2006 Open Sports Nationals
Sunday (qualifying)
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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 17:50 Roger Goring had a burner cough as he left the line in the Firestorm Jet FC, and quickly got off the throttle and pulled over to the side of the track. Junior Dragster qualifying final top five:
The girls struck back in this final session as Millie Bond moved into the top five at #2 and Rebecca Evans at #5. Junior Drag Bike final qualifying:
Scott Collier took over the lead in the last but one pairing. Dan Baldwin moved up to #3 and Jake Carruthers improved against dial-in by one thousandth of a second! That's the end of qualifying; we will be starting eliminations at 10:45 tomorrow morning. Stay tuned as we are now working on today's pictures and they'll be done in an hour or two. 17:30 Sportsman ET qualifying final top five:
Keith Crampton moved back into the top five at #4 at that point, and Martin Lewis also came back into the top five at #3. Next up is Roger Goring in the Firestorm Jet FC and then to close the day Junior Dragster and Junior Drag Bike. 17:25 Street Eliminator qualifying final top five:
No changes to the top five but big congratulations to Ron Haslett who ran his first nine, 9.927/137.59. Well done Ron! Ian Hook has trashed two pistons on his Coupe's motor and so is out this weekend, and will have to borrow a motor to make the next round at the UK National Finals. Fatty says that he has had two offers of engines including one hat-to-pan motor fresh off the dyno. 17:20 VW Alternate Engine final qualifying:
No changes to the standings. Supertwin Gas qualifying final top five:
No changes to the top five. Supertwin Fuel final qualifying:
Wendy Clutterbuck took over the lead in this last session. 9.50 Bike qualifying final top five:
Richard Sawatzki took over the lead, and then Ed Smiley took it away from him in the next pairing. In the last 9.50 Bike run of the day Dave Burfitt moved into #5. 17:10 Outlaw Anglia qualifying final top five:
No changes in this session; only Simon Barlow and Rob Stone turned out but both left before the lights ran. Super Gas qualifying final top five:
Jon Evans improved his ET but stayed in fifth. VW Pro final qualifying:
Neil Ellis was the only racer to turn out for this session and took over the lead. Wild Bunch qualifying final top five:
A change in the make-up of the top five as Sarah Howells came in at #2, Ed Yates in at #4 and an improved Helen Smythe at #5. Outlaw Flat Four qualifying final top five:
No changes to the top five. Super Comp qualifying final top five:
No changes to the top five. 16:55 Super Pro ET qualifying final top five:
Barry Giles moved back into the top five at #3. Super Street qualifying final top five:
Leigh Morris took the lead with the very last pass of the session. 16:40 Pro Stock Bike final qualifying:
No changes to the standings. Dave Beck's engine was smoking all the way down the track whilst Paul King's bike stopped at the hit. Funny Bike qualifying final top five:
No changes to the top five in this session. Comp Bike final qualifying:
No changes in the standings. Supertwin Street final qualifying:
Improvements from Dave Jones and Ian Radanke, both stayed in place. Supertwin Modified final qualifying:
No changes in the standings. 16:30 VW Sportsman qualifying final top five:
Abi Tether moved into the top five at #5 but was then bumped down a place as Richard Merriman moved into #2 and Paul Herbert took #3. Pro ET qualifying final top five:
Chris Hodgkins came into the top five at #4, then Lee Huxley made a move from fifth to second. Charlie Chivers who earlier told us he had had problems setting a dial-in moved into #3 spot with the last run of the session! The top fourteen qualifiers are seperated by 0.080 seconds. Super Street Bike qualifying final top five:
No changes to the top five. 16:05 Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association session 3 (left lane first): Bob Glassup 7.457/184.40, Clayton Round 7.201/186.44, Frank Bennett 19.458/59.54 bye, Joe Bond 7.990/165.41 bye, Dave Grabham 8.457/168.03 bye, Tony Betts shut off, Jim Usher 6.982/204.56 bye Trackside conditions at the start of the NFAA were 20.2 C, 20% humidity and 29.85 inches of air. Side-by-side 200-foot burnouts from Bob and Clayton then another great match-up, Bob's Xtreme Racing altered drifting towards the centre whilst Clayton's Rebel T did the same, neither racer was getting off the throttle. Before Frank ran, we got word that he would not be pulling a burnout but staging and idling up the track and that's just what he did. Frank has engine damage but made his appearance for the points. Joe Bond really looks at home in the Nuthin' Fancy Topolino, a nicely-controlled burnout and then into the sevens and a new PB, the car moving around a little but Joe stayed with it. Dave Grabham was next up, a cap and ear defenders exiting the car during the burnout and then a nice pass with the front end skipping about in the first couple of hundred feet and then settling down. There were sparks from Tony Betts' altered in the burnout, one large glowing ember landed next to the track - the track crew were picking up small pieces of aluminium and Tony shut off on the way back. Tony told Sharkman that he was having trouble holding Venom on the clutch and it transpires that the sparks were from a self-destructing valve head. The Mob had obviously been loaded up even more since the last round, sounding very crackly. Jim took the bye and what a run, into the sixes and another Personal Best ET and speed, well done Jim! Jim feathered the throttle again towards the top end so there is yet more to come from The Mob. 15:40 Super Comp qualifying top five after session 4:
Paul Knight took over the lead whilst in the other lane Andy Williams moved into #3 only to be bumped down to fourth in the next pairing as Tim Adam took over #3 spot. Outlaw Flat Four qualifying top five after session 4:
Phil West improved but stayed in #5. VW Alternate Engine qualifying after session 4:
Ian Sewell improved his ET but stayed in #3 spot, then on the last bye of the session Ian Huggan took over the lead from Matt Attwood. Supertwin Gas qualifying top five after session 4:
John Floyd back into the eights to consolidate his #1 spot, and did the first half of a new speed record, well done Floydy! Supertwin Fuel qualifying after session 4:
No changes to the standings. That's the end of qualifying cycle 4, next up is the NFAA. 15:20 Super Gas qualifying top five after session 4:
Frank Mason and Tim Adam ran side by side and improvements for both, into #2 and #3 spot respectively. VW Pro qualifying after session 4:
No changes in this session. Wild Bunch qualifying top five after session 4:
No changes to the top five in this session. 15:15 Super Street qualifying top five after session 4:
Mick Howling made a reapearance in the top five at #3. Then Mike Bentley and Mark Watkins ran side-by-side 10.9s, Mike taking over the lead and Mark into #5. In the next pair Leigh Morris moved back into the top five bumping Mark down a place. One of the best Super Street qualifying sessions I have seen, we've now got nine of eleven in the 10.9s. Top Fuel Bike qualifying session 3 (left lane first): Steve Carey 7.193/189.49 bye A very good pass from Steve, straight as you like and consolidating his #1 spot. Qualifying standings after this session:
Outlaw Anglia qualifying top five after session 4:
An improvement from Richard Colby but he stayed in #2 spot. 15:05 Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 4:
Sam Freeman moved into the top five in the first pairing of this session, #4 at that point. Ian Tubb then went in at #5 only to be bumped down a place by Nick Spence who came in at #4. A nice break-out from Lee Darby with an 8.580 on an 8.62 dial-in from the pick-up. A nice pass from Ashley Bell, 8.645 on an 8.70 dial-in, that's got to be close to a PB. Supertwin Street qualifying after session 4:
An improvement for Bev Riley in the first pairing but staying in #4 spot, a big imrovement too for Ian Radanke but he stayed in #3. Supertwin Modified qualifying after session 3:
Another 9.8 from John Hackney, Barrie Gregory improved but stayed in #3. 14:50 Pro Stock Bike qualifying after session 4:
No changes as Dave Beck's bike broke off the line and Paul King did not appear. Funny Bike qualifying top five after session 4:
A great run from Neil Midgley, just a hair under 200 mph and backing up his earlier 195.91 for a new sped record, nice one Midgo! Then in the very next run Tim Blakemore took the #1 spot away from him. Midgo's 199.89 is too fast to be backed up by the 195.91 but he has the rest of the event to back it up. Comp Bike qualifying after session 4:
A great session here as Kev Charman improved his ET, Phil Leamon took #2 spot with an improved run, then Roland Chaplain clocked what we think is the Think Pink bike's best ever pass to take #2. 14:45 Pro ET qualifying top five after session 4:
Chris Newsam took the #1 spot and the Eurodragster.com/LA Racing Parts Perfect ET Award with a 10.850 on a 10.85 dial-in. Congratulations Chris! Former #1 qualifier Tig Napier did a trio of fouls in this round: firstly having the run disallowed before it happened for burning out past the start line, then he redlit, then he broke out! Super Street Bike qualifying top five after session 4:
Another improvement for Nigel Barker to consolidate his #1 spot. 14:30 Sportsman ET qualifying top five after session 4:
Nick Gay came in at #3, then in the next pair Sandie Gibb also came into the top five at #4. VW Sportsman qualifying top five after session 4:
No changes to the top five. Street Eliminator qualifying top five after session 4:
Ray Tucker improved again but stayed in #4. In the last but one pair Alex McIntosh moved into the top five at #3 whilst Ron Haslett ran a 10.37 which has got to be close to a PB, well done Ron! Improvements from both Ian Hook and Al Simms but staying #1 and #2 respectively. Lots of smoke from the FB Racing Coupe at the top end and Fatty was chased down by the safety crews. Word came back from the top end that Fatty is A-OK, a lot of oil exited the engine but most of it made the catch can. 13:55 Junior Dragster qualifying top five after session 4:
After the girls made the headlines last session, Nick Mugridge fought back for the boys by taking over the #1 spot. Junior Drag Bike qualifying top five after session 5:
Jake Carruthers moved into #3 spot. 9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 4:
Andy Bird took over the #1 spot in this session saving your reporter some difficult speed typing! Andy Haley moved into the top five at #4. 13:40 VW Alternate Engine qualifying after session 3:
Matt Attwood took over the lead in this session whilst Mark Skeen improved. Supertwin Gas qualifying top five after session 3:
Chris Stebbings moved up to #3 whilst Jerry Collier did it again - improved his ET and stayed in #2 spot. An improvement too for Don Irvine and he stayed in #5. Supertwin Fuel qualifying after session 3:
Andy Smith improved still further, and Duncan Hocking got a time on the board. That's the end of qualifying cycle 3. 13:30 Top Fuel Bike qualifying session 3 (left lane first): Ian Turburville 8.069/161.87, Steve Carey 7.224/182.54 A nice pair of runs, Steve Carey's bike was fishtailing all the way down the track but he stayed with it and a visibly harder launch this time. Turbo backed off at about 1100 feet so there's another seven just waiting to happen there. Qualifying standings after this session:
Roger Goring followed Top Fuel Bike with a checkout pass in the Firestorm Jet Funny Car after the team had to do some unscheduled last-minute maintenance. A great flame and thunder show then Roger rolled the beams, so he hit the throttle anyway, a good-looking run but no time or speed. 13:20 Outlaw Flat Four qualifying top five after session 3:
Ian Clark improved but stayed in place. Phil West moved into the top five again at #5. Super Comp qualifying top five after session 3:
Chris Johnson went right-side and into #5 spot in the first pairing, only to be bumped down a place by Andy Williams when he moved into #3. Tim Adam took off a tenth and moved up to #4. Outlaw Anglia qualifying top five after session 3:
Cliff Griffin improved his ET but stayed in #3. Trackside conditions after Outlaw Anglia were 20.3 C, 22% humidity and 29.85 inches air. 13:05 VW Pro qualifying after session 3:
No changes in this session. Wild Bunch qualifying top five after session 3:
Chris Hartnell back into the eights and taking over the lead on his birthday weekend, also side-by-side eights as Neil Ward in the other lane moved into #3. Super Gas qualifying top five after session 3:
Stuart Doignie moved up to #3. The Firestorm Jet FC has just appeared in the pairing lanes so we'll be getting clown all over the place soon. 12:55 Supertwin Street qualifying after session 3:
An improvement for Bev but no change in position. Supertwin Modified qualifying after session 3:
John Hackney the only racer to turn out for this session and he improved still further. Super Street qualifying top five after session 3:
Dave Cherrett starts his usual late-session charge, into #3 whilst Mick Howling moved into #5 spot at that point only to be bumped down a place in the next pair by Neil Grant. Leigh Morris into the 10.9s but stayed in #4 at that point. Lots of breakouts in this session. 12:45 Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association session 2 (left lane first): Jim Usher 7.142/202.60 bye, John Wright 7.063/164.35, Frank Bennett 7.315/184.23, Bob Glassup 7.056/186.92, Clayton Round 7.195/186.09, Dave Grabham 8.722/165.18, Joe Bond 8.272/157.70 A superb run for Jim Usher, personal best ET and speed, well done Jim! Jim feathered the throttle towards the top end as the car made a move for the centre line so there is more to come yet. Nitro v Alcohol next, John Wright left the line with a cylinder out but stayed with it even though the altered was drifting left all the way down the track, in the other lane a clean and straight pass from Frank Bennett. Next up was a pair of alcohol altereds, great paired burnouts and then a tremendous side-by-side race. A personal best for Bob Glassup, well done Bob! Bob also took Burnout of the Round. A classic out-of-shape-but-don't-get-off-it pass for Clayton. Two more alcohol altereds for the final pair, nice burnouts from both Dave Grabham and Joe Bond with Dave's altered stepping sideways nicely when he got off the throttle. Both Dave's and Joe's altereds were drifting towards the guardrail but both stayed with it, great passes from both. 12:25 Super Pro ET qualifying top five after session 3:
Sam Freeman moved into the #5 spot in the first pairing of the session, in the very next pairing Craig Owen moved into #2, the Crew Chief doing a great job in the absence of regular driver Mark Flavell. 12:10 Funny Bike qualifying top five after session 3:
A great run from Tim Blakemore, straight down the middle of his lane this time, moved him into #2 spot at that point. I am not sure that the front wheel actually came down before the finish line! Stu Chamberlain improved his ET very slightly but Tim bumped him down to #5. Neil Midgley came so close to the sixes, the bike fishtailing most of the way and into #1 spot, but he is on a new ACU UK speed record if he can back up the 195.91. Dave Bailey took #5 spot with the last run of the session. Trackside conditions before the start of Comp Bike were 19.5 C, 23% humidity and 29.85 inches of air. Comp Bike qualifying after session 3:
An improvement for Phil Leamon even though the bike didn't seem to want to go straight. Phil stayed in third. Dave Peters put in an easy pass, getting a time on the board after problems yesterday. Next up was Kev Charman who consolidated his #1 spot with another tenth off his ET. 11:55 Pro ET qualifying top five after session 3:
Unusually for Pro ET no changes to the top five in this session. Mike Lacey broke out but won't be unhappy with another nine, 9.933. Super Street Bike qualifying top five after session 3:
Nick Moore into the eights but stayed in #3 spot. Pro Stock Bike qualifying after session 3:
Dave Beck switched to his rent-a-ride bike for this session, Paul King took it very gently - I am guessing to get a time on the board. 11:45 9.50 Bike qualifying top five after session 3:
Just before Richard Sawatzki ran, I told track announcers Paul Venners and Tony Byng that he would take #1 spot as his name is so difficult to type quickly - and what happened? Richard took over #1 spot! Steve Coombs then moved into the top five at #2. Andy Haley took breakout of the day at 9.135, headed for SSB maybe? VW Sportsman qualifying top five after session 3:
Changes to the top five here as Graeme Freeman took over #2 spoy, Holly Baldwin came in at #3 and Graham Faihead improved. Paul Herbert's +0.120 of yesterday now only good for fifth. 11:30 Sportsman ET qualifying top five after session 3:
Ian Jackson moved into #4 after having to swallow John Parker's "Eat my shorts Chevy boy" in shoe white in the other lane! Geoff Cowley took #5 spot in the last pass of the session. Street Eliminator qualifying top five after session 3:
A nice pass for Jerry Charles but he stayed in #2 spot at that point, then in the penultimate run of the session Al Simms moved up into #2 bumping Jerry down a place. In the last run of the session Jason moved into #5 spot, another PB we think, well done Jason! 11:20 Junior Dragster qualifying top five after session 3:
Vicky Molden took over the lead and Jayne Kay moved into the top five at #3. Junior Drag Bike qualifying top five after session 3:
Dad stayed in #2 spot in Supertwin Gas so Scott Collier did the same, improving against dial-in. Andy Irvine moved up to #3. 11:10 Supertwin Gas qualifying top five after session 2:
A big improvement from Jerry Collier but he stayed in #2 spot. Trackside conditions at the start of Supertwin Fuel were 18.2 C, 30% humidity and 29.85 inches of air. Supertwin Fuel qualifying after session 2:
A big improvement from Wendy Clutterbuck put her into #1 spot at that point, and that was shut off a little early so there's more to come - a great-looking run. Andy Smith then took back the lead with a great-looking pass of his own. Top Fuel Bike qualifying session 2 (left lane first): Steve Carey 8.262/179.25, Ian Turburville 11.857/76.34 Turbo was on a flyer but the rear slick abruptly blackstriped at about 250 feet and he got off the throttle. Steve's bike sounded very lazy off the line. Qualifying standings after this session:
That's the end of qualifying cycle 2. 11:00 Super Comp qualifying top five after session 2:
No changes to the top five - mainly because every racer who ran in this session broke out! Outlaw Flat Four qualifying top five after session 2:
Phil West improved his ET but stayed in place, then in the next pair Jim Smith took over the lead. Martin Greaves then moved into the top five, #3 at that point. In the final pairing Dave Dinnings moved into the top five at #4. VW Alternate Engine qualifying after session 2:
Andy Raw went right side of index and moved up to #2 spot, Ian Huggan took over the lead, then in the penultimate pair Ian Sewell came in to #2 with his first run of the weekend. 10:45 VW Pro qualifying after session 2:
Glynn Morgan moved up to #2. Wild Bunch qualifying top five after session 2:
Changes to the top five here with Phil Sweeney moving into the top five at #2 at that point, and Chris Hartnell moving up to #3. Neil Ward broke out but his crew looked very happy with his 8.881/150.38. 10:40 Outlaw Anglia qualifying top five after session 2:
Improvements from Richard Colby and Rob Stone but no changes in positions. Super Gas qualifying top five after session 2:
Brendan Clancy moved into the top five, #5 at that point, then in the next pairing Stuart Doignie came in at #4 and bumped him down a place. Mark White then took over the lead and Jon Evans in the other lane moved up to #3. 10:30 Supertwin Street qualifying after session 2:
Improvements for all of the top three but no changes/ Supertwin Modified qualifying after session 2:
Tony Legg is out with a seized motor so we're down to two. A big improvement for John Hackney consolidates his #1 spot. Super Street qualifying top five after session 2:
Leigh Morris improved and moved up to #2 spot, and was bumped down to #3 by Martin Sanger a couple of pairings later. We had a lot of breakouts in this session, improved weather and thus track conditions doubtless playing a part. 9:30 Good morning and welcome from Shakespeare County Raceway. It's the second day of qualifying for the Open Sports Nationals and we're here to bring you all the news in association with American Car Imports. The Webster Race Engineering/MPM Oil webcam is on-line and is currently broadcasting a picture every sixty seconds. The weather has improved today, a lot brighter with plenty of sun warming up the track and the wind has changed direction. Trackside conditions right now are 16.4 C, 48% humidity and 29.85 inches of air. A big Good Morning to Jeanette and Shelby Webster who are tuned in from Rushden. We can tell you that Jon got here in one piece yesterday as we saw him trackside during Street Eliminator qualifying. Hope that CJ is OK and that it's all good news. We are picking up at 10:15 with the second session of Supertwin Street, after completing cycle two we then have three cycles of qualifying scheduled. Stay tuned and as soon as qualifying starts we'll bring you all the news. Reports and pictures ©Eurodragster.com |