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Serck partner with Santa Pod.
18th February: Graham Smith is thrilled to announce a new partnership on which Serck Motorsport have been working with Santa Pod Raceway over the winter period:

This new partnership is designed for the racer to have ease of access and convenience to Nitrous fills and parts all in one place at every event, from a RWYB to a full race weekend. This evolution allows instant access directly at the track for Nitrous fills and parts from the Garage Shop situated in the pits at Santa Pod Raceway.

Darren Prentice, Track Operations Manager, said “This answers the begging question: Will there be Nitrous fill available at the track this weekend? The answer is now "Yes", at every weekend and every event including RWYB, Test Days and Drifting too. We're delighted to be working with Serck to provide this permanent solution."

We at Serck have always prided ourselves on bringing the very best in cooling systems and designs, products, race parts and services direct to all of our customers. The parts list will also be on display in the Santa Pod Garage targeted to help the racer in the event of common failures and many attractive parts for the browsing shopper also. This occurred to me when I was racing Snow White and needed a ring gear urgently, although I managed to get one it could have been a big problem that if I wasn't able to get one I could have missed out on qualifying. The parts list will therefore evolve to suit the customers’ needs and we will also welcome suggestions from the pits to help support them. We hope to have the installation and training completed very soon so that we are up and running by the mid to end of March along with the parts stocked for the new season.

Further information will be posted by Santa Pod Raceway as the project nears completion.

Herbert and Beck for BDRHoF Gala.
16th February: The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame has announced that its 2019 Gala will take place on Saturday 23rd November, once again at the historic Oatlands Park Hotel in Weybridge. The BDRHoF also announces two special guests who will be travelling from the US to attend.

Chairman of the BDRHoF Stu Bradbury said "We have had two extremely successful Galas at the Oatlands Park Hotel which offers excellent accommodation at a very reasonable price, together with a location close to many attractions. The main focus of the event will be inducting our new members of the Hall of Fame for 2019 at the evening's dinner and award ceremony. There will be a Bench Racing session in the afternoon, and we will be announcing further details in due course."

The special guests announced by BDRHoF are Top Fuel dragster racer Doug Herbert and veteran announcer Bob Beck with his wife Peg. Doug Herbert is from a drag racing dynasty which includes his father Chet Herbert, who introduced roller cams and zoomie headers to the sport from 1949, and his aunt Doris Herbert who published Drag News, the first great drag racing newspaper. Doug himself has won four IHRA Top Fuel Championships and ten NHRA National events and is planning a Land Speed Record attempt to go 500 mph. Following the death of his two sons in a tragic highway accident in 2008, Doug founded the BRAKES organisation which saves lives by training and educating teenage drivers and their parents about the importance of safe and responsible driving.

Bob Beck has built vehicles seen in the pages of many publications and has many class wins at car shows and driving events. Peg's hot rod won at the Grand National Rod show in Pomona last week. He has also been a driver/builder in AHRA drag racing and US Sports Car and Sedan Racing and has announced at these events and at NHRA, NDRA, VRA and ANRA drag series, including Irwindale and the NHRA Hot Rod Reunions. He can be heard on-line with his radio show Great American Auto Scene at www.gotgaas.com.

Doug Herbert said "I am really excited about being able to come over for this year's British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala as I have many customers and friends in the UK and Europe, and visited Santa Pod Raceway as a guest in 2010". Bob Beck said "Peg and I are thrilled to be spending a week in the UK and exploring the car scene over there as well as meeting the folks in the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame."

The BDRHoF will be taking reservations for the 2019 Gala Awards Dinner by E-Mail at stuart@britishdragracinghof.co.uk or by telephone at 01933 279102. Dinner tickets, which include table wine, are held at the same price as 2018 at £70 each. Likewise the same rates for hotel rooms are offered, at £115 for double rooms and £94.00 single which includes an excellent breakfast and VAT as well as parking. The event always sells out well in advance, so if you would like to join us for the occasion we suggest you make your reservation sooner rather than later. On receiving your reservation you will be given the procedure to book rooms.

Ongoing news about the Gala, sponsors and other events in which the BDRHoF is involved is regularly published on the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame web site at www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk, on Eurodragster.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Swift snippets.
16th February: Best wishes for a rapid recovery to Supercharged Outlaws racer and race car builder Roy Wilding who suffered a heart attack and stroke earlier this week. Supercharged Outlaws Chair Andy Fadster says that the best wishes of the Supercharged Outlaws are behind Roy and that they are ready to welcome him back as soon as he regains his strength.

Barry Eastman's funeral.
15th February: Thanks to Lorcan Parnell for forwarding details of the funeral of Team Storm co-owner Barry Eastman.

Barry's funeral takes place at 10:00 am on Thursday 28th February at South West Middlesex Crematorium, Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 5JH (location and other details). In tribute to Barry's lack of formality, funeral attire is not necessary. Refreshments will be available afterwards at a separate venue to be arranged.

Please send any messages or memories to stormdragbike@gmail.com for forwarding on to Barry's wife Debs.

UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting update.
15th February: If you have any items for the agenda of next week's UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting then close of office hours today (Friday) is the deadline for submission.

Agenda items should be sent in writing to Ian Marshall at ir.marshall@btconnect.com. Please note that if you wish to have your agenda item discussed then you must attend the meeting.

The UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting will take place at 13:00 on Sunday 24th February at the Hilton Hotel at Collingtree, on the eastbound A45 just off Junction 15 of the M1 (postcode NN4 0XW, map).

Doorslammers set for Viking invasion.

15th February: [ 'Doorslammer': noun - full-bodied car with sprung chassis and functioning doors ]

The 2019 Doorslammers preparation is already under way; the racer entry system is live and drivers are jealously eyeing the riches on offer. News of the Doorslammers' incredible first-year success has spread across the North Sea and the tempting £80,000 total prize money has stirred Viking blood in the Swedish Top Doorslammer community. Look out everyone – the Vikings are coming!

2018's welcome revival of the Doorslammers concept at Santa Pod Raceway, after a long hiatus, put down a marker. The atmosphere and enthusiasm generated by the event signalled that big prize money and back-to-basics racing are where it's at! The Doorslammers filled a hole and scratched an itch we knew was there but couldn't quite put our finger on. The event left us eagerly wanting more, and more is exactly what we'll get in 2019: more prize money, more cars, more days and much more excitement.

For many racers and spectators, the Doorslammers 2018 would be hard to beat. The event immediately established a formidable reputation. The hammer blow of Mattias Wulcan's 5.53/262 run over the quarter mile – the quickest, fastest doorslammer pass ever seen in Europe – sent a shockwave across to Scandinavia that reverberated throughout its Doorslammer racing scene. Now, with eyes fixed on plunder, a Viking raiding party made up of the quickest and fastest outlaw doorslammers is readying to cross the sea in numbers to lay claim to the Doorslammers cash in this year's VP Racing Fuels Pro Doorslammer class.

The Top Doorslammer class in Sweden is run over the eighth-mile; the talk in the class at the moment is all about preparing to race the full quarter mile at Santa Pod, requiring significant tuning changes to be made to set-ups to give them a fighting chance. No fewer than eight outlaw cars, never seen before in the UK, are doing what's necessary to give them the best shot at taking the £10,000 winner's prize, along with the regular crop of conventional Scandinavian Pro Mod favourites. Competition will be fierce and if the Brits are to have a chance of defeating the invasion force, they'll need to raise their game.

Peter Coleman, Business Development Consultant for VP Europe, said: "VP Racing Fuels is delighted to continue its association with Santa Pod's expanded Doorslammers event. As sponsor of the Pro Doorslammers class, we're looking forward to the thrill of watching these spectacular vehicles in the UK once more."

Entries for the VP Racing Fuels Pro Doorslammer class will headline the event with a supporting cast of classes that includes The OCS Big Bracket, Pro Street, True Street, 6-cylinder, Webster Race Engineering 4-cylinder and Eibach Front Wheel Drive.

Don't miss the excitement. Book your tickets for the Doorslammers on the 17th-19th May and visit the Doorslammers web site for all the latest information at www.thedoorslammers.co.uk.

Barry Eastman.

14th February: Lorcan Parnell writes that the UK's Championship-holding Storm Funny Bike team are broken-hearted to announce the loss of team co-owner Barry Eastman, who passed away in hospital on Tuesday afternoon aged 68:

Barry's friendship with Mick Hand extends back over fifty years to when they completed their apprenticeships at the same company and started going sprinting. After racing their own bikes, Mick helped Barry with his Honda CBX Funny Bike Tokyo Express through the 1980s and 1990s, before building Storm together.

Now, though, our thoughts are with Barry's family, especially wife Deb and daughter Sarah. Barry met Deb through drag racing and we are sure that the drag racing community will want to join us in sending our love and sincere condolences.

Tractor unit sought for Nan's 100th.
14th February: Angie Daly of Santa Pod Racers Club's top end fire crew has been in touch to ask if any Eurodragster.com reader or racer has a tractor unit which she could use for one day on Saturday 2nd March:

My Nan will be 100 years young on 28th February, and she is have a huge party on 2nd March. She has always wanted to go out in a truck with me but unfortunately the companies for whom I work do not allow passengers. So for a special surprise I've been trying to get a unit so I can drive her to her party in style! Unfortunately my everyday truck is a fleet vehicle so when I get out of it someone else gets in, so I'm unable to use it. I've also tried to hire a tractor but as I do not have an O licence or fleet insurance I can't do that either.

So I was hoping that someone out there has a unit which is legal and which I could use to make an old lady, and me, very happy!

If you can help then please contact Angie Daly via Facebook or drop us a line at tog@eurodragster.com and we'll put you in touch.

Swift snippets.
14th February: Their BUG wishes lots of love and a very Happy Birthday to UK Wild Bunch racers Rob and Pete Brown (aka Marra 1 and 2). "You are now officially thirty years old and still a pair of rebels!", says Hayley Fyfe. "I hope you enjoy all the birthday celebrations that are in store for you both. I'm looking forward to a full season of racing and fun."

Flamholc comes home.
14th February: Ever-busy Pro Modified racer and tuner Adam Flamholc writes that he is aiming to race in Europe as well as in the USA in 2019:

For the last three seasons I've been working with SMP Racing in Russia, as well as helping customers in Europe and in US, and at the same time I've been racing my '63 Corvette. I really enjoy working with my friends in Russia and helping other teams, but because of these commitments I have not been able to race a full series myself more than twice in my twenty five years of racing. The way it looks now, that might change!

The Flamholc Racing crew, together with Chris Duncan, have worked hard on my Dan Page-built Mustang, to make it NHRA/FIA legal. Chris Duncan Racecars also got the job to build a brand new '68 Camaro for Dmitry Samorukov. Two new engines have been built here at the Flamholc Racing shop in Cape Coral, with two new superchargers from Mike Janis (JanCen).

We tested the Mustang for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and so far it felt good. Next time out will be the NHRA Winter Warmup in Orlando on the first weekend in March. A couple of weeks after that it'll be time to take Dmitry's new Camaro to the track for the first time, and then ship both cars to Europe, where we will run a full FIA tour.

Before we take the Mustang out, the guys at Signtastic in Seebring will make sure it looks great with new colors and design!

I still enjoy racing the '63 Corvette, and if verything works out as I hope then I'm going to try to be at five of the six NMCA events this year. NMCA is a great organisaton to race with, and I really miss those events!

I really appreciate all of the customers who order parts through Flamholc Racing/MMR and who trust us to build and rebuild engines for them. Big thanks to our sponsors SMP Racing and RDRC, Amalie Oil, 5 Day Plantation Shutters & Blinds, R&R connection Rods, Diamond Racing Pistons, Line2Line Coating, Malmö Motorrenovation (MMR), Auto Collection, Signtastic, Davies Technologies and Kvinesdal Auto. As usual the biggest Thank You goes to my family who let me do what I do!

Bunt Willcox.
13th February: UK Wild Bunch racer Dick Sharp writes with deep regret and sadness to announce the passing last week of original Dorset Horn team member Bunt Willcox due to illness:

Although it was expected, the end was much earlier than expected. A blessing for Bunt but a shock to his family and friends. We'd been good mates for over fifty years, many good times, great racing, holidays, parties, and, of course, lots of Jack Daniels!

Our thoughts are with his wife Dinah and sons TJ and Josh and the rest of his family. As Micky Moore said, he'll be up there now with Vic Hammond and Phil Cornish drinking heaven dry!

RIP mate, you'll be sorely missed but never forgotten.

Bunt's funeral service has been arranged at Weymouth Crematorium at 12:15 on Wednesday 27th February, and we hope you will be able to join the family afterwards at a venue somewhere in Bridport to be confirmed to raise of glass or two!

See Serck for Lucas Oils.
13th February: Graham Smith writes that Serck Motorsport has been appointed Racing Distributor for Lucas Oil Products:

We have had numerous meetings with the Lucas Oil team and this new position, recently awarded to Serck Motorsport, is to support racers and teams directly with specific racing products at the best prices and availability. We are investing in a huge range with immediate effect to ensure strong availability and delivery direct to the customer's door. We are updating our web site to have every product listed and available to order, or by phone or E-Mail.

Lucas Oils are also updating their own web site to allow ease of access to customers and their product requirements.

Going forward we will be working closely with Lucas Oils to ensure that our supply is tuned to our customers' specific needs, and we look forward to the seasons ahead.

For enquiries, or to place your orders, call Serck Motorsport on 0208 813 7470 or 0208 561 1508, E-Mail ss.hayes.m@unipart.com, or go via their web site at www.serckmotorsport.co.uk.

Slicks sought for SPR prep.
12th February: Ian Marshall of Santa Pod Racers Club has been in touch seeking used slicks to build up an inventory for use in prepping the racing surface at Santa Pod Raceway.

"If anybody has drag slicks which they no longer need, please get in touch with me at ir.marshall@btconnect.com or on 01933 313625 and we will arrange to come to collect them soon", says Ian.

Swift snippets.

12th February: UK Nostalgia Funny Car team Venom Racing are pleased to announce that Lucas Oil Products and BUA Motorsport will be primary sponsors for the 2019 NFC series. Continuing their support from 2018 will be MHD Group, JA Mackenzie Haulage and Super Power Unlimited. "For 2019 Venom will have two new Brad Anderson motors as well as a new carbon fibre body made by Simon at SC Services", says driver Tony Betts. "We would like to thank all of our 2019 partners for their trust in the whole team."

We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to ubiquitous drag bike crew Kerryanne van den Berg. Have a lovely day Kerryanne.

No Prep Real Street, Pro Street rules.
12th February: Paul Marston has been in touch with details of the rules for Real Street and Pro Street which will be included in this year's No Prep National Series. Real Street and Pro Street will have their first outing at Lancaster Dragstrip, East Kirkby on Saturday 13th April:

The rules took a lot of working out to ensure that only Real Street cars can run in the class and hopefully we have got it right. It is really is wide open for what will show up and be competitive. Nowadays there are so many insanely quick super cars, plus the excessively rapid Audis, BMWs and Mercedes, or the Japanese stuff such as Skylines and Nissan 370Zs not to mention new generation Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers. Then you have all the home-grown modified stuff, older modified Mustangs, the traditional Muscle Cars, the small English Tin or street sleepers. There are no restrictions on power adders so it really is an open book.

It soon became apparent that there are Pro Street cars which live alot more closer to the ragged edge of street-legal and are prepared to sacrifice creature comforts in the name of performance. So it was only fair that we created a class for them too. This is for back-half cars up to full tube-chassis street cars; we did not want anyone to miss out.

So there you have it: the rules are below, entry will open soon, and space will be limited to sixteen cars as it was at our first event at North Weald in 2017. Once entry is open you will need to be quick as it will fill up fast.

REAL STREET CAR rules

Car must have uncut factory floorpan and firewall, small mini tubs allowed.
Car must have full interior.
Car must have full exhaust system, any make, but must comply with 105 Db noise limit measured metre from exhaust tip at 45-degree angle.
Car must have street-legal tyres max size 10.5 inch, no slicks, aftermarket wheels allowed, burnouts allowed.
Car must run on pump gas, octane booster allowed.
FWD or RWD allowed. 4WD Pro Street only.
Car does not need to have the original engine, transmission, drivetrain, etc. No make or CI limit.
Use of any/all power adders allowed: turbo, supercharger, nitrous, water injection etc.
All competitors must wear a crash helmet. Wearing of more safety equipment is recommended but not mandatory. Any equipment used should be in good condition but does not have to be in date.
Any vehicle modifications will be inspected and will have to meet General Motorsport Safety Regulations.
All cars must have full insurance, road tax and a proper MoT.
All cars will be scrutineered and noise-tested prior to being allowed on track.
There will be no swapping of cars, the one you start with is the one you finish in.
All drivers must have either an MSA licence or an IOPD licence and must be a member of Straightliners.
The organiser reserves the right to include any vehicle they feel meets the spirit of the rules.

Car can have any modification to floor, back half or front half chassis allowed.
Car does not need full interior.
FWD, RWD and 4WD allowed, no restrictions.
Car must have full exhaust system, any make, but must comply with 105 Db noise limit measured one metre from exhaust tip at 45-degree angle.
Car must have street-legal tyres, aftermarket wheels allowed, burnouts allowed.
Car can run on pump gas and/or race fuel, octane booster allowed.
Car does not need to have the original engine, transmission, drivetrain, etc. No make or CI limit.
Use of any/all power adders allowed: turbo, supercharger, nitrous, water injection etc.
All competitors must wear a crash helmet. Wearing of more safety equipment is recommended but not mandatory. Any equipment used should be in good condition but does not have to be in date.
Any vehicle modifications will be inspected and will have to meet General Motorsport Safety Regulations.
All cars must have full insurance, road tax and a proper MoT.
All cars will be scrutineered and noise-tested prior to being allowed on track.
There will be no swapping of cars, the one you start with is the one you finish in.
All drivers must have either an MSA licence or an IOPD licence and must be a member of Straightliners.
The organiser reserves the right to include any vehicle they feel meets the spirit of the rules.

Heads Up, flashlight start, eighth mile, water or juice burnout. This is run as a list race at each event. There are up to sixteen competitors; if time allows a competitor will run up fifteen other competitors. Competitors will all be allocated a number one to sixteen or drawn out of a hat. This is your race number for the event and must be displayed front and back of your car.

There are no time trial/qualifying runs. The first round is your first run. In every race the winner is awarded two points, the loser one, no show zero. The races are run in blocks of three rounds, so your first race is run and you drive straight back to the staging lane where you will be paired again with your next opponent and then you race again, after the second race you once again return to the staging lane and you will be paired and run again. There is no refuelling allowed, drivers do not leave their cars, and they just wait until paired up with next opponent by the Staging Lane marshal. After the third race, you can return to your pit area. If you cannot make a round simply do not return to the staging lanes.

After a session is completed, the positions will be posted on a list board which will be updated after each race session. We will expect to run all five sessions subject to track time. If your car fails to start when the Staging Lane marshal calls you, you will be considered a no show.

The winner will naturally be the driver with the most points. Prize fund will to be posted closer to the event.

The entry fee is £180 which includes two entry tickets.

For the full No Prep calendar check out last Thursday's news update. If you have any queries then you can get in touch with Paul on 07831 650230 or check out the No Prep Facebook page.

Steve Hill.
11th February: We were sorry to hear from Beth Satchell of the death of ACU Scrutineer Steve Hill, who had fought cancer for two years.

Steve went peacefully with the love of his life, his wife Debbie, by his side. He was a dear friend and not only has the world of motorsport lost a great mentor and teacher but the world has lost a good man.

I first met Steve at the Springspeed event in 2007 when he was brought in as our ACU Scrutineer. He was a true gentleman from the beginning. Quietly spoken, never had a bad word to say about anyone but knew his world inside out so was a force to be reckoned with. He was a real character who was well-known at many circuits in the UK and abroad. Highly regarded within the ACU and the MSA he was an asset to our Raceway. Always there with a kind word and a huge hug and I was proud to be one of his best friends. Paul and Steve would often talk way into the night on the times he stayed with us at the track. I very rarely could keep up with the discussions but I loved listening to them all the same - two massive intellects, two wonderful people who enjoyed discussing all things mechanical! The amount of letters after Steve's name would make a great game of scrabble and he continually to added to them. He loved teaching and thanks to him I became a trainee ACU Scrutineer and a licenced noise official!

Steve will be sorely missed by all that knew him. In the words of another of his dear friends from Derby University "He has left a big polar bear shaped hole in the world". I couldn't agree more and the world of motorsport has lost some of its sparkle.

Swift snippets.
9th February: On behalf of Santa Pod Racers Club Yvonne Tramm asked us to say a big Thank You to everyone who contributed to Bloodwise at last weekend's Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation. "You raised a whopping £871.50 in donations to play Heads or Tails in aid of the charity", said Yvonne. "Together with a pledge of £200 from Colin Theobald this will tip us into a four figure-sum for such a worthy cause which is so close to us all."

Derek Flynn of Eurodragster.com com sponsor Gold RV will be appearing on local and on-line radio station Phoenix FM at 20:00 tomorrow (Sunday). Derek will be appearing on Stepping Out with former Nitro FM presenter Nigel Fitzmaurice. "We will be reminiscing about days as mobile DJs, some racing and Bloodwise, all to the sounds of Disco, Soul and Funk", says Derek. "I have chosen six classic tracks of the day. Come and join us, it will be like being back at the Pod on a Saturday night but in the middle of winter". If you are south Essex or East London then you can pick up Phoenix FM on 98.0 FM, or from anywhere else on the planet you can listen on-line at www.phoenixfm.com.

Jon Turner and the UK's Greenfish Racing Pro ET team would like to welcome fuel sponsors Renegade Racing Fuels UK. "If you need any fuel then the UK supplier is Trackstuff Racing Fuels and Tyres", says Jon. "We're looking forward to some more PBs this season."

If the names Dex Volvo, Roach Coach and Bifrost are engraved upon your heart as deeply as they are upon ours then you will enjoy this 1980 YouTube video (above right) of an airfield race in Finland, appearing not dissimilar to Blackbushe but with similar results. A big Thank You to our good buddy Kai Plathan for forwarding us the link.

Nicholson's thanks.

7th February: A very humble-feeling Wayne Nicholson has been in touch to thank Eurodragster.com readers for voting the Lucky Devil Drag Racing Pro Modified team last season's SPRC Most Professional-Appearing Team:

Thank you so much, firstly for the nomination and then to every single one who voted. Running in Pro Mod was a dream years ago and then by a few turns of fate became reality. Yes it's tough, yes it's hard work, and yes it is very rewarding when it goes the right way. As a family we put as much effort as we possibly can into the racing and like to think that we continually try to improve, so winning Most Professional Appearing Team does mean a great deal to us.

It gives great credibility to the relationships we have with supporters and sponsors too, and of course the class in general. So if you want to get your business and services noticed, we have a great rolling billboard just waiting for you. Don't be shy, get in touch with us at waynenicholson@btinternet.com.

We are competing in the full Motorsport UK Championship again this year and at the Doorslammers too, all being well. I am confident in saying that we will be quicker, faster and more competitive.

Lucas Oil continue UK support.
7th February: Eurodragster.com sponsor Lucas Oil UK has renewed its support for the 2019 Lucas Oil UK National Junior Dragster Championship. The move extends the oils, lubricants and additive manufacturer's association with the UK National Championships for the ninth consecutive year. Prizes will be provided for both the winner and the runner-up at each of the Championship rounds throughout the 2019 season.

Lucas Oil will also continue to sponsor a number of individual drag racers. Among these is Junior Dragster driver Kaitlan Deevey and former Lucas Oil Junior Dragster driver Brad Jackson. The twenty three-year-old VW mechanic now races at senior level and is the reigning Gearhead Garage UK National Super Pro ET Champion.

Wayne Jackson, father of Brad and Crew Chief at Brad Jackson Racing, says "Lucas Oil is justifiably proud to be part of an event which is designed to encourage youth. It is a strong supporter of our sport. Wayne confirmed that Brad Jackson Racing and Nick Good Motorsport – which has produced two Super Pro Champions in the last three years – will be among the drag racing teams to receive support from Lucas Oil this season.

Dan Morgan, Director of Sales and Operations for Lucas Oil Products (UK) adds "Drag racing is an exciting sport, one that demands dedication and attention to detail. It's also one that can require a great deal of vehicle maintenance. It's great to have drivers and teams like these associated with our brand. It's great that they can help us to prove the quality of our products. It's gratifying that we can help them to control their maintenance costs and rewarding to see so many Lucas Oil logos on the winners' rostrum."

Swift snippets.
7th February: If Wayne Nicholson's words above have inspired you then the Moore Brothers' Dodge Viper Pro Mod is for sale on our Jeff Bull Race Engines -sponsored Swap Meet. Lucy Moore tells us that the price has been reduced; you can find out more under Cars For Sale.

Also to be found on the Swap Meet, Nostalgia Fuel Altered racer Leo Knight is seeking crew for his unique tribute car. If you are interested then you can find out more under Drivers/Crew Required.

Our good buddy Remco Scheelings is continuing his series of Features on the Drag Racing Europe Blog with his latest victim EDRS Pro Nordic MC Pro Stock Bike Champion Thomas Lysebraate Olsen. You can check out Remco's Feature by clicking here.

No Prep expands for 2019.
7th February: Paul Marston writes with news of a significant expansion of No Prep events in 2019:

The sad demise of Rockingham Dragstrip, due to the sale of Rockingham Motor Speedway, left our organisation without a home. A tragic state of affairs, especially when the support for this kind of Drag Racing was plain to see. I think it is fair to say that UK motorsport as a whole is being squeezed more and more by officialdom which is strangling the availability of suitable venues. The task in hand has been far from easy. finding Rockingham was so quick and easy, but now it's gone we really have seen how hard it is to find anything.

This is our tentative schedule for the 2019 season; it will most probably change here and there and will be updated for sure. Nearly all of our dates will be one-day events and will be two eight-car fields or one sixteen-car field. It might look like a lot of events and a lot of work for us organisers, which it is! But we just want to ensure that No Prep grows and that the teams who have already started building race cars have not done it for nothing. The very least we can do is our best in providing them somewhere to race.

There is also something which we now all have to face: there are some venues which have statutory noise limits, so we have tried our best to run our exciting new Real Street Car class and Pro Street Class at the more noise-sensitive venues.

Yes we are adding a real Street Car class to our line-up. It's a no-brainer really, there are just so many stupid fast street cars out there that they deserve their own class. The rules will be available soon but we want real street cars only in this class: street tyres, full exhaust systems, full interior etc. Not street-legal cars. The way the rules are structured and running of the class will reflect that desire.

Then we have Pro Streetcar, this is really an anything-goes class which will also include 4WD. Rules to follow real soon.

Provisional calendar:

13th April: Lancaster Dragstrip, East Kirkby*
Real Streetcars, Pro Streetcars, both Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

27th April: Dakota Dragstrip, Smeatharpe Airfield
Real Streetcars, Pro Streetcars, both Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

4th May: Lancaster Dragstrip, East Kirkby*
Real Streetcars, Pro Streetcars, both Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

29th-30th June: Northern No Prep Nationals 4 at Ultimate Motor Show 2019, Church Fenton
RWYB, Big Bracket, Real Streetcars, No Prep Small Tyre, No Prep Big Tyre, all unlimited fields

13th-14th July: West Coast No Prep Nationals 5, Llandbedr Dragstrip
RWYB, Big Bracket, Real Streetcars, Pro Streetcars, N/P Small Tyre, N/P Big Tyre, all unlimited fields

26th-28th July: Silverstone Classic, Silverstone Circuit
N/P Small Tyre, Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

27th-28th July: No Prep Small Tyre North, Elvington Dragstrip, Elvington*
N/P Small Tyre, Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

21st-22nd September: No Prep Team Race - North (York Raceway Veterans) v South (North Weald Allstars), Sywell Dragstrip
N/P Team Race, sixteen-car field

29th September: No Prep Big Tyre North, Kirkbride Dragstrip, Kirkbride Airfield
N/P Big Tyre, Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

5th October: Dakota Dragstrip, Smeatharpe Airfield
Real Streetcars, Pro Streetcars, both Sweet 16 (sixteen-car field)

The * above means that this venue has a 105 DB noise limit, measured at two-thirds rpm, one metre from the exhaust tip at a forty five-degree angle. Any potential competitor who wants to measure their cars own noise level, simply download the app from Google Play store, it's free.

There are a lot of people to thank regarding putting this together. There is no I in team, you know who you are, thank you all. Especially the race teams, now you have somewhere to race.

Full details for competitors and spectators alike will be forthcoming on Eurodragster.com over the next few weeks.

Kelly signs up for Pomona.

7th February: If you are headed for Pomona this weekend then Jim Kelly, author of the popular motorsports book Fuelin' Around, will be signing copies at the DRAW booth on the NHRA Midway at the NHRA Winternationals.

"Pomona's always been special for me", said Jim. "It was the first West Coast race I worked as a photographer and the first track I helped deliver drums of racing fuel to, to a racer by the name of Warren Johnson. Fuelin' Around is a behind-the-scenes story of how that little fuel company took on the Goliaths of the industry. I support the DRAW organisation and am very thankful to them for this opportunity."

The Drag Racing Association of Women is a non-profit organization which provides financial and emotional support to qualified individuals involved in drag racing accidents at a track. From 1985 through 2017, DRAW provided a total of $4,825,600 in financial assistance to 908 racing families.

Racers and motorsports editors have given Fuelin' Around high marks. "Fascinating and enjoyable stories, I laughed out loud more than once" said Eurodragster.com News Editor Tog; "A page-turner you're going to attempt to read in one shot", said John DiBartolomeo of Drag Racing Edge magazine; and "This book is great" said Bruce Larson, NHRA Funny Car Champion.

"Jim very graciously offered to give DRAW the profits off each book they sell on the Midway throughout the season as a donation" said Steve Leseur, DRAW Board Member. "Having been involved in the development of his story from the beginning, I am pleased to be able to offer this window into the motorsports industry to the public."

Jim will be at the DRAW booth in Pomona each day from 10:00 to 11:00 and 13:30 to 14:30. Fuelin' Around is also available at the National Sprint Car Museum and Hall of Fame, Santa Pod Raceway's Pod Shop, and on Amazon. For more information visit www.jkkelly.com, drawfasthelp.org or nhra.com, and be sure to check out the book's trailer at youtu.be/nN6ikDh5CVM.

Our own review of Fuelin' Around can be found on our news update of 7th January.

UK/SPRC Presentations gallery.
4th February: The official Trophy Presentation pictures from Saturday evening's SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation are now available. The gallery, which is presented in association with Lucas Oil Products, can be checked out by clicking here or by clicking on the Features, Interviews, Tributes link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

High-resolution copies of any picture, which will print up to A0 or larger, are free and can be obtained by E-Mailing tog@eurodragster.com with the image number.

Many thanks to photographer Julian for his hard work on Saturday night.

SPRC Perpetual Award winners.
3rd February: The winners and runners-up in the 2018 UK National Championships, MSA British Drag Racing Championship, and Santa Pod Racers Club Championships were presented with their trophies at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy Presentation in Daventry last night (Saturday). The winners of SPRC's Perpetual Awards, for whom Eurodragster.com readers had the chance to vote, were also presented with their trophies.

Congratulations to the SPRC Perpetual Award winners:

Most Promising Newcomer: Frankie Taylor (Lucas Oil Junior Dragster)
Best Appearing Car: Andy Bond (Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator)
Best Appearing Bike: Alex Hope (Pro Stock Bike)
Most Professional Appearing Team: Lucky Devil Drag Racing (Pro Modified)
James Edgar Memorial Trophy: Joe Stevens (Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator)
Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy: Colin Theobald

John Ledster Memorial Trophy: Keith Bartlett
Obsession Motorsports Sportsman of the Year Trophy: Stuart Doignie (Super Comp/Super Gas)

The new Spirit of Santa Pod Trophy, awarded for achievement, was presented to the McDonald family.

A big Thank You to everyone who submitted votes for the SPRC Perpetual Awards.

Swift snippets.

3rd February: Topspeed Automotove Street Eliminator racer Graham Smith says that he and the Bad Apple Racing team are preparing Snow White for her first eight-second pass. "We've matched Roger Butterworth's 9.1 but promised him an eight so there's an exciting year ahead", says Graham. "I also wanted to say a huge thanks to our sponsors Brantwood Tyres, Serck Motorsport, US Automotive, Brentacre Specialist Insurance, Lucas Oil Products and our wing sponsors. It can't happen without them."

Ferry deal for Isle of Man event.
3rd February: Trevor Duckworth writes that the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company are to sponsor the Jurby Drag race event to be held on 22nd-23rd June, run by Straightliners and the Manx Drag Racing Association:

This is the first time that the IoM Steam Packet Company, well known for sponsoring the TT, Manx Grand Prix and Southern 100 road races, have sponsored drag racing. Richard Heard from the IoM Steam Packet said they where very happy to support the new drag race venture at Jurby with a very good subsidised fares package which makes the event very attractive to UK racers

As well as some very good travel prices, car or van up to 5.5 metres with two passengers just £70 each way and trailers £15 per metre, we also have a package with the Penny Bridge Camp Site, with full facilities for those wanting to camp, and a hotel package at the Ramsey Park Hotel if you want to go posh.

You will need a code from Straightliners to book the travel and hotel packages. Of course you can stay in the Jurby paddock for free as at any event. All details including sailing schedule can be found on the Straightliners web site at www.straightlineronline.co.uk.

Straightliners and the Manx Drag Racing Association would like to thank the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for their involvement in this soon-to-be-annual event.

Flynn: How you can help Bloodwise.

1st February: For some years the UK drag racing community has generously supported blood cancer charity Bloodwise in tribute to late SPRC Club Secretary and racer Paula Marshall. Top Methanol Dragster and Supertwin bike racer and long-standing Eurodragster.com sponsor and supporter Derek Flynn of Gold RV has been diagnosed with a blood cancer and has been in touch to let readers know how they can continue to help in the fight against the various forms of the disease.

"In the space of ten weeks I went from toothache to terminal cancer", Derek told Eurodragster.com. "I went to the dentist and he found something which wasn't right. There was a tumour below one of my teeth. The dentist sent me to a specialist who after a procedure on New Year's Eve told me the that tumour was cancerous. They removed half of the tumour and then did a bone marrow biopsy. I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which is incurable but can be treatable with chemo and a cocktail of various drugs which have proven successful at putting this rather nasty cancer into remission. After eighth months of chemo I can undergo stem cell transplant. I know I'm going to die, I just don't know when."

Treatment has started this week with chemo (Derek pictured with nurse Lucy), which precedes the stem cell therapy which has the potential to prolong Derek's life by some years. Derek will be treated with his own stem cells, but cell donation is one of a number of practical ways in which Eurodragster.com readers could help.

"I don't want sympathy and I don't want endless virtue signalling on Facebook", said Derek. "I want you to give blood, or to donate stem cells. Please consider going on the register. You sit in hospital for six hours whilst they harvest the cells. If you donate stem cells then those six hours of your time could save four lives.

"If you are too squeamish to give blood or to donate stem cells then please consider donating to Bloodwise."

Derek said that Gold RV and Bloodwise will be at the track this year to spread the word and to encourage blood and stem cell donation. We will have more news about that in due course, but in the meantime you can find out more on Bloodwise's web site at www.bloodwise.org.uk, donate at www.bloodwise.org.uk/donate, or follow the Bloodwise link on the Gold RV site at www.goldrv.co.uk.

SPRC Dinner Dance reminder.
31st January: If you are attending Saturday's Santa Pod Racers Club Dinner Dance and Trophy Night in Daventry then please note:

The County Suite is open for drinks at 17:15.
Please be in your seat by 17:45for the SPRC Championships presentation.
A Bloodwise fund-raiser will follow the SPRC Championships presentation.
Dinner will be served at 18:45.
The UK National and MSA British Championship presentations will commence during after-dinner coffee, followed by Perpetual Award presentations and raffle.
It would be appreciated if the noise could be kept down during the presentations; it is common courtesy both to the trophy winners and to MC Colin Theobald. If you wish to hold conversations then please remain in the bar.

Eurodragster.com Photographer Julian will take the official trophy presentation photographs, which will be available for free download here on Eurodragster.com as soon as possible after the event. The Perpetual Award winners will be posted here on Eurodragster.com News immediately after the presentation.

Scorpion's double sting.
31st January: 8.50 Bike racer, Flat Earther and serial chip shop destruction suspect Thorsten Appel, aka Scorpion, is to make the move to Comp Bike in 2019 and also has something for the denizens of Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator:

The Scorpion Motors Racing 8.50 machine was finished mid-season. After getting my ass kicked by the old boys in the class we decided to upgrade the bike to go Comp Bike racing. The 1440 cc motor will be turbocharged this season and should make for an interesting ride. We will be back! Thanks to our sponsor thanks to our sponsors BLK Powder, BLK Clinical and Motul Oil.

We also decided that a bike isn't enough and we have started DTC Racing. We are currently building a sleeper Nova named Chinky Nova on a shoestring budget. The car will sport a 355 with a small shot of giggle gas, rear end nine-inch. It will be street-legal and safe to run whatever numbers it produces. We won't be a threat to the big hitters in the Street Eliminator field, but we are doing this just for fun.

And now: The Unfinished Business Tour.
31st January: Dan and Eurodragster.com sponsor Nic Williams of the UK's Williams Brothers Racing are in Florida to take up where they left off in 2018. Colin Theobald writes on behalf of the team:

Dan and Nic always dreamt of racing in the USA amongst the huge field of Stockers which always enter Divisional and National events, and 2018 was the year in which the dream was finally realised. The Going Home Tour 2018 started with Nic's 69 ZL1 Camaro being shipped over to New York late May, then the team flew out mid-June and once the hire truck was collected the boys picked up their second-hand trailer and were then finally reunited with the Camaro. A visit to engine maestro Brian Tilburg followed, then on to Numidia Raceway for a Lucas Oils Divisional event. After three rounds of qualifiying Nic had run a best of 9.95, which netted number forty one spot out of ninety. Nic won his first round match up as the other car broke out massively, Nic dialing in a 10.04 and running a 10.07. Round 2 and our opponent redlit, but in round 3 it was our turn to go red (by just 0.0012) so game over. What a great start to our USA tour but time to go back to the UK.

August and back to America for our second visit, this time the big one: yes, the US Nationals at Indianapolis. Again the boys arrived in New York, this time accompanied by Crew Chief Lorne Denny and you know the drill now. Pick up hire truck, pick up trailer and Camaro from Brian but before any racing took place we had a private test at Atco Raceway with the PC Richards team. This was perfectly timed as we had just installed our new Racepak and needed to start getting the set-up spot on. Our second race on US soil was a Lucas Oils Divisional at Beech Bend Raceway, or Bowling Green as so many of us know it, where Nic ended up qualifying with a stout 9.88 in the number fifty three spot out of one hundred and twenty eight entries! Unfortunately a 0.05 red in the early rounds of eliminations didn't help but the car was reacting superbly to the set-up changes, perhaps too well.

Straight onto Indy for the US Nationals just a few days later and this was it, the absolute dream. Just to qualify would be an achievement, and with more than one hundred and sevety five teams jostling for one hundred and twenty eight spots the competition was intense. After two rounds Nic had a best of 9.95 which placed him #145. No improvement in Q3 as as 10.07 appeared on the boards, so it was the last chance saloon for Q4. A monster wheelstand, with the car recording a sixty-foot time of 1.39 with the back wheels, but would this be the run? A new PB of 9.811 was the result, a massive improvement but unbelievably we ended up #129, or first reserve. It didn't take long to make the show, however,as a qualified racer informed us he was broken and was out so we were in.

Unfortunately we didn't progress into round 2, but the Indy story didn't end there. We were surprised, delighted and honoured to be awarded Edelbrock Performer of the Race which meant we were presented with a special Wally in a pre-race ceremony. Without a doubt our biggest highlight of our USA tour. Interviews with National Dragster, WFO radio and a feature video clip on the NHRA web site were just some of the other highlights of our US Nationals event. Not only that, the car was performing superbly.

For our last race in America Dan and Nic took the Camaro to the Dutch Classic at Maple Grove, Pennsylvania in late September. We knew that the car had the performance, it was just a case of unlocking the potential and here is where it all came good. An incredible 9.70 in testing, a 9.72 in qualifiying, and the end result of Williams Bros Racing winning our class eliminations. An incredible end to a fantastic tour during which the car improved at every event attended. From what we understand, Nic's 9.70 was the sixth quickest pass in AA/SA in the world in 2018 and the boys know there is more to come.

Which leads us into our Unfinished Business Tour 2019.

As you read this, Dan and Nic are in Florida preparing for this weekend's Winter Warm-Up at Orlando Speedworld for a Lucas Oils Divisional event. Luckily the boys avoided most of the snow and freezing temperatures in the northern states, although it was still subzero when they collected the car from Pennsylvania. 1200 miles later they found much better conditions. After this weekend it's straight back to the UK leaving the Camaro in Florida for our next event, the Baby Gators at Gainesville in March. Once the Gators are completed the Camaro will be shipped back to the UK, but that's not the end of the US adventure. Details still being finalised so we will announce our plans in due course, but it's going to be very good indeed.

We would like to thank all of the sponsors and supporters who helped the team on the Going Home Tour 2018: Flightcase Warehouse, Racepak, Santa Pod Raceway, SPRC, G23 Engineering, Snap-On Tools, BSI Transport, Doug Tait Design, Tilburg Race Engines, OCS Paint, Sayers Motor Factors, Anglo American Oil Company, Xpression Events, Knight Engine Services, A1 Transmissions, and Expertees.

Still for sale I and II.

31st January: Zane Llewellyn tells us that Steve Clutterbuck's unfinished Nostalgia dragster is still for sale. The Dragmaster replica has a mild steel chassis which really looks the part. It comes with a motor ready for building and a heap of parts.

UK Comp Eliminator racer Rob Smallworth says that rumours of the sale of his seven-second '55 Chevy are untrue. "The Old 55 is still available as turn-key or rolling", says Rob. "The new project is moving on well, and whilst Easter may be a tall order I'm looking forward to hitting the strip at some point this season. If you are interested in the'55 then please call or E-Mail... it would be good to talk."

You can find both cars under Cars For Sale on our Jeff Bull Race Engines -sponsored Swap Meet ; adverts 017281 and 017232 respectively.

Swift snippets.
31st January: Eurodragster.com sponsor Lucas Oil Products has signed up as a technical partner for the UK's Hawk Racing Fuel FC team. Mark and Jackie Hawkins' Gladiator will have Jason Phelps at the controls for the 2019 Funny Car series and other events. Gladiator will be running on Lucas 70wt Racing Oil and will use a variety of other products from the Lucas Oil additives, greases and car care ranges. These will include Assembly Lube, Brake Cleaner, plus high impact greases and items such as Slick Mist polish. "Lucas 70wt Racing Oil is a fit and forget engine protection system. With a £70,000 engine, that's a substantial cost saving over the entire season", says Jason.

Thanks to Bianca Booij for sending us the regular newsletter from The Netherlands' Pro Dutch Racing Pro Modified team. Not to worry if you can't read Dutch as Michel Tooren and team's 2019 racing schedule is easily understood. You can check it out (PDF file) by clicking here.

Thanks to Mike Collins for sending us the usual preview of his column in the latest issue of Street Machine magazine, plus bonus material exclusively for Eurodragster.com readers. Click on the images above for the PDF downloads.

Metal for the Chop.
29th January: UK Funny Bike racer Phil Crossley tells us that it's all change in the Bop Chop team for 2019:

For the last ten years we have run a nitrous Suzuki GSX, and only last year I built a much better engine with the hope of running with the best in Funny Bike, and we had only just begun to explore its potential.

But recently I had an offer I couldn't refuse: to ride something rather special in the form of the quickest and fastest blown methanol bike in the world: Bob Brooks' beautifully-engineered Yellow Metal Racing bike. Bob has had his very unique bike for sale for a while now and rather than leave it parked up any longer he very kindly asked me if I'd like to run it this season, and of course I jumped at the chance!

The bike is being checked over by Bob as we speak and in the meantime we are going to stock up on fuel and other supplies. If any fuel or oil suppliers would like to become involved with us please get in touch - a blown methanol bike is a thirsty animal! The bike will still be for sale throughout the season and hopefully someone will see it run and fancy the experience themselves.

Bob and the Yellow Metal team will be helping us run the bike for part of the season as there will be a lot for our team to take in before we can go it alone. The only similarity between our bike and Bob's is the number of wheels! The plan is to race the bike in Funny Bike class at all of the ACU rounds, and if at all possible we will run it in Top Fuel bike at the two European events at Santa Pod as well.

I can't thank Bob and the Yellow Metal team enough for the opportunity to race the bike, and I'm sure many people will be glad to see it on the track again (My hand's up - Ed) . I've always enjoyed seeing and hearing it run and spent a great deal of time admiring it in the pits!

That's not the only thing that's going to be different this year. What is to become of my own Championship-winning Funny Bike? Well, that will be getting a new rider too, and I didn't have to ask him twice. Just one phone call to Comp Bike racer Dave Batcheler and he agreed to do the honors. So Dave and the Plumb Crazy team will be running it alongside me in Funny Bike. Dave is fully aware that confiscation may occur should he beat me on my own bike...

From our "Not Mark Todd" department.
28th January: UK Gearhead Garage Super Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com brother-in-law Tom Atkinson has been in touch to claim responsibility for Saturday's spy picture which depicted his "New toy", aka 10s Appeal:

We picked up the Nova on Friday from shipmycar.co.uk (top service!) and I'm absolutely blown away by the build quality. It's an absolute credit to Jason who built it over in Rhode Island.

The motor is a 408ci LQ4, thirty thou over, with a K1 Technologies forged rotating assembly, Wiseco coated pistons, 11:1 CR, AFR heads, FAST LSXR intake with a 102 mm throttle body, Aeromotive fuel system, FAST XFI 2.0, hydraulic roller with Morel lifters. Behind it there's a Stage 2 4L60 manual trans backed up by a built 9" with Strange 35 spline internals with a Heidts four-link set up. Up front there's a Heidts IFS set up, with a chromoly cage/subframe tying it all together.

The plan this year is to have bit of fun at some RWYBs, Dragstalgia etc, while getting a couple of little bits and pieces sorted for competition, before hopefully entering Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator for a couple of meetings later in the year. The goal for the end of the year is to have some ten-second timing slips before perhaps turning the gas on and seeing what it can do...

No, it's not Mark Todd's!

Wagons ho!

Back on Black.
27th January: Marcus Möller writes that the comeback of Swedish Top Fuel Bike racer Rikard Gustafsson is well underway:

History was made on the Saturday of the 2018 NitrOlympX at Hockenheim when Rikard Gustafsson and Filippos Papafilippou ran the first side-by-side five-second Top Fuel Bike runs outside the USA. Rikard was the quickest and fastest with a 5.918/248 mph to Fil's 5.980/226. Due to problems with the parachute and the very high speed Rikard had to bail out of the bike when he got close to the wall in the shutdown area. The bike hit the wall and both Rikard and the bike rolled over many times before stopping. Rikard suffered a broken arm, broken ribs and lung and liver damage and was flown to hospital in Mannheim.

Rikard had a positive mindset even in hospital and plans on how to get back in business were immediately circulating between his ears. Back home in Sweden and whilst he got caught up his own company RG Engineering Black was stripped down. The frame has been straightened and repaired thanks to Michael Rawn Welding and CA Chassiworks and painted by Rikard's son Philip. Parts are being cleaned or replaced. In fact the whole long block was good to go, but pullies, belt covers, the injector hat and other parts were damaged.

There are no plans to change the set-up. "I have a lot to try out and learn about the tuning, we are taking small steps and there's still a lot left in the bike" says Rikard and Ralph agrees. There are minor changes in the fuel and pneumatic systems to make the hoses as short as possible and to involve as few couplings as possible, to reduce weight and to make the systems easier to work with. "I've reduced almost two kilogrammes on the pneumatic system", says Rikard.

When I visited the team this month Ralph and Björne were mounting the clutch and gearbox back in their proper place after cleaning and regrinding. New carbon fibre body parts are on their way from Kenneth Holmberg at Swecomposite. I guess I'm not the only one to wonder whether Rikard will use the same make of parachute.

The team have been going through a tough year with the loss of their team-mate Niklas Karlsson last Christmas, and Tony Zetterstrom injured in a motorcycle accident on vacation in Hungary about a month before Rikard's crash. I travelled to the NitrOlympX and stayed with Team RG that weekend and I must say that it was a spooky feeling going home without Rikard and with a broken bike. But today Tony is all good, Rikard is all good, Black is on its way back and the team are in very good spirits. A long comeback tour is planned!

FIM Europe Drag Bike Championships
24th-27th May: FIA/FIM Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway, England
16th-18th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany
5th-8th September: FIA/FIM European Finals Raceway, Santa Pod, England

EDRS Pro Nordic
6th-9th June: Tierp Arena, Sweden (NDRS MC)
5th-7th July: Kauhava, Finland (FHRA)
1st-4th August: Gardermoen Raceway, Norway (NDRG)
22nd-25th August: Tierp Arena, Sweden (NDRS MC)

Other events
29th August-1st September: Mosten Raceday, Denmark
21st-24th November: Man Cup Finals, Valdosta, USA

All dates are preliminary and can change.

Rikard would like to thank the team's sponsors RG Engineering, Swecomposite, Mangla.se, Dalhems, Sunoco, Ugglarps, SS Bärgaren AB, Bridgestone, MotoSpeed and Puma Engineering. Thank you also to Ralph, Björne, Tony, Philip and friends, and last but not least everyone that has donated via the different crowdfunds to get Black back in its former shape.

You can follow the work to get back on track on the team's Facebook page.

Pictures courtesy and ©Marcus Möller

Attention FIM Europe racers.
26th January: Job Heezen of the FIM Europe Drag Racing Commission has been in touch to ask us to draw FIM racers' attention to two important recommendations.

The first concerns crossing the centre line and can be viewed by clicking here (PDF format).

The second concerns the use of parachutes and can be viewed by clicking here (PDF format).

2019 European Top Gas calendar.

26th January: Many thanks to Herman Jolink for forwarding us the calendar for the 2019 European Top Gas Series which was ratified at the class' annual meeting last weekend:

11th-12th May: EDRS, Malmö Raceway, Sweden
14th-16th June: Norwegian Bike Festival, Gardermoen, Norway
25th-28th July: Drag Revival, Mantorp Park, Sweden
16th-18th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany
30th-31st August: Mosten Race Days, Allingaboro, Denmark
20th-22nd September: DHRA Dutch Finals, Drachten, The Netherlands

The best five results will count.

Swift snippets.
26th January: Further to Monday's news item, Stefan Boman tells us that Pro Mod legend Freddy Fagerström has decided that the ultimate Thank You for the support and offers of help which he has received is to go racing this year. "Freddy is not there yet as it will take a lot of money and work but it seems that he's giving it a try", says Stefan. "Both fans and a sponsor have started a crowdfund and it has gone past the point of no return, so even though Freddy doesn't like the idea of begging he cannot stop it from happening. Micke Gullqvist has taken the heads and supercharger which were damaged on the workbench and will rebuild everything". The current plan for Stefan's poster (below left) is that it will be distributed to anyone who helps in some way.

The latest spy picture to arrive at the offices of Eurodragster.com (above right) came with the words "Just another gold street car, tens are appealing...". If you know more, or if you would like to send your own spy picture, then drop us a line at editor@eurodragster.com.

We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to photo-journalist, author and all-round good egg Keith Lee. Have a great day Keith.

Our good friend, photo-journalist Steve Moxley has had his 2018 NSRA Hot Rod Drags report posted on the Eat My Ink web site at www.eatmyink.com. Moxey's report covers the Gasser Circus, Outlaw Anglia, and the Supercharged Outlaws.

FCs run the quarter at Bug Jam.

25th January: Neale Saunders of Santa Pod Raceway tells us that there will be an exciting highlight to the returning European Funny Car Series in 2019:

There will be something special for Bug Jam. At the pre-season Funny Car drivers' meeting there was a request by certain drivers to run the third round of the series over the quarter mile instead of the usual 1000-foot distance.

Kevin Kent said "Personally it's something I'm really looking forward to, there will have to be a few adjustments with the car one being a larger fuel tank, we are all running bigger fuel pumps than we did when we ran the quarter mile before so they're going to empty much quicker”. Dave Bryant, tuner of Steve Ashdown's Undertaker car, said "There will have to be several tuning changes; the car is currently set to peak at the 1000 foot mark so the tune-up will have to be quite a bit different to peak at 1320 feet. We'll get round the fuel consumption issue by shortening our start line routine, this will give us enough fuel to go the extra distance. Most of the old school drivers prefer the traditional distance of the full quarter so we're pleased to see it back for this special occasion."

There is unfinished business between Funny Car and the quarter mile at Santa Pod. The four-second barrier for AA/FC remains intact, Top Fuel broke the four-second barrier back in 1998 but for one reason or another the magical Four has proved elusive for the class, John Spuffard coming closest with a 5.05 in 2009. So there will be a one-off chance for one of the four Funny Car racers to tick the box for this long-overdue landmark. Nobody doubts it can be done but will it all come together for Bug Jam? The cars are all capable of running a four in the quarter mile but who will it be? Kent, Chapman, Phelps or Ashdown? As always, Bug Jam looks like it will be a lot of fun.

If you want to see Funny Cars run the quarter at Bug Jam, tickets are available at www.eticketing.co.uk/santapodraceway.

2019 SFI Tour schedule.
23rd January: Many thanks to Jennifer Faye of the SFI Foundation for forwarding us the full schedule for this year's SFI Recertification Tour:

Thursday 21st March: The Netherlands Please note new venue
Hotel Ibis Amsterdam Schiphol
Schipholweg 181
Bedhoevedorp 1171PK

Inspections 08:00-12:00

Friday 22nd March: Finland
FHRA HQ
Helsinki-Malmin Lentoasema
Helsinki 00700

Inspections 08:00-12:00

Saturday 23rd March: Sweden
Persåkers Speed Shop
Solbergavagen 28
Åkers Styckebruck

Inspections 12:00-17:00

Monday 25th March: UK
Bankside VIP
Santa Pod Raceway
Airfield Road
Podington
NN29 7XA

Inspections 10:00-16:00

Thanks also to Ian Marshall for originally forwarding us the details for the Santa Pod Raceway stop.

Santa Pod seek burnout demos.

23rd January: James Forster writes that Santa Pod Raceway are seeking a selection of vehicles to do some burnout demonstrations as a part of the forthcoming Stunt Fest event on Saturday 16th February:

The strip isn't open but it's an ideal opportunity to quite literally blow out the cobwebs in front of a pretty sizeable audience who appreciate nothing more than smoke and noise. We're also welcoming any racers who'd like to put their vehicles on static display for the day.

To find out more, or to get yourself booked in, please contact James on 01234 782828 or at james@santapod.com.

Green Light Pro is Go in August.
21st January: Santa Pod Raceway are pleased to announce a new heads-up class which will run exclusively at the Green Light Nationals on 17th-18th August. Green Light Pro will be open to all vehicles which comply with the GSRs and which are capable of and proven to run quicker than 7.50. James Forster writes:

With the European Championships in Hockenheim that weekend, we're offering an opportunity for some track time to those who aren't travelling abroad. It's also a unique occasion at which we hope to see some unusual match-ups. In the past we've seen some impromptu match racing at other events and it's all been more than a little entertaining. We're hoping for a real battle royale of drag racing with the class firmly aimed at any Pro Mods not travelling abroad, Nostalgia Funny Cars, Altereds, slingshots, the selection of Super Pro ET and Comp Eliminator cars at the quick end of the classes, and anything else which meets the criteria.

The format will be pretty straightforward: heads-up on a Pro tree with qualifying and eliminations.

For further information please contact Darren or myself on 01234 782828 (outside the UK +44 1234 782828), james@santapod.com or darren@santapod.com. Entry forms will be available soon after the Riders' and Drivers' meeting.

Fagerström's involuntary flame job.
21st January: Swedish Pro Modified racer Freddy Fagerström, one of Europe's most popular racers in any class, suffered a devastating workshop fire at the weekend. Photo-journalist Stefan Boman went to visit Freddy this afternoon and kindly let us know what he found when he got to the shop:

No-one was there when it happened. A lightweight battery which was charged three days ago looks to have exploded or at least was a big part of what happened.

The race car and the hot rod which Freddy uses as a tow vehicle are intact. The truck looked beaten-up anyway, now it looks more beaten-up! Everything else – the transporter and trailer, the spares - is badly damaged. Some heads on the bench are probably destroyed, the workbench melted. The motors are full of water. Everything is black, dirty, rusty, oily and smelly. I went inside the trailer and pulled open a drawer and soot had found its way in there. Right now racing is out of the question.

Freddy had a man cave upstairs with pinball machines and a pool table and that was all totally destroyed. There is a big hole in the ceiling above the battery's location.

Freddy has a big group helping him, they need to empty the place out then decide what can be kept and what has to be thrown out. The plan is to bring in a tunnel cleaning machine to blast everything with water to clean it but first what is left of the upper floor has to come out.

Freddy is very strongly of the opinion that he doesn't want charity and doesn't want to beg people to give him money, so he has no intention of starting his own crowd-funding page. There may be a t-shirt or a poster or other merchandise for sale during the 2019 season to try to help him return to competition.

Pictures courtesy and ©Stefan Boman .

SPRC Perpetual Awards vote closing.
20th January: If you have not already placed your votes for the Santa Pod Racers Club Perpetual Awards then you need to get a wiggle on as voting closes at 23:59 tonight (Sunday, 00:59 European Monday).

Categories are Most Promising Newcomer, Best Appearing Car, Best Appearing Bike, Most Profesional Appearing Team and the James Edgar Memorial Trophy and you can vote for any or all of these categories.

Nominations are also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, which is awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award and nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport.

To check out the shortlists and place your votes, or to submit a nomination for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, visit the official SPRC Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Outlaws sent to Coventry.
19th January: 2018 Outlaw Anglia Champion Colin Millar writes that the class are getting ready for their annual Christmas Party (sic) in Coventry next Saturday (26th):

It's a long time to be parted from each other as it's a pretty close group of people who get on very well and at this time of the year everyone really looks forward to getting back together for a catch up and a great time. Who has been active with upgrades over the winter, what new cars are being built, what are everyone's goals for the new season ahead, and who hasn't even looked at his car since it got put in the trailer!

Its strange to see everyone dressed up and raring to go even if it does start midday Saturday, however often this is a very different image by three the next morning!

We manage to pack a lot into one night with a drivers' meeting ensuring that topics which are important to individuals and the group can be discussed openly and that we continue to develop and grow this fantastic group of people and cars, the trophy presentation with a few new trophies this year which I'm sure are eagerly awaiting their new recipients, and let's find out who will win the prestigious Best First Round Elimination Reaction Time trophy averaged over three events - the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals, Dragstalgia and the NSRA Hot Rod Drags. All of this and good food followed by a great night of socialising and dancing with a few drinks into the wee hours with a few casualties along the way (cooooome on the Benders).

Again this year we will be raising funds through our raffle for the Air Ambulance Service - please folks, bring along something you would like to put in the raffle to make it as good as it can be - which is something we would hope to have available if anyone of our drag racing community was ever in need.

Before we know it we will all be back at the track real soon and all the Outlaw Anglia guys and girls wish every team, crew, marshal the very best for 2019 with a fast and safe year. Fingers crossed for good weather, new PBs and happiness. See you all soon!

Drag racing on TV.
17th January: A reminder, with thanks to Helen Todd of Zeon TV for letting us know originally, that European Championship drag racing is to be shown on TV this weekend.

The coverage is of the FIA/FIM Main Event and European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway and will be on Frontrunner TV, Sky channel 431 and Freesat channel 250, at 17:00 this Saturday (19th).

As with The Doorslammers, these are highlights programmes. The fuller event DVDs are of course available from Zeon TV at www.quartermilehigh.com.

2019 FIM rules posted.
16th January: Thanks to Job Heezen of the FIM Europe Drag Racing Commission for letting us know that the rules for the 2019 FIM Europe Drag Racing Championships are available on the FIM web site at www.fim-europe.com/drag-bike. "Please make sure that you read the rules before the season starts", says Job.

FIM Europe racers are also invited to the Commission's Facebook page where questions and ideas can be discussed.

Heads-Up! It's the VWDRC.
15th January: Volkswagen Drag Racing Club Chair Luke Stevenson says that the Club is to trial a Heads-Up class in 2019 and that all VW group cars are invited:

The VWDRC has been around for over thirty years now and we have always fielded bracket racing classes. Back in the 1990s we used to dabble in a little heads-up fun featuring the Quick Eight, but after that it was back to the handicapped racing.

There have always been members of the VW community asking for heads-up racing open to all VWs, and we accept that Bracket is not for everyone. Last year the return of the Doorslammers event ignited the fire for many more. With the recent closures of UK drag racing venues a lot of racers have time on their hands but the will to race, so what else could we do but offer them the opportunity.

We will be trialling a new Heads-Up class at three events at Santa Pod Raceway during 2019:

GTI Spring Festival, 14th April
Das Auto Show, 2nd June
GTI Festival, 6th October

NAS Events and Santa Pod have very kindly allowed us to run these simulations at the lifestyle events aimed at our clientele and we cannot wait to put on a show for them.

Now, being the VWDRC we not only accept VWs but the whole Volkswagen Audi Group family which gives us a very wide variety of vehicles available to come to race. If you have an eleven-second or quicker Doorslammer from the VAG range, running a VAG-based engine, then you are welcome in this class.

Creating rules for a class which features FWD, RWD and 4WD, fast daily drivers to all-out tube chassis cars will be a nightmare. But for now it is pretty relaxed and almost anything goes. Since we are always told "I don't care if I'm fast enough, I just want to race heads-up" we are going to test that.

As always thank you to Eurodragster.com who also plan to be in attendance for each round to provide coverage and webcast (Thanks, hopefully see you there - Ed) .

For more information on entry criteria, fees and regulations head to the Q&A at www.vwdrc.com/headsup.php.

VWDRC Heads Up, we're calling you out!

Autosport International report.

14th January: After a day on the sick bed we have now posted our Friday report from Autosport International. You can check out our report, which is presented in association with John Woolfe Racing, by clicking here. The interim gallery is still in place and can be checked out by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 5.
13th January: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation in February 2019.

For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners.

This week's category, the final, is the James Edgar Memorial Trophy.

The James Edgar Memorial Trophy is awarded for outstanding performance by a Crew Chief, tuner, racer/tuner, or crew member. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Frank Brachtvogel (Supertwin)
Vote for Frank Brachtvogel

Barry Eastman and Mick Hand (Funny Bike)
Vote for Barry Eastman and Mick Hand

Stefan Schmidt (Comp Bike/Super Street Bike)
Vote for Stefan Schmidt

Joe Stevens (Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator)
Vote for Joe Stevens

Bob Wallace Snr (Pro Modified)
Vote for Bob Wallace

Duncan Wilson (Lucas Oil Junior Dragster)
Vote for Duncan Wilson

To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to Eurodragster.com Pit Reporter and UK National Championship Points Co-ordinator Simon Groves. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to ar@eurodragster.com specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail.

For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nomineewill be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at ar@eurodragster.com.

Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.

Autosport International gallery.
13th January: Our Autosport International report has been delayed due to illness but will be posted later today. In the meantime we have posted a gallery which is presented in association with John Woolfe Racing, and which you can check out by clicking here or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Doorslammers on TV tomorrow.
11th January: Many thanks to Helen Todd of Zeon TV for letting us know that UK drag racing is to be shown on TV this weekend, and again next weekend.

The coverage will be on Frontrunner TV, Sky channel 431 and Freesat channel 250.

The Redzone.bet Doorslammers is to be shown at 17:00 tomorrow (Saturday) and the FIA/FIM Main Event next Saturday, 19th, with the FIA/FIM European Finals immediately afterwards. Repeats will be shown during the following week; keep an eye on your Electronic Programme Guide for schedules.

Helen tells us that these are highlight programmes, with commentaries by Bryn Lucas and Darryl Bradford. The fuller event DVDs are of course available from Zeon TV at www.quartermilehigh.com.

Jedborn to drive StigO TMD.
11th January: Sweden's Stig Olsson Racing have acquired a Top Methanol Dragster from Stefan Gunnarsson and will campaign it at selected events this season with successful Comp Eliminator racer Daniel Jedborn in the driving seat. The car will continue to run as an A/Fueller.

"The schedule for the first year is FIA Championship races in Sweden and Finland", says Stig. "An agreement has been reached to collaborate with Jonny Lagg's team to share information. The legendary Krister Johansson will assist with the tune-up."

Stig adds that he will continue to race his Comp dragster in the USA.

Swift snippets.
11th January: Perfect Light Award sponsor Cath Napier asked us to say a big Happy Birthday and Happy 28th Wedding Anniversary for today (Friday) to Modurstang Pro ET racer, occasional Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET racer and Perfect Light Award sponsor Tig Napier. Have a great day Tig. Happy Birthday, also for today, to Mikey Durbridge ; have a great day Mikey.

Autosport attractions.
11th November: Eurodragster.com will be attending Autosport International today and we will bring you our report in association with John Woolfe Racing tomorrow, but if you are going to Autosport International yourself tomorrow or Sunday then you will be able to find the joint Santa Pod Raceway/Lucas Oil Products stand in Hall 2, stand 2680.

Eurodragster.com sponsor Lucas Oil Products UK will have representatives on hand to explain the company's extensive range of automotive lubricants, treatments, additives and ancillary products, with a selection of products on sale. Representing Lucas Oil will be the Ford Capri-bodied Nostalgia Funny Car of veteran racer Bob Glassup.

Centrepiece of the stand will be the Santa Pod-branded FireForce 3, the world's fastest Jet Funny Car. Owner-driver Martin Hill and his crew will be on hand to explain the intricacies of the Pratt and Whitney J60 jet engine. And as an appropriate coincidence, Martin will be celebrating thirty years of the FireForce brand with the original FireForce Jet Funny Car first débuting in 1989.

As featured in yesterday's news update, Serck Motorsport are hosting Mark Todd's new street-legal ride as well as a restored 1965 Mustang 350GT. Reigning ACU UK Funny Bike Champion Lorcan Parnell can be found sans bike working his day job on the Speed Ministry stand in Hall 4 (4650) whilst Wayne Jackson will be working on the stand of Brad Jackson Racing sponsor HRX in Hall 2 (2364). FGR Motorsport have the Gladiator -themed Hawk Racing Funny Car in Hall 3 (3470). Jim Kelly can be found promoting his book Fuelin' Around, reviewed here on Eurodragster.com News on Monday, on stand 1646 in Hall 1. Jim tells us that his first sale of the Show, at the first Trade and Press Day yesterday, was to someone who told him that they had read about the book on Eurodragster.com. Whoever you are: thank you, much appreciated.

If you are attending today's second Trade and Press Day then you will be able to find Scott Hauser's Super Pro ET Dragster and Robin Read's blown-nitro Daimler-powered dragster in Autosport Engineering together with a Camel-liveried Nostalgia circuit car owned by former Super Pro ET racer Dave Ward.

The Appealof Autosport.
10th January: Graham Smith says that the Serck Motorsport stand at Autosport International will be hosting two very special cars:

The first is a 1965 Mustang 350GT which has undergone a full ground-up restoration by Hot Rod Technologies, and which features a Serck Motorsport cooling system and FiTech Fuel Injection also by Serck. The second is Mark Todd's reworked street-legal Aston Martin Vantage named 6 Appeal .

6 Appeal's body is genuine aluminium 1989 Aston Martin. The 568ci (9.3 litre) motor has been built by EDA and features an all-aluminium water-cooled New Century block with six bolt mains, EPD fourteen degree spread port heads with titanium valves and locks and PAC springs. The cam was custom-ground to our specs. There are .904 Morel lifters, Smith Brother push rods, Jessel 1.75 rockers, GRP Rods and custom Diamond pistons.

The power adder is a 118 mm Precision Gen3 turbo, Chiseled Performance charge cooler, Mike's Transmissions Extreme Monster Glide, TH400 output shaft rated at 3000 hp. The 9.5" rear axle has 40 spline gun drilled shafts.

The ECU is FuelTech FT600, the injectors Atomiser 500lb/hr. Serck Motorsport provided twin bespoke radiators and oil cooler pack. Hoses are Racinglines Supalite.

Estimated power is 2800+ hp.

Eurodragster.com will be attending Autosport International tomorrow (Friday) and we will be sure to go to take a look at both cars. If you are going to Autosport yourself then you will be able to find Serck Motorsport at stand 2342 in Hall 2.

First Fireforcefor sale.
10th January: Nick Haywood says that the original Fireforce Jet Funny Car is for sale. The car suffered a fire at the Flame and Thunder Show at Santa Pod Raceway several years ago but Nick has worked to put it back together:

The chassis is sound, with some updates to the main driver safety cell. The engine has been rebuilt using a perfect compressor and turbine, an immaculate combustion liner was imported from AU. I assembled the engine with good casings and new stator vanes. Fuel nozzles are flow checked, and new, bearings like new. Power take off gearbox is complete plus one in bits, three fuel control pumps, one striped. Two perfect oil pumps and a good starter motor.

The fuel tanks and oil tank are new, the afterburner is as it was and good to go. The afterburner control/valve block is sound but a new pump will be needed. I have three igniter boxes tested, some fuel fittings but no hose.

At the time had a BMW M1 body shell and if you take a look at the pictures on the car's Facebook page you can see what I was going for. I think someone else needs to take this project on. The Nostalgia scene is growing in the UK and this is a huge part of that !

I would like £15,000 for all that I have but will consider offers, feel free to call me on 07710 813999 or 01242 234418.

FAO UK Junior Drag Bike racers.
9th January: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall has been in touch with an update for UK Junior Drag Bike racers:

Following meetings and lengthy consultation with the ACU to discuss a a request that the UK Junior Drag Bike regulations be aligned with the current FIM Europe Junior Drag Bike rules, the ACU have taken the decision to leave the ACU engine capacity (CC) limits as they are.

The ACU felt that UK competitors were under no particular disadvantage at present, but they would look again at the regulations at the end of the 2019 season if the level of the playing field changes to the detriment of UK racers.

Therefore engine capacities in Junior Drag Bike will remain as per the ACU specification for UK licence holders in 2019.

As used in your daily ride...
9th January: Multiple FIM European Top Fuel Bike Champion Ian King writes that the Gulf Oil Drag Racing Top Fuel Motorcycle was recently the subject of a technical article compiled by one of their team of blue chip technical partners, JE Pistons.

You can take a look at the article on Dragbike.com.

The world record-holding and multiple Championship-winning machine is also notable for the amazing fact that that it exclusively uses off-the-shelf consumer oil such as that used in everyday road vehicles to lubricate the outstanding 1500+ hp engine, as described in the article: "Oiling is also of primary concern in the engine, and it is no surprise that the team uses lubricants and greases from their primary sponsor, Gulf Oil. What is surprising is that the oil is a standard road vehicle lubricant freely available from any Gulf gas station in Europe: Gulf Max 20W50. King selected this oil after running extensive comparison tests."

Further information on Gulf Oil products can be found at www.gulfoilltd.com.

New VP fuels at Autosport.

9th January: Eurodragster.com sponsor VP Racing Fuels will introduce four new fuels products at this week's Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

"Last year we débuted our very popular R5 and RX102 fuels but our R&D department has come up with some very impressive new fuel products for 2019, and we're proud to introduce them on 10th January at VP's stand #2787" said Peter Coleman, VP's Business Development Consultant, Europe.

X85L is an 85% Ethanol 15% Hydrocarbon racing fuel with a lead additive package to increase octane and the lubricity of the fuel. X14™ is a non-oxygenated leaded general purpose racing fuel that is economically priced, and a good choice for any number of racing applications, including 598-615 cubic inch naturally aspirated big bracket engines and NHRA Super Comp and Super Gas racing. X14 has a MON of 112 for compression ratios up to 15:1.

VP Eco96 is an unleaded, oxygenated off-road racing fuel made specifically for Ecotec engines or other applications that can run low octane fuel. With the fuel's unique chemical properties, VP Eco96 prevents vapour lock in the extreme heat of desert racing better than pump gas and standard types of race fuel.

VP UTV96 is specifically built for the UTV market and increases performance in both naturally aspirated engines as well as turbocharged engines and is great for all makes of UTVs. By outperforming standard pump gas as it pertains to the fuel's boiling point, UTV96 reduces the chance of harmful vapour locking in long, hot desert races and recreational outings.

For more information about VP and its products for racers, enthusiasts, and general consumers visit vpracingfuels.com.

UK Championships points change.
8th January: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall says that, following confirmation from Motorsport UK (previously MSA), Santa Pod Racers Club can now award Championship points to all foreign drivers who compete in the UK Championships:

In previous years we were able to accept entries through the NCAFP system but without the ability to award Championships points, per MSA regulations at the time. This has now changed, and allows us to provide racers who have the correct licence and authorisation from their own ASN (governing body) to come and compete for our UK Championships. We look forward to seeing many more drivers taking up the challenge here in the UK.

This brings UK car classes into line with UK bike classes which already permit foreign riders to earn UK Championship points.

If you have any queries then you can contact Ian at ir.marshall@btconnect.com or call 01933 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625).

2019 FIA Championship rules posted.
8th January: Many thanks to Frans Steilberg for letting us know that the complete set of regulations for the 2019 FIA European Drag Racing Championships are now available on the FIA web site at www.fia.com/regulation/category/101.

Changes to the rules are highlighted in yellow.

Discounted DFDS ferry rates continue.
8th January: Santa Pod Raceway are delighted to announce the continuation of its partnership with DFDS for the 2019 season. This means that racers can continue to enjoy greatly discounted rates on ferry travel to and from Europe via the DFDS cross channel routes, Dover to Calais and Dunkirk.

Bookings can be made by downloading the new 2019 booking form, click here. This form will also be available on the SPRC web site.

Booking requests must be sent to theresa.herbert@dfds.com and copied to dover.rates@dfds.com and the DFDS team will take care of the reservations. Please note that bookings will notbe accepted on the 2018 booking form.

Book review: Fuelin' Around.
7th January: However onerous you may think your day job is, I bet you could tell some funny stories about it. Your News Editor's day job title of "Swinger" writes its own jokes, and from his twenty one years of Eurodragster.com experiences he can tell unprompted of the Beefeater waitress who brought a fruit salad, looked down at Your News Editor and said "This won't be yours", Spencer Tramm offering to fetch a paramedic after Your News Editor was rendered unable to breathe for laughing at a cloth-eared diva, and the still-unsolved sabotage of the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association theme music, to name but three. Jim Kelly's book Fuelin' Around – A Fast-Paced Life in Motorsports, which recounts his several years helping to build Eurodragster.com sponsor VP Racing Fuels to take on and beat the Big Names, contains its fair share of amusing anecdotes and, I would imagine, will forever be the only book about selling race fuel to contain the phrase "Put that dildo down".

Fuelin' Around is a very neat summation of the American Dream of hard work and the freedom to do it your own way being rewarded with success, not just in America but on our side of the Pond and elsewhere. Even before working for VP Racing Fuels Jim's career had its moments, such as supplying Super Stock and Drag Illustrated magazine with photographs, race reports and ultimately earning his own column. Luckily Your space cadet News Editor has known and liked Jim for some years so has long forgiven him for a doubly-enviable photo session with one of Sammy Miller's Vanishing Point Rocket Funny Cars at Cape Canaveral. From the book it is clear that Jim could have, in fact did for a while, gone into the family Funeral Director business and he also had thoughts about law enforcement but if he had then one wonders which company might have won the deals to supply various race series including European drag racing with spec fuel.

One could charitably be forgiven for expecting Fuelin' Around to be a Match Race Madness for our time but it isn't; in fact Your News Editor ultimately felt a bit dumb for thinking it would be. Given that the main subject of the book is how VP Racing Fuels was built up from small beginnings there are a lot of serious stories about serious people and situations from all branches of motorsport not just drag racing, thoughts and practical examples of what constitutes good management and appreciation of colleagues, and an insight into Jim's personal life. There are of course a number of colourful characters and deliciously off-colour anecdotes which would not be out of place in the legendary drag racing book, and to be honest it's not at all surprising that those anecdotes involve grown men, race fuel, fire and, naturally, guns. Fuelin' Around also includes some tales the like of which which are not in Match Race Madness such as management diktats about cleavage depth and a fetish magazine featuring a goat being held possibly responsible for an in-flight defibrillation incident.

Serious or amusing, Jim's writing style is very easy to read, down-to-earth, frank and BS-free. Given the current despicable trend for being offended by the slightest thing, usually imaginary or an excuse for pathetic attention-seeking, it is refreshing to read an author telling it how it is in the vernacular. You know that an anecdote is well-written if you can hear the author talking as you read it, and this is the case throughout the book. So pleasurable is the book to read, in fact, and so unputdownable, that Your News Editor read the whole volume in two sittings, the second ending in the small hours.

Fuelin' Around is available right now on Amazon at £9.99. If you are going to Autosport International this week then you will be able to meet Jim in person and pick up a copy at stand 1646 in Hall 1. Tell him that Eurodragster.com sent you.

Gulf Oil team shine in USA.

6th January: Following their success in securing an outstanding eleventh FIM European Top Fuel Bike Championship with new rider Filippos Papafilippou from Greece, the team rounded off their season with a successful return to the US with former rider and continuing Team Principal Ian King in the seat for the MFC World Finals.

Longtime team supporters John and Dea Morgan Racing of Palm Desert California joined Gulf Oil with support from Joe Koenig of Trim Tex, Jay Regan of MRE and Wayne and Donna Pingel of Pingel Enterprises to ensure that the team made the most of the opportunity to race at the World Finals at South Georgia Motorsport Park in South Georgia, the final leg of the Manufacturers Cup season. The event hosted more than eight hundred drag bikes from over the world, from Aruba, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the UK, Greece, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Puerto Rico, and Canada and many contestants, as well as fans, from the USA.

The team were eager to continue their successful season and set about tackling the tune for the all-concrete surface. However, it proved to be a tough task for all racers running slick tyres as the seemingly excessive use of track compound to aid the performances for the well-supported Pro Street class proved a huge challenge for those with wide and flat tyres. Issues pushing back after the burnout and staging afflicted most of the slick and bar classes and caught out the Gulf Oil team more than most, as they were used to the more general application used at the combined car and motorcycle events at which they compete in Europe.

Despite the challenge the team ended up qualifying in the top half of the elimination ladder, but with the most challenging route to the final of Pingel Top Fuel. In the first round of eliminations Ian overcame Top Fuel veteran and US number two Sam Wills with a fine 5.89/232, whilst Championship hopeful Dave Vantine was on the wrong end of a frantic pedal-fest against Sverre Dahl of Norway as they both lost traction for the entire quarter mile. Chris Hand similarly ended up with a loss against Mitch Brown who overcame Chris right at the finish. David Vantine's challenger for the US Championship title Larry'Spider-Man' McBride benefitted from a bye run which was fortunate for the Champion-elect as he also suffered traction problems.

In the semi-finals Ian ran yet another five-second pass to take out McBride with a fine 5.95/225.33 as Larry struck the tyre on the launch and idled down the track. In the other round matchup Mitch Brown ran a 6.43/219 to prevail over the other visiting European team of Sverre Dahl.

However, the Gulf Oil team's consistent five-second performance was halted abruptly in the final round. After the team made a quick turn-round to make the final run in warm conditions they then waited patiently for the Brown and Bradley team to finalise their preparations. Further delay was encountered in the staging area before the track officials gave the belated signal to run but strangely without the usual track sweeping and dragging and with dew starting to form on the track. Once again the team struggled to push back from the burnout and when Ian 'bunny hopped' into pre-stage, as he was unable to push the bike with his feet in the normal method, he was unaware that his rear tyre had wound up as he tried to keep out of full stage: the tyre contact patch stuck to the track, but the wall wrinkling up like a spring. As Ian looked down and released the brake to enact the idle up valve the bike inadvertently sprung forward into full stage and the Tree immediately ran whilst King was still preparing. In any case the track conditions by then were marginal and he lost traction almost immediately whilst Mitch Brown made a great full pass of 6.20 seconds to take the win.

After an almost fairy-tale ending a philosophical Ian said "What a great year! After Fil exceeded expectations to secure his first and our team's eleventh FIM European Championship, to then make the final of the MFC World Finals after a year out of the race saddle was the icing on the cake. It is testament to my great crew of Michael Beaumont, Marius van der Zijden, Martin Brookman, Nick Pepper, Debbie King and the US support team of Andy'H' Smith, John Morgan, Michael Woods, Randy Rannberg, John Edwards and Scott and Michelle Perri Roethemeier that we were able to perform so consistently all year and on two continents. I would like to thank Fast Fil, Gulf Oil, John and Deanna Morgan, Joe Koenig, Andrew'H' Smith and Jay Regan and our fantastic technical partners who have made this year and this specific event so successful for the team".

For more information on the Gulf Oil Dragracing team please visit their web site at www.gulfoildragracing.com, their Facebook page, and their YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/kingracingpuma. For more information about Gulf Oil International please visit their web site at www.gulfoilltd.com.

The Gulf Oil Dragracing team uses and endorses exclusively Gulf Oil greases and lubricants in their history making machine. The team is extremely proud to be supported by many leaders in their chosen markets in their participation in the 2018 FIM European Championship:

APE - The world's most innovative manufacturer of aftermarket parts for drag bikes
Barnsdale Leisure - The UK's Premier Knaus Caravan dealer
Cometic Gaskets - The premier manufacturer of racing gaskets
Dometic - mobile living made easy
Gates - The world's most trusted name in drive belts, hoses and hydraulics
Goodridge - The original and the best in fluid transfer systems
Grand Prix Originals - The brand for drive and lifestyle, past and present
Graphite Additive Manufacturing - A leader in 3D printed technologies and rapid prototyping
Gulf Oil International - The world's most iconic brand in automotive fuels and lubricants
H Craft Customs - Race car preparation, roll cages, fabrication and custom projects
Hotrod Hangar - Home of the world renowned custom artist Knud Tiroch
Hyperpro - The leading producer of progressive suspension products for motor bikes
JE Pistons - The world's premier manufacturer of high performance forged pistons
John and Dea Morgan Racing - The creators of the world's most advanced New Age Funny Bike
Kibblewhite Precision Machining, Inc -The highest quality valve train components on the market
Mickey Thompson Tyres - Simply the best drag race tyres in the world
Moto-Trek - The fun of the open road, the luxury of home life
MRE - Leaders in trackside support for drag race components and air shifting systems
MTC Engineering - Manufacturer of clutches for the fastest motorcycles in the world
NitroShutter - Europe's leading drag racing photo-journalists
NCT Engineering - Manufacturer of the world's leading non contact torque sensors for motorsport
NGK Spark Plugs UK - The world's number one spark plug manufacturer
Pär Willen - Master webmeister and proprietor of HarleyDrags.com
Scott Perri Trucking - Logistics solutions par excellence
Portable Shade - The best custom branded collapsible canopies available
Pro Alloy Motorsport - UK's leader in fabrication of alloy racing tanks, intercoolers and radiators
Rose and Company - The UK's largest importer and stockist of Thule RV products
Trim-Tex - The premier manufacturer of vinyl drywall beads and accessories
Tryka LED - The UK's cutting edge LED lighting manufacturer
Van Es mobility - The leading manufacturer of telematic products for management of moving objects
Vanson Leathers - The most iconic brand in motorsport leather goods
Web Camshafts Inc - Simply the company for Top Fuel Bike camshafts
Worldwide Bearings - The world's leading supplier of ceramic bearings for racing
Zodiac - Europe's largest supplier of performance and aftermarket HD parts

Swift snippets.

6th January: The seasonal breather having ended, postings have resumed to our Jeff Bull Race Engines -sponsored Swap Meet. Amongst items now up for sale are an ex-Jonas Staflund Funny Car body, a Comp Eliminator dragster, and a number of Fire Up and European Dragster magazines. You can go shopping by clicking here or by clicking on the Jeff Bull Swap Meet link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Our good friend, photo-journalist Steve Moxley has had Redline Rumble ACU, Outlaw Anglia, Gasser Circus and Supercharged Outlaws reports posted on the Eat My Ink web site at www.eatmyink.com.

Another good buddy, Remco Scheelings, is continuing his series of Features on the Drag Racing Europe Blog with his latest victim returning Top Methanol FC racer Johnny Oksa. You can check out Remco's Feature by clicking here.

We would like to say a big Happy Birthday to former FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion and forever European quarter mile ET record holder Andy Carter. Have a great day Andy.

SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 4.
5th January: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation in February 2019.

For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners.

This week's category is Most Professional-Appearing Team.

The Most Professional-Appearing Team trophy recognises not just the presentation of a race vehicle but the team's overall approach to racing. As well as a well-turned-out car or bike, the Committee have considered such aspects as the appearance and attitude of team personnel, the organisation and appearance of their pit area and support equipment, and their readiness when their class is called.

The SPRC Committee's shortlist is as follows:

Bandit 1 (Harley Coulsell, Lucas Oil Junior Dragster)
Vote for Bandit 1

Banshee Racing (Mick Taylor, Outlaw Anglia and Frankie and Freddie Taylor, Lucas Oil Junior Dragster)
Vote for Banshee Racing

Matthew Dowdy (OCS/Gravitas HR Lucas Oil Junior Dragster)
Vote for Matthew Dowdy

Lucky Devil Drag Racing (Wayne Nicholson, Pro Modified)
Vote for Lucky Devil Drag Racing

McDonald Motorsport (Liam McDonald, Lucas Oil Junior Dragster)
Vote for McDonald Motorsport

Sales-i/CW Motorsport (Craig Wright, Super Comp)
Vote for CW Motorsport

To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to Eurodragster.com Pit Reporter and UK National Championship Points Co-ordinator Simon Groves. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to ar@eurodragster.com specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail.

For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nomineewill be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at ar@eurodragster.com.

Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.

The final voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be the James Edgar Memorial Trophy.

2019 SPRC Dinner Dance reminder.
5th January: Yvonne Tramm has been in touch with a reminder that Friday 25th Januaryis the deadline for bookings for the Santa Pod Racers Club Dinner Dance and Trophy Evening which will take place on Saturday 2nd February at the De Vere Staverton Park Hotel, Daventry Road, Staverton, Daventry, NN11 6JT (map ).

The event will present Champions and runners-up in the 2018 UK National Drag Racing Championship, MSA British Drag Racing Championship, Santa Pod Racers Club Championship (for Pro Modified, Comp Eliminator and the bike classes not covered in the UK National Championship) and SPRC Perpetual Award winners.

The arrangements are as follow:

Proceedings will start prompt at 6:00 pm ; please be seated by 5.45 pm. There will be trophy presentations to the 2018 SPRC Champions and runners-up followed by a charity game with proceeds going to Bloodwise. Any latecomers will be able to collect their trophies after the first set of presentations.

Dinner will be served at 6.45 pm.

After dinner, the 2018 UK National Champions and runners-up will be presented with their trophies, followed by the 2018 MSA British Drag Racing Championship, and finally the 2018 SPRC Perpetual Award winners.

Tickets for the Dinner Dance are £37.50 per adult and £20 for under-twelves, which includes a three course meal plus tea/coffee and mints. The main meal for children will be chicken nuggets and chips followed by ice cream; please choose a starter for your child and please also specify on the booking form that it is for a child.

If you are booking more than two seats then please list name and menu choices for each member of your party on the back of the booking form. If you have any special dietary requirements then please inform Yvonne at trammyd5@gmail.com and she will include them on the menu selection list for the hotel. Please do not approach the hotel yourself regarding special dietary requests.

You can download the booking form (PDF) by clicking here. If you wish to pay direct to the SPRC bank account please contact Yvonne Tramm for bank details at trammyd5@gmail.com. Please note that SPRC are unable to take payments using American Express cards. Booking forms should be sent to Yvonne Tramm at the address specified on the form and not to the SPRC office.

SPRC have negotiated a preferential rate for rooms in the hotel. These are £79 for a single room and £89 for a double or a twin room, including breakfast on Sunday morning. To book your room, please call the hotel on 01327 220676 quoting reference SANT020219. Please do not try to book your room on-line as the electronic reservations system has been told that the entire hotel is booked for that evening, so your attempt at reservation will fail. Please note that SPRC have block-booked a number of rooms which will be available until 31st December after which date any rooms not taken up will be put into general availability and the preferential rate will cease.

If you have any queries about the Dinner Dance then please contact Yvonne Tramm, not the SPRC office, at trammyd5@gmail.com.

Prefects and Anglias, oh my.
5th January: Nigel Taylor has been in touch with the latest news from the Detroit Spinner and Acute Angle pits:

Steve Summer of Poole in Dorset has been busy on the Detroit Spinner, redoing some of the chassis,wiring and interior on the Nostalgic Prefect. He has rebuilt a BBC 496 motor and a TH400 gearbox ready to power the Prefect hopefully into the tens - the 496 has run 8.48 previously. The Spinner should look much the same on the outside as previous, as a credit to Arthur Bonner, it's just been altered to suit Steve's needs. Steve has done an excellent job and is excited to have his trusty crewman Nick Bathe back on board with him.

Steve has sold his arms and legs, his neighbours' pets and his grandma to fund his new passion, but is looking forward to running the Prefect in anger in 2019. If you would like to be involved in a bit of drag racing history then send Steve a message via the Detroit Spinner Racing Facebook group to see how you can join the sponsorship fund .

Paul Dale and the Acute Angle 105E Anglia had an excellent season, ending up fourth in the Supercharged Outlaws in 2018. The engine and gearbox are out for a winter rebuild! Paul will be experimenting with the nitrous system in 2019 and a new set of wheelie bars will be added. He is hoping to get the Anglia down into the mid-eights.

Paul would like to thank all the Supercharged Outlaw posse and all of his family for the support and scares they provide .

If you have a passion for 100Es then the new 100E Challenge is taking place at Santa Pod Raceway this year. It will be contested over five rounds:

6th-7th April: The Fast Show
10th-12th May: NSRA Nostalgia Nationals
15th-16th June: The Retro Show
12th July: Dragstalgia (Friday)
13th-15th September: NSRA Hot Rod Drags

For more information on joining in with your 100E, or if you just want to follow the action, then get in touch with Scott Collin or Sean Pop Doyle via the Modified Ford 100E Facebook page where you will also find merchandise available for what is looking to be an exciting group of cars.

2019 UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting.
4th January: Many thanks to Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall for letting us know that the 2019 UK Riders' and Drivers' Meeting will take place at 13:00 on Sunday 24th February at the Hilton Hotel at Collingtree, on the eastbound A45 just off Junction 15 of the M1 (postcode NN4 0XW, map ).

Items to be discussed include the calendars for the UK Championships, rule changes, event entry fees, pitside power fees and prize funds, as well as Any Other Business.

If members have items for the agenda then please send them in writing to Ian at ir.marshall@btconnect.com by close on Friday 15th February. Please note that if you wish to have your agenda item discussed then you must attend the meeting. If you have any queries then you can call Ian on 01933 313625.

The Riders' and Drivers' Meeting will be followed at 15:30 by the SPRC Annual General Meeting, which is open to SPR members only.

No 2019 races at York, refunds planned.
1st January: After eighteen months of negotiations with the landowner at Melbourne Airfield, York Raceway has still not reached agreeable terms and the York Raceway management team now feel that they are not able to move forward in such a way which will see the promotion of a full season of racing in 2019. As such, York Raceway now considers it appropriate to refund all sponsorships and donations at this time. The PDRC (custodians of all monies donated by individuals) have agreed that they will also be returning donations at this point. All monies raised through on-line crowd funding will be donated to drag racing-related charities as previously outlined.

York Raceway's solicitors have been engaged in negotiating terms for a lease which would ensure that drag racing continues at Melbourne Airfield for the next ten years. Although this has proved problematic, York Raceway are in receipt a Letter of Intent from the land-owners stating "We have provisions within our lease with TMD Friction UK Ltd to grant a sub-lease for the use of Melbourne Airfield as a drag racing venue" and that "We believe in the future of drag racing in the UK and that Melbourne Airfield can play a vital part of that future". Negotiations with potential large investors are ongoing and the management at York Raceway remain confident that drag racing will return to Melbourne Airfield, just not within the timescales which were initially indicated.

Chris Murty, Track Manager for York Raceway, said "We would like to thank everyone that has supported us in the last eighteen months, those who have worked with us giving their time and who have been and remain committed to securing drag racing at Melbourne in the future, all those people who donated what they could no matter how big or small, and all of our sponsors for their commitment to York Raceway and drag racing in the UK."

York Raceway is sponsored by ADImages, ADT Fabrication Services, Anderson Hydraulics, Aqua Detailing, Behemoth Enterprises, Blacks Solicitors LLP, CRD Performance, Darkside Developments, Elysion Ltd, Engine Data Analysis, Evil Tuning, G-Rperformance, Lucas Oil, Mac Tools Goole and York, Preston's Dairies, PCG Engineering Services Ltd, Straightliners Ltd, Stuart Sports and Performance, Thames Cryogenics Ltd, The Turbo Shop, The Wood Floor Co, Willis Performance and Youhill Machinery Ltd.

SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 3.
30th December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation in February 2019.

For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners.

This week's category is Best Appearing Bike. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Phil Baimbridge Racing (rider Al Smith)
Top Fuel Bike

Ian Cross and James Cross
9.50 Bike

Allan Davies
Supertwin

Alex Hope
Pro Stock Bike

Margot Schmidt
Comp Bike/Super Street Bike

To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to Eurodragster.com Pit Reporter and UK National Championship Points Co-ordinator Simon Groves. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to ar@eurodragster.com specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail.

For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nomineewill be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at ar@eurodragster.com.

Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.

The next voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be Most Professional Appearing Team.

Sparky Perry.
28th December: We were sorry to hear from Land Speed racer Geoff Stilwell of the death of his Crew Chief Sparky Perry. Geoff writes:

Twelve months ago I had just bought the Kuhl and Olson Land Speed car and was introduced to a friend of Bill Schultz. His name was Sparky Perry. I had no idea who Sparky was but he was Bill's right hand man! Sparky had been a Top Alcohol tuner and had run a Top Alcohol Funny Car. Sparky and Bill weere the nucleus of the 7707 Land Speed team. Their knowledge was just amazing and I stood in total awe of Sparky, who totally understood how to tune an Alcohol motor.

We had numerous setbacks with the motor but he kept the faith, although I am sure he wondered how on earth he got involved in the project sometimes. So confident was he about the motor that we never test-fired it. Just clicked it over a few times. We got to Bonneville and Sparky told me to get in the race car. The motor was turned to get oil pressure, then it burst into life. We all had tears in our eyes... it really was a testament to his abilities. The motor sounded amazing.

On the fifth pass he told me that I "Had to get after it", that is get my foot down in the early part of the run. I went through the third mile at 265 mph, and having already run 251 mph and that meant I had the record at 258.679 mph.

Little did any of us know that Sparky was actually quite ill. Never once did he moan about it. Not once. But sadly at 7:00 pm Los Angeles time last night (Thursday) Sparky passed away. Words just fail me, because I cannot find the right words to say "Thank you" to Sparky. So on behalf of the 7707 Salt Shaker Land Speed team: "Thank you Sparky". Not only will you be missed, but so will your humour, your wit and your skills. God bless my friend.

Drag Racing Unplugged XX.
24th December: As has become traditional on our last pre-Christmas update, we have posted a page of quotes from this season's John Woolfe Racing -sponsored Eurodragster.com Event Coverage including Tog's, Simon's, Kirstie's, and Julian's personal Quotes of the Year, together with a few one-liners we didn't publish at the time. As well as the core team we have also asked our Off-Track Photographer Diana Macrae to choose her favourite.

We are pleased to present Drag Racing Unplugged XX, the 2018 collection, which you can check out by clicking here, or by clicking on the John Woolfe Racing Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

2018 Champions' Champions.
24th December: Honorary Eurodragster.com staff member Andy Marrs and our own Simon have again been hard at work to compile lists of European and UK Champions' Champions. The Champions' Champions tables show the all-time highest points earners since the FIA and FIM European Championships began in 1996 and 1992 respectively, and since the UK National Championships began in 1999.

Andy writes that in All-Time FIA European Drag Racing Championship points Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren, who remains in #1 spot, and FIM European Pro Modified Champion Jimmy Ålund, who moves up to #2 from #3, both passed 7000 career points. Pro Modified racer Micke Gullqvist moves up to #5 from #6 and FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Anita Mäkelä moves up to #7 from #9. Jimmy Ålund also amassed the highest-ever points total in a Championship year.

In FIA Top Fuel Dragster Anita Mäkelä earned the most points and had the greatest number of round wins in a Championship. Anita's career points also passed 4000. Antti Horto moved up to #8 from #11 and also passed 1500 career points. Maltese Lion Duncan Micallef moved up to #10 from #14, whilst Liam Jones passed 1000 career points.

FIA European Top Methanol Champion Dennis Habermann earned the most points, had the greatest number of round wins, and set the most Low ETs in a Championship. Eurodragster.com sponsor Sandro Bellio moves up to #3 from #4 whilst Ari Pietilä moves up to #6 from #8 and Linn Engan Karlsen moves up to #7 from #9.

In FIA Pro Modified, 2018 European Champion Jimmy Ålund earned the most points, had the greatest number of round wins, and had the widest winning margin in a Championship, also passing 1000 Pro Modified career points. Roger Johansson moved up to #4 from #5 and Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson moved up to #5 from #6.

Michael Malmgren passed 7000 career points and Jimmy Ålund 6000 career points in FIA Pro Stock. Tommy Leindahl and Magnus Pettersson have moved up to joint #10 from #11 and #12 respectively.

You can check out the FIA Champions' Champions, Championship summaries, and analyses of qualifying results and round wins by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com.

in All-Time FIM Europe Drag Bike Championship points, Pro Stock Bike racer Len Paget moves up to #10 from #11.

Steve Woollatt moves up to #4 from #6 in the FIM Europe Top Fuel Bike Championship, whilst in FIM Europe Supertwin Martijn de Haas moves up to #9 from #11. Gert-Jan Laseur became the fiftieth racer to win a round of FIM Europe Supertwin when he took the stripe in E1 at this year's NitrOlympX at Hockenheim.

Congratulations to 2018 FIM Europe Super Street Bike Champion Rick Stubbins who has also taken over #1 spot in the all-time Super Street Bike standings. Steve Venables moves up to #2 from #3 whilst Mogens Lund moves up to #3 from #4 and Erich Gruber to #9 from #10. Daniel Donat Lencses passes 1000 career points.

The FIM Champions' Champions analyses now include Junior Drag Bike which completed its first season as an FIM Europe Championship class this year, and congratulations again to Meggie Talbot on the historic first European title.

You can check out the FIM Champions' Champions, Championship summaries, and analyses of qualifying results and round wins by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

If you have any queries about the FIA and FIM Champions' Champions and analyses then you can contact Andy at andy.marrs@outlook.com.

Simon writes that scoring for the UK National Championships Champions' Champions is based on an event having to be completed for a win to be registered. Race wins are ranked by number based on the driver or rider. Points however are scored and ranked on a team basis, as are numbers of Championships. For teams with multiple cars or drivers changing teams during or between seasons, the compiler's decision is final.

2018 suffered two rain-offs, and also the loss of two National Championship rounds following the closure of Shakespeare County Raceway. It is certainly good news for the Championship that Santa Pod Raceway has taken over the running of these two rounds, so that the number of rounds for most car classes will go back to seven. The bikes were treated to two Championship rounds in one weekend with the Redline Rumble; it is an interesting point, and possibly one for sports psychologists, that five of the six bike classes contested had repeat winners in the Sunday eliminations.

We had first-time Champions in seven UK classes, compared with two last year and a record eleven in 2015. The number of back-to-back Champions was seven, compared with a record nine in 2017.

Congratulations to repeat MSA Pro Modified Champion and Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson who leads numbers of Championships with seven, event wins with nineteen, and also career points. For his achievements in the class and in construction of race cars, Andy was inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2018, and joins a very select group of BDRHoF members who are still active in the sport. Fellow Eurodragster.com sponsor Chris Isaacs enters the points total for the first time as Isaacs & Tramm Racing.

Brad Jackson won his first Gearhead Garage Super Pro ET Championship in a tough class and congratulations to him. Brad's title was aided by an event win at the FIA/FIM European Finals. Scott Hauser leads the Championship count with three ahead of other Championship winners Martyn Jones, Steve Green and Ian Tubb who have had two Super Pro Championships each since 1999. Barry Giles leads event wins with fifteen in total and, as Giles & Hartley, continues to lead aggregate points, ahead of welcome returnee Steve Johnson. Billy Gane enters the top twenty points tally for the first time.

Team Paul Brown Motorsport won their second Modurstang Pro ET Championship, the first coming in 2012. Team Dark Horse (Brian and Lee Huxley) have five Championships in the period under review. Lee Huxley added one event win to make his total thirteen over the last twenty years, more than twice as many as any other racer. The Huxleys continue to lead the points tally ahead of Team Heaven & Hell.

In Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET Felicity Gibbs won her first Championship and congratulations to her. Craig Wright, Geoff Cowley and Team Rainy City Lightning (Eurodragster.com sponsor Al and Linda Platt) each have three Sportsman ET Championships. Craig, with ten event wins during his time in the class, leads Geoff Cowley and Rick Denny who both have seven wins. Team Rainy City Lightning still lead the points aggregate, with Felicity Gibbs and Gill Medley entering the top twenty points scorers for the first time.

Stuart Doignie continues to break records as he won his fourth consecutive Super Gas Championship and his fourth double with Super Gas. No other UK Sportsman car racer has won more than three Championships on the trot, let alone in two classes. Stuart now leads Brian Pateman for the most Super Comp Championships, Brian having three in the period under review. Brian has most event wins with thirteen, and the most points over Pete Cresswell.

In Super Gas, Stuart Doignie joins Jon Morton and Tim Adam with four Championships apiece. Jon and Frank Mason both have twelve event wins in the period, whereas Frank continues to lead points scored. Stuart Doignie won two events during the year in each of his two classes.

Congratulations to Dave Cherrett on his first Super Street Championship, winning all three events completed. Leigh Morris continues to lead in all three categories with six Championships, twenty two event wins, and the aggregate points lead from Bob Lees.

Congratulations to Caitlin Wilson on her first Lucas Oil Junior Dragster title, including an event win at the FIA/FIM European Finals. Joe Kellett has the most Championships with three, Nick Mugridge continues to have the most event wins with nine, and Joe Kellett leads aggregate points over Billy Everitt.

In Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator, congratulations to Joe Stevens who won his first title, with two event wins along the way; Steve Pateman still dominates the overall listings with five Championships, seventeen event wins the lead in aggregate points over Ian Hook.

You can check out the UK car class Champions' Champions by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Jake Mechaell, with three event wins this year, won his third Championship in the UK National 8.50 Bike Championship and continues to lead the event win total with thirteen, and the points total over Mick Winyard. Jake now equals Mick Winyard's tally of Championships won with three.

In the UK National 9.50 Bike Championship, Rick Sawatzki scored his seventh Championship, with two event wins to runner up Dave Bowe's three. Rick leads the number of Championships won from Fred Furlong. Rick's twenty two event wins head Fred's eleven, and Rick continues with the overall points lead over Fred.

We cover the UK National ET Bike Championship for the first time after its second year as a UK Championship class. Phil Pratt has won back-to-back Championships, an impressive achievement in a competitive and diverse class, and heads Gary Hester in event wins with seven compared to Gary's two, and also leads Gary in aggregate points.

Steve Woollatt scored his thirteenth ACU UK Top Fuel Bike Championship over the period covered (the seventeenth overall), and his twenty nine event wins and aggregate points lead are unlikely to be challenged any time soon. Steve capped his season with a new ET record of 6.147.

Congratulations to Lorcan Parnell upon winning the ACU UK Funny Bike Championship, setting new class marks of 6.676 seconds and 206.93 mph. Neil Midgley continues to lead all three categories with five Championships, seventeen event wins and a sizeable points total.

Congratulations also to The Netherlands' Margot Schmidt who won the ACU UK Competition Bike Championship, an event win at the UK National Finals helping her to achieve her goal. Phil Leamon and Ivan Birch each have three Championships, both have ten event wins, and Phil also leads the points over Stu Crane.

Steve Venables won his eighth ACU UK Super Street Bike Championship, with a win at the UK National Finals. Ven continues to lead the number of Championships, has twenty seven event wins, and leads the points total by a substantial margin from The Daddy Graham Dance who still lies second in Championships won with four, and event wins with nineteen.

Blade Dummer won his second ACU UK Junior Drag Bike Championship, once again with a win at the National Finals. Blade joins Liam Holgate, Louis Davies, Jordon Bissell and Harry Stedman who have two Championships apiece. Scott Collier leads the total of Championships with four and event wins with ten. Scott also leads the points tally over Louis Davies.

You can check out the UK bike class Champions' Champions by clicking here or by clicking on the Champions' Champions link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

If you have any queries about the UK car or bike Champions' Champions then you can contact Simon at simon@eurodragster.com.

Swift snippets.
24th December: No news update yesterday, not least because we were preparing and coding up today's update, so we were unable to say a big Happy Birthday to our good buddy Jerry Cookson. Hope you had a great day Jerry and we look forward to our slice of cake.

Thanks to Mike Collins for sending us the usual preview of his column in the latest issue of Street Machine magazine, plus bonus material exclusively for Eurodragster.com readers. Click on the images above for the PDF downloads.

Eurodragster.com Christmas lists.
24th December: We will now be taking our Christmas break. News updates and postings to our Jeff Bull Race Engines Swap Meet will resume at the end of this week, but votes for the SPRC Perpetual Awards will of course still be accepted. Keep those news items coming to us at news@eurodragster.com and we will post them after our break.

In the meantime we have compiled our usual requests to Father Christmas, together with our New Year resolutions. As well as the core team we have also asked Off-Track Photographer Diana Macrae for her thoughts:

Top of Kirstie's Christmas list: A new Personal Best, hopefully into the 12s!

Top of Simon's Christmas list: Any of my previous three Christmas present lists to actually happen.

Top of Julian's Christmas list: A camera that nails the focus every time no matter how fast or erratic the subject, or how dark it is.

Top of Tog's Christmas list: First prize in a massive Norwegian, British Airways or Hertz give-away. Or all three.

Kirstie's New Year resolution: To wash the Camaro myself before an event.

Simon's New Year resolution: To be careful what I wish for.

Julian's New Year resolution: To stop giving Tog silly excuses as to why my pictures are fuzzy when it's obviousely the camera's fault.

Tog's New Year resolution: To continue to select whichever camera I please.

Top of Diana's Christmas list: To reach for my dreams and achieve them all.

Diana's New Year resolution: Maybe not drink so much at meetings, I never know if it's me that's blurry or my lens.

Diana adds: I've had the most amazing first official year working for Eurodragster.com, Thank You Tog for believing in me. I've met so many lovely people and had so many laughs. Secondly a big Thank You to those that made last year's wishes come true... sitting in a Funny Car, Jason Phelps and Steve Ashdown. Also a big Thank You to all the teams that supplied me with coffee over the year and to Cath and Tig for the alcohol.

Kirstie, Tog, Simon and Julian would like to wish all Eurodragster.com readers and their families the very Happiest of Christmases, and to thank everyone who has sent us personal Christmas wishes and cards. Have a great time.

SPRC's Christmas wishes.
22nd December: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall writes on behalf of the Committee:

SPRC would like to wish all members, racers, crew members, marshals, spectators and of course all of the Eurodragster.com staff a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Fast, and Safe New Year. We look forward to seeing you all again during the 2019 race season, which will be here before we know it.

SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 2.
22nd December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation in February 2019.

For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners.

This week's category is Best Appearing Car. The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Andy Bond
Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator

Frankie Fordham
Lucas Oil Junior Dragster

David Fulton
Super Comp

Thomas Haas
Gearhead Garage Super Pro ET

James Oliver
Modurstang Pro ET and UK Nostalgia Superstock

Neil Wilkinson
Outlaw Flat Four

Pete Wiseman
UK Nostalgia Superstock

To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to Eurodragster.com Pit Reporter and UK National Championship Points Co-ordinator Simon Groves. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to ar@eurodragster.com specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail.

For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nomineewill be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at ar@eurodragster.com.

Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.

The next voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be Best Appearing Bike.

Swift snippets.
21st December: The last Eurodragster.com News update before Christmas will be posted on Christmas Eve (Monday) and will as ever consist of the 2018 editions of Champions' Champions, Drag Racing Unplugged XX, and the top Christmas presents and New Year resolutions of the Eurodragster.com staff. The shortlist for SPRC Best Appearing Car will be posted here for voting tomorrow (Saturday) and then Best Appearing Bike next Saturday (29th).

New UK, Eire distributor for VP.
21st December: Eurodragster.com sponsor VP Racing Fuels, recognised around the world as the leader in race fuel technology, today announced the signing of Old Hall Performance as a distributor in UK and Ireland.

Just months after opening a new state-of-the-art warehouse in the West Midlands, major motorsport distributor Old Hall Performance has been confirmed as a specialist partner to fuel technology expert VP Racing Fuels. The agreement will see Old Hall become the approved importer of VP's ever-growing range of consumer products for the UK and Ireland.

Since opening its doors in 2005, Old Hall Performance has harnessed its market-leading knowledge of the motorsport and high-performance automotive market to create a compelling proposition for consumers. From its new spacious warehouse in Coventry, the company will hold and distribute the extensive range of VP's consumer products.

Miles Corrick, sales and business manager, Old Hall Performance, commented "The VP Racing range of consumer products complements our offering perfectly and enables us to offer an even wider choice to customers. The VP brand is synonymous with quality and with success in motorsport throughout the world. We can now offer VP's fuel jugs, speciality products, and Madditives to customers, helping them really harness their performance. It's a real privilege to be representing the VP brand."

Peter Coleman, business development consultant for Europe at VP Racing Fuels, added "Old Hall Performance is a leader in its field, with an unrivalled legacy across motorsport to lean upon, driven by passionate racers. The reach and knowledge across retail at Old Hall Performance, combined with their logistics and warehousing facilities, gives us the perfect partner to service consumer demand in the UK and Ireland. We look forward to building a long-term partnership with the business, as we seek to bring our developing product portfolio to our customer base."

For more information about VP and its products for racers, enthusiasts, and general consumers visit vpracingfuels.com.

Mafe Rotherham.

19th December: Our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mafe Rotherham, whose funeral took place yesterday. Paul Jackson writes:

Today we sadly said goodbye to a great lady.

Mrs Rotherham, as she was known by all, was the Club Secretary for the Midland Drag Racing Association in the sport's earlier years. A larger-than-life character and a true free spirit. She was a big car enthusiast, a natural organiser and she fulfilled her rôle within the sport extremely well.

There are many involved in the sport who could write a tribute better than mine, testament to which were some of the faces who attended her funeral stretching from drag bikes to Fuel Altered pilots, Top Fuel owners and everything in between.

I was that young kid in the pits who remembers that smartly-dressed lady with a smile behind the wheel of that three-wheeled Morgan.

Rest in Peace Mrs Rotherham x

Thank you for all you did for our sport x

2019 Doorslammers entry open.
18th December: James Forster of Santa Pod Raceway says that entry is now open for The Doorslammers which takes place on 17th-19th May 2019:

There have been a couple of tweaks to the rules in some classes (notably a change to the tyre ruling in True Street) but fundamentally the popular format will remain the same. There has also been an increase to the already impressive prize fund. Following the massive number of entries in the 4 Cylinder and FWD classes we've thrown another £2.5K into each of those pots taking the total prize pot to a staggering £80k.

The first couple of entries are already in, so please keep them coming and we look forward to the event being even bigger and better in 2019!

Please note that although you're welcome to send entries through and pay via PayPal, we won't be able to process them until after the festive period, on Wednesday 2nd January, so don't panic if you don't receive an instant response.

Entry forms, details and rules can be found at www.santapod.co.uk/doorslammers.php.

Swift snippets.
18th December: If you want to know what you're letting yourself in for vis-a-vis The Doorslammers, or if you would like to get hold of nine other great drag racing DVDs in time for Christmas, then 15:00 UK time this Thursday (20th) is the deadline to get your orders in to Zeon TV. You can check out our review of this year's season and event DVDs on last Friday's news update, or you can order your DVDs at www.quartermilehigh.com.

Wall art marks Tudor Rose50th.
17th December: Further to last week's fiftieth anniversary of Eurodragster.com sponsor John Woolfe Racing, Dave Riswick of JWR tells us that he has been involved in marking another fiftieth, this time the anniversary of Rex Sluggett's European speed record in the Tudor Rose slingshot, and that you can help with the car's restoration:

Early on in this year Rex Sluggett contacted me to ask if I could help him to find a suitable artist to do a painting of Tudor Rose, as it was coming up to the fiftieth year since he broke the European speed record in the car: 182.82 mph on 6th October 1968. Rex always wanted a nice picture of the car and after all these years he felt it needed to be done.

After thinking about it for some time I remembered Rick Goodale, one of the founding fathers of the BHRA, the first editor of Kool Kams, and a contributor to the drag racing magazines of the day. Rick ran a successful illustration business in London, and remembering that he did paintings I managed to track him down in Bournemouth running an upmarket Bed and Breakfast.

Rick doesn't paint any more, but did put me onto another well-known artist by the name of Terry Pastor up Norfolk way. Terry (above left) is well-known for producing album covers including David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and book covers including books by Arthur C Clarke and Len Deighton.

Terry produced us a beautifully-presented piece of wall art based on the December 1968 Issue of Drag Racing & Hot Rod magazine, illustrating Tudor Rose . The master copy was presented to Rex earlier in the year and holds pride of place on Rex's office wall at his home in Long Beach, California.

The wall art is 61 cm x 80 cm including the white surround. We are making it available as a limited-edition fund-raiser for the restoration of Tudor Rose at £200 all in, individually numbered and hand signed by the artist. For the full story, and to order your copy, visit the John Woolfe Racing web site at www.woolfe.com.

SPRC Perpetual Awards vote 1.
16th December: Santa Pod Racers Club and Eurodragster.com are again teaming up to give Eurodragster.com readers the chance of input to the SPRC Perpetual Awards, which will be presented at the SPRC Dinner Dance and Trophy presentation in February 2019.

For several of the 2018 season awards, a shortlist has been decided upon for which votes can be submitted by E-Mail. Nominations are now also being accepted for the Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy. The votes of Eurodragster.com readers will be taken into consideration when the SPRC Committee decides upon their winners.

This week's category is Most Promising Newcomer. Nominees for SPRC Most Promising Newcomer have impressed whilst contesting their first full season or making their on-track début in 2018.

The SPRC Committee's shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

James Cross , 9.50 Bike
Vote for James Cross

Casey Holgate , Junior Drag Bike
Vote for Casey Holgate

Tom Kaye , Lucas Oil Junior Dragster
Vote for Tom Kaye

Ben Newsome , Modurstang Pro ET
Vote for Ben Newsome

Frankie Taylor , Lucas Oil Junior Dragster
Vote for Frankie Taylor

Neill Watkins , UK Nostalgia Superstock and Modurstang Pro ET
Vote for Neill Watkins

To place your vote, either use the links above or go to the official Perpetual Awards voting page which you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the SPRC Perpetual Awards vote link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.
©Eurodragster.com
The Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy, for which nominations are also now being taken, was first awarded to Santa Pod Racers Club's late Chief Marshal, Alex Brachtvogel, in 2001 to mark his outstanding contribution to Santa Pod Raceway and the sport as a whole. After Alex's death the trophy was named in his memory and continues to be awarded for contribution to drag racing. There is no shortlist for the Alex Brachtvogel award. Nominations are invited from Eurodragster.com readers for racers, race officials, track and safety crews, club officials, media, or anyone else who has contributed to the sport. Last year the trophy was awarded to Eurodragster.com Pit Reporter and UK National Championship Points Co-ordinator Simon Groves. Again see the official page for more details or E-Mail your nomination to ar@eurodragster.com specifying SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy nomination as the subject and your nomination in the body of the E-Mail.

For each of the Awards, one vote per E-Mail address per nomineewill be accepted: multiple votes for the same nominee from the same E-Mail address will all be disqualified. Please note that blatant attempts at organising mass votes - for example asking workmates, forum members or Facebook friends to vote en masse - are easily identified and all such votes will be disallowed as they have been in previous years. Concerted attempts at vote-rigging will result in the nominee being removed from the shortlist whether or not that nominee knows what was going on. We know all the dodges so it's just not worth trying. If in any doubt about what constitutes canvassing then please drop us a line at ar@eurodragster.com.

Additionally, if anyone should have issues with the content of any of the shortlists then please contact SPRC direct rather than E-Mailing Eurodragster.com or commenting on social media. E-Mails to Eurodragster.com regarding the content of the shortlists will receive neither a reply nor any other acknowledgement.

The next voting category, to be posted next weekend, will be Best Appearing Car.

Perpetual Award trophy return.
16th December: Further to the above, current holders of the SPRC Perpetual Awards are asked to return their trophies as soon as convenient.

Trophies can either be returned to Santa Pod Racers Club or handed in at Santa Pod Raceway's office. To arrange return to SPRC please call Ian Marshall on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) or E-Mail ian.marshall@btconnect.com.

Zeon TV DVDs review.

14th December: This year, there are no less than ten Zeon TV DVDs covering UK drag racing and we are grateful to Helen Todd and Dave Coleman of Zeon for supplying review copies. Simon writes:

We'll start with the four-class oriented DVDs and then go through the six DVDs covering events in their order.

The Pro Modified DVD is covers each of the five rounds of the Championship in which racing took place at Santa Pod Raceway. The DVD is indexed for qualifying and eliminations separately for each round. A wide variety of camera angles is utilised including the top end cameras on the gantry, Eurodragster.com's Webster Race Engineering /Nimbus Motorsport webcam, pit footage and in-car shots from Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy Robinson's Camaro. Most drivers are interviewed at each Championship round. There is also a build-up feature about ICE Automotive's new turbo Firebird. This DVD is a very complete account of a Championship year which had its highs - new track records and PBs - and lows - Andy Robinson's devastating but thankfully non-injury crash in the last race of the Championship. Commentary is by Darryl Bradford.

Super Street Bike as a class has its second DVD this year, and it covers all four of the races held at Santa Pod Raceway in two Championships, the FIM-E Super Street Bike Cup (which also has rounds in Germany and Hungary) and the UK-based ACU Championship. The rounds held were at the FIA/FIM Main Event, SPRC Summernationals, FIA/FIM European Finals and UK National Finals, fields being large for each round and exceptionally so for the two European Championship rounds. There is a wide variety of interviews too, as each round attracts an international field of racers. This DVD is a must for Super Street Bike racers, fans and anyone who loves close racing and surprise wheelies. Commentary is by Bryn Lucas.

Nostalgia Superstock and Hardcore Street showcases two stock-bodied Doorslammer classes of UK drag racing, with the five rounds of UK Nostalgia Superstock held at SPR including both'lifestyle' and MSA Championships. Four Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator rounds are also included. Car count in UK Nostalgia Superstock has increased whereas Street Eliminator has suffered some attrition between 2017 and 2018, as well as new and returning entrants during the season. Commentary is by Colin Theobald, who incidentally would be eligible to race in both of these classes with his Camaro Bruce, and Paul Venners. Here are over two hours of great track action.

The Wild Bunch covers four of the five class Championship rounds held in 2018: the NSRA Nostalgia Nationals, SPRC Summernationals, Dragstalgia and the UK National Finals. Car counts were high at the two lifestyle events and competition was intense at both these and the two MSA Championship rounds. There is also coverage of the Slingshot Showdown at Dragstalgia. Much detail and lists of special awards at each race is supplied by class organiser Claire Meaddows. Colin Theobald is the commentator, and there are also interviews with Steve Bingham, who describes the provenance of the historic chassis for the Sneaky Blinder Topolino, and Chris Manning in the Villain slingshot. This is a wonderful presentation of the UK's original Nostalgia class.

The NSRA Nostalgia Nationals DVD, which also covers the Hot Rod Supernationals held at Old Warden in August, is indexed between Show and Shine, Superstock, Run What You Brung, cruising, eliminations, Wild Bunch and finals. Despite the Nostalgia tag, there are actually many cars at this race which aren't at Dragstalgia, due to the hot rodding theme. Interviews include Tri Chevy Shootout racers Steve Murphy with his'55 Nomad and Rob Smallworth, Ross Norris with his'32 five window, and Hannah Thomas from NSRA. Classes running include UK Nostalgia Superstock, Wild Bunch, Gasser Circus, Outlaw Anglia, Supercharged Outlaws and a healthy field of Run What You Brung. Knowledgeable commentary is provided by Graham Beckwith. This DVD is an hour and thirty seven minutes of hot rodding show and go.

The Doorslammers was one of the most exciting events, being new and attracting a diverse and quick field of door cars. On-line betting with Red Zone Sports and a big prize fund attracted a lot of radical machinery. Zeon's presentation is superb, and the sheer number of interviews with runners in every class is impressive. It's a great chance to catch up with classes which are not usually seen in traditional Championship racing such as Front Wheel Drive, and racers loved running alongside vehicles which they wouldn't normally meet. It was also the first meeting at which Pro Mods ran on the new SPR track, and there was some heart-in-the-mouth action. Commentated by Colin Theobald, this DVD is a wonderful record of a tremendous début event, for whose econd running we can't wait for in 2019.

The FIA/FIM Main Event DVD is the first Zeon DVD covering an FIA/FIM race in its entirety. It concentrates on the FIA and FIM classes, with great action and many in-depth interviews with top racers. As it's the first event of the year with little testing before, it's fascinating how the racers face their set-up issues during a Championship race, with some wild action the result. There were plenty of PBs as well. This DVD gets the viewer much closer to the upper echelons of the sport and is highly recommended, even if the viewer has seen the Web TV coverage on YouTube, because of the off-track coverage and start line close-ups.

Dragstalgia is perenially popular for close nostalgia racing, the social interaction, and the sheer variety of cars and bikes competing. Action from all three days is included, with the usual classes and Nostalgia Pro Stock Bike. There was another Swedish Invasion and Kjell Andersson and Stefan Flodel show their enthusiasm for their Gassers and the event as a whole, then giving some amazing burnouts. Pike Murray talks about the development of the Willys Wars, which has expanded enormously over the years with over sixty cars registered. The camera position at the top end only adds to the spectacle. The historic NSA bikes are described by Dave Clee and Chris Illman, which adds a new dimension to the coverage. Other interviews include Jim Usher, Matthew Wright, Bob Glassup, Troy Martin and Doc Stinger. And with coverage of the Funny Car parade, fire burnout and Cacklefest, this is a comprehensive survey of a wonderful event.

The Mopar EuroNationals, celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, is one of the longest-running annual Zeon DVDs having first come out in 2004. Graham Beckwith is, as ever, commentator (Thanks for the plug, Graham - Pit Reporter) . Race coverage includes RWYB, UK Nostalgia Superstock, Gasser Circus and Pro Modified but the Mopar Euronats has a strong lifestyle segment with the Show'n'Shine, cruise, and burnout competition. Plenty of Mopars run at the event, and other makes are also allowed on the track. The Cruise is a largely Mopar domain though. Despite Sunday being rained out for racing, the burnout competition was still run, and there was enough footage to fill a one hour thirty minute DVD. Here's to the next twenty five years, crew!

The FIA/FIM European Finals DVD is in the same format as the FIA/FIM Main Event, concentrating on the Pro car classes and bike classes. So no Sportsman racing, but some very close Championship finals took place at this event, and interviews with the main contenders has them reflect on their season. On track, the tight editing of the racing makes for a high adrenaline experience, ideal to keep one awake after all that turkey on Christmas day. At one hour fifty three minutes, this is a superb record of a wonderful season of drag racing. Commentary is by Colin Theobald.

One thing apparent on all of these DVDs is how smart Santa Pod Raceway looks, with its new concrete surface and tidy spectator areas and gantry. All the racing is from SPR due, of course, to the unfortunate closure of the much-loved Shakespeare County Raceway. As well as David and Helen, Cameron Rennie, Callum Pudge and Gladston M should be congratulated on their camera work, and David and Joe Oksien for excellent interviews. The production is, as ever, excellent with full qualifying lists and points standings after each race.

You can purchase any or all of these superb Zeon DVDs for £14.95 each plus £1.50 postage per order to the UK and £1.75 to anywhere else in the world. All DVDs are region free and in PAL format, which means you can watch them on a computer anywhere and on a TV that can display 625 lines at 50 Hz. Various deals are available for the purchase of multiple titles. You can view trailers and order on-line at www.quartermilehigh.com

Important UK crash helmet update.
13th December: Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall has been in touch with a very important message for UK racers (or those who come to compete in the UK) about Snell 2005 and SFI crash helmets:

As of 31st December 2018 Snell 2005 and SFI 31.1A and 31.2A crash helmets will no longer be legalin any class for UK drag racing.

Would racers please check their current crash helmets, as helmets marked Snell 2005 or SFI 31.1A and 31.2A will not be accepted during the 2019 season and beyond.

The only exception to the above rule is for Snell K2005 helmets which are still legal for Junior Stock Dragster only.

If you have any queries then please call Ian on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) or E-Mail ian.marshall@btconnect.com.

Happy 50th John Woolfe Racing!
12th December: In the third instalment of his history of Eurodragster.com sponsor John Woolfe Racing, Dave Riswick writes that today (Wednesday) is the company's 50th anniversary:

12th December 1968-12th December 2018

As we look back, much water has gone under the bridge and memories of fifty years ago have somewhat faded. However, an abundance of photographs, notes and articles, preserved in the John Woolfe Racing Archives, bring back into focus the true history of the day.

In this interesting Grand Opening Day press photo, taken by the Hunts Post, we see pictured from left to right the 24-year-old American import Dave Riswick, one of John's associates, David Knowles (who is believed to be responsible for creating the famous John Woolfe Racing wolf head logo pictured below), and the man himself John Woolfe, cutting the ribbon with an appropriate pair of tin snips. To John's left is his chief mechanic, Mike Treutlein, well known owner and future driver of Pete Millar's dragster, Chicken Coupe, followed by Colin Saunders, mechanic and reluctant driver of Mark Stratton's twin Chevy V8 dragster Hustler II .

Just a week after the Grand Opening, John's wedding ceremony was held at Claridge's in London where he married Jane Burton of the tailoring family. To mark the occasion, John arranged to whisk the bride away in his'68 Le Mans entry Chevron F-1 powered B12 .

Earlier on in this Grand Opening year John realised that he had many race vehicles to transport and when he was invited to Silverstone Circuit to do a feature for Motor agazine, he arrived in fine style with his newly-acquired Fiat Race Transporter. Later this provided a grand viewing platform for the team and friends when it made its début at Santa Pod Raceway.

John Woolfe was convinced that drag racing would take hold in a big way in the UK and was keen to contribute. However as already covered in Chapter II, John lost his life while competing in the 1969 Le Mans 24-hour race. At that crossroad of time, little did one know where one would end up. John Woolfe was a striver and his inspiration set the pace for the next 50 years.

Swift snippets.
12th December: Our good buddy Remco Scheelings is continuing his series of Features on the Drag Racing Europe Blog. Remco's latest victim is Pro Modified new boy Per Magnusson and you can check out Remco's Feature by clicking here.

Another award for VP.
12th December: Eurodragster.com sponsor VP Racing Fuels, recognised around the world for performance fuels and chemicals, has been awarded the coveted PRI Global Media Award for its new Stay Frosty Race Ready Coolant.

Motorsports journalists from the United Kingdom and Canada, tasked with identifying and discovering what new products are likely to succeed in their home countries, selected Stay Frosty.

"The journalists who make up the PRI Global panel are highly respected" said Bruce Hendel, VP's Vice President, North America Sales - Race Fuels and Consumer Products. "Their opinions really matter because they know their markets. With the help of this endorsement there's an even stronger probability Stay Frosty will do well in North America and overseas. With the extensive distribution network we have in place it will be very easy for racers and enthusiasts to keep cool and Stay Frosty when it counts."

The PRI Global Media Award is the second prestigious award VP and Stay Frosty have received for 2019. In November, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers' Association panel of international media voted Stay Frosty one of the best new products at the SEMA Show.

For more information about VP and its products for racers, enthusiasts, and general consumers visit vpracingfuels.com.

Swift snippets.

11th December: If you are considering getting your local race fan a copy of Keith Lee's excellent book Mister Six: The Story of Drag Racing Legend Dennis Priddle for Christmas - and we get the idea that there are as many excited adults than children this particular festive season - then it is worth getting your order in very soon to allow in-time delivery. You can order at mistersix.co.uk, and for our review of the book check out our news update of 27th November.

Our review will be posted here very shortly but, similarly, it is worth getting in your orders in for Zeon TV's superb Season Review DVDs. DVDs are £14.95 apiece plus £1.50 P+P but some great offers are available if buying more than one. You can check out trailers and order your DVDs at www.quartermilehigh.com.

The annual vote for the 2018 SPRC Perpetual Awards will be starting here on Eurodragster.com very soon.

Malta puts out the red carpet.
9th December: Two weeks taking in all that Malta has to offer, with four days' racing in the middle, testing of the newly rebuilt Helzapoppin', a new PB with Banzai and the warmest welcome you could possibly wish for from all the people of Malta and the 300+ UK fans who made the trip over... UK blown-alcohol altered racer Ian Merryweather says that the only downside was terminal damage to Banzai s (t)rusty old 392 Hemi block:

On Friday 26th October the cars were loaded into the truck and trailer, boarded the Isle of Man to Heysham Ferry and sailed over for us to pack into a container bound for Malta. It is possible to fit two twelve-foot cars into a twenty-foot container. With the container arriving in Malta earlier than expected on 14th November, which was three days before the teams were due to touch down on the island, the Malta Drag Racing Association at Hal Far Raceway kindly sorted out placing the container unit in our pit area and secured it so it was ready for our arrival. On Saturday 17th the Banzai and Helzapoppin' teams rendezvoused at Gatwick en route to Malta.

Team Banzai consisted of myself, Selena and Lee Merryweather. Team Helzapoppin' consisted of owner Peter Astell-Burt, driver Roy Wilding and crewman Ashley Phipps. Special Guest Tom Dickie, a good friend of Peter's, also make the trip. Tom, for those of you who follow the Manx Grand Prix and TT racers, will know him as a past winner. After arriving at the seven-bedroom eighteenth-century country house Casa San Rocco in Ghaxaq (ten minutes from the track), kindly booked by Peter, we quickly unpacked and headed off to check the container. All was well so we drifted off to the track bar.

On Sunday 18th we were invited to take part in the MDRA Test and Tune event. However, as we would have to fully pack away after the one-day event we decided to spectate. It was an ideal time to stand back and get familiar with how the MDRA operated the track. We were impressed by how it was all run. The first eighth is all-new concrete for this year, however after their experiences at earlier events we were advised by many racers to be careful. More on that later.

The overall size of the facility is quite small with only one side to view the racing, a tight paddock area and one cafe-bar. However, as we were to find out through the meeting, it all works well. Notably entry to the event and the quality and price of the refreshments were both very reasonable.

The spare days to kill before we unloaded and set up the pit, which was scheduled for Wednesday, were spent on retail therapy, museums, pubs and restaurants not necessarily in that order!

Unloading began on Wednesday by which time the team increased by a further two with the arrival of Helzapoppin's engine builder Kenny and Bev Coleman from EDA. Kenny would also look after "his" engine for Helzapoppin' during the event.

Thursday 22nd November, Test Day at Hal Far: Signed on, scrutineered and with the cars ready for action we lined up side-by-side for our first experience of Hal Far, which was also the first run for Helzapoppin' after its rebuild. An eighth-mile checkout pass for Helzapoppin' with "A Roy named Sue" at the wheel went to plan, however after a hard launch from Banzai the car veered sharply right! After snaking down the track a low nine-second quarter was recorded. It felt good to get our first run out of the way. With a change of lanes for both cars, Helzapoppin' launching in second gear ran the eighth in 5.41/111 before taking it easy to the quarter mile. Banzai was on a better run than the first with an 8.48/164 but still fighting for grip. After completing the first day of racing at Hal Far, the general opinion was that the track was as good if not better than Shakey ever was.

Friday 23rd November, Open 6 qualifying: As very different cars from what is normally seen at Hal Far we were in the Open class, up against six-second rear-engined dragsters so we didn't really stand much chance of winning. However we were there to put on a show and enjoy ourselves which is exactly what we did. We were having a blast! Roy at the wheel of Helzapoppin' was getting to grips with the car with it running quicker every run. There was a problem with a slight weep from the rear main seal but as the car has a full belly pan any oil was easily contained. Banzai on the other hand just could not get a handle on the launch. Picking the wheels up and carrying them past sixty feet was good for the crowd but the pull to the right each time left no option but to lift.

Saturday 24th November, Qualifying then the start of eliminations late in the day: With Banzai up against J Aquilina in his six-second dragster we did not expect to move into the next round, however his red light gave us the win. Banzai with a great launch, PBs of 1.22 to sixty and 5.09/136 to the eighth, it finally looked likely to be running the seven for which the team have been looking. However at two-thirds the engine began to smoke from the right bank so I lifted early to a new PB 8.01/159. Back in the pits the problem was looking serious as the block wsa found to be cracked by a core plug. With the pan off there appeared to be no internal cracking so the team decided to clean and patch up the outer block with liquid metal in a vain attempt to continue racing. Helzapoppin' had also moved into the Sunday's eliminations.

Sunday 25th November, Open 6 semi-finals: Helzapoppin' was up against Banzai . With a patched up 392 against the EDA-built Donovan there was really only going to be one winner. Both cars left well but instant smoke from the wounded Hemi gave me no option but to pull Banzai off the racing surface, coasting through to the finish in sixteen seconds. There was to be a twist in the tail as "A Roy named Sue" redlit putting Banzai into the final against another six-second dragster, the Borg Brothers who also run an EDA engine!

The final would be a bye run for the Borg Brothers as the damaged block in Banzai ended our dream. With everything packed back into the container the teams partied with the locals, said their goodbyes and headed off back for a well-earned rest.

What a blast! The whole two-week trip lived up to all expectations with PBs, oodles of track time, meeting new friends and plenty of sunshine. The teams would like to say a huge thank you to Charlie Camilleri, Reuben Micallef, and all the MDRA members as well as a special Thank You to Jamie Felice whose help before, during and after the event was invaluable. We are indeed very grateful.

Will we be back next year? Too right we will, if we can find the funds.

It so happens that today (Sunday) is Ian's birthday so a very Happy Birthday to him. Have a great day Ian.

Swift snippets.
9th December: Our good buddy Remco Scheelings is continuing his series of Features on the 2018 European and EDRS Champions on the Drag Racing Europe Blog. Remco's latest victim is EDRS Pro Nordic MC Super Gas Bike Champion Jami Oksanen and you can check out Remco's Feature by clicking here.

We would like to say a big Happy Birthday and Grattis to our good, albeit fired, buddy Christer Abrahamson. Have a great day Christer.

2019 Dragstalgia entry open.
7th December: Santa Pod Raceway are pleased to announce that entry is now open for invited classes at Dragstalgia on 12th-14th July 2019, and that applications are also open for the Custom Car Invitational at that event.

However, racers should note that there is quite a significant change to the entry procedure: entrants are now required to submit an entry form, which can be found at www.dragstalgia.co.uk. This also applies to any other events at which Santa Pod run non-permit classes; the forms can be found on each of the relevant event web sites.

Applications are also open for the Custom Car Invitational. As in previous years, there is an application process in place for the class and so entries won't be processed for this section of the event until applications have closed on Monday 3rd June 2019. Spaces are limited in this section so unfortunately not everyone can be accommodated. Santa Pod will be offering places to those applicants with vehicles best suited to the event as selected by the team at Custom Car magazine.

To enter, to apply for the Custom Car Invitational, or to find out more, visit www.dragstalgia.co.uk.

"We look forward to hearing from you!", says James Forster.

Anita collects her trophy.

7th December: Many thanks to Lars Pettersson of the FIA Drag Racing Commission for sending us this picture of 2018 FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Anita Mäkelä collecting her Championship trophy at the FIA Gala in St Petersburg. Eagle-eyed viewers may spot UK Comp Eliminator racer Kev Perkins also apparently in the line-up. Congratulations again Anita.

Silencing for UK Junior Dragsters, FCs.

6th December: For several years the UK Drag Racing Tech Committee have been discussing Junior Dragster noise limits, and after two years of testing the Committee have taken the decision to mandate exhaust silencers or mufflers on all Junior Modified and Junior Modified Advanced Dragsters and Funny Cars. Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary Ian Marshall writes:

This regulation comes into force from 1st January 2019 and requires all Junior Modified and Junior Modified Advanced Dragsters and Funny Cars to meet the 113 dB noise limit. Junior Stocks will not require silencers at present, howeverif a team are running a methanol-fuelled engine - effectively a de-tuned JM or JMA engine - to run in Junior Stock then they must also meet the 113 dB requirement.

Many Junior teams will have noted that Holley Marshall has been testing a JAC Race Exhaust item during 2018 to help us to simplify the transition to silenced engines. During testing it was found that the silencer required little or no change to the car's set-up, although this does not preclude small changes to your own combination. We saw a reduction in ET of only nine hundredths of a second over the eighth, but with increased consistency over the first 330 feet and no detriment whatsoever to the running of the engine.

The engine was freshened by Hauser Race Cars at the beginning of this season, and then re-checked, again by Hauser Race Cars, at mid-season. At the mid-season check there was no indication of any problem; the power levels and consistency of the car have continued to prove this right through the final test session at the end-of-year Flame and Thunder Show.

Click here or click on the picture at right for the report compiled by Geof Hauser on the condition of the engine during the mid-season check.

We would recommend that Junior teams use a silencer of all-stainless steel construction, with stainless wadding. In early testing we used a fibreglass-filled silencer, but this failed due to the methanol causing a chemical reaction which hardened the fibreglass. The company which we used was:

JAC Race Exhausts
Unit 7
Plot 1
Wigwam Lane
Hucknall
Nottinghamshire NG15 7SZ

Tel. 01159 635 556 or 07812 191122

The person to whom to talk at JAC is a Wayne Jackson (not the Super Pro dad). If you get in touch with JAC and tell them that you are looking for a Junior Dragster silencer similar to that used by Santa Pod Racers Club then they should understand.

The silencer costs around £115 plus postage, and comes with a rear clamp. We suggest a support bracket to the rear of the exhaust to carry the weight of the silencer, rather than rely upon the four exhaust manifold bolts to take all of the weight. You will need to cut down your existing exhaust to slip fit the silencer over the current shortened exhaust, and make sure that you make allowances for your EGT sensor to be retained on the exhaust. You will also need a turn-down (part of the exhaust), and you will need to know the outside diameter measurement of your existing cut-down exhaust, over which the silencer will fit.

Finally, although the JAC option is the route down which we chose to go, there is by no means a requirement to use JAC's silencerto the exclusion of others. The JAC silencer is a very good piece of equipment, but if you have an alternative silencer which meets the decibel requirement then you can of course take your own route to achieve the same results.

Overseas racers competing in the UK will be expected to meet the new requirements, as UK racers would be expected to do overseas.

If you have any questions then please call me at the Santa Pod Racers Club office on 01933 313625 (outside the UK +44 1933 313625) and I will endeavour to help with technical questions.

2019 FIA calendar confirmed.
5th December: Many thanks to Lars Pettersson of the FIA Drag Racing Commission for confirming the calendar for the 2019 FIA European Drag Racing Championships, after ratification by the World Motorsports Council:

24th-27th May: FIA/FIM Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway, UK
6th-9th June: Tierp Internationals, Tierp Arena, Sweden
5th-7th July: FHRA Nitro Nationals, Kauhava, Finland
16th-18th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany
22nd-25th August: Scandinavian Internationals, Tierp Arena, Sweden
5th-9th September: FIA/FIM European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway, UK

Lars also tells us that there are changes to safety standards which will be detailed on the next Regulations update on the FIA web site.

The provisional 2019 FIM European Drag Bike Championships calendar can be checked out by clicking here or by clicking on the 2019 FIA/FIM Championships calendar on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

Zeon TV 2018 DVDs now on sale.
5th December: Well in time for Christmas, our good friends Helen and David at Zeon TV have released this year's Season Review DVDs. As can be seen below there are no less than ten Reviews this year including both FIA/FIM European Championship events and the spectacularly-popular and -successful RedZone Sports-sponsored Doorslammers. Eurodragster.com is as ever well-represented both with pictures on front and rear covers and with the use of footage from our Webster Race Engineering /Nimbus Motorsport webcam.

DVDs are £14.95 apiece plus £1.50 P+P but some great offers are available if buying more than one.

We will post the usual review in due course but as ever the Zeon TV name guarantees quality so there is no real need to wait to order your copies at www.quartermilehigh.com where trailers of some DVDs are also available for your viewing pleasure.

Nicholson seeks Pro Mod crew.
3rd December: UK Pro Modified racer Wayne Nicholson is looking for an additional team member.

"Ideally you would live within easy travel distance to our base in West Yorkshire, two minutes from J40 of the M1", says Wayne. "We are a largely family-based team competing in the MSA British Drag Racing Championship, six or seven race events a year all at Santa Pod.

"Hard work and a definite team ethic are what are required, previous experience would help but mechanical experience is essential. Working at the track and in between events is required, unfortunately this isn't a paid role but you will be fed and watered with free admission to the events with many laughs along the way helping a team and seeing the results, and a beer or two on an evening.

"If you are coming for a free burger and a T-Shirt then this isn't for you. Pro Mod Racing is hard work, but when it's good it's great."

If you are interested then you can find Wayne's contact details under Drivers/Crew required on our Jeff Bull Race Engines -sponsored Swap Meet.

Web site updates.
3rd December: The Mad Welshman has updated his Flickr site with pictures from the 13th October Run What You Brung at Santa Pod Raceway, which featured the final round of Outlaw Street. You can take a look at www.flickr.com/photos/the_madwelshman.

Swift snippets.
1st December: Jeanette and Eurodragster.com sponsor Jon Webster asked us to say a big Happy 30th Birthday for today (Saturday) to their daughter Shelby Webster. "We are so proud of all Shelby has done and all that she is, a lovely person", they say. Seconded; have a lovely day Shelby.

Earlier news