Pro Mod racer Wayne Nicholson warmed up the car for around four minutes to try to get the engine hot. He said "The engine is making too much power for the conditions and we have had to take power out by changing ignition and fuel settings. The cold track resulted in the car not going straight but we will try our best. We freshened the engine up over the weekend and have still not used lots of the power it produces. If only we had the same conditions as last Easter!" Wayne is planning a trip to Hockenheim as well as all the UK MSA Championship rounds.
Top Methanol Funny Car racer Steph Milam said "It's a cold track and a colder driver - my teeth were chattering at the end of the run!" Steph was unable to put down all the car's power after creeping through stage. "The new carbon brakes which cost £7-8,000 held the car less well on the start line and we had to wait a bit, but Ian Marshall was quick to run the lights. We will adjust the clutch so it doesn't creep forward so much next time." Steph said the carbon brakes and other changes made over the winter are largely from requirements from FIA rules changes.
Rocket Bike rider Eric Teboul ran a 5.55/196 with a lot of smoke from the bike. "The fuel does not react as well in the cold conditions", he said. "We spent the winter making more fuel rather than changing the bike. on the first run we ran with lower fuel pressure and less fuel in the tank to test the fuel regulation is working ok. I also need to practise riding after a few months away from the track. I have set a new record every year since 2003 but don't know when the next one will come - in 2010 and 2011 the new record was on the last run of the year. I can only run on tracks where there is a lot of stopping distance and we will be looking at running here and at Hockenheim and Kunmadaras in Hungary. To stop from 281mph needs good brakes and applying them correctly. Losing front wheel grip under braking is not only hard to control, it lengthens the stopping distance." Eric's Top Fuel Bike is still for sale.
Nostalgia Funny Car racer Wendy Baker ran a 7.80/133. She said "We changed cam position over the winter and made changes to the ignition and freshened the TFX engine with new rods and pistons and bottom end work. On the incrementals in the earlier part of the run we would have run a 6.7. But the engine leaned out after the eighth mile and went up on the revs and bent a couple of valves which came in contact with the pistons but didn't cause too much damage. We will be at the Summernationals, Mopar Euro Nats and Dragstalgia. We will do Hockenheim if there is another nitro car to run alongside. I am looking forward to having some cars to race - it is getting lonely being the sole Nostalgia nitro Funny Car in the UK."
Super Gas racer Stuart Doignie said "It is good to see the numbers up in Super Gas and we will be doing the full championship. We have a new engine which is a lot milder and runs on unleaded fuel. We had a problem with data but on our third run ran a 9.95." The engine is a home-built 461 cu in big block Chevy with the same Dominator carb as before but producing a lower top speed. Wayne Hiscock has bought our old engine and looks forward to coming back although he has a new family as well."
Super Gas racer Jon Giles has had his engine refreshed by ICE over the winter and a convertor from Neil Chance. Rob Loaring at ICE has worked on the car to get it to run Super Comp and Super Gas which I will at each meeting I go to this year. There is a Sid Waterman fuel system with a pump in the boot sucking methanol fuel out of the tank. We are chasing our tail at the first meeting and if we had to have a bad meeting this might as well be it." Jon is carrying Breast Cancer Awareness logos on the car following his wife Donna suffering the illness, now in remission.
Super Comp racer Collin Morrice said that the Camaro has had its suspension replaced by Geof Hauser over the winter. "The old suspension was worn out and we had to change it. We tested last weekend and had a couple of handling issues and Geof squared it up this morning. We discovered that one link to the brake calipers had snapped so we were unable to run in this morning's session. But the new suspension will cause the car to launch, run and stop better. Jeff Bull refreshed the engine over the winter and we ran 8.70/153 last Sunday, the best times for this engine."
Super Comp and Super Gas racer Martin Curbishley is back in his Brogie Roadster for the first time since 2007. He said "The car was built and campaigned by Jon Webster in 1999 and I bought it in 2001 and in 2002 won the Super Comp championship and came second in the Super Gas championship. I didn't do a lot with it as I was building my business and then ran Super Mod for a time with the Vette. But after Christmas last year I did a full nut and bolt rebuild and turned it round in time." Martin has had to withdraw following a failed gearbox pump which was too much to fix at the track but says he will be doing the full season in both classes.
Junior Dragster racers (from left) Charlotte Bradford and Caitlin and Morgan Wilson are pitted together and are recent arrivals into the sport although Caitlin and Morgan's parents Rachel and Duncan Wilson raced in the VWDRC in the early 90s before getting together and settling in Scarborough. Morgan (aged 12) is in her third season and the family has imported a Junior Modified car from New York State and her old JS is now being driven by Caitlin (aged 8) with tickover issues being resolved. Caitlin and Morgan are also competitive swimmers, making for a busy life. Charlotte (aged 9) is in a JS car that Stacey Reed drove last year and is still looking to qualify.
Junior Dragster racers John Przybyl (left) and Callum Swinchatt are also pitted togather. Andy Przybyl (who used to race Outlaw Anglia in the 90s) said "John's clutch exploded at 300ft in testing at SCR last weekend and punctured a rear tyre and broke the bearing supports on the engine. So thanks to Daren Brett for borrowed tyres and to Carl Webb for the loan of a clutch, and to Andy Fensome, Pete Bellenie and Andy Wheeler for practical help. Thanks also to the folks at Santa Pod in helping us at our first MSA meeting. When the car ran yesterday I found I had put the ramps in the wrong way but that is sorted now and we need to get a qualifying run in. Our thanks go to Les Downey of Lucas Oil which owns the car, imported it as an Ourlaw 330 and converted it to JMA specs by changing gearing. We are racing the car for the next two seasons and have had Roy Wilding make a copy of the chassis which Callum is driving." Callum's car has an engine from Joe Kellett and is painted and sponsored by Andy's firm Przym Paintwork. The duo, aged 16 will do as many rounds as possible of the Junior Dragster League and MSA Championship before reaching the age limit at the end of 2013.
Sportsman ET racers (from left) Ricky, Nigel and Nick Hale are family members in Team Redneck Racing based in Northants. Nigel led the way by competing with his Chevy C30 truck at rwybs and the MSA championship rounds last year, winning the 2011 Thunderball. His brother Nick bought the pictured Mercedes 280CE which had been built 20 years ago and sat in a garage for most of that period apart from a couple of rwybs. Nick said "All we have needed to do is to rewire a new dash, renew the brakes and generally bring it up to spec." Nigel's son Ricky races a Toyota Supra. The team's name originated when a member of the US Air Force looked at the truck and exclaimed "The only type of person who would race that has to be a redneck!"
Junior Drag Bike racer Conor Meehan is racing on a bike originally built for Tyler Clutterbuck with bodywork by TJC design and engine built by Wendy Clutterbuck. Conor is crewed by Shelley Clutterbuck and Danny Rodman so there is plenty of bike experience to support Conor. Shelley said "Our best wishes go to Tim Bakemore who is recovering after an operation." Conor is qualified 6th with 0.26 over his dial-in.
JDS Pro racer John Bradshaw is looking at international travel to find competition for Abbey Motorsport's Project Z Nissan sponsored by Motec. "We will be racing in Comp Eliminator in Germany, Sweden and Finland and Top Doorslammer in Sweden. We will be trying to run a six here this weekend but will need to get off the line quickly to do so. We have upgraded the suspension and raised the available boost pressure from 2.9 bar when we ran 6.63 to 3.5 bar, equivalent to 60lb of boost and good for 500hp more on top of the 1900 we had on the dyno. We are hoping for 6.4 or 6.3s passes. But what is really exciting me is building the new car, also a Z but with a 4 litre V6 engine (compared with 3.5 litre).
VW Pro racer Dannie Highman is racing under the Dubshack racing banner and also competes in the European Sport Compact series. The car has four wheel drive and Garrett GT35 turbo with Ny Trex NOS system to produce best times of 11.4/127. Sponsorship comes from TKC magazine.
Funny Car racer Gordon Smith, pictured right with Jason Phelps of FGR Motorsport said yesterday evening after a 5.62/248 pass "This was the first run on our new chassis and it has never felt better. It is different, it 'sat down' well at the start and, being fresh, has the right amount of flex on it to go down the track straight and quick. With a little more heat in the track we will go quicker." Jason mentioned that in the engine department the new slide valve and digital retarder installed both worked brilliantly and so the team ended the day in an upbeat mood.
Nostalgia Fuel Altered racer Nick Davies was pleased with his first run in the rebuilt and rebodied Chaos, his first time in a nitro car. He said "The throttle response on nitro is extraordinary. The team has huge experience as it includes Roy Phelps, Bill Sherratt, John Niedowitz and Terry Giles as well as car owner Lawrie Gatehouse. The new body made by Jason at FGR Motorsports is about a third lighter and has improved aerodynamics. So whilst it struck the tyres I pedalled it and it went straight down the track. We will use the same settings tomorrow and hope it will stick to the track."
ACU Top Fuel Bike racer Chris Hannam said after shutting the bike down following his burnout "The revs went to 3500 whereas they should be 3000 so I shut it down for safety. We thought it was adjustment-related but it wasn't so we took the new supercharger off and resealed it. We don't know if we have found the problem. There was not enough time to get ready for the second session. We have a brand new engine and lots of upgrades for this year. There is a pulley drive for the cam belt and a new gear drive on the MSD unit. Also the pickup for the ignition is from the crank rather than the camshaft, as the belt was flexing causing the electrical current to fluctuate. The new blower should get up to full boost quicker as we need that for the first eighth. I also have a new 31 inch diameter Mickey Thompson tyre which should pull better. The team have done a superb job in preparing the bike and my aim is to run a six, although we are keeping ignition settings soft to avoid damage."
ACU Top Fuel Bike racer Steve Woollatt also shut down after the burnout, but it was not intended. He said "It leaned out because there are some teething problems with the fuel system and some barrell valve issues. We are using the same settings as last year. There are some different components in the transmission and a lot of close season work in preparing the bike. I am looking to run well tomorrow and then we will take the season as it comes. We're not 100% sure, but going to Hockenheim again is a possibility - let's see how it progresses."
Pro Stock Bike racer Len Paget, pictured with wife Gilly and son Reece suffered internal breakage in the engine which allowed oil to go through the breathers, hence the smoke on his run. "I have a spare engine which is actually the stronger one so we will be back out tomorrow. We were not on the wheelie bars for the first three gears which is not good, and only went on them in fourth and fifth." On the bike Len has changed his four link system over the winter and said it has improved handling considerably, although it is not quite as effective as for cars because of the chain drive." Len recently took part in the Le Touquet motocross beach race with 1200 starters, finishing in the top 500 despite coming off on the first lap.
ACU Top Fuel Bike racer Job Heezen, pictured right with team owner Ton Pels, was delighted with his first pass on the supercharged Godfather VII bike, a 6.51/211. "It was a personal best for both the bike and the rider," he said. "It was difficult to get the feeling of the throttle with a blower. On my normally aspirated bike the rpm reacts with the throttle on and off. But on this, the boost takes over after you open the throttle and keeps going even after you close it again. The bike was moving around and fishtailing a little; it then went towards the wall at the top end. The setup is soft and there is a lot more in it. But we want to repeat because of the conditions and the data logger failed to work." The bike is hoped to run down to the 6.2s range with higher blower pressure. Job said his unblown Godfather VI is for sale.
Pro Mod racer Wayne Nicholson warmed up the car for around four minutes to try to get the engine hot. He said "The engine is making too much power for the conditions and we have had to take power out by changing ignition and fuel settings. The cold track resulted in the car not going straight but we will try our best. We freshened the engine up over the weekend and have still not used lots of the power it produces. If only we had the same conditions as last Easter!" Wayne is planning a trip to Hockenheim as well as all the UK MSA Championship rounds.
Top Methanol Funny Car racer Steph Milam said "It's a cold track and a colder driver - my teeth were chattering at the end of the run!" Steph was unable to put down all the car's power after creeping through stage. "The new carbon brakes which cost £7-8,000 held the car less well on the start line and we had to wait a bit, but Ian Marshall was quick to run the lights. We will adjust the clutch so it doesn't creep forward so much next time." Steph said the carbon brakes and other changes made over the winter are largely from requirements from FIA rules changes.
Rocket Bike rider Eric Teboul ran a 5.55/196 with a lot of smoke from the bike. "The fuel does not react as well in the cold conditions", he said. "We spent the winter making more fuel rather than changing the bike. on the first run we ran with lower fuel pressure and less fuel in the tank to test the fuel regulation is working ok. I also need to practise riding after a few months away from the track. I have set a new record every year since 2003 but don't know when the next one will come - in 2010 and 2011 the new record was on the last run of the year. I can only run on tracks where there is a lot of stopping distance and we will be looking at running here and at Hockenheim and Kunmadaras in Hungary. To stop from 281mph needs good brakes and applying them correctly. Losing front wheel grip under braking is not only hard to control, it lengthens the stopping distance." Eric's Top Fuel Bike is still for sale.
Nostalgia Funny Car racer Wendy Baker ran a 7.80/133. She said "We changed cam position over the winter and made changes to the ignition and freshened the TFX engine with new rods and pistons and bottom end work. On the incrementals in the earlier part of the run we would have run a 6.7. But the engine leaned out after the eighth mile and went up on the revs and bent a couple of valves which came in contact with the pistons but didn't cause too much damage. We will be at the Summernationals, Mopar Euro Nats and Dragstalgia. We will do Hockenheim if there is another nitro car to run alongside. I am looking forward to having some cars to race - it is getting lonely being the sole Nostalgia nitro Funny Car in the UK."
Super Gas racer Stuart Doignie said "It is good to see the numbers up in Super Gas and we will be doing the full championship. We have a new engine which is a lot milder and runs on unleaded fuel. We had a problem with data but on our third run ran a 9.95." The engine is a home-built 461 cu in big block Chevy with the same Dominator carb as before but producing a lower top speed. Wayne Hiscock has bought our old engine and looks forward to coming back although he has a new family as well."
Super Gas racer Jon Giles has had his engine refreshed by ICE over the winter and a convertor from Neil Chance. Rob Loaring at ICE has worked on the car to get it to run Super Comp and Super Gas which I will at each meeting I go to this year. There is a Sid Waterman fuel system with a pump in the boot sucking methanol fuel out of the tank. We are chasing our tail at the first meeting and if we had to have a bad meeting this might as well be it." Jon is carrying Breast Cancer Awareness logos on the car following his wife Donna suffering the illness, now in remission.
Super Comp racer Collin Morrice said that the Camaro has had its suspension replaced by Geof Hauser over the winter. "The old suspension was worn out and we had to change it. We tested last weekend and had a couple of handling issues and Geof squared it up this morning. We discovered that one link to the brake calipers had snapped so we were unable to run in this morning's session. But the new suspension will cause the car to launch, run and stop better. Jeff Bull refreshed the engine over the winter and we ran 8.70/153 last Sunday, the best times for this engine."
Super Comp and Super Gas racer Martin Curbishley is back in his Brogie Roadster for the first time since 2007. He said "The car was built and campaigned by Jon Webster in 1999 and I bought it in 2001 and in 2002 won the Super Comp championship and came second in the Super Gas championship. I didn't do a lot with it as I was building my business and then ran Super Mod for a time with the Vette. But after Christmas last year I did a full nut and bolt rebuild and turned it round in time." Martin has had to withdraw following a failed gearbox pump which was too much to fix at the track but says he will be doing the full season in both classes.
Junior Dragster racers (from left) Charlotte Bradford and Caitlin and Morgan Wilson are pitted together and are recent arrivals into the sport although Caitlin and Morgan's parents Rachel and Duncan Wilson raced in the VWDRC in the early 90s before getting together and settling in Scarborough. Morgan (aged 12) is in her third season and the family has imported a Junior Modified car from New York State and her old JS is now being driven by Caitlin (aged 8) with tickover issues being resolved. Caitlin and Morgan are also competitive swimmers, making for a busy life. Charlotte (aged 9) is in a JS car that Stacey Reed drove last year and is still looking to qualify. 
Junior Dragster racers John Przybyl (left) and Callum Swinchatt are also pitted togather. Andy Przybyl (who used to race Outlaw Anglia in the 90s) said "John's clutch exploded at 300ft in testing at SCR last weekend and punctured a rear tyre and broke the bearing supports on the engine. So thanks to Daren Brett for borrowed tyres and to Carl Webb for the loan of a clutch, and to Andy Fensome, Pete Bellenie and Andy Wheeler for practical help. Thanks also to the folks at Santa Pod in helping us at our first MSA meeting. When the car ran yesterday I found I had put the ramps in the wrong way but that is sorted now and we need to get a qualifying run in. Our thanks go to Les Downey of Lucas Oil which owns the car, imported it as an Ourlaw 330 and converted it to JMA specs by changing gearing. We are racing the car for the next two seasons and have had Roy Wilding make a copy of the chassis which Callum is driving." Callum's car has an engine from Joe Kellett and is painted and sponsored by Andy's firm Przym Paintwork. The duo, aged 16 will do as many rounds as possible of the Junior Dragster League and MSA Championship before reaching the age limit at the end of 2013. 
Sportsman ET racers (from left) Ricky, Nigel and Nick Hale are family members in Team Redneck Racing based in Northants. Nigel led the way by competing with his Chevy C30 truck at rwybs and the MSA championship rounds last year, winning the 2011 Thunderball. His brother Nick bought the pictured Mercedes 280CE which had been built 20 years ago and sat in a garage for most of that period apart from a couple of rwybs. Nick said "All we have needed to do is to rewire a new dash, renew the brakes and generally bring it up to spec." Nigel's son Ricky races a Toyota Supra. The team's name originated when a member of the US Air Force looked at the truck and exclaimed "The only type of person who would race that has to be a redneck!"
Junior Drag Bike racer Conor Meehan is racing on a bike originally built for Tyler Clutterbuck with bodywork by TJC design and engine built by Wendy Clutterbuck. Conor is crewed by Shelley Clutterbuck and Danny Rodman so there is plenty of bike experience to support Conor. Shelley said "Our best wishes go to Tim Bakemore who is recovering after an operation." Conor is qualified 6th with 0.26 over his dial-in.
JDS Pro racer John Bradshaw is looking at international travel to find competition for Abbey Motorsport's Project Z Nissan sponsored by Motec. "We will be racing in Comp Eliminator in Germany, Sweden and Finland and Top Doorslammer in Sweden. We will be trying to run a six here this weekend but will need to get off the line quickly to do so. We have upgraded the suspension and raised the available boost pressure from 2.9 bar when we ran 6.63 to 3.5 bar, equivalent to 60lb of boost and good for 500hp more on top of the 1900 we had on the dyno. We are hoping for 6.4 or 6.3s passes. But what is really exciting me is building the new car, also a Z but with a 4 litre V6 engine (compared with 3.5 litre). 
VW Pro racer Dannie Highman is racing under the Dubshack racing banner and also competes in the European Sport Compact series. The car has four wheel drive and Garrett GT35 turbo with Ny Trex NOS system to produce best times of 11.4/127. Sponsorship comes from 
Funny Car racer Gordon Smith, pictured right with Jason Phelps of FGR Motorsport said yesterday evening after a 5.62/248 pass "This was the first run on our new chassis and it has never felt better. It is different, it 'sat down' well at the start and, being fresh, has the right amount of flex on it to go down the track straight and quick. With a little more heat in the track we will go quicker." Jason mentioned that in the engine department the new slide valve and digital retarder installed both worked brilliantly and so the team ended the day in an upbeat mood.
Nostalgia Fuel Altered racer Nick Davies was pleased with his first run in the rebuilt and rebodied Chaos, his first time in a nitro car. He said "The throttle response on nitro is extraordinary. The team has huge experience as it includes Roy Phelps, Bill Sherratt, John Niedowitz and Terry Giles as well as car owner Lawrie Gatehouse. The new body made by Jason at FGR Motorsports is about a third lighter and has improved aerodynamics. So whilst it struck the tyres I pedalled it and it went straight down the track. We will use the same settings tomorrow and hope it will stick to the track."
ACU Top Fuel Bike racer Chris Hannam said after shutting the bike down following his burnout "The revs went to 3500 whereas they should be 3000 so I shut it down for safety. We thought it was adjustment-related but it wasn't so we took the new supercharger off and resealed it. We don't know if we have found the problem. There was not enough time to get ready for the second session. We have a brand new engine and lots of upgrades for this year. There is a pulley drive for the cam belt and a new gear drive on the MSD unit. Also the pickup for the ignition is from the crank rather than the camshaft, as the belt was flexing causing the electrical current to fluctuate. The new blower should get up to full boost quicker as we need that for the first eighth. I also have a new 31 inch diameter Mickey Thompson tyre which should pull better. The team have done a superb job in preparing the bike and my aim is to run a six, although we are keeping ignition settings soft to avoid damage."
ACU Top Fuel Bike racer Steve Woollatt also shut down after the burnout, but it was not intended. He said "It leaned out because there are some teething problems with the fuel system and some barrell valve issues. We are using the same settings as last year. There are some different components in the transmission and a lot of close season work in preparing the bike. I am looking to run well tomorrow and then we will take the season as it comes. We're not 100% sure, but going to Hockenheim again is a possibility - let's see how it progresses."
Pro Stock Bike racer Len Paget, pictured with wife Gilly and son Reece suffered internal breakage in the engine which allowed oil to go through the breathers, hence the smoke on his run. "I have a spare engine which is actually the stronger one so we will be back out tomorrow. We were not on the wheelie bars for the first three gears which is not good, and only went on them in fourth and fifth." On the bike Len has changed his four link system over the winter and said it has improved handling considerably, although it is not quite as effective as for cars because of the chain drive." Len recently took part in the Le Touquet motocross beach race with 1200 starters, finishing in the top 500 despite coming off on the first lap.
ACU Top Fuel Bike racer Job Heezen, pictured right with team owner Ton Pels, was delighted with his first pass on the supercharged Godfather VII bike, a 6.51/211. "It was a personal best for both the bike and the rider," he said. "It was difficult to get the feeling of the throttle with a blower. On my normally aspirated bike the rpm reacts with the throttle on and off. But on this, the boost takes over after you open the throttle and keeps going even after you close it again. The bike was moving around and fishtailing a little; it then went towards the wall at the top end. The setup is soft and there is a lot more in it. But we want to repeat because of the conditions and the data logger failed to work." The bike is hoped to run down to the 6.2s range with higher blower pressure. Job said his unblown Godfather VI is for sale.