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Thread: Gasser Circus Round 2 - Retro Show Race Report

  1. #1

    Gasser Circus Round 2 - Retro Show Race Report

    Round 2 of the Gasser Circus Showdown, had Gassers headed for the Retro show at Santa Pod. This was a one day event, but with the superb support of the Santa Pod crew, we were destined to utilise the RWYB on the Saturday to get our qualifying runs in.
    The weekend did not get off to a great start for Nogbad the Bad, as shortly after unloading the car a fuel leak was discovered, with the Barry Grant pump the culprit. With fuel drained a rebuild was on the cards, its moments like that you discover the rebuild kit is at home! The next morning the rebuild was complete, but with the slightest amount of fuel added to the tank, the fuel leak was not cured and could not be cured. That makes it a grand total of 50 miles, and not one but 2 BG fuel pumps are now US.

    Luckily a spare Holley courtesy of Sean Milsom was the best option, sorry the only option, however despite a huge box of various unions and joints we were one short to fit the pump. A quick phone call to Tony Pearson, and I was on a 15 minute road trip, while the rest of the gathered Gassers were into qualifying 1.
    As it turned out, Tony did not have one in his vast collection of unions either. All was not lost as Tony had in his workshop the Austin Dorset of Sean, and this is in a stripped down rebuild state, and Tony soon found the correct union on Sean’s redundant fuel system.

    As I pulled back into the Gasser Circus pits, it was eerily quiet and bereft of life. Realising that the Gassers were still in the fire up road, I took up residence next to the finish line wire fencing. I was able to watch the first qualifying runs, and although I may be slightly bias, it was an incredible sight seeing my fellow racers hammering past all of them on song.
    The fuel pump was soon fitted and my gratitude goes to Drew Mason for completing this task. Round 2 like much of the day was going to be delayed as some pesky rain showers showed up at various intervals and in various levels of ferocity. The Santa Pod track crew did a superb job throughout the day to get the racing back underway as soon as possible. By the end of qualifying, all 9 Gassers were through to the eliminations at the Retro Show. An odd number, ensures that bye runs will feature, so everyone was keen to see who could be in line for one. No1 qualifier Martyn Hallam in his ‘Whiplash’ Willys, was the beneficiary in round 1 and whoever won between Ray Irish and his ‘Gas Junkie’ Willys Pickup and Tim ‘Hank’ Holmes piloting his ‘Wragged Wedge’ Mopar would receive one in Round 2. Both cars ran super hard, so hard in fact they both broke out, but Ray went on to take the win as he broke out by the least.

    The next pair was a rerun of the Round 1 final, with Sean Milson in his ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ Morris van and Steve Matthews and his ‘Honky Tonkin’ 57 Chevy. Both cars wheelied across the start line, with all wheels firmly in touch with the track by the finish line, the win going in a reversal of the final to a very pleased Steve.

    Brian Gibson ‘Identity Crisis’, lined up against Graham Barton ‘High Anxiety’ Austin Devon and again both cars left the line with their front wheels dangling in the air, when the clocks stopped the lights went on in Brian’s lane.
    The final pairing was my Devon ‘Nogbad the Bad’, and I was up against ‘Green Onions’ the 55 Chevy of Ray Turner. Ray had been experiencing a problem with the car stuttering off the line, which the team thought was a carb issue. A different carb was fitted and within the Gasser Circus pits, Ray and his son Harvey soon established themselves as noisy neighbours, who perhaps should get an ASBO for the noise they were creating with seeking a solution. Back in the pairing lanes they were now hoping those issues were behind them and a late change took place as Ray vacated the driver’s seat for son Harvey. As the lights dropped so did Harvey’s right foot and as it turned out 2 thousandths of a second too early. As I launched and shifted to second I could see I had the win light, so knew a cherry was glowing in the opposite lane.

    Next up was Round 2 where ‘Identity Crisis’ was waiting for ‘Nogbad the Bad’. Both of us had dialled 11’s with Brian on an 11.29 and I had dialled 11.40. Moments after leaving the line Brian was ahead of me by half a car, and as we hit the top of the track, I crossed the line first but Brian had treed me taking the win. He now had the other bye in the semi-final which would secure his path to the final.

    With ‘Honky Tonkin’ on a bye Steve was soon through to the semi-final. The final part of the Round 2 jigsaw witnessed Ray Irish and Martyn Hallam going to the line after rolling burnouts. Martyn had dialled 10.85 with Ray in turn dialling 10.18 Martyn left the line fractionally before Ray with his now customary wheelie, Ray was quickly after him, too quick as it turned out as although the red-light did not activate on the line, Martyn and his Whiplash Willys received the win light Martyn running through on a 10.95.

    Time was now against us with a torrential downpour just making it ever more likely that we would not run off the semi-finals let alone the final. The track crew worked wonders and as 4.30 approached the cars were once again in the fire up road. Brian on a bye popped a huge wheelie off the line and once landed ran a strong pre final pass.

    The other semi-final had Steve Matthews ‘Honky Tonkin’ 57 burning out alongside Martyn Hallam’s ‘Whiplash’ Willys. Steve had dialled 11.22 and Martyn dialled 10.85. When the quartermile charge was over Steve was on his way to his second final in 2 rounds of racing with an 11.24 beating Martyn’s 10.97.

    Another light shower and within the pits we were unsure if the final could be run, but with the cars yet to cool down from the semi-finals, we received the call to go. Once in the pairing lanes all was not well within the cabin of ‘Identity Crisis’, as Brian anxiously watched two gauges, the engine temperature and the voltmeter which was confirming a loss of battery power. The startline crew were superb and brought the Gassers round with 3 motor bikes to run just ahead of them. The first pairing took off into the gloom as rain clouds stretched across the horizon and loomed menacing overhead. Unfortunately, one of them slowly migrated towards the centreline before sending a timing block off its mark. Everything was put on hold, but Brian could not switch off his engine due to the low battery and he could see the temperature had risen to 240. Crewman Dave leapt into action and released the bonnet and with a strong wind the forerunner of the rain clouds, angled the bonnet to not only allow heat out but cooling wind in. The track was swept and the block replaced, the last bike set off and finally the Gasser Circus protagonists could burn out.



    Brian still had his engine running and Steve fired his and the two brought their cars to the line, with Steve dialling 11.22 and Brian 11.40, the tree was activated. As the lights dropped the cars were off with a small wheelie from each, at the 8th mile they were still side by side and as they crossed the line it remained the same, but ‘Honky Tonkin’ stopped the clocks at 11.30 and identity Crisis 12.05 Steve and ‘Honky Tonkin’ taking the win. After losing the previous final, Steve had gone one step further, and he and his team could celebrate a hard fought victory.



    Now its only a few weeks until we get to do it all over again, but this time it will be Dragstalgia, Woo Hoo!

  2. #2
    Guest yjohnb's Avatar
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    Apr 2012
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    Have to say , looking in whilst crew for Paul Dale , there was some great racing and a good showing, nicely done !!
    Cheers
    John



    Sent from my iPhone using NSRA mobile app

  3. #3
    Thank you John, we appreciate that.

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