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BRIGHTON SPEED TRIALS
Some of you may know that I had a previous life (fifteen years ago!) as a drag racer, and so was surprised to see a Dodge 'Super Gas' class dragster in the pits - especially as the event was on the same weekend as the World Finals at Santa Pod. I recognised the car from some five years earlier (the last time I went to the 'Pod) but not it's new owner - driver. I enquired as to why he wasn't at the World Finals and was told that he was! They'd qualified the car on Friday, drove down to Brighton for the speed trials and were to return in time for elimination's at Santa Pod on Sunday morning - talk about committed! The owner of the Dodge, Paul Marston, explained that he'd come along because his connections at Chrysler had asked him to, but it seemed that he'd wasted his time, as contrary to previous assurances, the MSA wouldn't accept his drag race licence, and now found themselves needing a driver. At this point I raised my hand. Fortunately my name still seemed to mean something, and after reminding Paul that I used to drive a nitrous oxide assisted small block Chevy powered dragster (capable of running the quarter mile in 8.68 seconds at over 150m.p.h.), I was offered the job. The car was set up for the sticky surface of Santa Pod, and was unlikely to stick to the streets of Brighton, but after a short driving lesson I managed to smoke the tyres for at least an eighth of a mile, after that the times improved and I finally got 'Grumpy's Dodge' into the top six run off. We ended up fourth overall, second in class and took home the quickest pushrod trophy. Paul swore that he was going to get his national speed 'A' licence for 2000. I had him join 7Oaks and invited him along to North Weald (near his home) to check the lay of the land. But as is often the case with best laid plans it didn't happen. Then I got the 'phone call, 'Dave, fancy driving the Dodge at Brighton?' I did my best to sound casual and accepted. At this point I should explain that the Dodge in question makes about 720h.p. and is capable of quarter mile times below 9.8 seconds at around 135m.p.h. - Its a bit of an animal, and for this year testing at North Weald (similar track conditions) had resulted in 10.4 second runs, not bad considering the car was heavily silenced to meet Brighton's regulations. Enough to have got BTD at last years Brighton. Unfortunately there was a couple of spoilers in the pack, another Super Gas dragster (a big block Chevy powered Datsun which could run half a second quicker than the Dodge), and a Chevy powered Chevron from Guernsey. After making myself comfortable in the Dodge, which was no easy task as it had a new seat and Paul is six foot two and I'm five foot six, I ended up running a 10.68 second pass, only to be beaten into third place overall by two hundredths of a second by the Chevron while the Datsun ran 10.25. Once again I'd got the American muscle into the top six run off, where all cars went slower than their previous runs so I pretty much ignored the result, only to discover that I'd won the top six run off as I'd gone slower by the least! Unfortunately I was at home when I found out, but Paul had stayed behind and collected one hundred pounds. As for our own car, Alli and I both went quicker than last year, which isn't surprising as we've fitted more power this year (still not 300h.p. though!) At time of writing I've not had the printed results, but I think we were fourth and sixth in class . However, it was curious that every other single seater went slower than previously, and only one made it into the top six but had broken and couldn't make it. I think perhaps it was a traction thing and it suited some cars better than others. Alli and I will be back next year in our car to have some fun, but Paul is retiring the Dodge in favour of something quicker and more modern, and maintains that he will have his full 'A' licence by then and drive it himself. Hopefully we will see him at North Weald driving a 306 in his first sprint. While I'm happy to encourage, there's a big part of me that hopes he doesn't get six signatures! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Paul and his mechanic Dave for allowing me to play with their car and having a bunch of fun. I just love doing those burnouts! Dave Gibbons |
