Page 144 - Paddock Life Issue 13 ADRENALINE

THE FASTEST & LOUDEST
MOTORSPORT ON EARTH
Drag racing was imported by American NATO troops during the cold war. Races were held in West Germany beginning
in the 1960s at the airbase at Ramstein and Sembach and at various airstrips and racing circuits, before the opening of Europe’s first permanent drag strip at Santa Pod Raceway in 1966. Santa Pod Raceway, located in Poddington, Bedfordshire was built on a Second World War airbase, (RAF Poddington) once used by the 92nd Bomber group. The venue opened at Easter in 1966 and is now the home of European drag racing and has grown substantially since its 51 year existence.
Affectionately known as the ‘Pod’ few motorsport venues can offer such thrilling ‘close to the action’ viewing with over 35 different events there is a real emphasis on family entertainment.
Santa Pod has earned its reputation as the home of European drag racing, a sport which features the most powerful car and bike engines in the world, yet surprisingly very little is known about the sport despite having a huge dedicated following around the world. Today the raceway hosts events throughout the year including the FIA European Drag Racing Championships and the “Run What You Brung” events where anyone with a valid driving licence can have a go and put their own vehicles and skills to the test.
Drag racing has its origins in the USA during the 1920s. During prohibition, the sellers of illegal alcohol, the moonshine boys outran the authorities by making their innocuous runabout cars fast and powerful by hiding bigger and more highly tuned engines inside-the Hot Rod was born!! After the end of prohibition the Hot Rodder’s continued and all over America roads were being used to settle the ‘mine is faster than yours’ argument. Most towns had a main road running down the middle and junctions controlled by traffic lights. The Hot Rodder’s would race down the main drag from one set of lights to the other - the beginning of Drag Racing...
Drag racing is usually were one or two cars or bikes compete against each other or against the clock. Normally the race follows a short straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, more often the 1/4 mile (1320ft) with a shorter 3/16 mile 10 feet (1’000ft) becoming increasingly popular, as it has become the standard for Nitromethane- powered cars, Top Fuel dragsters and Funny cars.
Electronic timing and speed sensing systems have been used to record race results since the 1960s. Most recognisable of this is the ‘Christmas Tree’ start lights.
Bikes and cars have been drag racing for
nearly as long as the history of motorised vehicles themselves and has taken the form of illegal street racing, and as an organised and regulated motorsport.
Before each race (known as a pass), each driver is allowed to perform a burnout, which heats the tyres and lays down a layer of rubber at the beginning of the track, improving traction. Each driver then lines up (or stages) at the starting line. Modern professional races are started electronically by the ‘Christmas tree’ system, a column of lights for each driver/lane, and two light beam sensors per lane on the track at the starting line. Current NHRA (National Hot Rod association) trees feature one blue light (split in halves), then three amber, one green and one red.
When the first light beam is broken by a vehicles front tyres the vehicle is “Pre-Staged” 7 inches from the start line and the pre stage indicator is lit on the tree, as the second is broken, the vehicles “Staged” and that light is lit on the tree, vehicles may then leave the pre stage beam but must remain in the staged beam until the race starts. Once a competitor is staged, their opponent has a set amount of time to stage or they are instantly disqualified, indicated by a red light on the tree. Once both drivers are staged, the system chooses a short delay at random, (so to stop a driver anticipating the start) then the race starts.
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