OT - Santa Pod FIA European Finals this weekend

[SteveA]

Don't forget the FIA European Finals this weeked. It even looks like the weather might be kind!

http://v8.spa-networks.co.uk/s_images/sa2007pics/SantaPod0407/original/IMG_8368.jpg

http://www.santapod.co.uk/e_europe_finals.php

Should be a Blast!

[Rusty Spanner]

Don't forget the FIA European Finals this weeked. It even looks like the weather might be kind!


Going to be there Saturday.

Hearing is overrated anyway!

[timtime]

It should be a good event and I used to think it would be boring. I went and became hooked to the extent I now help sponsor a rider.

The sight and sound of the Top Fuels cars and bikes is something to behold. If you have never been before you literally feel the noise. The car engines are actually quite unsophisticated with their origin dating back to the 60's but the performance is anything but 7000+hp and over 300mph in under 5 seconds.

The track should be good with Santa Pod hoping to reclaim the title of the fastest track in Europe.

If you see someone with http://www.timtime.co.uk on their shirt stop me and say hello.

Tim

[Rusty Spanner]

The sight and sound of the Top Fuels cars and bikes is something to behold. If you have never been before you literally feel the noise.

Oh yes

SONOMA, Calif. -- The earth moved today in Sacramento, but not because of an earthquake. Doug Herbert and the Snap-on Tools Top Fuel team fired the Snap-on Tools dragster for DragQuake, an experiment of seismic proportions.
Melvyn Record of Infineon Raceway had a front row view of the action, sitting in the cockpit of the Snap-on Tools dragster as Herbert and the Snap-on crew brought the 7,000 horsepower racing machine to life.

As Herbert hit the throttle, members of the local media and several fans were taken aback by the sheer power and noise created by the powerful nitro-burning engine.

As those watching took in the excitement of hearing and seeing a Top Fuel dragster in person, Dr. Doug Brittsan, of Brittsan CPT, measured the movement of the earth with a mobile seismograph.

Once the dragster had been shut off, Dr. Brittsan got to work evaluating the data. End results? The movement of the earth created by the Snap-on Tools Top Fuel dragster was equivalent to an astounding 3.9 on the Richter scale.

"The biggest earthquake Sacramento could have would measure .2 g's of horizontal acceleration," said Dr. Brittsan, "and we had a reading of over two and half times that, .56 g's of horizontal acceleration when he hit the throttle. It was just wild!"



http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=141596

[SteveA]

That's exactly why you don't want to use a mono / tripod for Top Fuel photography, because it transmits the ground movement straight into your camera. The shock absortion of the human body works wonders!

Are you going, Witty? ;)

[Reynard]

That's exactly why you don't want to use a mono / tripod for Top Fuel photography, because it transmits the ground movement straight into your camera. The shock absortion of the human body works wonders!

Are you going, Witty? ;)

Fraid not, Steve. I'm in Maidstone stewarding at a cat show this weekend... :rolleyes:

[SteveA]

Shame- you could have shown me up!

Here's my effort from Saturday. For anyone that was there, I'm afraid I missed the big ProMod wreck... What a time to take a toilet break :(

http://www.spanet.demon.co.uk/StevePics07/index.htm

[JDPower]

Here's my effort from Saturday. For anyone that was there, I'm afraid I missed the big ProMod wreck... What a time to take a toilet break :(

http://www.spanet.demon.co.uk/StevePics07/index.htm
What is img_0797 (the one with just a flame)?

[SteveA]

That'll be the Firestorm jet car. Note the guy trying to BBQ a chicken in IMG_0776!

[timtime]

Steve

What a weekend that was, I was there Fri, Sat and Sun and it was enthralling. Saturday particularly when the pressure started to show in the eliminations.

I was lucky and managed to capture the Promod going across the track on two wheels at 45' and took a copy which they had hanging up in their pit yesterday. I also managed to capture Hans Olaf's fireball, it was just the spilt second he is completely engulfed in flames. I will put them on my website in the next couple of days and post a link.

The highlights for me were Urs's win, Hans Olafs 238mph pass on Sun, stunning on its own but even more so when you know his bike had detonated beneath on the run before, the Fuel funny cars despite their lack of track time and I was also pleased for Roger Goring with his improvements. Top Fuel bike was down to the wire and as nice as it was to see Ian King take the title I felt very sorry for Luigi Ferretti. It really was an action packed dramatic weekend.

Tim

[timtime]

I have now put up the first two galleries from the European Finals and they can be found at http://www.timtime.co.uk/album_efinalsfri07.html and http://www.timtime.co.uk/album_efinalssat07.html. Hans Olafs fireball and Rolf Ammans wild ride are both in the Saturday galleries.

Other galleries are from the recent USC2007(Ultimate Street Car) not for children and MITP07 (Minis) at Santa Pod and the Bulldog Bash at Shakespeare County. They are all at http://www.timtime.co.uk.

The website is in its infancy and it is still a learning curve.

Tim

[LessThanSte]

That'll be the Firestorm jet car. Note the guy trying to BBQ a chicken in IMG_0776!

I thought they were closing the barn on health and safety grounds?

Is it still open then?

Wish i could have got along, went 2 years ago and it was amazing. Will go again someday!

[timtime]

L T S

It was supposed to be closed after the Main Event in May but surprisingly remains open. I actually drove over to get some photos of it when the Main Event got rained out because it was supposed to be going immediately but as you can see it hasn't happened yet.

It will be a shame to see it go although I have never undestood the fascination of watching from there it is very handy when it rains.

Last weekend was a cracking event there was action and drama all the way with come from behind championship victories and championships actually been decided in the final elimination rounds. Personal bests and tumbling records plus "dry" conditions which was a real surprise for this summer.

Tim

[Abo]

Other galleries are from the recent USC2007(Ultimate Street Car)

Not many cars! ;)

[Turkeyneck]

Superb photos (& web site) Tim, I couldn't make that meeting due to working that weekend so the photos are a bonus.

I've been going to the Pod since the mid seventies (Dennis Priddle/Peter Crane/Al's Gasser/Stripteaser etc) & the 'shed' used to be a favourite postion to watch from. All the people that say that drag racing is easy, 'just floor it & go in a straight line' should watch from directly behind & see how difficult it is to keep 5-6000 hp going straight! Incredible driving skill, especially the Big bikes. Much respect to all of them.

Keep up the good work with your camera.

[acorn]

I've been going to the Pod since the mid seventies (Dennis Priddle/Peter Crane/Al's Gasser/Stripteaser etc) .....

if you want a trip down memory lane my albums of that era are here:

http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h220/imp71/

[Turkeyneck]

Superb photo's, oh the memories !! Thanks, that was a great trip back to the good old day's.

This one's my favourite

[timtime]

I have added my final galleries from the European Finals covering on track action from Sunday http://www.timtime.co.uk/album_efinalssun07.html and Pits/People/Presentations/Sleeping salesmen http://www.timtime.co.uk/album_efinalspits07.html

It is amazing what I have noticed in some of the photos including Joran Persaker picking up both front wheels, Gary Page lifting one front wheel and Urs Erbacher taking one hand off the butterfly all at high speed approaching the 1/8th.

Now busy working though my photos from last Sunday.

Tim