 April 30th-May 2nd |
SPR. European Drag Racing
Grand Prix. Barry Sheavills made his first appearance in Pro Comp. (Mark
Coles)
 In
Funny Car, John Niedowdz, a recent graduate of the Frank Hawley Drag Racing
School in Florida, was driving Cannonball. He ran 7.02/191 to easily beat
the 11.31 of John Spuffard whose Showdown car was not firing on all eight.
Then Harlan Thompson faced Rune Fjeld, but Thompson had problems with his
reverser leaving Fjeld to solo to 6.16/214. In Pro Comp, Peter Lantz ran
a 6.79/198 bye. Bjorn Ardin took an easy win over Wayne Saunders in Animal
with 6.96/204 to the 8.34 of Saunders. Steve Read red lit against Krister
Johansson, and then Dick Cruse ran a 7 dead against the 9.73/138 from Barry
Sheavills. In the semis, Ardin took out Lantz with a 6.82/176 to the losing
6.85/195 of the dragster. Johansson then threw away any chance he had of
beating Cruse by red lighting. Cruse ran 6.96/167. In the final, it was the
Starliner rail of Cruse that crossed the stripe first in 7.01/166 to the
7.11/157 of Ardin's Trans Am. The winner of Super Stock was new driver Julian
Bienek who beat Steve Best, 11.18/119 to 11.15/119. Dave Grabham emerged
the winner of Econo as he put down a 12.15/107 in the final to overcome the
14.14/80 of Craig Lewis in his Jag powered Topolino altered. Super Eliminator
had first round wins for John Powis over Brian Thomas, John Tebbutt over
Steve Warner, Geof Martin over Martin Tyman and Pete Borowick over Barry
Giles. Tebbutt then took a semi-final win over Powis, a 9.59/138 beating
the 10.29/129 of Powis. Borowick then red lit handing the win to Martin.
It was a win for Martin in the Oxford Builder in the final running 10.07/130
to the 9.56/137 of Tebbutt. In Pro Modified, there were first round wins
for Tim Hines 10.38/128 to the losing 10.90/149 of Geof Hauser, Mick Cheley
9.25 over Richard Eaton's 10.05, Dave Mingay beat Doug Gray 9.24 to 10.21
and John Everitt beat Dave Pollen 9.68 to 10.70. In the semis, Cheley thrashed
Hines 9.14/141 to 10.29/136, and then Mingay saw off Everitt 9.17/150 to
9.58/143. In the final, Mingay got to the end first, but the problem was,
he had red lit so automatically handing the win to Cheley who had run 9.31/136.
Sportsman bike had a 10.90 breakout, and in the final, Sean Biddlecombe ran
10.96/121 to defeat the 11.22/123 of Michael Lee. John Messenger won Super
Street beating Brian Emery in the final 9.79/138 to 9.89/149 lose out. In
Competition bike, Mark Wanstall ran 9.58/138 to overcome the 11.13/131 of
Bob Brooks. Then Terry Fisher defeated Andy Brewster 9.71/148 to 10.51/143.
Wanstall emerged the winner in the final running 9.49/140 to the losing 9.50/140
of Fisher. In Funny Bike, both Paul Willis and Dave Cross had bye runs, and
then Neil Knight took out Nigel Cheal 9.56 to 10.57. Graham Nash beat Martin
Peck 8.57/155 to 9.42/146. In the first semi, Nash broke allowing Willis
to take an easy win, and then Cross took the decision over Knight 9.54/146
to a losing 9.15/137. Paul Willis won the final with an 8.40/163 to the losing
8.60/149 of Dave Cross. (Clive Rooms) |
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