Power on the Pod

“Racing … it’s life. Everything that comes before or after is just waiting”

~Steve McQueen in LeMans~ 

On Easter Sunday, after checking the weather forecast, we finally made the decision to check out the Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway in Podington, Northampton. In 1966, permission was obtained to use the Podington Airfield, which was formerly a wartime airbase used by the USAAF during WW2, as a drag racing complex with the 3/4 of a mile main runaway being used as a drag strip. The track was named Santa Pod after the Santa Ana strip in America, combined with the name of the local village, Podington. It was quite surreal to see Santa Pod opening its gates during the Easter weekend to successfully distract their fans from the Easter eggs and hot cross for burning tyres and loud noise.

“I make my cars to go, not to stop”

~Ettore Bugatti~

 

Santa Pod was the home of European drag racing. It was the fastest and loudest motorsport on earth with sensational race action from dragsters and doorslammers to beetles and bikes. As soon as we drove through the entrance, we were enveloped in the smell of burning oil and tyres. Oh…oh. Dragster racing was very new to me and I just don’t know what to expect. Formally known as the Easter Thunderball, the Festival of Power was a family event to entertain the crowd with all classes of drag racing both cars and motorbikes alongside Jet Funny Cars and Jet Dragsters. Since the organisers had to cancel a lot of races on Friday because of the adverse weather conditions, ticket holders returned on either Saturday or Sunday, which happened to be the final day. We joined the thousands and parked in a very muddy field. Then we slowly made our way up the grassy spectators bank walking past stalls, tents and arenas.

“Racing top fuel is for people who love work and hate money”

~Brendan Murry~

“Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines”

~Enzo Ferrari~

We watched the pro-modified and top fuel bike eliminations in the middle of the strip, during the first half hour. But when our photos were photo-bombed by spectators, moved further and further away towards the finishing line which was about 400 metres away from the starting line. It wasn’t a big problem for us because we were using powerful DSLR cameras. By now, on the track were the top fuel shootout, Nitro funny cars, NFCC eliminations and solo run by the jet cars. Santa Pod also hosted the first rounds of both the National drag Racing Championship and the European Funny Car Series and was one of the first times that racers could see improvements they had made to their vehicles during the winter build period. They could see if their run times had improved and whether their reaction times were quicker.  I also found it amusing that some of these powerful machines conked out at the last minute.  It was getting warmer and the noise was getting louder that I’d to put ear plugs on.

“Straight roads are for fast cars, turns are for fast drivers”

~Colin McRae~

“To finish first you must finish”

~Unknown~

The Festival too gave the audience their first chance this season to see the beasts that were Top Fuel Dragsters. These nitro methane guzzling vehicles were capable of speeds of 300 mph over a quarter of a mile which equated to 0-100 in .8 of a second (the first 60 feet of its run) and 0-200 in 2.2 seconds, and honestly you can feel the noise vibrating within you first before you even seen it. Ear plugs were definitely a must. I also found out much later that the British actor, Idris Elba, who played Mandela in Long Walk to Freedom was in the vicinity. He was there to have a ride in the Two Seater Dragster for an upcoming TV series ‘The Wire’.

 

“The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car, it’s the one who refuses to loose”

~Dale Earnhardt~ 

 

“How much does it cost? How fast do you want to go?”

~Mike Kuhl~

As the powerful cars and bikes continued racing, a small tortoise shell caught my attention. It was busy feeding on the dandelions with its striking reddish-orange colour, with black and yellow markings on the forewings as well as a ring of blue spots around the edge of the wings. When closed, their wings looked like leaves and this helped them hide from predators. The small tortoiseshell was also the national butterfly of Denmark. After it flew off, I sat down and read a book. Babe was not pleased but I guess I couldn’t take it anymore :-).

“Racing is the best way to convert money into noise”

~Unknown~

“Automobiles are not ferocious … it is man who is to be feared”

~Robbins B. Stoeckel~

Then we decided to walk around the huge complex. We waved to the resident mascot Nitro the Dragon who was on the back of an open truck on his way to the circus. The helicopter rides seemed popular. It had been taking off regularly for spectators who wanted to see the actions from above. I purchased the obligatory fridge magnet to add to my collection and walked past the festival circus tent and the camping site. Loud music was blaring away from the rides, fairs and arcades. Brave riders were screaming from the reverse bungee jump. Then we came across a huge food outlets selling all kinds of food imaginable and the smells were out of this world. From, the Market place, we bought a wristband each from the Army of Heroes stall.

 

“Modern technology

Owes ecology

An apology”

~Alan M. Eddison~

Suddenly everyone looked up and in the sky were 2 planes performing some incredible aircraft formation and aerobatic display. Later, I found out that they were the Yakovlevs, a specialist airborne display team flying authentic cold war Russian war-bird aircraft. It was precise, yet graceful combinations of tight formation and exciting acrobatics, high speed passes and breath-taking crosses. I really enjoyed watching them performed some slick manoeuvres especially the heart shaped ones.

“Fly it like you stole it”

~Bill Stein, Airshow pilot~

“Flying might not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price”

~Amelia Earhart~

Babe wanted to sit on the grandstand which cost us another £5 each. Unfortunately, all the best seats were taken and we’d to sit on the top level, further away from the starting point.  From here, we watched the jet cars, eliminations and rocket bikes from less than 50 metres away. Ear defenders, again, were a must. Unfortunately, spectators were still entering, finding or leaving their seats which made watching, videoing and photographing a challenge. 

“When you put on your helmet … you’re invincible”

~John Force~

“The madder I get, the faster I go”

~Martin Truex Jr~

Behind us in the adrenaline zone, the globe of death display was on. It was an amazing stunt which involved three motorbikes criss-crossing within a see through steel sphere. It was a death defying treat of motor cycling skill riding where the riders looped vertically and horizontally. They moved with the speed of 70 km/hr and executed some complicated stunts. The cage of death as it was also known was a white knuckle display of bravery. Spectators were crowding around the globe awed by the skills shown.

 

“Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death”

~Hunter Thompson~

“If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough”

~Mario Andretti~

 

After about an hour, we’d enough and checked out the live action arena which was bursting to the seams with monster trucks, drifting displays and Peugeot 205 jet car. We were late and the grandstand seats were packed. So we made our way up the spectator’s bank and stood there watching  the 2-wheeled stunt extraordinaire Lee Bowers perform.. Bowers was the current UK and Ireland motorcycle stunt champion. He’d mastered the largest range of stunts of any rider currently competing in the UK  and was keen to show it off. There were wheelies, burn outs, drifting, acrobatics, endos/stoppies and finishing it off with an amazing somersault. While behind us, the race was still running and we kept on turning back to see what was going on.

And I to my motorcycle
Parked like the soul of the junkyard
Restored, a bicycle fleshed

With power, and tore off
Up Highway 106, continually
Drunk on the wind in my mouth,

 

Wringing the handlebar for speed,
Wild to be wreckage forever.

~James Dickey, "Cherrylog Road"

After a long full day of non-stop action, it was time to head home. But first, we had our picnic with the Red Kites riding the waves and Skylarks singing their hearts out . A dozen pied wagtails were feeding in the ploughed fields. Then we slowly made our way home. It had been a brilliant day for those who enjoyed speed and noise, a must do event for petrol heads. Few motorsport venues could offer such thrilling ‘close to the action’ viewing. Babe enjoyed it but I prefer a much more gentle, quiet pursuit. Saying that, Babe had pencilled in at least 2 events that he wanted to see. Oh, the joy of being a couple :-) 

“Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don’t have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.”

~Amby Burfoot~