Kevin Kent (Rose Hughes photo)

The supporting nitro action (and it really should be borne in mind that the track temperature was typically in the 50 to 60 degree Fahrenheit range) had Gordon Smith and Kevin Kent spending a lot of money in their Fuel Funny Cars, Smith and the Shockwave team windowing a pair of blocks with Kent and the West Ten Mustang seemingly fairing better in his first event with a setback blower until a fiery flash highlighted another set of rods making a bid for freedom.

Liam Jones (Ivan Sansom photo)

Steve Ashdown (Ivan Sansom photo)

Liam Jones and Steve Ashdown were shaking down (more often than not literally shaking) in a pair of Rune Fjeld Motorsports rails with Jones getting reading for a second season on the European tour, whilst Ashdown was attempting to license before a couple of shots of glory at the Santa Pod FIA rounds this year. Ashdown’s paperwork remains to be signed off but everything looked to be heading in the right direction.