CC Racing’s Doug Ripley premiered a whole new combination, with a TFX block and Brad Anderson heads replacing the KB based unit that had taken him to the National title in 2004. New combination gremlins appeared to have stalled the effort early in the weekend, but two new PBs into the low six second bracket and more to come from the superbly turned out Avenger gave the team upbeat smiles all round.

Last time out the Southern Rebel Saab shook Trevor Capewell into the barrier after a sterling debut in Top Methanol. It looks like 2005 will build on the positives, as Capewell lasted until the semi-finals and dropped the UK Methanol Funny Car record closer to the five second barrier with a 6.20. Consistency seems to be the buzzword in the camp.

Lindsay Deuchar runs his rail on a budget that would make a shoestring seem the height of extravagance, but making the very most out of very little is a Scottish national trait and Deuchar is no exception. A 5.799 PB in the first round of eliminations gave reigning European champion Dave Wilson a bit of a fright and left Lindsay with a big grin once the initial concern over the plume of oil smoke that followed him through the traps died down.

5.50’s this early in the season will have the European opposition in a sweat as Dave Wilson stamped his mark on the UK field, defeating perennial rival Rob Turner in the final round of eliminations. Team principal Anthony Cohen and your reporter have a deal whereby we don’t speak until the meeting is over (after two conversations cost two blocks a couple of years ago), the 2005 season promises more of the same!