Wednesday 18th March

Santa Pod to mark 60 spectacular years in 2026

Living your life a quarter mile at a time has changed a bit since 1966...

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There can’t be many motorsport venues out there with the singular prominence of Santa Pod. While plenty of circuits and stages exist in the UK, it’s the only permanent venue of its kind we have. Any mention of drag racing in the UK won’t get far without the Northamptonshire track coming up. And as the first purpose-built drag racing venue in Europe, it’s always been significant across the continent for quarter-mile racing. Now, Santa Pod - Santa to evoke Southern California, because that’s drag racing mecca, Pod for Podington, the former name of the airfield on which it sits - is celebrating 60 years of fast and furious action. 

It was Easter Monday, 1966 that the strip first opened its gates to the Great British public. Imagine taking your Mini to watch cars reach 160mph in 402 metres 60 years ago - it must have seemed like real-life science fiction. Back then, the tagline was ‘Cars so fast, they need parachutes to stop them’; part and parcel of drag racing life nowadays, but again a totally alien concept when most road cars were still using drums to slow down. And consider this for progress: not only are dragsters literally twice as fast as when Santa Pod opened - the track record is currently 3.7 seconds, at 321mph - there are now road cars that can match the terminal speeds of those original purpose-built racers. See the Corvette ZR1X, which has recorded 8.675 at 159mph - without a parachute in sight… 

To mark the big birthday, Santa Pod is hosting a number of special weekends; celebrations that will run in addition to the events that take place every year, every weekend bar the August Bank Holiday from March to October. So there are FIA/FIM European Championship Events in May and September, Dragstalgia in June, the Bug Jam VW festival in July and the Ultimate Street Car Weekend on the first August weekend. Mostly mainstays in the Santa Pod calendar, but enjoying an extra significance in this anniversary year. The birthday will also be marked by a new range of merchandise and artwork. 

So if you’ve never tested your car’s launch control, maximum shift speed and onboard telemetry at a globally recognised drag strip, what better time than Santa Pod’s 60th birthday? They do drift days, too, if you’re more about smoke than speed. Fun is guaranteed either way - watch this old PH video for proof.

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[manureboots]

I have to say, there's absolutely nothing to match the "SHOCK AND AWE" of a Top fueller launching down the strip,
You can hear it from miles away!!!!

[Mr-B]

True.

You see it, hear it, smell it and feel it, full overload of the senses. It goes right through you, god knows what it must be like for the driver.

[Caterhamfan]

Went there in the 60s with some school friends, it was a truly amazing experience and, as per the article, we went there in a Mini and could not believe the sights and sounds! Like the early days of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, able to get so much closer to the action too.

[Glenn63]

Never been, always wanted too, this year I will.

[Tabs]

Daughter lives in Sharnbrook, you can hear them from there.

[200Plus Club]

Glenn63 said:

Never been, always wanted too, this year I will.

I hope they've done the roads up and general infrastructure, it used to be a proper sthole other than the track itself. Flame and thunder show used to be good however when the weather was dry.

[nismo48]

Glenn63 said:

Never been, always wanted too, this year I will.

Do it,its a fantastic day out

[Glenn63]

nismo48 said:

Glenn63 said:

Never been, always wanted too, this year I will.

Do it,its a fantastic day out

I picked up a bit of Americana in January so going to go to the Dragstalgia weekend I think.

[Brizbabs]

Discovered the general bonkersness of straightline racing around ten years ago and have been going four times a year ever since.
Dragstalgia is a big part of my life now. A good friend bought a Willy's coupe on the back of one visit.
Love the Doorslammers event particularly as there's a lot of FWD stuff going on, plus the ProMod.

[Midgster]

manureboots said:

I have to say, there's absolutely nothing to match the "SHOCK AND AWE" of a Top fueller launching down the strip,
You can hear it from miles away!!!!

You can feel it too, right through you're entire body

Glenn63 said:

Never been, always wanted too, this year I will.

Do it. Seriously. I've been to every type of motorsport event under the sun. I was worried watching vehicle after vehicle just going off every 5 minutes might get a bit boring within an hour or 2, but by the end of the day, I wish I'd booked the campsite for the night so I could watch it all over again the following day. But be warned, when the the Christmas Tree lights go green for the Top Fuels, get ready for your soul to be ripped right out of your body. You don't just hear it, you feel it. Literally. There simply are no words.

[Its Just Adz]

Mr-B said:

True.

You see it, hear it, smell it and feel it, full overload of the senses. It goes right through you, god knows what it must be like for the driver.

Feel it in your chest, like literally takes your breathe away.

It's a long time since I've been, but being able to freely wander around the race teams pit areas, see the cars up close and chat to the team was a brilliant experience.

[Fat Old Sun]

Used to go as a kid over 40 years ago, neighbour got free tickets...blew me away the noise and speed of the cars. Remember the smell of the fuel the noise and the doughnuts being cooked!

Dave Lee Travis driving the Needle, think it was one of Allan Herridge's cars who later crashed and died at Santa Pod.

[Bluevanman]

Only been the once,the time the 300mph sub 5 seconds was broken,the weekend was publicised on Top Gear beforehand and subsequently there was a massive crowd there to witness it