Santa Pod

[Peter Bell]

Someone recently mentioned Santa Pod on here and I would just like to say that my daughter and I went about 2 weeks ago to see what it was like now. It was GREAT! there were lots of bikes running with fearless (crazy) riders, the fastest I saw had a terminal speed of 188. Included in the many cars there was a class for street legal cars, they had to do a road cruise of 20 miles the day before, there was a couple of Ford 100Es a 105E an FD Vauxhall Victor, that did about 160 but the fastest was a green G reg Audi, externally pretty standard that hit 182! Closer up it had 500 cui engine where the dash should be, a blower in front of that and where the passenger seat should have been were lots of nos bottles. Look out for it at the local traffic lights. there was a top fuel that someone was learning to drive, 6000 hp, the sound of that made your body shake when he took off. They just started up a Jet car when the rain came down so that was the end. It was an enjoyable time, and you can just wander around the pit area and chat to everyone, they all seemed friendly. The previous time I went was in the late 60s, it hasn't changed a great deal in that time but the cars and bikes have.

Peter

[Guest chris brown]

Peter sounds like you are setting your self up to organise a trip there for the Herts group for next year

[Guest Friar Tuck]

It must be at least 30 years since I went to Santa Pod, they used to run motorbikes with Vincent engines then, and they were quick, but nowadays road bikes would beat them !

 

Don't restrict it to the Herts area lads, We would definitely be there, I have been talking about taking my wife there for a couple of years.

 

Do they have camping facilities there, or nearby? Could it be combined with something at Billing, it's not that far away is it?

 

Maybe get Rizla to compete with Alan Rowe in a "Run what you brung" !!

 

Roll on next summer! Trip to Scotland and a jaunt to the Drag Races !! sounds great

 

Friar Tuck

[Guest rizla]

they do indeed do run what you brung days,if i remember correctly you have to register/book in advance

 

as for me and alan,why restrict it,get a few of us in it,im sure it would be entertaining

 

ps but id win

[Bob Tucker]

Guys,

Ive been a long term fan of drag racing for over 30 years...its just got better & better. There's variety that the F1 guys never imagined. At one meet you can see top fuel bikes (1000hp) top fuel dragsters & funny cars (6000 hp), jet powered cars (eq to 50,000 hp!) snowmobiles!!!, street bikes that do 150 mph at the top end, and 12 year olds in junior dragsters doing 75 mph after 1/8 mile. Thats apart from the "street" cars that Friar & Peter mentioned.

All for max of £26 per day, kids under 16 free.

I'll be there on 6th November for the Flame & Thunder show. Theyre running a top fueller at dusk, 8 off six foot pink flames going past at 300mph, as well as the jet car with full afterburner.

 

I'd be happy to lead a convoy up there from Kent any time next year.

You can camp there for weekend meets.

Meantime, heres some interesting sites, the "Archive"

is for nostalgia fans...

 

www.santapod.com/

www.eurodragster.com/

www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk/

www.avonparkraceway.com/

 

Bob T.

[Bob Tucker]

And heres the reason I got into drag racing....

my brother & a group of friends campaigned this Comp. Altered

for a few years.....I drove the push car (no on board starters, no remote starters) memories eh...

 

link 1

 

Link 2

 

Bob

PS the name has been in continuous use on a number of dragsters ever since 1971 by one of the original group, Pete Lane.

 

 

 

Links done...Jim

Edited October 20, 2004 by Big Jim

[Guest Lew]

Im also going on Nov 6th,

can't wait, it's my first time with santa so im not sure what to expect, apart from s**t loads of noise!

 

Im taking the video camera along so i'll be sure to put the best on the site for you all to dribble at!

 

Lew

[Peter Bell]

Friar do you mean bikes like these? Alf Hagon and David? Brown.

These were from the previous meeting I went to.

Peter

[Guest Friar Tuck]

Peter

 

Yes those were the sort of things I saw. I think my last visit was round aboput 1974/5.

 

A trip now would really bring me up to date !!!

 

See you there !!

 

Friar

[Dave R]

i will be there november the 6th for the flame and thunder if the weather is ok

i live close enough to hear the fireforce cars from home

[Guest timswait]

Just read in one of the motorsports mag that a new European record was set at Santa Pod recently. I think it was about 4.8 seconds and terminal speed of 306mph! That's got to be scary!

[Guest the bear]

Around the 70's the photo would be of the elder son I think Graham obviously the son of 24 speed record holder George Brown. It's too slim to be George. He died in 1979.

 

The bike was either Nero or Super Nero, and featured a Vincent engine, Vincents were Stevenage based and my grandmother used to work for them.

 

As a kid I would be found in George Browns shop every weekend begging for stickers and posters. If I was a good lad on polished it afterwards, I would be allowed to sit on the bike while it stood in the window.

 

There are numerous stories of George racing the bikes around town and in fact once had a case dismissed as the magistrate said that the reported speed of 110 mph was ridiculous!!

[Guest chris brown]

That brings back memories Nero and later Super Nero at Brighton

[Guest Battery Bill]

Chris

That brings back memories Nero and later Super Nero at Brighton

Pull up a Sandbag and I will tell you a story!

[Peter Bell]

It must have been '66/67 sorry can't remember which Brown or Nero it was. There was also an American there called the Mitchigan Mad Man who had a V8 engined bike who crashed into the finishing timing lights trying to go faster than Alf, he didn't achieve it. The problem was Hagon broke the British record but shouldn't have been at the meeting as he was in in the wrong association Bhra? or something so I don't think it was recognised. Not bad for a 1920s JAP engine.

Peter