyler Clutterbuck's junior bike and Shaun Rodman's STF). Over the winter, Wendy has freshened the bike with a new chain and general service. The most visible change is the exhaust pipes which have been reshaped. Thanks go to crewmen Wendys dad Steve Clutterbuck and Mike.

Also pitted with Tim and Wendy is Shaun Rodman who is a newcomer and has chosen Supertwin Fuel as his class. The bike is new and self-built with help from Steve and Tim. The Harley-engined machine suffered a fuel leak on its first run this morning and this has been cured for another qualifying attempt later. "I've had no drag racing experience so I will be taking it easy but want to see what it can do."

Top Fuel Bike rider Steve Woollatt is repaired after a Thunderball that started promisingly with a PB of 6.318 but finished before eliminations with a damaged valve seat. He ran two 6.4s in yesterday's qualifying. "We're trying hard to get there. We had lots of tyre shake in the first eighth." Steve noted that of the 20 bikes entered for UEM Top Fuel at the Main Event, only five are nitro-burners. "The cost of running the nitro-burners is a big factor", he added.

Andy Kirk (Super Modified) is pleased with running a string of 7.6s this weekend. "The 60ft times are down and the car is spinning the tyres on the start line", said Andy. I believe we have a new speed record with a 181.03 and son Lee is e-mailing Tog from Bahrain as we speak to confirm this. We have made changes to the four-link, shocks and clutch since the Big Bang. A 7.50 is possible and if we don't do it here, we will at the Summernationals." Andy added that he will be aiding Danny Cockerill in his Pro Mod at the Main Event.

10:30

As you can see from Saturday's photo gallery, Les Harris has fitted a full fairing and matching seat to his Suzuki TL1000-powered Supertwin Gas bike. Transplanted Brit Jay Upton runs one in Australia on a Top Fuel Bike, which has had a great deal of media interest. Les said, "The fairing is made from carbon fibre and I made it with a lot of help from Mike and Sylvie Nailthorpe of HQ Fibre Products, who were heavily involved in Chris Boardman's Olympic-winning cycle project. I built it to the existing frame without using computer design. It weighs under six kilos. We have placed an air inlet in the fairing which feeds through to the engine via a length of B&Q plastic drainpipe! To finish the aerodynamics, we have boxed in the wheelie bars for good measure. We tested at a sprint last weekend. It went smooth a straight. It feels different as there is no wind blast or buffeting and it is really quiet out there. I may have to be careful with side winds though. The terminal speeds are definitely up on last year's and I have been able to run 146mph consistently."

Super Pro victor at the Thunderball Ashley Bell has had a lot of late nights to rebuild his AC Cobra since then, following an excursion into the concrete wall at 150mph after the finish line. "I found a front end on Ebay from St Neots and have rebuilt the body forward of the windshield. I bought some front struts from Colin Lazenby, one back wheel, a radiator and new front tyres. I'm grateful to my crew members Steve and Andy for their help and to Geof Hauser who fitted the struts and was very quick to turn the car around. Im also thankful to Sunoco whose prize of fuel at the Thunderball has helped finance the rebuild. It's cost a bit and I'm afraid the old woman won't get the Winnebago I promised her for this season.

Ashley plans to start with a pair of easy non-nitrous passes to check out the repairs and then switch the nitrous on to get back to the car's 8.3 dial-in. "At the end of the final at Easter, the car turned hard left just as I braked. I had been on a good run, and didn't want to break out but the brake grabbed and I was a passenger. The front end hit first and then it spun round and the rear offside hit further along."