Talking with the Organizers
Trakbak Racing operate Santa Pod Raceway, the permanent drag strip, which during many years have constituted the heart of European Drag Racing. For 2012 like "usual" Santa Pod host two European Championship events for the FIA Car and UEM Bike classes, the season opening Main Event June 1-4th and later the  European Finals September 6-8th. We asked Caroline Day, marketing manager at Santa Pod Raceway to bring us an update of what has beengoing on during the pre-championship season and looking ahead towards Main Event!
- It might be approaching June but the journey towards Summer has seemed more like a journey towards Autumn!

After a positive start at Santa Pod’s season opener “The Fast Show” we were all hopeful of a warm and sunny Spring but the weather played its usual games and has since produced one of the wettest Aprils on record! It may have dampened the ground and caused chaos with Santa Pod’s early calendar but it hasn’t dampened our spirits in the run up to the first round of the FIA/UEM European Drag Racing Championships.

The traditional Spring Bank Holiday is later this year to accommodate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and with it an extra days holiday for the UK workforce. Perhaps this will be welcomed if it brings a change in the difficult conditions that Santa Pod has had to endure over the last 6 weeks. The normal intensification of site works has been somewhat thwarted by the sheer amount of rain we’ve experienced but it has eased in recent days and we are full steam ahead to make the normal preparations for such a large and important event.

Santa Pod was proud to unveil its new “Garage” aftermarket shop in the main race paddock earlier in the season – a long overdue addition the services offered to Santa Pod visitors and race teams. We’ll be stocking a wide range of products from well-known sponsors and partners of the raceway such as Draper Tools, Lucas Oil, Nimbus Motorsport and Karcher. Be sure to check it out over the weekend.

A new toilet block behind scrutineering had also been added to the venue to provide greater “convenience!” to those near the far end of the race paddock and family camping. We also hope to have completed the new safety “catch fencing” between the race track and the race paddock.

Caroline (left) with collegues Kelly and Darren

Back in the office, we launched our new streamlined E-ticketing website over the winter period offering “Print at Home” tickets and a great new interactive Grandstand booking facility. Modernising our systems with such new technology is not without its problems particularly in such a rural location but our goals are to improve every stage of any visit to Santa Pod – if only we could control the weather too!

Looking forward to the FIA event, it is hoped that we can mark the 2012 Jubilee occasion with something as spectacular as that of 10 years ago – to the day! Many will remember the epic moment in 2002 (Queen’s Golden Jubilee) when Barry Sheavills and Andy Carter made history with Europe’s first side by side 4 seconds runs both at over 300mph. Since Andy Carter has now retired from the sport we look forward to seeing Barry Sheavills over the weekend signing autographs to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this significant achievement. Whilst we can never guarantee setting new records, we would hope that with 9 Top Fuel Dragsters and 4 Fuel Funny Cars currently entered, we certainly stand a chance of witnessing more fine moments at this level.

A welcome addition to the “Main Event” race timetable is the newly scheduled Pro Test session for all pro classes on Friday evening. All pro classes are welcome and this should make for an interesting feature of the first days’ action.

Finally, a quick reminder to all racers to order their VP racing fuel for delivery directly to their pit area for the event. Racers can buy right up to the event either online via the Santa Pod shop www.santapodshop.com or by phone +44 (0)1234 782828.

The updated entry list for Main Event is provided by Santa Pod Racers Club and via Eurodragster.com - check it out under a separate headline in this newsletter!


Don´t miss this new feature!!
Santa Pod Mobile Apps at Main Event:

New for 2012! Santa Pod Raceway has ventured into the world of mobile phone apps and for those coming to the Main Event there will be two to choose from.
The first is the “Main Event 2012” app which contains event info and special offers, the second is the “1320go” app that gives you access to live timing data on your phone. Both apps are available on iPhone and Android.
As the speed of 3G connections cannot be guaranteed at Santa Pod Raceway please download the apps before you arrive if you wish to use them.
The “Main Event 2012” App
The Main Event app includes a host of features including:
•    Venue locations and line up running times
•    Interactive venue map
•    Class and attraction descriptions
•    Exclusive visual content from the event
•    Personalised itinerary scheduling
•    Facebook & Twitter plug ins
•    Main Event news
•    Useful information to help you navigate your way to, from and around the event.
•    Money saving offers including discounts for traders and caterers at the event.
You can download the Main Event 2012 app now from iTunes App Store or Android Marketplace (Google Play) for £1.99.
“1320go” Live Timing Data App
1320go provide an app that displays live timing data from drag strips around the world including Santa Pod.
The app cost is a one off fee of £6.10 and is available on iPhone or Android. As well as live data you can also view the qualifying and elimination data from the current event via the menu button on Android or on screen button on iPhone. Once you have the app you can watch live data from any 1320go track.
View further details about the 1320go app on the 1320go page


The track seen from the bank on the right hand side. On the opposite side visitors who
prefer to monitor the track from the grandstands can do so..


.. and let´s hope for a clear blue sky and lots of sun like
icing on the cake at this years Main Event!


The start area looking from behind Micke Kågered´s Top Fuel Dragster -
European Finals 2011


Text: Caroline Day
Photos: Julian Hunt, Åsa Kinnemar and Stefan Boman
This article is part of the Speedgroup Club Europe Newsletter #4/2012
www.speedgroup.eu

Published by Speedgroup www.speedgroup.eu
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