European Drag Racing News (2024)

Good Morning,Eurodragster.comare ready today to bring you live coverage from the FIA/FIM-E European Finals, supported byJohn Woolfe Racing.

To follow our coverage, go to our event index byclicking hereor to follow the live reportingclick here.

‘Chatty bunch, those drag racers!’

Racers who participated in Dragstalgia in July may recall being visited by a team from Classic & Sports Car magazine wandering the Santa Pod pits on the hunt for material to compile an article in a forthcoming issue. The team were delighted with the reception they received – ‘Chatty bunch, those drag racers,’ said the leader.

The October issue of ‘Britain’s best-selling classic car magazine’ is now on sale and contains an illustrated six-page Dragstalgia feature by writer Ryan Standen and photographer Jack Harrison which includes detailed photo profiles of nine of the racers interviewed. Classic & Sports Car magazine is available on news stands nationwide, price £6.50, and online by clicking here.

Image attached: Classic & Sports Car magazine front cover – October 2024 issue

Congratulations to the winners of the2024 Straightliners Championship round 7at Melbourne Raceway last weekend.

Complete lists of ETs and speeds recorded on Saturday and Sunday, including RWYB bikes, are available by clicking on this link. Thanks toMartyn Greatheadfor supplying Straightliners Championship results and points, which are available byclicking here.

Roger Goring and Julian Webb, jet funny car and Spiderman, put on a great flame and thunder show before blazing down the 1/8th with low 4sec runs, Roger setting a new track record speed of 203mph and Julian on the 200mph mark.

Saturdays first run for Graham Sykes, with the new set up on Force of Nature, endured a wild run but still crossing the stripe at 159mph. Sunday’s run ran much smoother with a 3.64sec run, just shy of his 3.60sec best, at 159mph. the main menu above.

NO MERCY SHOOTOUT BIKES

The 15 bike field eventually whittled down to the final with some close finishes along the way. Andy Higham made it through on his Deofol 500 with Peter Slater, who’d whisked Sue away via helicopter on Saturday night, made it to the other final spot against some tough competition. Peter took the win with another trademark wild ride and another 5sec run, by the way Sue said yes to Peter’s proposal!!

6 SECOND CLASS

In the fastest class it was quite amazing that the top three qualifiers were all on 6.12sec passes, Ian Wicks, Jamie Brooks and Maxine Taylor, with Peter Slater just 1/100th behind on 6.13secs. In the semi’s Maxine red lit against Peter and Ian beat Chris Hodgson. Peter once again lined up in a final but it was Ian who took a well deserved win pushing Peter to a run under 6secs, a 5.94sec for a breakout.

JUNIORS

Once again last round winner, Maisie Thornton made it through to the final pushing William Mountford to a breakout in the semi and Jack Taylor beating Toby Jackson. Maisie was quick away on the green but Jack just managed to cross the line first for the win.

JUNIOR SPRINT CAR

Poppy Brook pushed Jude Elliott to a red light to match up against Dexter Wilson who’d gone through on a bye. Come the final and Poppy had at last got the hang of the tree and was quick away sadly breaking out big style so Dexter took a popular win.

SCOOTER SHOOTOUT

Eric Cope beat Amy Wolstenholme to match up with Stuart McVicker in the final Eric crossing the stripe first.

NSCC SATURDAY

Saturdays 13 car field saw Ian Walley beat Grace Sleath in the semi with James Murray beating Derek Beck for the other place, once again a MK2 Cortina final. James cut a perfect green and was away to beat Ian.

NSCC SUNDAY

Stephen Gilmour made it to the final beating Nick Gunby with Ian Walley beating Craig Brown, who’d done a sterling job to make it to the semi’s, Ian then dispatching Stephen for another win.

NORA ELIMINATIONS

With a mix of bikes and scooters in the NORA Championship and based on the shootout formula of dial ins and staggered tree it was Eric Cope, Lambretta, who lined up against Rob Kneeshaw, Suzuki 750, in the final. Just 0.10 of a sec split their dial ins with Eric leaving first. Sadly Rob was too keen and got himself a red light handing the win to Eric.

We would like to thank former editorAndy (Tog) Rogersfor covering the weekend with on and off track pictures. You can check out ourJohn Woolfe Racingsponsored Melbourne Raceway results and gallery byclicking hereor by clicking on the Events link in

Good Morning,Eurodragster.comare ready today to bring you live coverage from the FIA/FIM-E European Finals, supported byJohn Woolfe Racing.

To follow our coverage, go to our event index byclicking hereor to follow the live reportingclick here.

TheFIA/FIM-EEuropean Finals Test & Tune Dayhas begun today, you can follow the Coverage fromSanta Pod Racewaybyclicking here.

Eurodragster.com today will haveJuliancovering the pictures. Live reporting byGrahamwill be from tomorrow onwards.

We will update when the gallery is completed and uploaded to our Event Coverage byclicking hereor go via Events in our main menu. Our event coverage is supported byJohn Woolfe Racing.

Thanks to Jordan Payne for sending in this announcement that Global Emissions Systems Incorporated (GESi®) will be featured on the Sticky Situation Racing Comp Eliminator Corvette this weekend during the FIA European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway.

GESi®, founded by NHRA Pro Stock / Pro Mod driver Eric Latino, has conducted over 20 years of R&D in creating and testing their patented and proprietary advanced emission reduction technology called Dry Selective Catalyst™ (DSC™).

“I was very fortunate to be introduced to Eric in April by Freddie Turza of VP Racing Fuels,” said Jordan. “Whilst in North Carolina to visit the 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway Eric was very generous with his time - showing me around the incredible KB Titan Racing facility and going out of his way to introduce me to the team”.

Since 2001 GESi® has been involved with the performance aftermarket, offering solutions to those looking for emissions control in their high horsepower vehicles. Filling a void in the market, where inexpensive ceramic converters just can’t meet the demands of these environments.

Today, G-Sport Emissions Systems, a division of GESi®, works with numerous high performance exhaust manufacturers of European, import, and domestic aftermarket downpipes and exhaust solutions that meet or exceed today’s emissions regulations without compromising performance.

“I’d like to thank Eric and show my appreciation by promoting GESi® at the European Finals,” said Jordan. “If you own a performance vehicle and don’t want your catalytic converter to compromise your vehicle’s performance, then G-Sport by GESi® is your solution! I’d like to wish Eric and the whole team at KB Titan Racing the best of luck for the remainder of the NHRA season.”

G-Sport by GESi - High Flow Catalytic Converters website can be visited by clicking here.

Today is the centenary of the birth of late racer ‘King’ Harold Bull who was the first down the hallowed Santa Pod Raceway quarter mile and is a member of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Also Happy Birthday to Mark Rumble, Crew Chief to Samuel in Junior Dragster and Wayne in Super Gas, Mark is celebrating his birthday at Santa Pod on Wednesday 4th September. Hope you have a great day Mark!

Thanks to photographer Ashley Booth-Dale for sending in his links toThrustfest from Melbourne Raceway last weekend, you can view them by clicking: Facebook and Flickr. Ashley has send in also this link for his"unofficial 5-second club" list.

Friday 6th September in the evening Santa Pod will have the Nitro Session and a message to ALL racers and crew members that they are welcome to watch theNitroSession from the main Grandstand "free of charge"at the forthcoming FIA/FIM European Finals.

Free entry will be permitted from 5pm (Fri 6^thSept only) with access through gate numbers 111-248. A racer ticket or start-line pass will need to be shown to the grandstand stewards before entering.

N.B We also politely remind you that the Grandstand operates a strict NO SMOKING/VAPING policy.

This weekend'sBad Habit Racing Perfect Light Awardhas been reset to£100after no winners at the last couple of events. The money will be paid to the first racer at the event to record a Reaction Time of 0.000 seconds. The Perfect Light Award is available in all classes during both qualifying and eliminations, but will only be awarded for the first Perfect Light of the event. The Perfect Light Award is presented in association withCath and Tig Napierof Modurstang Pro ET team Bad Habit Racing.

Decals are not mandatory for the Perfect Light Award but we would appreciate it if Eurodragster.com decals are carried. Eurodragster.com decals are available in Signing On or from Eurodragster.com staff.

TheHayley HadfieldPerfect ET Awardsupported byAndy Hadfieldhas been reset to £50 after it was won by7.60 Heads upracerJohn Sleath at the Greenlight Nationals. The money will be paid to the first racer at the event to run +0.000 on index or dial-in. The Hayley HadfieldPerfect ET Award is available in Peter Nee Super Pro ET, Modurstang Pro ET, Hutchinson & Dibley Sportsman ET, W.A. Watts Automotive Super Comp, Tony Morris Carburetors Super Gas, Pro Race Engineering VW Pro, Quantum Leap Racing VW Sportsman, Lucas Oil Junior Dragster, JKE Race Works 8.50 Bike, Atlantic Fluid Tech 9.50 Bike, Warpspeed Racing ET Bike and Eurodragster.com Junior Drag Bike. But will only be awarded for the first Perfect ET of the weekend. The Perfect ET Award is presented in association with Andy 'Fadster' Hadfield of theTwister RaceTeam in memory of his late wife Hayley.

Decals are not mandatory for the Perfect ET Award but we would appreciate it if Eurodragster.com decals are carried. Eurodragster.com decals are available in Signing On or from Eurodragster.com staff.

TheBob's Photo Finish Award, which is presented in association with Eurodragster.com sponsorBob Roberts, will award£50each to the racers involved in the closest finish of a green light and non-breakout race of eliminations at this weekend's event. At the Greenlight Nationals Event the Award was won byEurodragster.com Junior Drag Bike racersSophie PollenandMaggie Smallman with a finish line margin was0.0006seconds or0.74522inches.

The closest race will be decided upondistancerather than time since, for example, 0.001 seconds at 230 mph is further than 0.002 seconds at 110 mph. For this reason the official timing data will need to be consulted so the winners will be announced here on Eurodragster.com as soon as possible after the event and the winners will then be contacted for their preferred method of payment. The award will be paid on green light drag races only, and not on bracket races where there is a breakout.

In 1964 Sydney decided he wasn’t going to drive anymore handing the keys to Alan who got his first experience of driving a dragster, jumping from a rally 100 bhp Ford Anglia, to a 5.7 litre V8 supercharged machine. Alan also drove one of the new blown 1500 Ford powered Allard Dragons and was kept busy driving both dragsters at the 1964 Drag Festivals.

A second big Allard Dragster was built at the end of 1964 and Alan was once again in the driver’s seat driving in the rain at Blackbushe during the 2nd Dragfest. Then in 1966 Alan took it to Elvington for a shot at the quarter mile standing start world record.

Alan also ran the Allard Dragoon Anglia at Santa Pod in the 60s taking many Competition Altered wins. Read more by clicking here.

Thanks toRemco ScheelingsfromDrag Racing Europefor this update from Ivan Sansom & Rose Hugheson Alex Hope:

Raising an eyebrow or two on the FIM-E Euro Finals entry list is the reappearance of Alex Hope in Pro Stock Bike after a few seasons away. With father Chris overseeing the refresh of his old stocker that Alex last steered in the late 2010s, followed by a couple of years in Super Street Bike action, the V&H 2 valve Suzuki could shake things up for those in this year’s points chase.

You can read the full article by visitingthis link.

The FIA European Championship is ready for a grand finale at Santa Pod

The FIA European Drag Racing Championship reaches its climax with the European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway, the traditional grand finale of the season. In all four categories the championship is yet to be decided and especially in Pro Modified, where the top four are separated by only a few points, anything can happen and the title fight may last until the final run of the season. But also in Top Fuel Duncan Micallef can’t relax as the championship leader is closely followed by Susanne Callin and even Jndia Erbacher can’t be counted out. In Top Methanol Jonny Lagg is the clear favourite, while in Pro Stock Jimmy Ålund will try to remain undefeated while claiming his 13th European Pro Stock title.

You can read the full article by visitingthis link.

Former Eurodragster.com editorAndy (Tog) Rogersis atMelbourne Racewayfor this weekend'sStraightliners Round 7. You can see his galleries of on-track and off-track pictures from day 2 of the event, plus results by going to our event coverage page atthis linksupported byJohn Woolfe Racing.

Melbourne Saturday off- and on-track galleries and best times (courtesy Martyn Greathead) now showing onEurodragster.com.

Hockenheim weekend was fantastic, we started out the weekend with soft set up and it resulted in a solid qualifying run. We suffered a fuel problem from the previous event in Tierp, but by Saturday we solved the issue and got the bike running smooth at idle again.

On Sunday elimination round one and two we kept in on the safe side with a soft setup to get through the day without any troubles, this was to save the bike for a potential runs. We would have turned the screws, but he didn’t make it and we had to face Chris van Nimmen in final.

We would have loved to turn everything up for the final, but we soon realised we had a big leak on the rear cylinder and a valve spring had broken and we’ve bent a valve. With the issues we worked extremely hard to get everything changed including the head just in time for the final.

We ran with a minimum service and set up, but the bike did run very well, better than we expected and we won the race and the event. This kept our winning streak going since 2022.

Next round is at Santa Pod Raceway for us with the championship already secured, so if the conditions are good, we will have a go at the world record for normally aspirated bikes.

We are there to win the race and that will be our focus if the conditions are good, we will not miss the chance of a record attempt.