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This Mustang is owned by John Bean and ran three 10.0s at 135/136mph, very consistent. John said 'I've had the car for just over a year, it was built by Phil Peck and Mark Moseley, and has a Jeff Bull engine. I want it to be in the nines, the engine has a nitrous kit giving 500hp which I haven't used yet, but with the total horsepower with nitrous of 1300hp, it should be good for a low eight or a seven'.	The availability of track time at Santa Pod Raceway attracted circuit bike racer Matthew who has a Honda CBR600RR and was at the track for the first time.
Tim Park riding a Suzuki GSXR1000 ran a best of 9.8177/137.69 in his five runs.	Also riding a Suzuki GSXR1000 was Ray Spong who made six passes and his best of the day was 9.4366/140.78. Ray has an extended swing arm fitted which gets the bike launched quicker; his Suzuki engine is naturally aspirated. (Picture by Julian)
Anna from the 'Rents Go Racing team was running in the nines on her turbo Hayabusa with Kyle in support. Anna's best time out of six was 9.7018/153.66, remarking "There's a lot more in it". The motto on their FB page reads 'Spending the kids' inheritance a quarter mile at a time'.	The Cross brothers were also in attendance on their immaculately turned out Suzuki GSXR 400cc 9.50 Bikes. The results were 9.1770/138.54 for James and 9.6471/136.18 for Ian. Ian said 'Our goal is to have the quickest 500cc bikes and are aiming to get into the eights. A return to the 9.50 Bike championship is being considered for 2021.
John McLean Snr and John McLean Jr were both testing their Comp Bikes. John Jnr, racing a 1428cc Suzuki GSX EFE said 'The objective is for an A to B run, however there is a fuel starvation issue that we can't solve at the track'. John Snr (sat on his Suzuki GSX 1700cc) was aiming to test a 100hp nitrous kit which is expected ultimately to give the bike a seven second time ticket, his best for yesterday a 8.9183/142.48, compared to a PB of 8.55/158 last October. The two Johns are pictured with crew chief Adrian.	This original looking 100e is at the track for the first time with Ben Hatfield driving and power supplied by a 1.7l Ford Puma engine. Support comes from Andy Clifford from the Wild Bunch team Snake Eyes Racing.
New Junior Dragster racer Jessica Bishop licensed at the end of September 2019 in a car previously owned by Tom Kaye, however during her licensing pass the crank snapped, meaning 2020 was taken off to get a new crank. Jessica will be racing at the season-opening Springspeed Nationals.	Junior Dragster racer Kai Cooper of Fenny Racing is now joined by brother Jake, who licensed in 2020. Kai's car now has a Junior Modified spec. Both did three good runs each.
The Williams Bros Chevy Impala made a couple of wild passes, with a transbrake being used for the first time. You can see from the gallery the wheelie from the first launch was bigger than before, whereas the second, even more crazy, launch resulted in a rear tyre parting company from the rim and the car being sidelined for the remainder of the day. We suspect some beadlock rims will be on their next shopping list.	Pro ET racer Mason Griffiths made four runs with a best of 9.1139/142 in his LS6 engined dragster.
John Tebenham, who is paying £150 to Blood Cancer UK if he runs 150mph terminal speed this weekend, is supported by a large crew including Paul Marston, Mick Howling, Dave Bunn, Dave Goff, Nigel and Clint. The Crew Killer Pop has a new naturally aspirated 645hp engine; on his first full pass ran 9.1339/145.	Leo Knight is running his altered at RWYB meetings only. He explained: "I bought it as a funny car from Jonas Staflund in Sweden and have been learning the sport with it. I struggled with the funny car body, it was difficult to lift it on and off, so I bought an old Topolino body from Frank Bennett and converted it, adding a rear wing. I added my own engine, a 500ci Big Block Chevy with 14-71 supercharger running on alky with a Powerglide transmission. The quickest I've run with it is 7.77/170, but it's all about learning how to build the engine, run the car and drive. I've been a fan of drag racubg since Alan Herridge was a star and admire those who run these cars, it's a hard sport'.
Super Pro ET racer Phil Toppin had a radiator leak which prevented him running his roadster style 2nd generation Corvette, but later got help to repair and ran a 9.6357. He said "The car now has a name, Grandad's Toy, because that's what my granddaughter always calls it. The radiator problem was it running against a shut-off valve, it needs some new tubing". Having run a best of 8.7 last season, winter work included new bearings and tyres and a new rear end gears with a ratio that will allow the engine to hit the rev limiter further down the track and hence reduce the ET.	Simon Marsh has brought his Westfield sprint car to try to improve the launches. He said 'It's my first time here with this car, I have taken it to many circuits including Brands Hatch, Croft, Snetterton, Spa and the Nordschleife at Nurburgring. I have V-Box GPS telemetry system which will tell me whether it's best to leave the line in first or second. The car has a red top Vauxhall C20XE engine with forged crank, pistons and a special head which makes 250hp/185 lb ft and revs to 9000. In a car weighing 520kg that should translate to a time in the high elevens, but I am keen to get to 60 in 3.5s.
Wild Bunch racer Ollie H Smith has picked up his competition coupe from its storage in Northampton and changed just the oil and oil filter before taking it to a low 11s run here. He said 'I ran 10.78s at the Hot Rod Drags last September so any sort of 10 today would be great'. Ollie's latest job in the movie industry involves making promotional films for Formula Four and the British Touring Car Championship.	Competition Eliminator racer Robin Orthodoxou took last year out when the arrival of replacement parts was delayed by the pandemic, and spent time looking at the car's handling. 'We have had tyre shake over the last 2-3 years and have fitted a stiffer wheelie bar. The old one was bending and the rear tyres were coming off the ground causing the tyre shake. We've also rebuilt the Steve Schmidt engine with new rods, and moved the battery forward. We have a lithium battery arriving on a boat which is only 4kg compared with 11kg, and it outputs 16 volts; it's the same that current Pro Mod cars use. Weight is important because although the car looks light, the engine is iron block'. Robin welcomes the introduction of the quicker Stock/Super Stock cars into the category: 'The more the merrier. We are here just to see the rebuilt engine and new clutch work'.
Pro ET racer Nick Mugridge has his new Junior Comp style dragster here for some shakedown runs. He said the car used to be a Junior Comp rental car at Bandimere Speedway with three different owners in its time. The level of finish was not that high and we want it to go faster than the 10.5s it ran with its previous driver. So I contacted Bill Newman at Next Step Racing who is closely involved with Junior Comp racing with his daughter competing in it and him supplying parts. He drove the car to the docks in Texas and arranged the purchase for us'.	Nick Mugridge continued: 'I've put a new A-arm front on with new spindles and wheels that comply with Motorsport UK regulations (solid tyres). I have also fitted an air shifter and two step device. The engine is a 2002 GSXR 1000cc with standard Suzuki gearbox and MTC slider clutch which comes in at higher rpm. I rewired the switch panel and installed a Biondo LED dial-in board. Bill helped by making a battery box, and helping with the shifter linkage which now incorporates manual gear selection for pit use. Andrew Chilton helped me with the fuel cell adding a new cap and vent. His decal on the car is based on the anime show curiously called RWBY.
Tom Kaye is racing Rhiannon Bellenie's old car which is now owned by Mum Julie. Tom said 'I raced for two years in Junior Dragster with a JMA, and then took 2020 out. I'm here to licence and then plan to run in Super Pro ET as the car is cqpable of eights'. Support on the mechanics of the car comes from Jake Mechaell of JKE Race Works. Jake Mechaell said 'The setup is similar to drag bikes with a similar power train and I am supplying support on the ECU and clutch setup which was originally installed by Pete and Rhiannon Bellenie. The car has aftermarket engine components such as heavy duty valave springs and output shaft. The team will run it on low boost to keep costs low. We have simplified the setup, one example is the CO2 system to operate the boost control and shifter, we have replaced this with a system using manifold pressure or compressed air.	JKE Race Works is busy with a current workload of 8-10 bikes as well as the junior comp dragster. He said 'The bikes are any from Super Street down to road bikes that we do servicing and maintenance on, as well as engine rebuilding and upgrades. We fabricate new tanks and other parts for turbos that are all one-off bespoke items. I'm looking at biuing a CNC mill and installing a dyno into the workshop. Based just outside the gates of Santa Pod Raceway, we can help racers mend parts (e.g. cracked welds) in the evening of a race weekend and have enough stock to keep racers going too.
Of Jake Mechaell's existing customers, Ross Morrison will be moving from 8.50 Bike to Super Street Bike, using lighter bodywork and a turbo with Motec ECU alongside Jake himself who will be making the debut of his new chrome moly framed SSB. Jake's new bike has a 'fly by wire' throttle connection, much used in Moto GP and World Superbikes, but very little used in drag racing anywhere. The bikes should have a debut at the Springspeed Nationals, after which Jake is wanting to run the whole ACU/FIM Series. 'You can run methanol in FIM racing but have to use E85 in ACU competition. Rather than go for the heavy solution of a charge cooler or intercooler, we will run less ignition and less boost with E85'. Nevertheless, it's still Jake's personal goal to run a low seven at 200mph this season, and doubtless to say, the project has got the interest of Steve Venables.	Paul Brown last seen in 2019 driving Santa Pod's two seater dragster now has bought Dave Day's Double Trouble roadster which he will run for fun when two seater commitments allow. He said 'The only change I've made are fitting a new seat'.
Mark Turner, former crew man for Micke Kågered's Top Fuel team has a neat Toyota Supra which we believe was once run by Bert Englefield in Pro Mod and the late Nev Mottershead in Comp Eliminator. Mark was making licensing passes, the car now with a big block Chevy engine.	The ex Conrad Stanley dragster was in the hands of new driver Andy doing licensing passes. Conrad was in attendance to help Alan familiarise himself, said that his Pro Stock car is in storage and still for sale.
Sportsman ET racer Gary Lake was there doing a couple of test passes	There was a long queue of road cars awaiting their runs, although the day started chilly at 3.5C, it warmed up to 15C by the afternoon. There was sun in plentiful supply the whole day.