Ill-Eagle Junior
Dragsters
Stuart
Collin
This is the boys version of their first
time at Santa Pod, Go down the page to get their mums version!!!
We just got back from dragracing
and we hired a junior dragster off Santa pod and it was wicked. I was quicker than my
brother, he was running 16.37 but I ran a 15.48. I red lit on my 7th run. I had the best
reaction time than him, I did a 0.624 and Stuart was 0.814. Bob (Main) came down to watch
and he helped me and Stuart on the start line (I started to get used to the lights).
We have hired the dragster for the whole season. We are thinking of a name for the
dragster because it was called Santa pod racers club. So they let us make up a name for
the season.
WE HAVE COME UP WITH 3 NAMES
FIRSTLY ILL-EAGLE,
S
orry about the spilling mastakes.
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Sorry that Collin's report is a
bit of a muddle. He was so excited about the days racing, that he literally fell in
the door, and E-mailed it to Gail. So be prepared for lots of race reports this season.
Stuart and Collin had their
first day racing at Santapod on Sunday(25 Feb 2001). It was the most amazing day. They
took to it straight away. I was so proud of them. Chris (Ill-Eagle club secretary) and Bob
(Bob Main Racing) came down from Scotland the day before, so they had plenty of support. I
don't know who enjoyed it the most....... the big boys OR the little ones.
They still haven't got their own
car as yet, BUT we have hired the Santapod Junior Dragster for the season. They are going
to race as a team and have turn about. Collin will be racing first this Easter, as it is
his 11th birthday a couple of days before Easter.
They can race under a team name.
SO your fledglings have now decided to go with BOB MAIN RACING Bob knows
nothing about the name as yet. So when he sees it on the site it will give him a
real shock. So we now have a race team. We're all looking forward to this season, and
hoping for some good weather.
The boys were doing really good
times. 15 second eighth miles and 0.6-8 second reaction times off the lights. Collin
even managed a 0.49. Exciting stuff.
Christine,
This is Stuart in the (black) car and standing at the back is Collin,
Christine (Mum) and Sandy (Dad)
The weather what can I say. A new record for Santa Pod no rain,
brilliant sunshine all day.
Well Collin was out first today seeing as he is racing next
weekend.
1st run and he pulls .792 off of the line (he hasn't
raced for a month).
5 mins later and crash. What a waste. A willys pick up
crashes. It hits the wall wheelspins, then shoots across the track to sit on the
barrier. they clear the oil and debris off the track.
2nd race. Tactics Collin pulls a red light off the line on
(purpose) against Scott Hauser.
3rd race. Collin pulls a stonker of the line .518 against Phil
Cook (yes).
4th race. Good reaction time .601 to Scott Hausers .773 but
Collin loses the race 16.814 to a winning 15.117.
By now we thought car wasn't running its usual times. it went
through 3/4 of a tank of petrol in 4 runs.
5th race. SnoZZZZZZZzzzing on the line 1.040 Scott Hauser on a
1,140. yet another win for Scott.
I have now seen Barry Sheavills, John Spuffard, Andy Carter,
Gordon Smith and Lex Joon (Dragster + Funny car drivers)
Now its my turn (Stuart), not the best time in the world but
it'll do, .870 to Phil Cooks .516.
by this time the car was ticking over too fast. So my dad asks
Ian Marshall to have a look at it. Then Jeff Hauser comes over, he has a look and tells us
the drive sprocket is loose which put pressure on the chassis to crack. the car is to
dangerous to race. But don't worry the cars going to Jeff Hausers workshop to get welded
before the Thunder ball. so over all a good days racing.
We are sorry we haven't got any pictures but there's some on eurodragster if anyone fancies a
look.
Full report on how Collin does at the thunder ball will be
posted as soon as it is all over.
If you want to find out how
junior dragracing works click
here
Easter Thunderball Race Report.
We arrived 8 o'clock Friday night ready for scrutineering early Saturday morning.
The morning came so Collin + Mum went to sign on. Then on to scrutineering the car
passed as well as the fire suit, helmet and gloves.
The track was now ready for racing. The junior dragsters were up first for
qualification.
1st run. Collins best ever reaction a 0.519 to Mugridges 0.674.(a perfect reaction is a
0.500) This run gave him number 1 qualifier all week end.
2nd run. Collin pulls up to the line, gets in to pre stage, the lights come down and
hits the throttle but nothing happens. So he gets pulled back off the line and is ready to
race again. This time against Phil Cook. A bit of a burn down but then Phil goes into
stage, but he pulls a red light 0.456 to Collins 0.526.
3rd run. Collins up against Adam Gleadow. Adam pulls quite a good light but Collin was
a bit to quick with a 0.170 (RED light).
4th run. Another burn down, this time with Adam. Collin gets a 0.675 and Adam gets a
red light but his car broke down.
With number 1 qualification spot every one was happy. Until elimination's the car had
gone from running 35-37 mph to running 41 mph. So we weren't quite sure of what time to
dial in.
We got down for elimination's Monday morning. We were racing Nicholas Mugridge. if we
had won we would get a bye run into the final. So we dial in a 14.85, But Collin pulls a
red light in the first round.
So that was us out of elimination's. We are hoping to do better next time (I am
racing)
Sandy bringing Stuart up to the startline
Well another good meeting, well not for the bob main racing team.
I was first up and my reaction was quite bad 0.758 ( I haven't raced for a month and a
half)
Well if anyone has been reading this you'll know qualifying is done on our reaction
times.
2nd run yet again another rubbish light (as were most of my other reactions) 0.733.
3rd run 0.687 there's hope yet. but this light wont get you anywhere in JR dragsters.
5th and last qualifying run 0.767.
well I was paired up to race Phil cook in the 1st round. he is 1 of the most
experienced drivers in the class. We dialled in a 16.60 and ran a 17.10 ( APPARENTLY
according to the boss (dad) I backed off and the top end when I didn't!!!) yet again
another 1st round lose.
Nicholas won the event getting past jay hauser, tom watts and Phil cook in the final
That's about it from this meeting I didn't really see much racing.
And we are still nagging dad to buy us an alcohol car for next year!
European Finals
An excellent meeting for the team. The weather was great all weekend.
With me (Stuart) driving.
With thirteen drivers in the class and two from Germany and
Norway.
I was 1st up in qualifying with a o.589 (0.500 is perfect) this
reaction time put me into the number1 spot.
My next run wasn't a very good reaction with a 0.701 but it was my
quickest run of the weekend.
The next two runs were fairly poor too with a 0.686 and a 0.661.
But my next run was a 0.547 which put me into the number four spot
behind Phil Cook with his 0.541.
The next run was even better with a 0.539 which just put me
ahead of Phil which made me feel good considering he's the best driver in the country.
Ricky Em's got number1 spot with a 0.503,
Markus Habermann got number2 spot with a 0.523
Me in the number3 spot with a 0.539.
Phil Cook in the number4 with a 0.541
Adam Gleadow in the number5 spot 0.562
Elimination's
I was paired up with Nick Mugridge, who is a real good racer for his
age (10)
Our car had been running very consistently running 16.7s + 8s.
So I dialled in a 16.70 I pulled off a good reaction with a 0.527
Nick got a 0.632. It was a close race all the way up the track. I just got it at the top
end because he broke out by more than me. I got a better reaction time. I ran a 16.67 on a
16.70 he ran a 16.54 on a 16.60 dial in.
Second round I had Joe Bond a very experienced racer (his dad races
top methanol dragster)
So I dialled in a 16.62. I pulled off my best reaction time ever with
a 0.514 to Joe's unexpected 0.974.
This was a fairly close race aswell. But Joe got it at the top end as
I broke out. With a 16.597 on a 16.62 dial in and Joe with a very accurate 15.204 on a
15.20 dial in.
The event ended with a Phil and Joe final but Phil came out the
winner.
Now for the best news of the year...... We have bought Phil Cooks
methanol car. We will be testing the car at the Flame & Thunder event on the 3rd and
the 4th of November.
Big thanks to Dad and mum.
Flame And Thunder
We got up there on the Friday night and it looked like to be a good
weekend.
Al arrived Saturday morning to set up the engine
for me. And Phil taught me how to drive the car.
Darren Prentice the race director gave me my instructions for my
observed runs which meant I could get my Jr. mod license. So I had to do a launch to 60ft,
then a half throttle pass the a full pass. Then I could go into qualifying.
My first full pass I pulled a 0.548 light and my 60ft time was 1.979
secs (now id like to see some of your cars to beat that!!) And a 1/8th mile time and speed
at 9.13 secs at 70.7 mph. Which put me into number 4 qualifier.
On my next run I pulled a 0.506 light which put me straight into
number 1 qualifier.
Then on my last qualifier I pulled a 0.507.
This was a one day event which meant elimination's in the dark!
I was paired up with Joe Bond for elimination's, not the person I
really wanted to race in my first race in the car.
So Phil went over with me what I had to do.
I dialed in a 9.18 as the car had been running near this time all
day.
Joe dialed in a 15.3 which meant I had to sit on the line for just
over 6 seconds (which felt like an age)
And it was quite obvious what I was going to do next (Red light)
Which I was annoyed about because I would have just passed him
at the top end, well that's racing for you.
And you probably wont get any more race reports until February time
now as the season has finished.
BIG BIG thank you to mum and dad for getting us the new car.
Stuart.
