What's New

We've also just heard that Colin Fallows will be appearing at Super Series 5 in September with his British Land Speed Record -breaking Jet Dragster.

Full House expected at Super Series 3.
27th July: In anticipation of this weekend's Super Series Round 3 at Avon Park Raceway, the provisional entry list has been posted in the RACE INFO section of the Super Series web site. "The entry list currently stands at over 190," said Obsession Motorsport's Tina Gibbs, "and with new entries still coming in we expect the final count to be around 210 to 220."

Also just posted on the Super Series site are the current points tables. You'll find them in the RESULTS section.

Altered Ego For Sale.
26th July: John Menetrier's gorgeous 23T Altered is up for sale. Check out our Swap-Meet section for more details.

Talbot's Mid-Summer Dream.
26th July: Thanks to Jeremy Cookson of APIRA for this report from York:
Super Pro drag racer Pat Talbot made her visit to York Dragway's Mid Summer Nationals worth her while by taking a succession of wins in a 'best of three' Super Pro Challenge against 'Dyno' Des Taylor's Flavell Bros dragster. Competing over the eighth mile Talbot's 471ci Mopar-powered Hauser Race Cars built dragster ran consistent 5.40's at 125mph. Despite running off the end of the track in qualifying, Taylor's best was a 5.76 in the final round.

Top qualifier in the 8 car Pro Shootout was Carole Smith's small block Mustang II, but the final went to the Plymouth GTX of Dave Billadeau over Chris Round's Rover V8 Wild Bunch dragster. The Street Shootout fell in favour of Dave Rushforth whose Mustang not only led the cast of qualifiers but also put away Dave Smith's Ford Sierra in the final run-off.

John Sleath led a mammoth 32 car eliminator for the Northern Street Car title. The 502ci Saab not only led a mix of European and American iron, but also put away Dave Billadeau's GTX.

RESULTS:
Super Pro Challenge: Pat Talbot (5.408/120) beat Des Taylor (5.769/113)
Pro Shootout: Dave Billadeau (11.126/120) beat Chris Round (12.126/83)
Street Shootout: Dave Rushforth (14.825/85) beat Dave Smith (16.233/85.49)
Northern Street Car Challenge: John Sleath (10.376/137) beat Dave Billadeau (12.064/120)

Another Read in Top Fuel.
26th July: Eurodragster has learnt that Robin Read has teamed up with Knut Söderquist and will appear in a Top Fuel Dragster this season. Testing and licencing has yet to be completed but we understand that Robin plans to race in Top Fuel at least once before season's end, at the FIA European Finals in September.

The Read family are no strangers to drag racing, having been involved - originally through Robin's father Jim - almost since the sport came to the UK, and Robin is no stranger to Fuel: his nitro-fuelled, Daimler-powered rail was for a long period the scourge of what is now Super Pro ET. His move to Top Fuel puts him on a par with brother Steve, who currently races in Top Fuel in Australia having raced in Pro Comp/Top Alcohol in Europe.

We will bring you more on this story as we receive it.

Danish Nationals results.
26th July: A report on the Danish Nationals at Vandel Dragway is now available on the Svensk Dragracing web site. "The Danish Nationals were a success!", says Christer Abrahamson of Svensk Dragracing. "There was a new spectator record, good traction, and a lot of good international racing. The winners were from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway - that's the way it should be at a Nordic Drag Racing Series event! There were also racers from Germany and Switzerland".

All European eyes are now turning to the Sko Uno Drag Festival at Mantorp Park this weekend, which is the twelfth round of the Nordic Drag Racing Series as well as the third round of the FIA European Championships.

Malmgren plans Mantorp repeat.
26th July: Swedish Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren is ready to repeat last year's victory at this weekend's FIA round at Mantorp Park. "As reigning Mantorp champions it's our goal to win this year too", says Magnus of Michael's team. "We have had the car totally stripped down, including engine, gearbox and rear axle, just to make sure that it's alright. Our competitors will have to get very busy to outrun us".

Heaven in short supply.
26th July: We are sure that you will all want to join Eurodragster in sending best wishes to UK Pro ET racers Carla Pittau and Rick McCann, whose bad luck so far this season has been exacerbated by a workshop accident last week when the jacks holding up their "Heaven and Hell" Camaro collapsed whilst both were under the car. Carla managed to get out to raise the alarm, but Rick was trapped and sustained a broken pelvis. We look forward to seeing you back at the track very soon, guys.

If anyone would like to send Carla and Rick a goodwill message, then please E-mail sharkman@btinternet.com specifying "Message for Carla and Rick" as a subject, and your messages will be passed on.

Honeymoons are for wimps!
26th July: Eurodragster also sends its best wishes to UK Super Pro ET racer Nigel Payne and his wife Sarah, who were married last Saturday. The happy couple have "no time" for a honeymoon, since Nigel is racing at Super Series 3 at Avon Park this weekend. Start how you mean to go on, that's what we say.

Danish Nationals news.
25th July: The Svensk Dragracing web site is carrying a report and qualifying times from the Danish Nationals at Vandel. A report and stats on today's racing will of course follow.

Dunderklumpen - we get the story.
25th July: A little while ago we said that we would be interested to know the provenance of the name Dunderklumpen, as in Dunderklumpen Racing, a Swedish Pro Street team. Hasse of Dunderklumpen Racing has obliged with the story. "Dunderklumpen means 'rambling lump'; my race car is a '56 Chevy and I like the name because my car is heavy and fat", he says. "I got the name from a friend at work". Hasse adds that he is very grateful to his sponsor Autoshop for his cam and for other help, and that other sponsors would be welcome.

Hasse's web site featuring Swedish Pro Street News has proven very popular. "We have had 4000 visitors since June", he says. The site is updated weekly with all the latest from the Pro Street scene (who could forget Elephant's leg warmer makes headlines?), and there is a monthly contest for a t-shirt. Check it out at http://www.dunderklumpenracing.com/prostreetnews.

Drachten results.
23rd July: Thanks to Monique Pels for sending some of the Bike results from last weekend's "Dragten Nationals" at Drachten in Holland:

SUPERTWIN TOP GAS
Winner: Job Heezen 5.328/212 kmh (eighth-mile) *New Top Gas ET record*
Runner-up: Herman Jolink 6.094/177

SUPERTWIN TOP FUEL
Winner: Rob Van Geffen 4.614/260
Runner-up: Ton Pels 4.718/250

COMPETITION BIKE
Winner: Roel Koedam 4.556/267
Runner-up: Henk Geeve 4.859/255

For the full results from Drachten, check out the Explosion Club web site.

York Dragway web site update.
23rd July: The official web site of UK track York Dragway has had a facelift. Check it out for news, race schedule, results and more at http://www.btinternet.com/~yorkdragway. A race takes place at York this weekend, so if you're in the area then why not visit - it beats shopping hands down.

Message for Anders Magnusson.
22nd July: Anders, please contact TonyB on +44 121 359 8941 Extension 415 (daytime) or +44 121 246 0364 (evening).

Deuchar wants Crank call.
22nd July: UK Top Methanol Dragster racer Lindsay Deuchar may have to sit out the final round of the MSA British Top Alcohol Championship after suffering engine damage during testing at Avon Park last weekend - that is, unless any of Eurodragster's legion of racer readers can help. "I stripped the motor down only to find that the number two bearing had spun and the crank is now probably junk" said Lindsay.

Lindsay is trying to locate a replacement or possible repair. "If anyone knows of a good - i.e. not cracked - KB 'short deck' crank in the UK, please let me know" he said. If anyone can help Lindsay then please e-mail him at 101714.1542@compuserve.com.

Without a replacement crank, Lindsay faces some time out since a replacement or repair will have to come from the USA.

Den Haag Street Finals cancelled.
21st July: The Den Haag Street Finals event planned for Saturday August 28 has been cancelled. This event was due to take place on a street in The Hague but amidst some confusion the Explosion Club, which is one of the two Dutch sanctioning bodies, finally decided that the track was not safe, despite the race distance having been reduced to 150 metres.

Racer Bobby Portier said: "Up to three years ago the race took place yearly. Competition bikes made runs as well. But since the organisers, Stichting Dragrace Den Haag, do not yet have their own organisation license, they absolutely depend on cooperation with licensed organisations".

Danish Nationals entry list.
20th July: The European Drag Racing Database is now carrying the provisional entry list for the upcoming Danish Nationals Vandel Dragway. The event is the eleventh race in the Nordic Drag Racing Series and features entries from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and Switzerland. Results will be available on the site next week.

More Cannonball and Piteå pictures.
20th July: Photographs of the action in the Cannonball (for Funny Cars), Top Methanol Dragster and Pro Mod from the recent event at Santa Pod are now available on Tog's Drag Racing Page, together with pictures of Pro Mod, Sportsmen classes and some amazing Doorslammer Wheelstands at the Midnight Sun Internationals at Piteå. Tog is sinking under a stack of pictures from all other classes at the Cannonball, plus the remainder of his Piteå pictures, but promises to do his level best to get them scanned in the next few days.

New Photo Gallery.
19th July: Dragsterracing.de are currently updating their web site, including a new gallery of photos by German race photographer Martin Grosse-Geldermann. Although under construction, there are already some superb photos in the gallery, including a beautiful sunset shot of Werner Sohm and Ton Pels, a great night wheelie from Paul Marston and a very risky-looking view of Martin Hill's Fireforce jet funny car. Check it out at http://www.dragsterracing.de/.

Reichert visits Nemesis upon rivals.
19th July: US Alcohol ace Bill Reichert will be Crew Chief for the Lucas Oils/Express Freight Services-sponsored Nemesis Racing Top Methanol Dragster at next week's FIA round at Mantorp Park. Bill is an engine builder by trade, and driver of the Bars Leaks/Splat Top Alcohol Dragster in the USA. "He runs 5.50s in the USA, so he's the man", said car owner and temporarily-demoted (and happy about it!) Crew Chief Barry Redstone. "We bought a lot of engine parts from Bill so for him it will be just like running last season's car". The Nemesis TMD has already been into the fives this year, going as low as 5.87 in qualifying first at the FIA round at Alastaro.

Bill recently made headlines in the USA when he returned to win a Federal Mogul All Stars event a few weeks after writing off his dragster in a high-speed crash. "He's a bit special", said Barry.

Driver Dave Wilson is looking forward to Bill's input. "We're looking to consolidate our existing performance", he said.

The word from the Street.
19th July: The Svensk Dragracing web site is carrying a report from this weekend's Gold Town Nationals at Skellefteå in Sweden. "They closed a road almost in the center of town and used it as a drag strip!" says Svensk Dragracing's Christer Abrahamson. "They also worked really hard with the traction. The City had decided this year that the road should be resurfaced, and the arranging club paid extra to get a good, smooth surface. It worked really well!"

Check out the report for more details.

Branch out at Avon Park.
17th July: Funny Bike racer Shaun Branch is testing his mount at the Mini Showdown at Avon Park this weekend. Shaun hopes to make a lot of progress with the bike; a completely revised fuel system and a billet block (1428 cc from 1100 cc) should keep him busy all weekend, he says.

Racing alongside Shaun today will be fellow FB racer Tim Blakemore.

UK Nostalgia site updated.
17th July: The UK Drag Racing Nostalgia web site has had a facelift, including the addition of some eighty new pictures from various sources. Web master Jon Spoard is extremely grateful for the contributions and is always on the lookout for more historical photographs and other contributions. If you have never visited this site then we can highly recommend it: as well as photographs the site also has such features as a detailed biography of the late and still much-missed Allan "Bootsie" Herridge, and a history of the "Stardust" Funny Car. Check it out at http://www.ndirect.co.uk/~jspoard.

Taste the Thunder at Drachten.
16th July: Lex Joon is just one of the Dutch drag racing stars who will be creating thunder at Drachten this weekend. Lex will be demonstrating his famous burnouts in the Valvoline/Splitfire/Thundertaste - sponsored Ford Probe Funny Car. Henri Joosten will also be there with the gorgeous Quaker State - sponsored Pro Modified '55 Chevy Bel Air as of course will be Ton Pels and the Zodiac Top Fuel Harley. Ton ran 7.08 at Alastaro, despite losing a cylinder at 1000ft. Crew chief Vincent tells us they've fixed the problem, so look for a new personal best this weekend.

Showdown at Avon Park.
16th July: Avon Park is the place to be for Mini enthusiasts this weekend when the British Mini Showdown hits town. The action starts at 10:00am Saturday. More info at http://www.britishminiclub.co.uk/.

Piteå Top Fuel pictures.
16th July: Pictures of the action in Top Fuel at the Midnight Sun Internationals at Piteå are now available on Tog's Drag Racing Page. Pictures of other classes will follow shortly, including snowmobile!

Custom Car Points and Records.
15th July: Many thanks to Ian Jackson who has sent through the latest points standings and records holders from the Custom Car Street Eliminator championship.
 

Points after 5 rounds		Record Holders
Steve Pateman	4750	ET Record
Alan Simms	3500	Colin Lazenby - 9.33 (1998)
Jeff Meads	2350	(Set on D.O.T. 'cheat' tyres which were legal in '98)
Colin Lazenby	1850
Gary Keep	1500	Speed Record
Mick Rogers	1200	Steve Pateman - 149.5mph on full treads (Avon Park 1999)
Wilf Stacey	1100
John Sleath	1100
Andy Ryan	750	Steve has run as quick as a 9.34 on full treads and has also recordeda 153mph pass but was unable to back it up. It's only a question of time before the records fall again.
Andy Oliver	500
Steve Neimantas	500
Steve Anderson	250

Don't forget that full details of each round of eliminations are featured in Custom Car Magazine every month.

FHRA web site moves.
15th July: The official web site of the Finnish Hot Rod Association has moved to http://www.fhra.fi (or http://www.fhra.fi/english for the English-language version). FHRA Vice President Tapio Väljä tells us that the old web site will no longer be updated, so be sure to change your bookmarks to be able to see the new raceday updates and all of the other features on the FHRA site.

Den Haag Street Finals.
15th July: We so much wanted to put "drag racing in the street" as the headline but Eurodragster wouldn't like to be seen to be promoting illegal street racing! However, this is a totally legal drag race which just happens to be taking place on a street in The Hague on Saturday August 28th. Entries are being accepted up to August 14th in Streetmachine, Super Street, Super Gas, Competition Car, Ultimate Street Bike, Ultimate Streetbike II, and Ultimate Street Twins.

For more details visit Bobby Portier's web site at http://bobbyportierracing.mypage.org or call 31 654 601643 (Netherlands number) between 20:00 and 20:45 CET.

A Family Affair.
15th July: Not the truly appalling UK soap opera, but an interesting aspect of last weekend's NDRS race at Alastaro; check out the report on the Svensk Dragracing web site. The Photo Gallery on the Svensk Dragracing site has also been updated with pictures from the Spring Nationals.

A weekend on the Top Fuel Tour.
14th July: Eurodragster staffer Tog's account of his weekend in Piteå with Peter Lantz and team is now available. Pictures will follow. Click here to read the account.

Norrtälje Folkvagnsdag report.
13th July: Christer Abramson of Svensk Dragracing has posted on his web site a report of this weekend's Norrtälje Folkvagnsdag event. "More contenders than ever, but much less spectators than usual", says Christer, "I can't blame them, 31 Centigrades makes the beach kind of interesting!".

You can find Christer's report at http://home4.swipnet.se/~w-44114/index.htm.

Davies finds problems, tests Sunday.
13th July: Pro Mod racer Nick Davies has identified some problems with the car and plans to test at the Run What You Brung at Santa Pod Raceway this Sunday.

"The third nitrous system was fitted but not used at the Cannonball", he writes. "Assuming decent weather and a remotely decent track, we'll be giving it a shake-down on Sunday, if we can cool one hot cylinder we developed at Santa Pod. We think we've also identified the batch of 'chocolate' Lenco sprags which it is apparent have plagued us during the last couple of meetings".

Eurodragster will be attending the RWYB this Sunday and we will of course bring you any developments from Nick's testing and that of other racers.

More from Piteå.
12th July: More information from the Swedish Top Fuel Tour is available at the SHRA-Lulea web site (Swedish).

Fastest Girls in Europe?
12th July: Suzanne Callin writes in to agree that Katie Gibbs' 9.465/67.26mph probably makes her the fastest girl in Junior Dragster in Europe. Since becoming the youngest Super Comp driver at the start of the season, Suzanne hasn't exactly been hanging about, either, running 5.34/129.24 mph over the 1/8 mile. We reckon that MUST make Suzanne the fastest schoolgirl in Europe.

Suzanne asked us to pass on her best wishes to all Junior Dragracers in the UK and to say that if any racer would like information on the finest headers system available, made by her sponsor BORLA PERFORMANCE INDUSTRIES US, mail her at callin.racing@telia.com. Happy to do both, Suzanne.

Showtime Update.
12th July: The Showtime Racing site has been updated with a report and photos from the Cannonball.

UK Outlaw Street Car Proposal.
12th July: Eurodragster has received a very interesting proposal from Ian Jackson (Custom Car Street eliminator organiser) for putting together an "Outlaw" Street class here in the UK. The class would be heads up racing with the only real limiting factor being competitors must use treaded tyres, other than that, its pretty much anything goes and I'm sure many potential entrants will be pleased to hear there will be no cruise involved.

For the full proposal and details of how to register your interest, Click Here.

The rest of July's news

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