I didn't race that year (1970) until the June 28th BDRHRA meeting because I was doing my final year project and exams at university. That finished on the 23rd June so five days to paint and reassemble the dragster and build a new trailer wasn't bad!. I don't think there were any meetings in July that year but I would have missed them anyway. Me and a mate from uni did the 'grand tour' to Italy in my Anglia 105E taking up an invitation to look round a certain car factory in Maranello. ("No you can't look in there - thats where we test the F1 engines!"). Steve Collins, UK

I read with interest your article on Pete Atkins Slo-Mo-Shun altered. It really brought back great memories for me because I was a good friend of Pete and Ken. I was in the U.S. Air Force and lived in Watford. I spent many an hour in the little shop in the back of Watford Motor Accessories talking racing with Ken and Pete. That is where I bought the Dragon Fly from Pete and started playing with it at SantaPod. We had great times at WMA and I went with them to SantaPod for a test run of the Altered. My mind is dumping all the old info but it seems that they had a blown olds engine for that altered which they bought from the states. I may be incorrect but it seemed to me that the blower was in front of the Engine???maybe tied directly to the crank, not really sure, senile on my part maybe, But in any case the time I spent with them was really great and your article brought it all back. We use to have great parties at our house in Watford and lots of the guys at Santapod would show up. I have pictures of Allan Herridge dancing his butt off in my front room, and Kevin Pilling showing up at midnight to show off a new set of aluminum rods he had just received. Those were the days, or maybe DAZE. Anyway thank for the memories. Doug Harler USA

Was reading the article on Pete Atkins again, yes I do have an exciting life, and it finally hit me about the Blown Olds engine they had for the car. I came to England in 1968 and at that time the car had the 289 Ford engine in it and he had the Allard Dragon. I bought the Allard from Pete and he ordered a Blown Olds engine because I remember him taking me back to the shop and Ken was just opening it up. All the belts for the Supercharger, brackets, Idler pulley and all were in the box and they all were quite greasy as if they had just been taken off something and dumped in the box. It was definitely a used set up and Ken was shaking his head at the amount of work ahead of him. It was a big Olds engine, maybe a 455, not sure but they did put it in the Altered and it was a front mounted blower. I remember Pete, Ken and I went to Santapod with the car for testing and after towing all the way from Watford we never got it running good enough to make a pass. I have no idea what happened after that but the car must still be around somewhere, it was to nice to scrap. I lost track of Pete after I left but he did write to me after Ken passed away. Ken was a hard guy to get close to but really nice when you did get to know him. He was a good man and that's about all most of us can hope to be remembered for after we're gone. Anyway I'm rambling, Old age I guess. Keep up the good work. Doug Harler, USA

1968 Drag Racing Championships. SPR If I remember correctly, it rained here and there on the 2nd day and that is why the times weren't so good. I believe I beat Mr. Bull in T.E. at night as it was beginning to rain - he almost beat me. I aimed at what appeared to be a flashlite (!) at the end of the strip and almost finised up in the dung heaps at the end! Mick Tickner (Geronimo) UK

Hi Trakbyte, this is Clive Skilton. I have just spent all afternoon going thru every page. Highly interesting. I have a ton of info to help, but you will have to be patient until I can get around to it. In the meantime---I saw Bill Weichelt about 6 yrs ago in Santee ca. 5 miles north of San Diego----first scandanavian pro stocks at Silverstone June 1972---- I did not go to indy in 71---- I will send you a time line of all the cars I raced. The family is still racing. my son Darren just did Paris-Dakar-Cairo rally as Kia Motors factory team. Second son Gavin drove a Mercedes 6wd truck. I race in the desert with a Jeep Grand Cherokee.---- I will get back to you later. Please say hallo to all my old friends, thanks. Clive Skilton, USA

Just read the sad news about Ed (Shaver). - Great character who will be missed. Last saw him at the Pod a couple of years ago looking as cheerful as ever. Ed organised a practice session early in 1972 at the Upper Heyford USAF base where he worked at the time. It was over an 1/8th mile on one of the minor runways since the base was at that time in the front line. The F-111's or whatever they were using at the time were fully armed with nuclear weapons and on instant readiness! Some of the guys wandered over to have a closer look but came back pretty quickly when they saw the notice saying anyone getting too close would be shot - no questions asked! Steve Collins, UK

Good to read your site, and I couldn't agree with "Tog" more about Sept 1979 World Finals when Norm triggered the win light in Pro comp, after an amazing weekend with that spectacular small block rail. Nowadays I split my time on track days with motor cycles, and my menswear business in Great Yarmouth. Hi to all my old friends, and also to Clive in the US. Tim Claxton, exWrangler, Rifle, Coyote,in all its guises, Victim, Tudor Rose, and Mr Shift.

Mike Cazalet - disappeared and never seen again? Shame on you. I'm alive and well, but as I said at the time I pulled out of the tower at Santa Pod I only became a commentator because I couldn't afford to keep on rebuilding my drag bike which by the way was never quick enough to get from sprinting to drag racing. And now? I'm back doing what I've done most of my working life. Writing. Only now i write about caravans and motor caravans, and back in the distant past i wrote about motor cycles. The reason I got in to drag racing was because i used to do motor cycle grass track racing, but then started working for Motor Cycle Mechanics magazine, and they prefered their staff to be at work on a Monday morning, not in hospital. Mike Caz, UK

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