Santa Pod Raceway, 25th-27th March 2016
Saturday
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The latest updates are at the top of the page. Click on your Browser's Refresh key to be sure of seeing the latest news. Click here to go back to the event index 17:25 Simon has posted today's pit notes and we have posted today's gallery, both of which you can check out via the Event Index. There are 70 pictures in today's gallery courtesy of Julian; if you do not see all 70 updated thumbnails when you load the gallery page then click on your Browser's Refresh button. Tune back tomorrow for all the news from eliminations. 17:05 Tomorrow's amended running order is now available via the Event Index page. 16:00 It is now raining very hard and the weather radar is playing Ride of the Valkyries so we have been called for the day. Stay tuned and we'll have Simon's pit notes and today's gallery for you very soon. 15:25 European Nitro Funny Car Series session 2 (left lane first) Gordon Smith shut off, Kevin Kent shut off; Kevin Kent 8.9094/85.71 bye Gordon's team had to change motors last night after holing the block on yesterday's pass. Gordon's motor started very abruptly and stopped a couple of seconds later. Cranked over then restarted with no issue. Great burnouts by both cars. Pre-staging checks completed, both in pre-stage then shut off for sprinkles of rain. Gordon and team went back to the pits whilst the track was being swept. Kevin and team stayed where they were and in fact Kevin didn't get out of the car. Track ready Kevin took a bye. Very brief burnout, clutch not needing any more bedding-in I'd imagine. Shake within a few feet and a pedal, 1.0116 to sixty feet, another pedal then off the gas. Qualifying after this session:
15:00 Exhibition Rod Harrison (Top Methanol Dragster) 6.2372/215.85 bye Licencing pass for Rod. Looked to roll the beams slightly before hitting it, 1.0473 to sixty. Drove through shake between 250-330 feet, a pedal about 400 feet out, 4.0950/172.20 at the eighth and feathered the throttle again in the second half. Licence gained, well done Rod! Steve Warner followed with another 0.000 RT in the two-seater dragster on a 7.9915/163.68, 0.0006 and that's two Perfect Lights in a row. Well done Steve! 14:05 Top Fuel Dragster licencing Steve Ashdown 9.4708/71.52 bye If Steve keeps a diary he probably tore yesterday's page out. This run scheduled for a launch. Nice controlled burnout and back-up then 1.0139 to sixty, tyres started to shake about twenty feet out and some green flame on one side as Steve got off the gas. 14:00 MSA Pro Modified licencing Michel Tooren 11.1905/74.69 bye 0.9911 to sixty with tyres shaking, a couple of pedals then off the gas. 13:30 Race Director Carole Ismail has told us that, following discussion between racers and race officials, the decision has been made that no more bikes will run for the rest of the day. This is due to the high wind. 13:05 MSA Pro Modified qualifying session 3 (left lane first) Mick Payne 7.9380/144.86 bye; Wayne Nicholson 20.4017/28.52, Kev Slyfield 13.7513/58.43; Andy Robinson 6.3752/225.88, Jean Dulamon shut off Screaming burnout for Mick. Looked to have problems reversing, stopped on the way back a couple of times but got back. 1.2389 to sixty with a pedal, car was moving around its lane some, 5.0419/148.19 to the eighth, feathering the throttle in the second half. On the chutes at the top end then the car spun (not rolled) to the left. Mick got it stopped without impacting anything, safety crews there in moments, Mick OK. During retrieval Bert Englefield towed back to the pits. Shakefest next pair. 1.1034 to sixty for Wayne, shake and off the gas. 1.2362 to sixty for Kev already shaking, one pedal, shook again, off the gas. Eurodragster.com sponsor Andy and team rebuilt the motor overnight after yesterday's big bang. Lots of flames from Jean's motor when he revved it before staging, then a flash fire under the scoop and he shut off. Andy took the bye. 1.0388 to sixty, 4.1874/177.67 at the eighth, on the gas all the way. Chutes really flapping about in the wind in the shutdown area, from here it looked as if the Camaro made a move to the left but Andy kept a hold of it. Qualifying after this session:
MSA Pro Modified licencing Michel Tooren shut off, bye Michel started on a good burnout but the Cuda made a move to the right, Michel showed he has already learned when enough is enough and stepped off it and straightened it out. Pulling forward to stage then shut off for drizzle. 12:20 Perfect 0.0007 RT for Steve Warner in the Two Seat Dragster on a 7.9885/166.70 pass, well done Steve! ACU Top Fuel Bike qualifying session 3 (left lane first) Rene van den Berg 6.5169/217.99 bye; Nick Milburn no time DQ, Steve Woollatt no time Great run for Rene! 1.0901 to sixty with shake marks up to the Tree, 4.2837/173.70 at the eighth, on the gas all the way. Started drifting towards the guardrail in the shutdown area but kept hold of it. Rene into #1 by 0.0019 seconds. Nick was almost back from his burnout before Steve pulled his burnout, a short one so as not to keep Nick waiting. Steve away first 0.2068 to 0.6362, 1.0607 to sixty to Nick's 1.0882. Steve to the eighth in 4.3152/135.47 and then shut it off. Great eighth for Nick 4.3028/170.45 but his bike was heading right and, however much Nick leaned over, the bike was not having it and it slipped out from under him right on the stripe. Nick and the bike slid separately down the shutdown area, Steve managed to stay out out of the way. As soon as Nick stopped sliding he got himself up so we knew he was relatively OK. Safety crews again moved like lightning and were there as Nick got himself up, word is that he has dislocated a shoulder so he has gone to hospital to have it reset. Qualifying after this session:
12:00 Comp Eliminator qualifying session 3
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET - DialIn QUALIFYING LIST
26/03/2016 11:57:19 12 COMP ELIMINATOR
Place CarNum Driver R.T. E.T. O/U INDEX MPH
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1 176 KEV PERKINS + 0.2700 7.5257 -0.4743 08.00 179.22
2 55 ROB SMALLWORTH + 0.3044 7.6771 -0.3229 08.00 177.07
3 194 MICHAEL OATES - 0.0127 9.0380 1.1980 07.84 143.43
* = Disqualified
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Super Street qualifying session 3 Improvement for Matt Seamarks, stayed #3.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
11:50 Super Gas qualifying session 3 Only Mark White turned out for this session. It was a fag paper job with the centre line but moved up from #3 to #2.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
Wild Bunch qualifying session 2 Terry Clifford shut off after his burnout and was pushed back. Bob Hawkins took the bye, improvement but stayed #3. Terry Clifford back for another go in the third pair, worth the the trouble as he moved up from #5 to #3 on a far from straight pass.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
11:45 Sportsman ET qualifying session 2 Last night's postponed session. Ricky Hale up from #13 to #8 in the second pair. Andy Dibley not running against team-mate and Eurodragster.com Photographer Kirstie in this session after it emerged that we have video of her spanking him at the start line yesterday. Elaine Hancock and the aforementioned Kirstie pulling forward to stage but signalled to push back as we had rain in the air. Track swept Elaine and Kirstie pulled forward again, Kirstie changed her dial-in during the stop. 0.0246 RT for Kirstie, in the other lane Elaine moved up from #14 to #5 +0.1243. Stephen Cherrett and Matthew Moxon pulling forward to stage but were signalled to shut off for more rain. A couple of showers later Stephen and Matt were able to line up. Stephen up from #4 to #2 at +0.1213.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
10:30 Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator qualifying session 3 Tyre spin for Dave Murdoch in the first pair, pedalled and tried again but ultimately backed off. Another seven-second pass for Matt Smith, not quite as quick as his previous best but good for the cold conditions. A time on the board for Martin Smith in the Bentley, looked to me like a planned early shut off but the car was visibly accelerating hard until he backed out of it. Close encounter of the centre line kind for Gary Gooding, a pedal kept him out of trouble.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET Sports Ladder QUALIFYING LIST
26/03/2016 10:31:19 11 STREET ELIMINATOR
Place CarNum Driver R.T. E.T. O/U INDEX MPH
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1 479 MATT SMITH + 0.2524 7.7670 7.7670 00.00 185.12
2 3 STUART WILLIAMS + 0.3300 8.0083 8.0083 00.00 184.32
3 33 DAVID MURDOCH + 0.0537 8.0595 8.0595 00.00 168.55
4 333 ALAN WILLIAMSON + 0.0864 8.1122 8.1122 00.00 168.53
5 677 GARY GOODING + 2.7722 8.4094 8.4094 00.00 163.05
6 537 MARTIN SMITH + 1.7784 8.9948 8.9948 00.00 130.53
7 524 NICK HALE + 0.0377 9.8601 9.8601 00.00 135.27
8 436 NIGEL HALE + 0.4748 10.9769 10.9769 00.00 122.88
* = Disqualified
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10:25 Super Comp qualifying session 3 Stu Doignie up from #10 to #6 in the first pair followed up the ladder next pair by Jon Morton, #11 to #4. Next pair and Paul Letchford pulled a visible holeshot on Phil Bennett, although it's not a big issue during qualifying, moved up from #11 to #3. Side by side 8.9s from Pete Cresswell and Paul Brown, both stayed in place on the ladder.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
10:20 Super Pro ET qualifying session 3 0.0052 RT by Chris Parker in the first pair running alongside NG Motorsport stablemate Brad Jackson. Next pair and John Atkinson moved up from #11 to #5, in the other lane Peter Lane's tyres spun up and the Chevy didn't go very far until he pedalled and the tyres stuck. Phil Toppin up from #14 to #11 next pair, quick chck of his lane in the shutdown area but all OK. John Przybyl up from #8 to #6 in the other lane at +0.0489. Next pair and Eurodragster.com sponsor Pete Walters moved up form #12 to #8; that was the smoothest I think I've heard Pete's motor, sounded very comfortable. Next pair and Laura Turburville's launch was a second burnout, about 200 feet worth. Paul Marston up from #18 to #9 in the final pair.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
10:05 Pro ET qualifying session 3 A big Good Morning to Pro ET racers and Eurodragster.com / Bad Habit Racing Perfect Light Award sponsors Cath and Tig Napier. Hope you are enjoying the coverage guys. Will be interesting to see what the tailwind does to dial-ins and breakouts. James Forster and Ethan Lisle both safely right side in the first pair as indeed were Liz Malcolm and Neil Hunter in the second pair. Nice 0.0037 RT by Gino Bernadine in the third pair. First breakout Bob Molden, 9.6473 on a 9.80, followed next pair by Colin Felstead 10.0535 on 10.12. Next pair and a great 0.0069 RT from Lee Huxley and a squeaker of a breakout, 9.4248 on 9.43. Next pair and another Pro ET Perfect Light by Eurodragster.com sponsor Nic Williams, 0.0009 and +0.0017 on dial-in to take #1 spot and a squeak off the Eurodragster.com Perfect ET Award supporting NSPCC, well done Nick! In the other lane Mark Bailey's Cuda pulled a hard left at the hit. Same for Eurodragster.com sponsor Steve Hudson next pair only a hard right. Next pair and Annie Wallace was lined up for her first pair rather than a bye but Keith Herbert was shut off before staging. 10.7009 on a 10.88 dial-in, Annie is looking very confident in her new ride.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: ET
09:50 Lucas Oil Junior Dragster qualifying session 3 In the second pair an exemplary bit of courtesy staging by Frankie Fordham waiting in pre-stage for Harry Redshaw to come in before continuing forward. Harry then proceeded to drill Frankie at the Tree! Jordan Payne up from #6 to #4 at 0.0616. Next pair and Thaliah Gibb moved up from #16 to #3 at 0.0462. Luke Mugridge next up the ladder, #17 to #13 at 0.0958. Ruaridh Hart up from #16 to #3 at 0.0278. Last pair and Billy Everitt moved up to #2 at 0.0254.
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Festival Of Power 2016. Santa Pod Raceway. England.
TSI RACENET SYSTEM
QUALIFYING BY: Reaction Time QUALIFYING LIST
26/03/2016 09:50:22 22 JUNIOR DRAGSTER
Place CarNum Driver R.T. E.T. O/U INDEX MPH
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1 25 JOE HOLLAND VILLA + 0.0182 8.0923 0.1923 07.90 81.37
2 3 BILLY EVERITT + 0.0254 8.1817 0.2817 07.90 78.14
3 11 SHANNON KIDDELL + 0.0271 8.1092 0.2092 07.90 77.74
4 16 RUARIDH HART + 0.0278 9.2884 1.3884 07.90 67.90
5 15 THALIAH GIBB + 0.0462 9.2964 0.3964 08.90 69.48
6 14 HOLLEY MARSHALL + 0.0483 8.1453 0.2453 07.90 79.64
7 23 JORDAN PAYNE + 0.0616 8.1236 0.2236 07.90 80.22
8 6 BILLY RINGER + 0.0645 9.9958 2.0958 07.90 67.05
9 37 JACK GOODING + 0.0771 8.6261 0.7261 07.90 76.03
10 12 AARON FENSOME + 0.0784 7.9236 0.0236 07.90 81.50
11 4 SASKIA FENSOME JEL + 0.0854 8.3874 0.4874 07.90 78.01
12 17 MATTHEW DOWDY + 0.0883 8.9581 0.0581 08.90 71.94
13 20 DYLAN BRADLEY + 0.0903 9.6789 0.7789 08.90 67.80
14 34 LUKE MUGRIDGE + 0.0958 12.9728 0.0728 12.90 42.59
15 35 HARRY REDSHAW + 0.0974 20.9953 8.0953 12.90 21.76
16 22 KAITLAN DEEVEY + 0.1172 9.2920 0.3920 08.90 70.23
17 19 CAITLIN WILSON + 0.1295 9.2022 0.3022 08.90 68.95
18 9 BONNIE WALLACE + 0.1355 8.0667 0.1667 07.90 80.64
19 36 ADAM BENTLEY + 0.2178 8.4903 0.5903 07.90 77.21
20 38 FRANKIE FORDHAM + 0.3943 9.9551 1.0551 08.90 68.94
21 29 HARLEY-JAY DARBY + 0.4244 16.9068 4.0068 12.90 33.90
22 8 THOMAS COOK-ABBOTT - 0.0088 9.1438 0.2438 08.90 66.51
23 1 CHARLOTTE BRADFORD - 0.0150 8.1977 0.2977 07.90 78.16
24 5 MORGAN WILSON - 0.0629 8.2959 0.3959 07.90 79.37
* = Disqualified
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09:05 As expected we have some running order changes. Last night's postponed Sportsman ET and Wild Bunch Q2 will take place at 11:45, after today's first Pro session. Junior Dragster, Pro ET and Super Pro ET have qualifying this morning and will then go into eliminations at 14:10. ET Bike have qualifying this morning and will then go into eliminations at 15:10. 07:40 Good morning and welcome from Santa Pod for our coverage of the Festival of Power brought to you in association with John Woolfe Racing. It's overcast but dry here at Santa Pod, slightly more breeze than yesterday and cross-track left to right rather than yesterday's right to left. Attentive readers will already know that there is no webcast this weekend. The webcam is scheduled to be back at Big Bang on 22nd-24th April. Nitro FM are however streaming and you can tune in via the link on the Event Index or at www.eurodragster.com/nitrofm. We must say a big Happy Birthday to Kieran Letts of SPRC's timing crew. No let-up because it's his birthday, Kieran was in Race Control before Your Reporter and I was in here just after 07:00. We must also say a big Thank You to Angie (fire crew) and Richard (Fireforce crew) for coming to our aid with a power cable for the caravan last night and also to Richard Bell who quickly organised said aid even though he had better things to do such as holding himself upright. Thanks all. A big Thank You also to Sarah Howells of DASH Racing who brought Your Reporter healthy Easter treats - I will get used to this fruit stuff one day I'm sure - and to Wild Bunch Race Co-ordinator Claire Meaddows who likewise brought in-moderation treats. Finally a big Hello to Kai Plathan who is tuned in from Finland. Hope you are enjoying the coverage Kai. We had Sportsman ET and the Wild Bunch in the pairing lanes when we were called last night, I shall endeavour to find out whether this means a change in running order this morning. Either way we will be starting qualifying at 09:30, stay tuned and we will bring you all the news. Reports and pictures ©Eurodragster.com |