2008 Springspeed Festival
Sunday (qualifying and eliminations)


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Latest update: 15:40

NFAA racer Jim Usher said The Mob car has had a new fuel tank to enable longer burnouts and slower reversing from them. Major changes are being planned with a new car being built as early as 2009. He said "Dave Benjamin is racing in Bakersfield with the VRA this weekend. He's in the middle of building a new fuel altered and asked for my measurements. If that's with a view to a drive in the U.S. or to race it over here, I would obviously be interested."

Bjorn Martensson (above, left) has joined the nitro ranks of the NFAA with a car previously raced in the U.S. by Randy Rousseauto a best of 5.40. "I bought it on Racing Junk after encouragement from Patrik Pers", he said. Patrik (above, right) and members of his team are here to help Bjorn acclimatise himself to his new car. "I previously raced in Pro Street and this is a big step up." The engine is a Brad Anderson with direct drive and Littlefield blower. The team will be attending one more event this year. Patrik Pers said that he sold his Pro Mod Corvette to Patrik Andersson who will race it in Pro Street. This will allow him to run his Nitro Funny Car at Sunsvall, Piteå, Gardermoen and Hockenheim with tuning advice from Knut Soderqvist and Alan Jackson.

NFAA driver Dave Grabham ran a personal best of 7.42/174 on his first pass after switching to a three disc clutch. His 23-year drag racing career has always been in Chevrolet-powered altereds, the first being the Blue Dragon. After running a blown car for eight years, Phil Cornish constructed a new chassis for 2005. Andy Robinson carried out repairs after a wheelie and crash in one of the car's first passes. The car ran a best of 8.3 with a SBC and after the engine broke at the 2007 Thunderball, the team switched to a 520 cu in Rodek with 14:71 blower and 2 speed Lenco with Crower clutch. The car ran its first seven, a 7.95 at the 2007 Flame and Thunder Show. Dave said "The car has a six in it. My crew TC, Norm, my wife Hils, Steph, Chris, Robbie, Jo, Art, Alex and Tash are excellent and I can't thank them enough.

NFAA driver-in-waiting Fay Radcliffe said that father Pete's Burning Desire altered had suffered a lack of drive which prevented a run yesterday. The transmission problem appeared to be solved when the car was warmed up on my visit. She said "We've invested a lot in the car over the last five years with little to show for it so far. The chassis has been upgraded by John Rathbone and a BAE Stage Six block fitted." The self-built car is maintained in a garage unit shared with Neil Townson's Northern Spirit. Fay attended the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School Super Comp course and hopes to take the driver's seat when the bugs have been ironed out.

NFAA driver and Eurodragster.com sponsor Nick Davies said that Havoc threw a blower belt in the burnout yesterday. He said "We'll put a new one on and will hopefully run a good pass. The Wratten Brothers have taken our speed record with their 205mph run and congratulations to them."

Street Eliminator racer Ray Comer said "Last season we had some irritating electrical gremlins and Jon Webster help us to detect that the air/fuel ratio monitor was draining a lot of voltage. After we disconnected it the car immediately started to run eights with an 8.97 at the National Finals. Jon has put a lower ratio gear in the rear end which will help the sixty foot time - we want it to be back in the 1.3s. The car is running in the eights to my expectations which is great." It's also a considerable commitment for Ray as a one-man operation running his first serious racecar.

More thanks from Super Mod racer Craig Gibbs were due after a late night session. "We borrowed a fuel pump (above) from Nick Davies and had to make a new bracket up. Thanks also to the Fat Boys team for providing materials for the bracket and to Tim Mugridge who worked on it until past midnight."

Super Pro racer Dave Ward was host to the SCR Fire Crew as Dave Dingley gave a talk on emergency procedures. Dave Ward is pleased with the car improving from 9.5 to 8.7s thanks to a new progressive control nitrous system. The body is ex-Dennis Priddle and ran as Panic in the 1980s and would be legal for Nostalgia Funny Cars although Dave emphasised it is not for sale. The chassis is from a Model T altered previously raced by Eurodragster.com sponsor Fay Fischer.



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