Santa Pod Raceway

The boys go for an engine fuelled day out to watch drag racing.

• 2 Jun 2012
• 3 min read

The day begins for me at West Drayton station where Lee & Jim-bob pick me up and give me a lift to Towcester. We go to a busy Little Chef and just have coffee, while the boys from Dorset are already woofing down a McDonalds. After sharing out the tickets we head for the event - don't talk to us about SatNav from the car behind.

We get rain and drizzle for the whole journey, which concerns us for the event, but also means our summer dress is inappropriate. As we make our way into Santa Pod we see a helicopter ride, monster truck ride, cars for a drifting display and a fun fair for the kids. I find a sausage & egg roll for breakfast.

As we wait for the track to dry out, we take a walk around the pits, see the cars, the bikes and talk to a couple drivers - apparently a dragster's rear tyres can last up to two years as there aren't many events. As they finish drying the track out, we hear the car engines for the first time. I grab a hog roast for lunch and we find a spot on the grass bank near the start line for the afternoon.

The weekend is billed as "FIA - The Main Event 2012", The FIA European Drag Racing Championships Inc UEM Drag Bikes, which include:
• FIA Top Fuel Dragster
• FIA Top Methanol Dragster
• FIA Top Methanol Funny Car
• FIA Pro Modified
• FIA Pro Stock
• UEM Top Fuel Bike
• UEM Supertwin
• UEM Pro Stock Bike
• UEM Super Street Bike Cup

Other special features during the afternoon included a Spitfire fly past - what a fantastic aircraft. We notice a two seater dragster on the track called Thrill Ride; we learn that anyone can experience the blistering acceleration for a few hundred pounds. Once the competition cars and bikes were finished, we were all treated to the sound and spectacle of a jet car, followed by a rocket bike.

We round off the day with a beer and an evening meal in a nearby pub found in the good beer guide. The menu isn't extensive, so most of us go for the smothered chicken & chips, followed by baileys cheesecake, whilst still talking about the noise and speed of the Top Fuel Dragsters - has to be seen to be believed.

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