Festival of Power
Santa Pod Raceway, 18th-20th April 2014

Friday


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Latest update 23:59


Super Comp racer Paul 'Grumpy' Watson bought Paul Woodhead's Highlander Camaro after a try out in the Morris Boys car. He said 'The car is doing what it's supposed to do. When I let go of the [transbrake] button everything is now automatic. The driver's reaction is the only skill. But the car pits are good and Super Gas and Comp racers are great fun. When I drove before the throttle stop was a bolt in the floor but now a lot more sophisticated and air throttle stops are the most adjustable. Once one is working the rest is fine tuning, and thanks to Spencer Tramm for helping me set it up. How they do without one is beyond me'. Grumpy's crew are Kim aka Pixie and José.


Fuel Funny Car racer Jason Phelps was joined by Rab Lowe of main sponsor TeamRock.com. Rab said 'Team Rock is an affiliation of guys that are rock music fans and interested in digital media and radio. We feel that rock music is not represented properly in these media. I met Jason because we hang out in the same circles. Everyone involved in Team Rock likes racing in all forms, from the CEO to the finance department. Rock music and car culture goes back to [Led Zeppelin drummer] John Bonham and his cars. The firm sees Jason's Funny Car as a great new way to promote drag racing in rock circles'. The car is booked to appear at the huge Download Festival and Sonosphere and other events. Jason said 'The car is guaranteed to draw a crowd even if we parked it in an empty field'. Jason is grateful to Dave Riswick of Eurodragster.com sponsor John Woolfe Racing for his help in obtaining urgent delivery of a fuel pump and slider valve and general support.


Super Pro ET racer Liam Jones's crew chief Gary Coull said that the car had been lengthened by 18 inches by Andy Robinson and a nitrous engine previously run by Roger Moore and uprated by Clive Bond with an impressive nitrous system. There is also a new trailer with enough space to house Chris Hope's bikes, Alex Hope being a friend from Liam's schooldays and Gary having crewed for Chris when he raced. Gary thanks Nimbus Motorsport for their help.


Pro Stock and 9.50 Bike bike racer Alex Hope had a taste for a quicker ride at the end of the last season and dad Chris, who used to race Pro Stock bike had his Cosman chassis spare in the workshop. Chris said 'I built a new 1655cc engine and fitted some new parts to the bike. Alex said 'The first 330ft is the biggest change from the 9.50 bike and we are currently working to find the right setup to get down the track. I am just getting a feel for the bike at the moment'. The plan is for Alex to run the ACU championship this year and look at FIM next year' (racing in FIM requires a year's ACU experience first).


Super Pro ET racer Simon Gough is grateful to sponsors LAS Motor Homes, Opie Oils, K&N, NGK and Jeff Bull and his crew as 'Without them I wouldn't have a chance'. New for 2014 are a Racepak fitted by Jeff Bull, B&M Shifter, shift light, oil accumulator (to prevent low oil pressure), an overhauled engine, ported heads, new BLP carbs. Also there is a current Pro Stock-style hood scoop, believed to be the only one in Europe and designed to be consistent. The trans has changed from a TH400 to Powerglide by Jeff Bull and Chris Isaacs set the chassis up for the changes. An 8.34 was Simon's PB to date and the aim is to run a seven by the end of the year.


Junior Bike 2012 Champion Louis Davies is now racing as Shark Attack Junior with Euroil sponsorship and pitting alongside Rene van den Berg's similarly themed Top Fuel Bike. At the end of the day Louis was no.2 with a 9.20 on 9.15 dial-in.


Pro ET racer Rich Eacock (pictured with Becky) started racing in 2011 in Sportsman ET with his Escort Mk1. He moved up to Pro ET in 2012 but the chassis was deemed to require updating and so Rich spent 2013 getting it tagged to 8.50. The car is now all tube frame with a fibreglass front end and runs a 350 Chevy with twin carbs and nitrous. Rich said 'We are running 11s at the moment but there is a 10 in the car'. After the bonnet blew off in Thursday's test session and today the car will be run sans hood.


At the end of today Liz Malcolm is qualified no.1 and with a Honda torque convertor. Husband Iain said 'We bought the Honda part when we first ran the car but replaced it with an ACI unit in trying to get the bugs out of it. Eventually we found the problem elsewhere so at last we are using the part originally intended for it'.


Super Pro ET racer Laura Turburville is driving the 'Bloodlines' dragster which father Ian campaigned over the last few years, having a blower added in 2013. Laura said today is her first pass in the car and was a good launch and then shut off as the car approached the centre line. The car campaigned last year is now sold.


Super Pro ET racer and 2012 Champion Scott Hauser ran 7.687 and 7.682 in testing yesterday. Father and Eurodragster.com sponsor Geof said that the car ran its quickest times at the end of last season and there have been no changes to it for 2014. At the end of today Hauser Racing will be holding an 'open house' event to show racers and media the dragster building activity at his workshop.


Super Comp and Super Gas racer Jon Giles has a throttle stop on the car for the first time and promised 'It will be switched off at Dragstalgia' which is not a points meeting. The car has also had work done on the back suspension and wheelie bar area to help keep the front end down on launches. Dave Southcombe and Kev Cearasale did the work.


Eurodragster.com sponsor Jeff Bull whose wife Belinda races Comp Eliminator is busy advising racers on tuning. He said 'I am helping Paul Watson, Jon Morton, Simon Gough and Dave Day.' Jeff and Belinda are planning a return to the track after a year off in 2013 with a new combination, to be tested first. The engine will be a 760 cu in normally aspirated with a single Dominator carb by BLP.


Super Gas and Super Comp racers Collin and Stuart Morrice have had an anti roll bar and changes to the four link setup over the winter. Jeff Bull rebuilt the engine with new pistons and camshaft. Stuart said 'It went really well in testing yesterday with a 9.91 off the trailer and the car is reacting better, twisting less and with lower 60 ft times.


Super Comp racer Dave Day has returned after taking four years out to build his '38 Chevy Roadster. He said 'I put more bars in the chassis and the body is lighter. Thanks to Dave Southcombe and Andy Robinson for their help. It took longer than I expected as we moved house as well, but I am pleased with the results'. Dave's son Elliott had a hand in the flames and paint as well.


NFAA racer Adam Gleadow has swapped his '34 Ford body for a Bantam, previously owned by Wendy Baker and originally made by Pat Cuss. Adam also is back after a break of a year following a rod coming out at the Euro Finals 2012. He said 'We have freshened the Rodeck engine up and put in a new clutch. We plan to do a 330ft test pass and then see how we go'. Following this event, the body will be painted in the colours of team sponsor Custom Exotics.


Super Pro ET racer and Eurodragster.com sponsor Peter Walters and crew chief Richard Walters undertook a 'nut and bolt' rebuild of their dragster over the winter months with all-new paint designed by Peter and applied by Richard. A humourous touch was added in the 'cut-through' to some hand-painted electrical components that, if real, would have been outside the class rules.


Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Damien Halliwell is driving this 1963 Chevy Biscayne.


Super Pro ET racer Brad Jackson races this dragster as part of the Nick Good Racing stable. Brad said 'I started racing spectating at York Raceway in Melbourne and then Santa Pod. I then ran four years in Junior Dragster and had sponsorship from Lucas as the result of contact with Andy Carter at Autosport International. Last year we agreed with Nick to lease one of his cars and I licensed in Dave Catton's dragster at the Summernationals. The chassis is by Worthy Racing and is imported and the team tested two weeks ago and yesterday. My quickest time yesterday was 7.88/165. However we had a problem with the brand new gearbox and Nick and Dave had to get Dave's from Norfolk and install it overnight'.


Super Pro ET racer Rod Harrison suffered engine breakage when testing two weeks ago. He said 'We ran as quick as 6.49/216 but on the second run just after the finish line there was a terrible noise and the engine had thrown two rods. I thought that was going to be it for Easter but the guys from Sassy Racing in the US did a great job and we got the crank x-rayed as well. Huge thanks go to my team Karl, Andy, Abbey and Johnno who all took time off work. We think the problem was oil starvation in no. 6 cylinder but will run it easily next time to check'.


Super Pro ET racer Paul Przybyl is running the ex-Noah Stutz dragster which the team have freshened and repainted.



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