With the biting cold and gusting gale on Friday preventing any two-wheeled action, Monday became a bit of a lottery for the assembled fuel bike field. By the time racing had finished veteran Steve Woollatt had produced a couple of jaw dropping passes for the conditions, a low ET 6.397 on an early shutoff and then a tire spinning 221.99 mph terminal to snag 22nd on the all time fuel bike speed list. With new bikes and riders debuting in the class fuel bike racing in the UK is looking in rude health for 2008.
Pro Stock Bikes need a decent track to run on. The track at Easter, whilst probably as good as it could possibly be, was some way off decent. With carnage galore in his wake, Richard Gipp managed to take the event win from pole and managed to introduce his new paint scheme in the gloom of the Santa Pod startline. Hopefully the sun will come out to play so we can show you the details on this bike later in the season.
Graham Balchin was another two-wheeled warrior producing a string of outstanding runs, knocking out mid- to high-sevens on his Super Street Kawasaki ZX12 in defiance of the weather and bagging the trophy with a 7.84 over a debuting Ian Cotton. A loss of vision in the dark of the shutdown area will serve as a reminder to Balchin to use a clear visor for night racing in the future, otherwise, he was pretty much faultless.
Index and Dial-In
Taking up the reins for the first time in a new car for 2008, Simon Rowland and the e-hell Formula Tanker Rental had a good debut taking the event win in the always tough Super Pro DYO bracket. Consistent low eights allied to a slice of good fortune put the sophomore driver into the winners circle and start to pay back some of the investment in what is becoming a very professional looking outfit.