Many thanks to Nick Brooke-Langham from The Gasser Circus for sending eurodragster.com this report of Round 2 of the Gasser Circus Showdown at the Sportsman Nationals, Santa Pod Raceway on 8th-9th June. Nick writes:
It is fair to say within the Gasser Circus driver group on Watts App, there was a bit of confusion when news of the cancellation of Retro was announced by Santa Pod. No fear the team at the Pod slotted us into the Springnationals and our first MSA event.
Saturday began bright and breezy, and partway through the morning rain made an unwelcome visit and although it hammered down for a while, as the sun replaced it the track crew worked their magic and dried the track. Just before 2pm, Gasser Circus qualifying got underway with 15 Gassers on the plot, many of these had ributes written on their car, as the Gasser Circus family had lost one of our own recently, Steve Dixon succumbing to Cancer. Steve used to pilot the High Roller Ford Falcon and him and his family regular racers until he fell ill. Missed by never forgotten.
First pair up were Sean ‘Chili’ Milsom in his ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ Morris van and alongside was yours truly in my ‘The Traitor’ Anglia. As we activated the tree, I left early leaving a red behind, meanwhile in the other lane Sean left the line but as they say that is all she wrote. A transmission issue halting the run and Sean’s participation in the weekends racing.
Next pair was a collection of bad, with Niamh Smith in her ‘Nogbad the Bad’ Austin Devon, and Andy Cobb in his Model A coupe ‘Bad to the Bone’ dialling 11.00, Niamh on a 11.90. Niamh initially had a problem lighting up her slicks but soon had the Austin with plumes of rubber smoke billowing at the rear. Andy had no such issues, but as the tree activated, he rolled the lights but stayed on it running a breakout with a 10.94, in the other lane Niamh was just two hundredths of her dial in with an 11.92.
The ‘Glenn & Glenn’ Austin Pickup then lined up with Steve Mathews in his Honky Tonkin 57. A big rolling burnout signalling his intentions. Steve choosing to dial 9.66 he ran 9.60 @ 136 mph a breakout pass with Sam running 10.36 @ 126 mph, another breakout having dialled a 10.55.
Ray Turner still celebrating owning his fifty-five for 40 years waited for Billy Jones in the ‘Grumpy Grizz’ Willys to finish an impressive rolling burnout. A near heads up race with Ray dialling 10.80 and billy with a 10.60, Ray went Red but still ran a 10.79 which was a breakout and Billy a 10.66
The Tri Chevy of Adam Kruczynski ‘The Not SO Mellow Yellow’ 55 dialling 11.38 with the ‘Short Fuse’ Fordson of Nick Hewison edging to the beams with 9.80 on the rear roof panel, at the end of the run it was a move to number 1 qualifier with a 9.90 from Nick. Adam stopping the clocks with a breakout 11.25.
Up next current Gasser Circus Champion Chris Layram in the’ Outa Gas’ Pop. Lining up next to him should have been Tony Pearson, and he finally did when he reversed back from another one of his epic rolling burnouts, the man did used to be a Funny Car driver! Ironically, Tony would be qualifying next to the Pop he built for Chris.
Chris left ahead of Tony and would stop the clocks with a breakout 10.23 on a 10.25 with Tony recoding an 11.30 121 mph on a 10.40. The Dale Snoke brothers lined up next with their cars the result of the skilful work of Dale in California. Simon Prest incredibly lucky to make the first round of qualifying having discovered that awful sinking feeling and realisation as he prepared to unload his Mercury Comet that he had left the keys for the Comet at home. A round trip of around 3 hours, the rain saving him as he arrived back just as the class was called.
The other Snoke built car being Brian Gibson in his ‘Identity Crisis’ Dodge Dart Simon dialling 11.00 and Brian 11.45. This may have only been qualifying but when these two-run side by side bragging rights are available and so it was as they stayed door handle to door handle with Simon getting their first with 11.02 and Brian a breakout 11.40.
Top five after round one was.
- Nick Hewison
- Niamh Smith
- Simon Prest
- Nick Brooke-Langham
- Steve Matthews
Round 2 Qualifying
Glenn & Glenn with Sam Glenn at the wheel ran 11.18 on a 10.28 with him occupying 14th on the ladder. Brian on an 11.38 ran 11.59 placing him eighth.
Adam Kruczynski in left lane and myself in the right came to the line, I had dialled 11.77 Adam 11.23, and he ran 11.33 he was now fifth. I ran 11.77 with an eight and moved up to Number 1 qualifier. Sharing that moment back in the pits with my daughter Patsy was wonderful.
Billy Jones showed 10.60 but as the slicks crinkled a red bulb glowed and the screens showed a -008-reaction time, and they also confirmed a 10.66 pass. In the right lane Nick Hewison was on it and a good straight run gave him 10.07 which would see him finally occupy number 7.
Steve Matthews was shooting for a 9.65 and hopefully a straight run, he got that, and the gantry showed a 9.68. Simon was hunting down an 11.00 and this pass gave him a breakout with a 10.94.
Following the Round 1 problems with Sean Milsom’s transmission, it was surprising and pleasing to see him in the fire up road and even better edging to the line. Those with eagle eyes may have noticed that Sean had driven around the water, as he had lost first gear, but it appeared second was still hanging around, so might as well give it ago. Sean was on voyage of discovery and alongside him Tony Pearson was aiming for a better reaction time and a run of 10.40.
The cars left together with Sean’s launch bereft of any wheels up action, but he was holding his own against Tony who had also crafted various parts of Sean’s Morris, which crossed the line first recording a 10.62 @ 129mph with no burnout and Tony running an 11.13.
Chris Layram up next dialling 10.10 with Andy Cobb showing 10.90 as the lights dropped both drivers left hard with both having photographer pleasing mirrored wheelies with Chris up and to the left and Andy a wheelie with the body torqueing to the right before both coming down and running side by side at the top Chris had a 10.35 and Andy a 10.93 which moved him up to 3rd.
Final pairing had Niamh in ‘Nogbad the Bad’ with 11.90 on the orange back window and Ray in ‘Green Onions’ displaying a 10.79. Both cars leaving together and having straight runs something Niamh welcomed having experienced Gasser death wobble at a recent test session. The gantry screens told the tail Niamh running 12.32 placing her 10th and Ray a 10.89 climbing to number 6.
Top five was now: -
- Nick Brooke-Langham
- Steve Matthews
- Andy Cobb
- Billy Jones
- Adam Kruczynski
3rd Qualifying
AS 6:30 ticked by the end of the fire up road was littered with Gassers, first up Simon Prest in ‘The Rocket’ with me alongside in ‘The Traitor’, we left together but at mid track the Anglia decided it wanted to take a short cut to the pits and I got out of it. Simon running the 11.00 he had previously been chasing but as it came with a two, he would end up sixth.
Adam Kruczynski on 11.25 and Chris Layram 10.20 Adam pulled a red but and also ran a breakout by one thousandth of a second with an 11.24, in the opposite lane Chris decided to use his transbrake for the first time it worked as he took the number qualifier position with a 10.20 with a 7, another 1 thousandth taking it.
With the sun casting a fantastic golden glow as it sank lower in the sky Steve Matthews had 9.61 on his ‘Honky Tonkin’ 57 and Brian Gibson 11.39 on his ‘Identity Crisis’ Dodge Dart. Both cars left hard and at the end of the action Brian had hit 11.41 which moved him up to number 5 and Steve with a 9.68 up to number 7.
Ray Turner chose 10.80 and when he left it was arrow straight whilst Sam Glenn in the right lane had to contend with the Austin pickup leaping towards the wall on the right, despite this momentary blip he still ran 10.57 and Ray had posted a 10.84 good enough 9th Sam into 12th.
Next up Tony Pearson in the Guzzler 10.40, with Billy Jones on a 10.62. As the bulbs lit the cars left, one with its front wheels up and one with them planted firmly against the track. Billy the one keeping all for tyres in contact with the track, but the car pulled to the right, then as he corrected it the Willys became loose, and Billy did the sensible thing a backed out of it with Tony charging down to stop the timers with an 11.13.
With ‘no first gear Milsom’ back out again he had again gone around the water and edged toward the line, with a burning out Nick Hewison soon joining him, but Billy’s earlier movement in the lane required further inspection by the track crew. Both cars directed to back up. They obliged but Sean went back through the water this meant that his crew had to dry off the slicks before given the fire up signal by Ian Marshall, they hoped they had done an excellent job.
Sean was chasing a 10.57 but pulled a red followed by stumble off the line and he took it easy on his ailing transmission finishing the day with 2 gears and an un customary 11.84 – Nick dialled 9.88 and left so hard the Fordson moved towards the wall, but he soon had a bit more daylight between the car and the wall as he bombed down the quartermile and dipped into a breakout with a 9.87 to his dialled 9.88.
Top five was now.
- Chris Layram
- Nick Brooke-Langham
- Nick Hewison
- Niamh Smith
- Brian Gibson
Sunday promised a good day’s racing and the 7am alarm call came bang on time, however instead of a beep of an alarm clock it was the most welcome sound of squealing rubber as the track crew began prepping the strip.
This sound meant the track was dry and racing lay ahead. Opening the caravan door, we were greeted with an overcast and gloomy day, but a bad day drag racing beats any day at work.
Sunday normally commences with Eliminations but first up we had our final qualifying a brief summary as the top 8 remained unchanged and the few movers were from 8 down with Adam in his 55 Chevy up 2 to 9th, Billy down 2 to 12th, Sam in the Austin pickup down 2 to 14th and Tony up 1 to 13th.
Casualties from qualifying were Niamh and her Austin suffering valve train damage on third qualifying and in the same session Andy Cobb in his Model A suffering a damaged clutch. Tony Pearson could not make the call for Eliminations, so there would be a few bye runs.
Eliminations
First pairing had ray Turner ‘Green Onions’ 55 Chevy going for a 10.85 against Nick Hewison in his 9.92 dialled Fordson ‘Short Fuse’.
By courtesy of his dial in Ray left first closely followed by Nick this turned into a great race with Ray ahead until about ¾ track with Nick powering past and not breaking out with a 9.98 and Ray a 10.94.
The first bye run next, and the number 1 qualifier Chris Layram had this. He ran a wheels up launch with an excellent 10.30 @ 127mph.
Honky Tonkin 57 with Steve Mathews at the wheel prepared to take on Sam Glenn. Sam leaving first with an arrow straight launch, but Steve had his old nemesis return with ‘Honky Tonkin’ pulling hard to the left, Steve stayed in it as the car came good and he was off after Sam who was thundering down the strip but a tad too hard with a breakout by Sam with a 10.65 on a 10.68 Steve taking the win and running a 9.67.
Billy Jones Willys edged to the line after copious amounts of door fanning from his crew chief Stacey to extract the burnout smoke. In the opposite lane Brian Gibson edged to the beams. With the cars at the line and tree active Brian loaded up the brakes and built the revs, as he let his foot off the brakes, he lit the red bulb with a -0602 still running a 11.42, but he was now on the trailer, Billy advancing.
Not So Mellow 55 and The Traitor Anglia were next up. I had sat behind Brian and watched him light the red, I told myself not to do the same. I now had 11.70 on the back window. Adam had 11.25 on his, and as yellow followed yellow I was off and had redlit the win going to Adam who had also pulled a cherry, but fractionally after me!
Sean Milsom was on a bye, and he does not know how to take it easy, putting in another superb second gear run with a stout 10.64.
Simon Prest in The Rocket Mercury was also on a bye with him running 11.06 on an 11.00.
Quarter finals.
It was time for a bit of Ford and Mercury action, with Nick Hewison and Simon Prest ready to see who would go through to the Semi Final. 9.92 for Nick while Simon had his constant companion 11.00. Simon knew he had to cut a good light and it was for Nick, as Simon cutting it a tad too much planting a cherry on the tree Nick advancing to the Semi-final. Simon still running 11.00!
A 10.62 for Sean ‘Chili’ Milsom and he was still nursing his transmission which remarkably was still getting the job done despite no burnouts and first gear. All good things however come to an end even when running a 10.62 on a 10.62! This was because Steve Mathews had a holeshot win with a 0.054 to Sean’s 0.265. Steve moving onto the final and Sean hitting the trailer along with the other drivers who had lost.
Chris Layram had the racing gods on his side, as he had another bye but still pulled a wheelie off the line with 10.20 on the rear of the car and ran an on form 10.21 @ 129 mph.
Tom Kruczynski, Adams son guided him into the burnout box, as they prepped for taking on Billy Jones in ‘Grumpy Grizz’ Willys. Adam leaving first as he had dialled 11.25, Billy 10.59, as the cars left the line the boards showed that Billy had pulled a stonking reaction time with a 0.0016 the cars were rapidly side by side and stayed that way down the track, at the line there was only half a car in it with Billy taking the win with a 10.66 to Adams 11.35.
Semi Final
The battle of the dark/burgundy cars with Steve Mathews ‘Honky Tonkin’ 57 dialling 9.59 coming to the line against Billy Jones Willys Coupe who had dialled a second difference with a 10.59. Billy left with 0.121 reaction and Steve was soon giving chase with a 0.110 reaction time. This was another fantastic drag race and at the top end Steve advanced to the final with a winning 9.61 to Billy’s losing 10.64.
Having had two bye runs, Chris found himself in an unusual position as in the other line was another Gasser, and it was in the form another Ford from the same era as his, a Fordson in the hands of the very consistent Nick Hewison in his ‘Short Fuse’ Fordson. Chris revisited a favoured dial of 10.62 and Nick placing 9.92 on the rear of his. As the tree activated we had a green light race and what a race it turned out to be with both men with their right foot flat to the floor not wishing to give an inch to the other Gasser, as they rapidly approached the gantry they were side by side, when they reached the finish line the clocks told the tale of Chris winning in his ‘Outa Gas’ Pop with a 10.22 @ 129 mph but Nick had broken out with a 9.90 at 124mph.
The final was now set, Chris in his Pop would be burning out next to Steve Matthews in his ‘Honky Tonkin’ 57.
The burnout area was populated with Gasser Circus drivers and crew as the protagonist’s burnt out under the guidance of their respective crews.
Side by side stonking burnouts set the tone for the final but would it live up to the superb racing seen in the quarter and semi-finals?
Chris had his ‘fan’ club helping to swing the Pops doors to assist the burnout smoke to exit. This complete and under the direction of Ian Marshall the Gassers edged into the beams, Steve lit the top bulb and waited on Chris, he then lit the top bulb and instantly lit the second bulb, Steve followed and we were set, the tree dropped and Chris moved first with a wheels up launch giving full employment to the wheelie bars, within an instant Steve launched but his wheelie had a much lower angle of attack. The Gassers at 60 foot were side by side and so it continued as they closed in on the finish line there was nothing in it, we all waited as this superb final came to its close, the win lights going on in Steve s lane.
For those interested in the numbers Chris dialled 10.20 and ran 10.24 with a reaction time of 0.206 and the victorious Steve a 9.59 running a 9.65 taking it his reaction time of 0.105.
5 years after winning his last round of racing, Steve and his dedicated crew were left to celebrate a fine and exhilarating win and getting their hands on the fantastic Neil Melliard winner’s pin. An epic win for a racer who has been through adversity as his fifty-seven went through several engines.
A superb weekend of Gasser racing was made possible by Santa Pod and their superb crew on and off the strip and our sponsors whom we are most grateful for their continued support, Neil Melliard’s Modern Lettering, Rocket Racing Team, Serck Services and Tom Margesson.
The Gasser Circus can next be seen racing at Dragstalgia the first weekend in July.
