Junior Drag Racing Fun Day
Santa Pod Raceway, 23rd August 2018



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The Junior racers all took part in a group photo after the successful event. Thanks go to Andy Wheeler for support and organisation of the racing with the help of James Ingram, and Donna Finnegan of Santa Pod for managing the event, which featured charity Zachary DayZaway which organises fundraisers for weekends away for families that have sadly lost a child.

Frankie Fordham won the most trophies in the day when he became runner up in the JMA competition and also had the best package of 0.0734 and best reaction time of 0.0011. Dad Matt Fordham said that Frankie has been racing at some German and French championship rounds and won at Bad Soderheim in Germany. Frankie's Half Scale JMA has sponsors Royal Purple Oil, Adrenalin Clothing and CSP Detailing.


Kaitlan Deevey was winner in JMA, qualifying no.1 in the one shot qualifying session which gave her a bye in round one and then defeating Katie Ellis and Thomas Cook-Abbott before the final when a quicker reaction time was the key to the win against Frankie Fordham.

Brooklyn Whitnall was licensing for Junior Drag Bike on the Shark Attack Racing machine.


Junior Drag Bikes included the machines of Brooklyn Whitnall, Meggie Talbot (whose 13th birthday it was today), Blade Dummer, Liam Holgate and rookie Casey Holgate. Meggie is looking to do a deal to tutor a new racer next season on her current bike.

Matthew Dowdy, pictured with Dad Michael, has his new Viperizer Racing dragster down into the 7.9s and has been attending RWYBs to fine tune the setup.


Frankie Taylor and Freddie Taylor race in JMA and JM respectively. Frankie is in her first season, whereas Freddie is in his second season and qualified no.2 of six cars in JM and won the JM elimination, defeating Sam Fairhurst, Daniel Weir and, in the final Luke Mugridge.Frankie is daughter of Joe Taylor and Freddie son of Lee Taylor, both members of the Banshee Outlaw Anglia team of Mick Taylor.

JMA racer Skye Collier's parents Jerry and Sharron attended the Redline Rumble last weekend and stayed at SPR for the few days between races. Skye qualified fifth but was eliminated by Jordan Payne in round one.


Harley Coulsell's dad Mark also attended the Redline Rumble to do some test passes in his Limited Funz slingshot. He said 'We hadn't run thye Junior since the Summernationals, it has gone through three fuel pumps in the last year and we hope the latest one lasts a bit longer'. The Junior and slingshot were at the Fitted UK car show at on 29 July, a huge motoring show at Eventcity, Manchester. Meanwhile Harley is looking to move up to JMA next year but that will involve getting a new chrome moly chassis for the car as steel is not permissible in the JMA division.

Kimmy and Richard Willcox are in a Junior Dragster and licensing a Junior Drag Bike respectively. Dad Andrew Willcox said 'We want to do European races in the FIM-E series for Junior Drag Bikes, but once Richard is licenced he has to hold the ACU licence for a certain period of time before he is eligible for the FIM-E licence'.


Jordan Payne, who is looking to sell his multiple championship winning car to fund his Corvette Super Pro entry, qualified 10th today and was defeated by Frankie Fordham in round two.

Luke Mugridge qualified no.1 in JM division with a 0.156, and was runner up to Freddie Taylor having defeated Scott Gibbons in round one and then enjoying a bye run in the semi-finals.


Matthew Dowdy was lucky in qualifying when his car launched to a 0.164 RT and the engine cut out a few yards down the track. The same problem recurred in round one, leaving Holly Moore a victory despite red lighting in a 'first or worst' decision.

Holly Moore qualified 11th with -.1367 and then went green against Thomas Cook Abbott in the quarter final, but running some 1.6s slower than her dial in. Holly's Dad Martin recently tested his refurbished Chevette at SPR and plans to compete in it as Moore's Motorsport in Super Comp.


Daniel Weir qualified third in the JM division and defeated newcomer Stevie-Jane Wright in round one before losing to eventual winner Freddie Taylor in the semi final.

Newcomer Casey Holgate has just licenced recently on brother Liam's previous bike and qualified in fourth with a 13.82 on 13.28 dial in. Casey then defeated Blade Dummer in round one and was runner up in the event.


Meggie Talbot, runner up at the NitrOlympX last weekend, qualified no.1 with a 9.540 on 9.38 dial and won the event after Liam Holgate broke and then defeated Casey Holgate in the final.

Blade Dummer qualified second qith 8.814 on a 8.65 dial in and but another 0.3s light saw him defeated at the hands of Casey Holgate.


Liam Holgate had the quickest bike with a qualifying pass of 8.312/83.04 on the minimum dial in of 7.90 but had problems in round one of eliminations.

Jordan Payne is in his last season of Junior Dragster racing and plans to sell the car to finance him in Super Pro ET in Dad Nigel's Corvette. Both are sponsored by Nimbus Motorsport and Beech Underwriting Agencies, and a host of other sponsors including new partnership with Racetech seats.


Jack Gooding and Katie Ellis raced each other in round one of JMA and Katie defeated Jack, who had won the Junior Dragster elimination at the NitrOlympX and is now in his last year of Junior racing.

Thomas Cook Abbott qualified eighth with 0.0065 RT and got as far as the semi finals after defeating Thaliah Gibb and Holly Moore.


Scott Gibbons made an appearance in his JM and qualified fourth, then going out in round one to eventual winner Luke Mugridge.

Kimmy Willcox was one of only three JS racers and qualified second then was defeated by Archie Ray in round one.


Junior Jet Funny Car racer Lee Dennick was in his ‘Reign of Fire’ at Hockenheim and bought it to SPR to give some 11s flame spewing runs to the crowd estimated at up to 10,000. It is powered by a Rolls Royce Gnome jet engine.

Martin Hill's Fireforce 5 Jet dragster ran a mid five at more than 265mph for best times of the day.


Katie Ellis was crewed by Andy Fensome, Fred Hone and other members of Ellis Motorsport.

Frankie Taylor in her first season, qualified no.7 of 11 but went out in the first round to the best package of the day of Frankie Fordham.


Meka-Jo Gadney qualified no.1 in the JS field and was runner up to Archie Wray in eliminations. Grandad Dave is planning a return to Super Gas and Super Comp next year in a Brogie Roadster.

Richard Willcox licensed on his Junior Drag Bike which he first tested in November 2017.


Brooklyn Whitnall also licensed today, his bike being one of the seven strong Shark Attack drag racing team, and is modelled on Rene van den Berg's Top Fuel machine.

Thaliah Gibb was crewed by Mum Sandie and Daniel Giles. She qualified third with a 0.107 and then went out in round one to Thomas Cook Abbott.


Stevie-Jane Wright, daughter of Matt Wright, made her debut with licensing passes in her JS car called The Fugitives.

Archie Ray and Sam Fairburn raced each other in RWYB action following the conclusion of eliminations.


VW Sportsman racer Steve Pugh put in a couple of test passes.

Ex-Top Speed Automotive Street Eliminator racer George Scanlon, pictured with wife Pam, brought his Chevrolet S10 to the track - he last raced in the class in 2007 and has more recently brought it to Truckfest and the Flame & Thunder Show. He said 'It was my daily driver then Dave Pollen put his ex Zodiac aluminium headed 427ci BBC in it which ran high 8s with nitrous and tens on the motor. In recent testing I recorded a 11.4s best with the nitrous off. It can be handful as there is little weight on the rear'.


Top Speed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Nigel Hale has had his truck's power measured at 1405hp with 1215lb/ft of torque. He said 'It does five miles to the gallon, I need to check the valve lash after every meeting and change the oil every two meetings. Because of the three tons weight of the truck there was a lot of strain on the rear axle and I have put a Pro Mod spec one in which is strong enough'. Best times are 10.51/131.

Former Junior Dragster champion Nick Mugridge has bought the ex Ian Powell dragster as a rolling chassis minus engine. He said 'We are planning for 2019 with a big block engine. The chassis was built in 1996 by Horton Race Cars in the US and ran one year in IHRA then was parked for 10 years until Ian imported it. It has a Dedenbear Powerglide and Neal Chance convertor'.


Keith Ridley last raced in Pro ET in 2005. His Escort is the ex Hairy Canary Escort. He said 'I have run a garage since the mid 1980s and work commitments have got in the way in the last few years. After I bought it the chassis and engine were renewed and only the body, wheels and shocks were from the old car'. He plans to run 10.4s in the 600hp naturally aspirated BBC engined car.

This Mustang, with other supercars, was brought along by the organisers of the Sharnbrook Hotel Supercar Sunday Hypercar showdown taking place on 2nd September. Several of the cars were running mid 11s at over 130mph. More details of the event can be seen here.


This Lamborghini provided extra entertainment for the fans in the grandstand.

Nigel Hale made a lot of smoke and also ran quicker than the supercars on display.


George Scanlon had a bit of a moment on his first pass and then raised the tyre pressures to adjust to the new track.

Dave Gibbons ran a 8.597/153.50 in his Rough Diamond altered.

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