FIA Euro Finals
Santa Pod Raceway, 8th-11th September, 2022
Coverage in memory of Queen Elizabeth II and Jon Morton

Wednesday



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17:00

Thomas Haas (Super Pro Valiant) 8.2212/164.21, then JDs Harry Peters 11.0749/54.15 (RT 0.2421) v Tom Peters 9.0487/71.60 (RT 0.1168), Richard Willcox 8.5298/74.89 (RT 0.1646), Allan Schofield 9.2901/145.68. Grace Smith (JD) 9.2952/71.00 (RT 0.0640), Ron Bartlett with a nice cackle to the engine note, 8.3823/163.04, his last three runs being within 0.06s.

That's the end of today's testin, thanks for looking in. We will post Julian and Diana's galleries later.

16:45

Chevy Checkett (JD) 9.0531/71.06 (RT 0.0306), Mathias Bohlin (Super Street Bike) 9.1758/94.66 with a half track wheelie and lifted. Followed by Steve Venables 7.6690/207.99 loss of traction on launch and pedaled. Then Tig Napier (Pro ET Challenger) 9.8700/137.67, back to form for Tig.

Kieran Astley 9.5798/153.61 v Daniel Giles 7.4255/177.06. Jack Brewster's first run since wall contact at the Greenlight Nationals test day, 1.0589 straight as a dye launch, off the throttle before 330ft and Jack's team delighted with the repaired car running straight, 13.9485/56.23 at the stripe.

Walle Strobel's Camaro Pro Mod next, a licensing run after a best of 7.5s at the NitrOlympX, Walle buying the car in 2021. Car went to left after 60ft but he got back on it to 8.0339/174.38.

16:30

Collin Morrice 9.7829/141.25 with Super Gas throttle stop engaged. Ron Bartlett 8.3474/161.87 in his Super Pro Anglia 105e. Jessica Bishop (JD) 8.0236/80.79 (RT 0.771), Harley Coulsell 8.1024/78.95 (RT 0.0191).

Mark Sheridan (SE Cuda) 8.5474/154.17, avoided tyre spin in the left lane, more to come. Andre Nahler (Pro ET Beetle) 10.1916/128.29, very consistent runs for Andre. Roger Johansson, with John Tebenham watching from close quarters, car launched 0.9965, made a move to the right at 200ft and off the throttle to 9.3287/85.21.

16:15

Eric Richard fired up then there was a bang and a cleanup ensued.

After the restart, Chevy Checkett 9.0254/70.78 (RT 0.937) v Harley Coulsell 8.1078/78.68 (RT 0.1179). Then Kieran Astley, now sporting three turbos to our untrained eye, 10.3179/139.45 checkout in his Super Pro ET dragster. Marc Huxley (Corolla) 10.1725/129.47. Andrew Willcox's JD 8.5364/74.54 (RT -0.0563).

Allan Schofield's fourth run, 9.3902/144.29. Margot Schmidt 8.3124/179.25 v Daniel Lencses with bodywork repaired 6.7413/217.93 (1.1744 60ft and 4.4795/172.30 to half track)

15:45

Richard Willcox 7.9218/74.89 (LB3A) v Jessica Bishop 7.9767/81.08 (0.1533 RT), then Andre Nahler's Beetle 10.1643/128.40 (his best time this visit), Ron Bartlett (Anglia 105e) 8.4012/162.46 v Tom Atkinson (Cortina Estate) 8.4892/159.03 (1.2219 60ft), Tom's performance improving with each pass. Tig Napier with a transbrake launch and nicely controlled wheelie, 10.0132/136.84.

Mark Sheridan (Street Eliminator Cuda) burned out before the start line, two attempts at staging, then lost traction at 200ft when the turbos spooled up to 14.7026/54.82. Marc Huxley's Corolla 10.2468/128.69.

Mark Hope's Super Street Bike, 7.2110/198.91 (1.2778 60ft), solid run. Danial Giles 7.4213/177.75 (1.0560 60ft) within a hundredth of his earlier run. Thomas Haas (Valiant) 8.2320/164.22 v Dave Rudd (Cobra) 9.7607/136.09. Bob Doyle (Nissan 240Z) 9.6899/138.53, engine missing a little in the second half, Richard Tunstall (Brogie roadster) 9.0320/145.77. Grace Smith (JD) 9.2572/71.26 (RT 0.1064), followed by Harry Peters 8.0630/80.64 (RT 0.1728) v Tom Peters 9.1373/71.04 (RT 0.1743), then Jake Cooper 9.2054/68.01 (RT 0.0418)v Kai Cooper 8.9388/71.26 (RT an excellent 0.0092).

15:25

Allan Schofield's third run in his Pro ET/Super Comp dragster 9.4452/144.36. Then Martin Bishop's Pro Stock Bike short shifted first to second and to other gears, 8.2893/168.55, nice safe first run. Collin Morrice 8.8706/151.60 in his Super Pro ET Camaro, then Steve Venables 8.1675/139.10, almost a carbon copy of his earlier run.

Roger Johansson's third run in his MSS Racing Pro Mod Mustang, 1000ft pass to 6.2568/182.83, 0.9925 to 60ft and 3.9430/187.92, great test pass. Then Margot Schmidt 8.7111/176.44 v Mathias Bohlin 6.9495/210.90, second 6.9s pass for Mathias. Harley Coulsell in his JD, 8.0967/78.81 (RT 0.0683), must run in the family.

Jake Mechaell 7.2729/209.18 with slight wheelspin after launch v Daniel Lencses 12.6212/58.43 (1.1781 to 60ft to Jake's 1.3902) a piece of Daniel's fairing coming off the bike at 330ft and he lifted.

14:50

The track staff have been working diligently and we are about ten minutes away from restarting. Stay tuned.

14:15

A few minutes into the lunch break the skies opened and there was a downpour, so track drying is under way and we'll let you know as soon as testing is planned to resume. Stay tuned.

13:05

Marc Huxley 10.2139/129.40 in his Corolla. Now on a lunch break, be back in 30 mins or so.

13:00

Roger Johansson's second pass in his Pro Mod Mustang 8.8101/88.55 (1.0025 to 60ft and off the gas after 330ft and 4.5187/122.80 to half track). Then a very welcome return for Perfect Light Award sponsor Tig Napier running in Pro ET, footbrake launch, the front wheels lifting slightly and off the gas in the second half to 11.4373/110.70. Followed by Harry Peters' JD 8.0226/80.94 (RT -0.1426), Tom Peters 9.208/68.95 (0.2034 RT) and the Cooper boys, Kai 8.8749/71.68 (RT 0.0512) and Jake 9.2013/67.34 (RT 0.0271), Harley Coulsell 8.0918/78.29 (RT -0.001).

Ron Bartlett was next in his Super Pro ET Anglia 105e, transmission-saving footbrake launch to 9.8819/154.12.

12:45

Jessica Bishop's second pass in her JD was 8.0130/81.22 (0.0914 RT). Next was Daniel Giles in the Giles & Hartley Super Pro ET dragster, the team regularly attending test days. Daniel ran a 7.4295/177.80 pass with a very slight steering correction on the way. Followed by Allan Schofield 9.3005/145.72 then Richard Tunstall in the RCCS built Brogie Roadster, 9.0148/145.70 and destined for Super Comp,

First run for Eric Richard on his TFB Funny Bike, right leg not on the peg but an excellent 6.7614/198.01 (1.0611 60ft and 4.3286/164.11 to half track), thanks to Steve Moxley for letting us know that is a PB run from Eric to whom congratulations. Then Tom Atkinson' second pass, 8.5390/157.98 improvement by a tenth.

12:25

Grace Smith (JD) 9.2939/70.38 (0.3198 RT) followed by a welcome back to Thomas Haas with wife and crew Natalie from Switzerland in his Plymouth Valiant, 8.2011/164.22 great initial pass for Thomas.

The next Super Street Bike runner was Mark Hope 7.2722/194.69, nice straight pass and then Mathias Bohlin, wheelspin in 1st-2nd shift and a couple of wheelies going up the track then shut off, 8.1430/124.42 in the left lane. Harley Coulsell's JD next, 8.1889/78.28 (0.1197 RT).

Next Andre Nahler's VW Beetle, 10.2736/126.84, quick gearshifts and a wheelie on launch (Andre had run a 10.1698/128.46 at VW Action, so consistent performance). .

12:05

Steve Venables 8.0750/133.72, the revs going skyward on the first to second shift and hitting the rev limiter before another gearshift down track and then he shut down. Roger Johansson came down next in his Pro Mod nitrous assisted Mustang, 330ft burnout followed by a lengthy nitrous purge, 0.9834 launch, nice and straight without apparent shake, and then off the throttle after first gear, 11.2994/70.84 at the stripe.

Marc Huxley 10.168/136.89 v Dave Rudd (Cobra) 9.8939/135.30, both in Pro ET for tomorrow's qualifying.

11:45

On the restart the Super Street Bikes of Daniel Lences from Hungary 6.9057/212.08 v Jake Mechaell 7.1507/198.87. Then Collin Morrice in his Super Pro Camaro 9.026/149.55, Tom Peters (JD) 9.5405/67.20 (0.4746 RT), Jessica Bishop (JD) 8.0432/80.07 (RT-0.0128).

Another pair of Super Street Bikes, Mathias Bohlin from Sweden 6.9566/208.08 v Mark Hope 12.8222/64.58 lost traction off start, the SSB overseas visitors having a confident start with Daniel and Mathias #1 and #2 in the championship.

Then the welcome return of the Time is Money Super Pro Cortina in the hands of Tom Atkinson with a rebuilt Steve Schmidt engine, 8.6511/159.04 showing great confidence in the refreshed and new equipment including new aero and weight bars up front. Next was Mark Sheridan's Street Eliminator Cuda, 1.6032 launch fine but lost traction shortly after 60ft and off the gas.

11:25

After counter rotator, glueing and sledding the track, we are ready with a number of cars in the pairing lanes. First pair Marc Huxley (Corolla) 10.2411/128.65 v Allan Schofield (dragster) 9.3321/145.72 then the Junior Dragsters of Jake Cooper 9.192/68.42 (RT-0.1496) v Kai Cooper 8.837/71.83 (RT 0.0405), followed by Chevy Checkett 9.0491/70.94 (0.0165 RT), Harry Peters 8.0291/81.22 (0.1967 RT), then dad Matt Peters in the NG Motorsport Lucas Oil dragster, something not right with the two step and transbrake launch and, after a couple of throttle blips, pieces of aluminium were on the track in the first few feet. Pause for recovery of car and clean up. Diana reported later that the propshaft had failed and unfortunately Matt is out of competition for the event.

10:20

Good morning and welcome to the test day coverage from the FIA/FIM-E European finals. Today's partly sunny and the track crew have finished their drying operations after overnight rain. Current temperatures are 17C forecast to rise to 21C with a wind of 13mph from the South. Density altitude is forecast to be in the range 1400-1900ft with 75-80 grains of water.

As ever there is a slow start, however several teams are set up to run, and we will publish photos from both the pits and trackside in our galleries as well as the times recorded.

Greetings to all Eurodragsterholics who are tuned in from around the world, hi to Bob Roberts and Kai Plathan with Otto who are keen followers, also to colleagues Kirstie, running in Street Eliminator for the first time with the Fifty Shades of Green Camaro and Kieran who is crewing with dad Kev Jenkins as he readies for Comp Eliminator action. We also say hi to Williams Bros Racing who are making the trip back from the U.S. Nationals in time to compete this weekend only three days after the conclusion of that race.

Happy Birthday for today to Pro ET racer Chloe Wilkins and Nostalgia Funny Car crew Dean Betts, we hope you have a great day.

Our estimated start time is 10:45-11:00, come back after that for news.


Reports and pictures ©Eurodragster.com