Thursday 31st March 2016

Santa Pod Sunday Service 03/04

Sunday Service opens Santa Pod's strip to run what ya brung ... but what will you bring?

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Up to much on Sunday? You are now! Yes, we've got a Sunday Service lined up - potentially our biggest to date and one with a difference.

Chances are you've heard of Santa Pod Raceway in Bedfordshire, it being one of the best-known drag strips in the UK. Based on an old airfield there's tons of space to gather and show off your pride and joy. But with a facility like that available it'd be rude not to open up the strip and let you see what your car can do.

To that end we'll be bringing a new Ford Mustang 5.0 GT, complete with factory standard and burnout friendly line-lock function, and running up the strip against ... well, what have you got? Yes, consider the gauntlet thrown, a thread already developing with one PHer offering his manual M4 as a contender for what promises to be a very interesting showdown. Once you've signed up (details below) put yourself forward for a duel here!

Synonymous with drag racing, Santa Pod has played host to almost every type of petrol fuelled vehicle, from dragsters to bikes, hot rods to supercars and much, much more. Since opening in 1966, its three-quarter-mile tarmac strip has witnessed both the making and breaking of speed records, including the current World Drag Racing Record.

In case any Golf R owners out there would like a shot at beating Sammy Miller's time of 3.58 seconds at 386.26 mph there will be 200 places for PHers to show them, and each other, who's boss. Entry to the drag racing is separate and tickets can be found via this link. If you want to drag race then please sign up for the Sunday Service as well!

As always attendance to the Sunday Service itself is free, although we continue to appreciate donations of sweets and treats. Should you wish to attend simply register your interest here.

See you there!

[Bluehawk]

What's the score with the "racers voucher"?

Is that £30 for one run?

[James Drake]

Nope - £30 is a pass for the whole event, you can queue up and drag your car as many times as your car can take it!

It will also be predominantly luck of the draw who you're up against... could make for some interesting comparisons!

[Alex L]

I've never been to Santa Pod before, will be interesting to see how quick my car is on the 1/4 mile and how poor my reaction times are

[Bluehawk]

James Drake said:

Nope - £30 is a pass for the whole event, you can queue up and drag your car as many times as your car can take it!

It will also be predominantly luck of the draw who you're up against... could make for some interesting comparisons!

Thanks James.

[smithyithy]

I'll take my Cooper S on, should be fun!

Not interested so much in racing to be honest, unless I come up against another Mini or similar hot hatch. Will mostly just be beating my own times.

James - will the team be bringing the jet car out for a a demo run?

[James Drake]

smithyithy said:

I'll take my Cooper S on, should be fun!

Not interested so much in racing to be honest, unless I come up against another Mini or similar hot hatch. Will mostly just be beating my own times.

James - will the team be bringing the jet car out for a a demo run?

I don't think they're planning any jet car antics to be honest - probably a bit cost prohibitive (they can't be cheap to run!)

We'll be bringing along some interesting and suitable cars to give rides in too, and I'm sure there will be some PHers in some interesting cars willing to take a few passengers so there should be plenty to do and see!

JD

[Konan]

SturdyHSV said:

Konan said:

Or as many times as you can get round the enormous queue with 200 people running.

So , £30 for one run. At least there won't be any wretched motorbikes!

Don't forget the hour long warm up for the 3 seconds of jet-car run

[James Drake]

Konan said:

Don't forget the hour long warm up for the 3 seconds of jet-car run

Santa Pod are estimating that you'll get between 5 and 6 runs each, but this depends on the number of people, how fast their cars are and the weather. Oh, and to say again the jet car is not running, which should maximise the number of runs that people get.

JD

[TheRocket]

Not sure how many goes you will get for your £30 tbh, if 200 cars (100 each lane) take on average 3 mins to line up, do a run and clear the track then its going to take 5 hours just to get through all of them once, assuming no other delays

[unsprung]

article said:

In case any Golf R owners out there would like a shot at beating Sammy Miller's time of 3.58 seconds at 386.26 mph...

James Drake said:

you can queue up and drag your car as many times as your car can take it!

I always wonder how often a first-time drag racer ends up grenading / ejecting parts of his drivetrain.

[NJ72]

Having driven a few times at SP, both on RWYB specific days and at USC last year, they clear the cars quite quickly actually. I got 3 runs at USC and there were, by my estimations, a fair bit more than 200 cars.

It's a very slick ship the guys at SP run and they're quick at lining cars up whilst the others are still off down the strip. I'd be surprised if people didn't get 5 or 6 runs.

I'm looking forward to this one as the Rex's radiator blew up the Friday before the Silverstone Sunday Service

[TheRocket]

NJ72 said:

Having driven a few times at SP, both on RWYB specific days and at USC last year, they clear the cars quite quickly actually. I got 3 runs at USC and there were, by my estimations, a fair bit more than 200 cars.

It's a very slick ship the guys at SP run and they're quick at lining cars up whilst the others are still off down the strip. I'd be surprised if people didn't get 5 or 6 runs.

I'm looking forward to this one as the Rex's radiator blew up the Friday before the Silverstone Sunday Service

Fair enough, tbh never been to Santa Pod but other RWYB seemed a lot of hanging around and that was with a lot less than 200 cars

[smithyithy]

TheRocket said:

Not sure how many goes you will get for your £30 tbh, if 200 cars (100 each lane) take on average 3 mins to line up, do a run and clear the track then its going to take 5 hours just to get through all of them once, assuming no other delays

Takes far less than 3 minutes between runs once everyone gets going dude. Providing the track is dry and there's no spills or debris.

[3795mpower]

@ James Drake,

Do you know if we are parking on concrete (far side of strip) or on grass ?

Thanks.

[James Drake]

3795mpower said:

@ James Drake,

Do you know if we are parking on concrete (far side of strip) or on grass ?

Thanks.

I'll check!

[FordJunkie]

Will only be a good day if the rain stays away.

[Liamst]

The strip is good fun. I wouldnt worry too much what your up against just try and continually improve your own time.

[Craikeybaby]

I'm not the list, but still debating taking my car down the strip - the MR2 isn't really about straight line speed, but it is something I've always wanted to do.

Will helmets be needed for going down the strip?

[va1o]

Awesome timing as I just got my new to me Audi S5 yesterday, so this can be it's first Sunday Service

[bamberwell]

Missed the Silverstone SS because my car was in the garage, but seeing as I live in podington it'd be rude to miss this one