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19:30

We have now posted today's pictures (from Wellingborough Pizza Hut for those interested in such things), which you can view via the Event Index page. There are seventy pictures in all, so if you don't see seventy updated thumbnails when you load the Gallery page then click on your Browser's Refresh button.

Our next FIA Main Event coverage will be an end-day photo gallery from Wednesday's Private Test here at Santa Pod Raceway, and stay tuned to Eurodragster.com this week for all your FIA Main Event news.

17:10

Bit of a wild ride for Robin Orthodoxou even by his standards. The motor sounded to be misfiring and the altered was moving about its lane, Robin shut off to a 7.999/143.62 but then the altered got into a bounce in the shutdown area. Robin kept hold of it and put the chute out. Next up was Eric Monsenego, nice run, 8.3283/160.79. Jon Giles was next racer to the line, but left before the lights ran. Craig Allen followed in his VW Pro Beetle, 12.7061/101.68. Nev Mottershead took the left lane (almost all racers have taken the right today), 11.0747/118.85 from the Super Street Ventora.

A short break in racers and then the Giles and Hartley Super Pro ET Rail appeared around the corner. 0.0977 RT and 7,7184/171.12. Another dragster up next, Paul Brown in the Pro ET car. Another 9.1 for consistency, 9.1315/142.96. Quicker still for Chris Impey next pair, 8.6473/154.74.

Tony Betts followed in the Venom Fuel Altered. No shake this time but blackstriping and feathering the throttle, off it a touch early, 7.3855/160.78.

That's it for today. Stay tuned for today's pictures although they will be a couple of hours since it is uncomfortably hot in Race Control so we are going to relocate.

16:25

Pro ET match-up next for Rick Denny and Roy Walker, Roy having directional stability issues again on his 10.9339/110.82 and Rick going straight as you like in his Firebird to an 11.9151/117.62. Up a class to Super Pro and a 7,6815/171,73 for Barry Giles, again without the characteristic on-off sound from the motor in stage. Another Pro ET match was then set between Deborah Laugher and Gordon Northway but Deborah was shut off after the burnout. Gordon took a 9.7303/143.89 bye with a 0.0151 RT. Chris Impey followed with an 8.7425/154.72 in the HKS Pro Mazda.

Graham Balchin clocked 7.8801/186.62 on his latest pass on his SSB, Brian Johnson and the crew very happy with that.

16:15

Super Gas racer Jon Giles has put in his first run of the day after suffering carb problems this morning which necessitated a mercy dash to Eurodragster.com sponsor Jeff Bull Race Engines in Colchester. 0.0794 RT and 9.0047/145.31 at the stripe, carb problem solved I'd say. Deborah Laugher and Roy Walker followed in their Pro ET Camaro and Cortina, 11.5797/119.17 for Deborah and 10.4203/130.63 for Roy. Guess the ET time for Matthew Seamarks in the Sportsman ET Camaro, 18.1188/71.92 this run.

Back towards the Super Street index for Nev Mottershead on his latest pass, 11.0252/118.67. Also headed back to his accustomed times was Graham Balchin, 8.5152/159.14 the latest pass on his SSB. Next racer into that lane was Craig Allen with a 12.819/100.54 in his VW Pro Beetle. Interesting match-up with Sportsman ET int he left lane and Pro ET right lane Matthew Seamarks clocking 18.1211/71.91 and Paul Brown on and off the throttle then shutting off, 11.0893/91.37.

Graham Dance blackstriped the length of his lane on his 8.0796/179.92 pass on his SSB.

27.4 C outside and track temperature is 50.0 C.

15:10

Nice pass for Paul Brown 9.1209/142.52, the dragster had its own way this time and lost fire after the burnout but was quickly re-started. Next to the lane was Tony Betts in the Venom Fuel Altered. Another great burnout then 1.0205 to sixty feet, shake from 100 feet to about 300 feet then on and off the pedal with a big move at about the eighth. 7.7948/136.53 at the stripe.

Another good run for Nick George, 8.8619/153.16 in the blown-alcohol doorslammer which, now that we've seen it from the side and not above, we have discovered is named Thor's Hammer which is a nice play on words. Rick Denny followed with a 11.4230/118.62 from the Pro ET Firebird. The Giles and Hartley Super Pro ET rail was next, tyres didn't light on the burnout but didn't hurt, 7.672/172.40, the motor didn't make it characteristic on-off sound in stage I noticed.

graham Dance next up on his Super Street Bike, Graham told us that he is very happy with his progress today. He;ll certainly be happy with that run, 8.0783/179.19, everything going in the right direction. Steve Venables followed, nice run for the very hot conditions, 7.8380/184.30.

14:10

Much better run for Roy Walker in his Pro ET Cortina, 10.4224/132.54, not perfect but much more straight. Al Platt followed, 12.976/106.68 from the Camaro. Rick Denny was next into that lane, 11.3925/118.04 from the Pro ET Firebird. Nev Mottershead next to emerge, another nice burnout and 10.5547/124.89 from the Ventora. Paul Foote followed, 10.2514/129.90 for the Super Gas pick-up.

Nice run for Deborah Laugher, fluid leak fixed, 11.3886/119.62.

14:10

First up after lunch was the Giles and Hartley Super Pro ET rail, Barry's first run of the day, 7.6372/174.39. 8.7675/154.24. Next up was a 8.7675/154 for Nick George in his blown-alcohol Camaro, very nice pass.

Onto two wheels, first Super Street Bike racer to emerge this afternoon was Steve Venables, the motor cut out just as the lights ran but Ven re-lit it and re-staged, blackstrped most of the way, 8.0381/171.73. Paul Hambidge followed on his SSB, 8.6310/125.59. Next up was Graham Dance, a little shriek from the tyre off the line but a nice pass, 8.1576/176.44. Graham Balchin closed out the mini SSB session, smoked the tyre off the line but a much better pass although he shut off before the eighth.

29.7 C outside, track temperature 49.7 C. 34.9 C in Race Cintrol where your reporter is sitting!

13:00

Graham Dance lost some time off the start line on his latest SSB pass, 2.0194 sixty foot time says it all really, 9.1598/175.09 at the stripe.

Next up was Deborah Laugher but she was shut off for a fluid leak. Nev Mottershead followed with another checkout pass in the Super Street Ventora, 11.5986/109.12. Gordon Northway next round the corner in his Pro ET Cavalier, 9.6946/140.74. Another lively run for Roy Walker's Pro ET Cortina, very strange to see that car moving about so much, 11.7649/93.10. Next up was Simon Innes in his Super Street Dart, 11.5067/113.07 followed by Paul Brown's Pro ET Dragster which almost stalled after the burnout, but Paul kept it lit and clocked 9.1180/143.42, nice straight pass.

After his problem easrlier Paul Hudson put in his planned half-pass observed run in his Super Gas Camaro, 12.2060/74.81. On to two wheels and Graham Balchin again seemed to hit drive problems on his Super Street Bike and idled it down the track, mid fifteen-second pass.

Matthew Seamarks' last pass before lunch was an 18.3316/71.24, I am guessing Matthew has been trying different set-ups on the Camaro as the ETs have been pretty variable. Chris Impey next up, huge burnout then a wheels-up launch, 8.9391/155.28. Billy Gane's Cobra was next in that lane, 0.0624 RT and 10.1143/128.78 at the stripe.

29.0 C outside, track temperature 47.0 C.

We're now on lunch break and will be back after 13:30.

12:30

Eurodragster.com decal and pen sponsor Paul Foote's second run of the day in his Super Gasser was 10.2663/129.55. Al Platt followed, 12.7933/107.18 from his Camaro and then Craig Allen clocked 12.978/102.79 in his VW Pro Beetle.

Onto two wheels with Paul Hambidge on his SSB, 8.0990/174.41 and again moving for the centre line right at the top end.

Next up was Robin Orthodoxou, I am guessing his new altered which he built himself. The tyres had trouble lighting in the burnout which pulled the motor down. Wheels up, bad tyre shake which Robin drive through, the altered moved left and right but he stayed with it, 7.3813/181.29, nice one Robin! Eric Monsenego followed, footbrake launch from the Cuda this run, 8.3168/160.77.

12:10

Head sock activity from the start line fire crew heralded the appearance of Tony Betts in the Venom Fuel Altered. The motor sounded crisp and Tony pulled a nice burnout and then 0.9995 to sixty feet followed by shake and he was off the throttle about 150 feet out, 11.3178/61.85 at the stripe.

Next up was Paul Hudson in his Super Gas Camaro. Word on the track radio was an eighth-mile observed run, but the car didn't seem to want to change gear and Paul was off the throttle long before the eighth. 8.916/154.73 for Chris Impey on his second run in the HKS Pro Mazda, the car took a very long was round and was blackstriping to about 300 feet. Roy Walker followed with a 10.8790/128.44 in his Pro ET Cortina, the car didn't want to go in a straight line.

We saw Nick George testing his blown-alcohol Camaro before Easter and here he is again. Great burnout, 1.2703 to sixty feet and 9.0183/144.82 at the stripe, nice pass. Next out of the pairing lanes was Rick Denny with his Pro ET Firebird, 11.418/118.55.

Dan Larsen then made his first run of the day in his Top Methanol FC. Burnout to the Tree then a fantastic pass, 0.0991 RT, 1.0116 to sixty feet, driving through a little shake, 3.8520/196.04 at the eighth and 5.8634/243.71 at the stripe. Dan made that one look easy.

Finally for this update, SSB racer Steve Venables put in a very nice 7.6739/188.86, straight and no sign of any problems. Graham Balchin followed but again the bike looked to lose drive off the start line.

11:40

Billy Gane's third run of the day in his Pro ET Cobra was 10.2211/126.94. Next to the line was Simon Innes with an 11.515/112.51 in his Pro ET Dart.

Next to appear was our good buddy The Very Rev'd Sir Neville Mottershead ODE, returning to the track after far too long a lay-off. Nev is now in a Vauxhall Ventora rather than the ex-Pro Mod Toyota. Nice burnout then gentle checkout pass, 13.552/95.89. Gordon Northway followed for his second run of the day in the Pro ET Cavalier, 0.0184 RT and 9.6660/141.18 at the stripe. Carrying on with Pro ET, a nice pass for Deborah Laugher, 11.2251/121.23.

A bit of blackstriping off the line for Graham Dance on his latest SSB pass but quicker still, 8.1912/173.65.

11:20

It's great to see SSB racer Steve Venables back at the track, walking a little stiffly so his back is doubtless still giving him some gyp. Blackstriping off the start line and then a wheelie at 330 feet, 8.0322/185.84. The track temperature at the time of Ven's run was 43.5 C. Fellow SSB racer Paul Hambidge's second run of the day was 8.126/172.39 getting very close to the centre line at the finish. Phil Pratt followed with a 9.2310/147.70 from his 9.50 Bike.

Next to the line was Matthew Seamarks with a 17.9586/73.68, some wag on the timing crew put a 24.58 dial-in on the scorboard. Eric Monsenego followed in his Super Pro ET Cuda, another nice burnout to the Tree and transbrake launch, 8.2980/160.19.

11:00

Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod Raceway for our coverage of the Peak Performance Day brought to you in association with American Car Imports.

The Webster Race Engineering/Nimbus Motorsport webcam is on-line and posting a picture every sixty seconds.

It's a beautiful day here at Santa Pod, not a cloud in the sky, and very warm.

Super Street Bike racer Graham Dance opened the day with an 8.4400/163.10 followed by an 8.2202/169.81 9.50 Bike rcer Phil Pratt with a 9.2449/147.71. Phil came back shortly after and put in a 9.2094/147.67. SSB racer Graham Balchin hit drive problems off the start line and so backed off took it gently up the track. Graham has former Top Fuel Bike racer Brian Johnson with him today, Brian and wife Anne very welcome returnees.

This PPD has at times resembled a Pro ET benefit with Rick Denny opening the class' account with runs of 11.3902/118.87 and 11.4953/118.83, just before I posted this update he clocked 11.5100/118.03 with a 0.0313 RT. Paul Brown clocked 9.1194/144.87 and then a troubled twelve-second pass in his dragster. Billy Gane's Cobra twitched left and right on his pass of 10.487/125.59 but he stayed with it to the start line, Billy came back a moment ago and clocked 10.1542/126.27. Deborah Laugher opened today's account with a nice 11.792/118.39. Just as I went to post this update Roy Walker clokcked 10.9521/126.49 on and off the throttle of his Cortina. Gordon Northway's first run of the day in his Cavalier was a 9.7603/140.24 with a 0.0849 RT.

French Super Pro ET racer Eric Monsenego stepped up a little this morning with a 8.3811/161.92 taking it easy off the start line. VW Pro racer Craig Allen started his day with a nice 12.7276/103.30. Matthew Seamarks has already put in two passes with his Sportsman ET Camaro, 17.8863/72.63 and 17.5757/74.90. Former Sportsman ET racer Al Platt, whom we do not see enough these days, has put in one run of 12.8656/107.44. Simon Innes' first run of the day in his Super Street Dart was an 11.4683/113.07, a couple of pairings later Chris Impey put in a nice pass of 8.845/153.73 in his HKS Pro Mazda.

Back onto two wheels and Funny Bike racer Dave Bailey was on a very good run before shutting off just after half track, 8.4286/106.30 at the stripe whilst SSB racer Paul Hambidge in the other lane clocked .8.3080/173.74.

Vic Hammond had a bucking bronco ride in the Speed Demon slingshot, the car pulling up its wheels off the line and then moving left and right and shut off. Zak Johnson followed in his Junior Dragster, 0.0221 RT and 7.8964/81.97.

Finally for this update, a huge Thank You to Super Gas racer Paul Foote who has produced five hundred ballpoint pens with the Eurodragster.com logo. These will be handed out next weekend to racers who give us pit notes and other such deserving cases, and some will be available in signing on. Paul has new rear suspension on the car and his first pass was a 10.773/122.58 checkout.

It's already 26.3 C out there, how about that. Track temperature later.