Santa Pod ‘Main Event’

Wet conditions and the promised May Bank Holiday sunshine did not materialise Saturday morning, however Santa Pod played host to the first round of the FIA/FIM European Drag Racing series…a three-day event featuring Europe’s best drag racers on two and four wheels, reaching speeds of 300mph and destroying the hearing of anyone not wearing substantial ear protection…

During the delay (it takes about an hour from the end of any rain to get the drag strip in a safe enough condition to race one of these monsters) I walked through the paddock where teams from across Europe were busy preparing their machines and running through final checks. I soon find one of the Top-Fuel teams (the cars that hit 330mph) assembled inside their paddock tent, all wearing what looked to be World War 2 era gas masks with all the windows and doors closed and engine running, this gave me my first real insight into what a unique spectacle drag racing really is. The paddock atmosphere really felt just like a big group of friends had gathered, yes sure they are all chasing a goal to be the fastest but these guys really look to be having a great deal of fun doing what they love to do, race. A lot of event organisers try create a family atmosphere but often this proves hard to really do however the drag racing community clearly is. Sure everyone knows the dangers involved but the thrill of the speed and the excitement of it all – even in the big budget pro teams, something often missing today in the circuit racing paddock in its now uber professional corporate persona. Winning a top-fuel crown and being the fastest driver is everything in this scene, but even for the amateur drivers, the engineering that ultimately leads to the incremental increases in speeds, the fruits of hard labour, this feeling can not be underestimated. These are speeds that few humans reach…fast jet pilots aside.

Once the action started on the strip it really became apparent that there is no ‘I’ in team, a team is needed for safety and the highest levels of performance, and almost all are decked out in ‘unique’ team shirts, hats and other gear. They all have a role, from helping line the car up after a mammoth burnout to warm the tires, to pulling the pins in the parachute, or just listening and checking the engine is running soundly.

Halfway through the day’s proceedings a 17-year old from Finland, Petteri Liimatainen, lined up for his second licensing run – to be able to race at future events he needs to complete a number of runs in his vehicle. He’s already had one run, in which he backed off after launch, a common thing to do on a competitors first run of the day, to ensure the vehicle is running out of the box correctly. This time he goes for it, nailing the start and holding his top-ethanol dragster steady for the length of the run, setting down a time that’d be very competitive in his class. The spectator stands, and assembled team members from all the classes give him a cheer and a round of applause, whilst he has more licensing runs to do, he’s literally kicked down the door and started his drag racing career with a huge, 300mph bang, and everyone in the travelling drag racing family is welcoming of him.

Come Monday, the real racing took place, or that was the plan. Heavy rain showers throughout the day curtailed most racing on the drag strip, with only a handful of classes getting full sessions in. Whilst getting a full bank holiday weekend of 300mph racing in is the aim, the British weather, as usual, had other ideas. The championship moves on to Hockenheim for the second round and with luck some better weather.

This was my first drag meeting and it definitely won’t be my last – this is a special sport I can only advise that drag racing really has to be seen to be believed. Go to a meeting.