As The Girls Went To London,

the boys had a great day out, 

as usual I took way too many photographs, so today only one post, so where were we going? up north on the M1 motorway, the rain picked up on our journey, when we stopped it was coats on for the dash to the motorway restaurant and shops, 

the weather was ugly, 

the three of us Mike, Steve and myself, replenished back on the road, thankfully the skies started to clear, 

as we arrived at a very wet Santa Pod, we had arrived at the only sport I am interested in and watch, dragster racing, 

a couple of monster trucks were about to start their display, 

over there near the start line, at the 60 foot marker as it happens our grandstand seats, 

at the beginning of the track the gantry, the nerve centre of the meeting, 

for dragsters the track must be bone dry, not so the monster trucks, 

3, 2, 1, Go!

over the cars in a cacophony of noise and action,

the truck became airborne, 

and landed on the other side of the 5 cars it was jumping, 

back to the track, 

at the moment a long way from bone dry, 

the event started on Friday with racing a fun fair and a firework display, 

still lots of water on the track,

Mike had found the bar that sells Guinness,  

after a snack and a beer we started towards the pit area, the bit of a dragster that makes it go, 

in the sales area shops selling all manner of goods, 

get ahead, get a hat!

lots of cars on display, like this Dodge Charger, 

 sporting a 392 Hemi, to save you looking it up 370 hp in a street car as it comes out of the factory, but wait for this, go for the Dodge Charger SRT Redeye Jailbreak super charged 6.2 litre option and receive a staggering 807 horsepower with a stump pulling 707 pound feet of torque, all road legal! unfortunately officially not for sale in the UK, but someone found a way around that!

did I mention hats?

lots here for when the sun is shinning,

taking photographs I managed to lose Mike and Steve, but they found me,

in amongst all of these number plates I spotted one for Steve and Kai, 

kiss, kiss, KIA, kiss, kiss, if only it was spelt KAI!

in my day it was "Daddy I want a pony" but here it is "Daddy I want a junior dragster" the kids are having great fun in these, 

on the right our seats, we are in row 45, 

we continued looking at cars in the pits, 

this one warming up, 

its body off, so hopefully the track is starting to dry out, 

these, 

all looking immaculate, 

do not even think about taking it on the road!

if the girls were here, no chance of them walking past the pretty in pink donut stall!

then a real crowd pleaser, 

the jet cars, 

the precept is simple, take a jet engine that powers a aircraft, 

bolt 4 wheels on it and off you go! not that simple of course,

a few more cars ready for the off, 

work completed, waiting for the weather to improve and track to dry, 

this is Snake Eyes, 

the bit that makes it go,

and the name,

all of the cars here, 

immaculate, 

it looks ready for race or road, 

bonnet removed,

easy access to the engine,

and not a drop of oil in sight!

a car for Alan a Chevrolet Bel Air, this the race version,

and here one for the road,

the work that goes into these junior dragsters, 

is no less impressive than their full sized counterparts, 

word must have reached the pits, 

that the track is drying out, 

as teams ready their cars to take them to the start line,

and racing starts, 

I only took a few photographs, as when the cars and bikes started even through I expected it the sudden noise made me jump!

and look who is in the crowd, 

a couple of Transformers, 

time for the motorcycles, 

almost as fast as the cars, 

now a real spectacle, the jet cars, 

warming up with smoke and flame,

who is the chicken?

one of the announcers dressed as a chicken, which is the mascot of one of the Scandinavian teams racing here, 

time for the top fuel bikes, are they fast?

this one just completing its burn out and being pushed back ready to start makes, wait for it, 1,700 horse power! yes that is not a misprint, 1,700hp!

nearly all set for the big one,

despite the clouds so far the weather was staying nice for us, the racing continued all afternoon, we all really enjoyed the day, the culmination of which was a all ladies final in the top fuel dragsters, which was in fact temporally held up by a light rain fall, but the track was dried out, what a thrill to see the 2 girls battle out the race, the winner at a quarter mile was travelling at over 300mph! for myself as many readers will know I have no interest at any level in football, cricket, tennis, rugby, golf, Olympic events, even other car and bike races, nothing holds any interest for me, except dragster racing, I just love it, if you have not been to a meeting give it a try, you never know it could be the sport for you! below is a video I made of the meeting,

 

part way through it there is a guy on the track firing free T shirts at the crowd, his aim left a lot to be desired!

we started walking back to the car, 

past the funfair, 

the girls favorite ride, not, 

all the fun of the fair, 

many events we go to there are always Citroen vans that have been converted into mobile food stalls, and here is one at the Pod, Steve kindly drove home as I had a beer or three, many thanks to Steve, after dropping Mike off he also dropped me off as well, many thanks indeed, at home Diana was already in the land of Nod, early start tomorrow, for myself a couple of spiced rums as I watched a have I Got More News For you before I too was off to bed.