Words by Ivan Sansom
Photos by Ivan Sansom and Rose Hughes
4/20/06
The season opener at Europe's oldest permanent drag strip provided the opportunity for a number of the FIA/UEM European Championship teams with a relaxed start to competition in the form of the Pro Fuel shootout for nitro dragsters and funny cars, as well as entry into the huge supporting cast for the second round of the UK National Championship. On top of all of this were the 40th anniversary celebrations for the facility, with the Saturday of the meet set aside for a "gathering of geezers" from the pages of British drag racing and the presentation of the initial tranche of the British Drag Racing Hall of Famers. Unfortunately, a great British tradition, rain, prevented the completion of most of the eliminations, but the four-day event saw some great action between the showers.
Saturday's celebrations also saw the return of the original raceway starter Stu Bradbury (above) to the startline, sending a couple of pairs of the Wild Bunch nostalgia racers away in traditional fashion with the starting flags he used way back when. |
Period perfect, but very much up to date, is the Havoc Bantam altered of King, Loaring and Davies. The Rob Loaring-tuned BB/FA propelled Nick Davies to very impressive mid sevens on its first full appearance at the track, carrying the front wheels a long way past the christmas tree in Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association action.