Just let F1 die!

[Matt Harper]

I recall we had a postings 'session' a while back regarding Santa Pod and other drag race sites within the UK.

Nice shots from the Thunderball, Steve. Weather didn't look too good and the bloody pre-stage area is just as bad as it always was. Some pretty stout looking machinery though.
As you'd expect, US drag strips are a little more accommodating. IRP is the best I've been to, followed by Thunder Valley. Gainesville is good too. My local strip (Orlando Speedworld, at Bithlo FL) is better than the Pod, but it's not a minority sport here.
I stretch the Vettes legs at Speedworld from time to time, just to keep my hand in. Bracket/Handicap racing is fun, but hard on road tyres and heats up the tranny a bit. 12.66/102 is my best this season (on 50% worn Goodyear EMT's and a full gas tank - so not too shabby). Pennine was my favorite UK strip - a real friendly bunch of people and a bit of a short, bumpy shut-down, just to keep you on your toes, after a hard-charging pass!
Ooohh, I'm all nostalgic!  

[Steve Pyro]

We've finally got a decent Top Fuel European record.  Set at the May Santa Pod meet it may be a bit behind US times / speeds but it made a lot of people happy here :

Top Fuel Dragster: 4.832 seconds and 306.36 mph - Andy Carter

his site here: http://www.andycarter.net/

Plus, Pennine Raceway is now known as York Dragway (very cosmopolitan) - your nostalgia kick here : http://yorkdragway.intrica.co.uk/
(their server runs on steam)

[Dave H]

I'm headed up to Mid-Ohio this weekend, soapbox in hand, to watch the ALMS kick off their summer campaign.
Fax

Oh sh*t Fax.  Now I'm really thinking how shitty it is that I've got to head to Chi-town instead of Ashland next weekend.  Really wish I could have done this one.  Let me reiterate I'm deffo on for a blast down to the Petit in September.

Cheers

[Fax]

Dave,
Sucks you can't make it this weekend, we've had some good times at previous Mid-Ohio ALMS meetings.  Reserve the Oh-sh*t seat in the Turbo Terror for me for the blast down to Road Atlanta and the Petit.  A good nine hours of primal scream therapy is always refreshing.
John

[Andy Zarse]

Can anyone find Fax a soap box to stand on!  

I didn't bother signing-in, since I got back from France, as nobody seemed to have anything even slightly interesting to say, other than to report how arseholed they got, how much fun it was to draw on each other and how many banal yellow stickers they applied to people's person or property, whether they liked it or not.

Harper M, you're a miserable, miserable cumudgeonly old bas tard. You get out of bed the wrong side mate or is it the gout playing up again? Whatever, something's made you liverish.

Of course you've never regailed us in the past on CA with your tales of drunken debauchery, jolly japes and scrapes....

Maybe you're getting too old for it all these days, you could be better off in future watching LM on Speed Channel from the comfort of your own bathchair, whilst Timmins the butler pours you another glass of sherry.

And I know how much you like these new-fangled smiley things too  

[Matt Harper]

Now just a frikin' minute there, Hoss.

I know I am not the only contributor who finds page after page of "hello, you still at work?" - "Nah, knocked-off early today" type threads to be rather tedious. Similarly, entire threads dedicated to the antics of a couple of sh*t-faced girlies, fantasized over by a drooling mob of Club Arnage bedecked strange people, is a similar  pain in the arse. Yes, it is true. Like yourself, I have posted about some of my Le Mans experiences - but I've always endeavoured to include a point - or something vaguely humourous, as opposed to "We're right nutters, we are! We all get pissed! Then we throw water at strangers and threaten them with violence, if they complain"
I do not believe it is either civilised or vaguely normal to step into the street and demand that a car stops - and then to abuse the driver, if he doesn't do your bidding - and then to add insult to injury by sticking some half-arsed roundel on the poor bastards paintwork.
I would definitely have driven over the tosser that did that to me.
I couldn't care less how people enjoy themselves, as long as it doesn't impact negatively on me. It is wrong to assume that everyone will find things as amusing as you do.
You may or may not recall, but I finally made your acquaintance on the Saturday night, at the Champagne Bar. You did seem a little the worse for wear, but at least you (and the guys who were with you) were civilised and friendly. I did my best to be the same.
I was reminded of Alistair Simm - you are a dead ringer, so whenever I read your aggressive, insulting, derogatory postings to me, I shall think of the Headmistress in the old black and white  St Trinians movies, to give me a mental picture of my Commer-borne nemesis.

Here's on other thing I've noticed..... in all the fabulous pix that have been posted, why isn't anyone drinking? Worrying, that.....
   
 

[Andy Zarse]

Here's on other thing I've noticed..... in all the fabulous pix that have been posted, why isn't anyone drinking? Worrying, that.....

Oh no?? Look who's drinkin' here? Could it be Simm or George Cole? oright my son?

[Robbo SPS]

Children please.

Thata enough

p.s.

Nice photo  

On the thread of F1 and those who are slating American circuit racing....

I took a few minuted on the saturday to speak with Canada Phil whp explained that watching the rcing live, you can see a particular driver planning his over take laps in advance, and its quite entertaining. Its smoething i have eaten humble pie on and wil see a race on day..


Matt H - I was hoping to say hello at the poo bar, but was very busy saying Hi, where were you and your Bro hiding ?

[Dave H]

Now then Robbo!

We were there - rolled-up a little late so the majority of the mayhem had subsided.  Met-up with a few folks including Mr. Zarse who clearly had been drinking - absolutely no doubt of that at all.

I'm waiting to see that bus become part of your rolling gear to the Sarthe!

[Steve TTTD]

You'll be pleased to know the old corrugated urinal block has been removed and now replaced by a brick built facility.
The track still seems to be locked in the 70's though.  I don't know what the arrangements for spectators are in the US but the Pod still has a big mound of earth to stand on piled up on one side of the track and some very second hand tiered seating probably from a circus tent on the other side.

Steve, The Pod has improved immeasurably since the late seventies, when I started going regularly, OK the banking is still there, but it's become a bit of a tradition now, and I'd be sorry to see it go. Especially since it's part of the 'sound blocking' procedures and if it went it'd be replaced with the 'breezeblock' walls they had to put up at Avon Park.
The place does still have a long way to go, particularly in terms of toilets and catering facilities, but it gets better every couple of years.
From a racer's point of view it is unrecognisable, compared to 5 years ago, the pits are mostly tarmaced, the organisation is many times better than it was, and the track surface, especially at the international meets is the best in Europe.
Keith Bartlett deserves a medal for the amount of work and money he's put into the place over the years he's owned it.
He even resurfaced the entry road   which, old timers will know , used to need a 4x4 just to get from the gate to the track

[Brad Zarse]

<<mental not to self>>

Must go Drag racing at Santa Pod again soon - last time I went was the 1995 world finals........

Barry Sheavils was driving in Alcohol then  

[Steve TTTD]

As Steve Brown will confirm, you've got the perfect meet coming up in September.
The Euro (World) finals, biggest one of the year, it runs for 4 days now

[Steve Pyro]

Completedly agree with you Steve about the improvements, it's just that I have an old fashioned sentimentality for the place  

[Fax]

Regarding the US drag racing facilities, as Matt said its not at all a minority sport over here.  There's a huge amount of corporate involvment and TV exposure, the semi's and finals of the big meetings shown live on the ESPN network.
The facilities themselves are usually state of the art, spacious tarmac paddock, air-conditioned suites and press boxes, etc.  I've been to Cloumbus for the US Nationals back in the early ninties and found the place as spectator friendly as any of the US circuts.
John

[Steve Pyro]

Thanks John, just need to book my tickets now.

I've been meaning to find an excuse to get to the States for a big NHRA meeting for a while, I just need to go raid the money tree again.