Santa Pod 1972 (1 Viewer)

[Cliff]

Footage Showing A Trip To Santa Pod Raceway In 1972

This Footage Showing A Trip To Santa Pod Raceway In 1972 is absolutely awesome. The cars, the scene, the fun. A classic trip to the drags.

bangshift.com

Check out the little cars these guys drive, all rear engined hot rods. One is (I think) a Renault Daphine (sp?). Can see the headers on that engine.

 

[The Rainmaker]

Felt I should comment, as I was there at that meeting. I seem to recall that the sun didn't put in an appearance all weekend but we
didn't care.
Those little hot rods are all French, Renault, Simca. Probably their first visit to Santa Pod.
It was the first time the Swedish racers had come over in any great numbers and they just blew us away! From then on they became the
yardstick that all English racers used when it came to performance and car preparation. We just wanted to beat them whenever they
came to England. It took some time to get there.
Great memories.

 

[robinjackson]

Fascinating. A French cameraman's view of Santa Pod from 48 years ago, when the track was just six years old. Thanks to the Covid lockdown, (what remains of) my hair is now almost as long as some of that seen in the movie.

I should point out that the first motoring sequences must have been filmed in France, hence the driving on the right (wrong) side of the road.

Thank you, Cliff, for posting this.

 

[Cliff]

Thanks Robin. Just thought it was a cool video. I'm a "small car guy". My first new car was a 1971 Ford Pinto, with 2000cc engine (that I raced at Lions). Have had Toyota Corolla "Lifeback", 1978 Ford Fiesta. 1986 Honda Civic Si, 1996 Weak Dawg Toyota pickup (2.4 L with auto trans - still have it, 200,000 miles), and current 2013 Honda Fit (Jazz) w/ 1500cc & 5 speed. Love old cars like Datsun 510, etc. I even (gasp) liked the Renault LeCar, as they called it here. the Renault 5 in France.

OK, airport story. I have been working at Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix. Not working now cuz of the virus. Anyhoo, we have British Airways & American Airlines that come from Heathrow, and I love talking with those folks. Had to learn a few things, like the "lift" is the elevator and "hire a car" means rent a car, etc. They tell me "Cherrio". heh I think of those people as kind of my cousins, since my dad's side of the family is from England or Ireland.

Stay safe and I hope you guys get back to racing soon.

 

[robinjackson]

Thank you, Cliff. You might be interested to glance through the following press release:

British drag racing roars back to life next month with Back On Track at Santa Pod Raceway, two individual days of track action for racers on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July (Racer Days) and a third day for Run What Ya Brung (public track day) entrants on Saturday 11th July (Street Day). All three events, naturally, will be conducted according to the Government’s lockdown guidance.

Each meeting will be held behind closed doors, admitting no spectators. On each Racer Day the attendance list will be limited to just 100 pre-booked entries. A paddock area accustomed to hosting 300 race teams and their transporters will enable bespoke, enlarged pit bays to accommodate social-distancing requirements. Both Racer Day events are open to cars and motorcycles using only race tyres, and the dragstrip surface will be prepared to full race standard.

Both Racer Day events will be live-streamed on Santa Pod’s YouTube and Facebook channels.

Street Day will also welcome cars and motorcycles. Only treaded street tyres will be permitted on the track.

New hygiene and safety measures are being introduced to ensure that Santa Pod remains Covid-secure. To comply with Government guidelines prohibiting gatherings of more than six people, individual entries at all three events will be restricted to one driver and five crew members. Hand-sanitiser stations will be located throughout the venue and regular hand-washing encouraged, while limited retail and catering facilities will be equipped according to required standards.

Full event information, detailing all the Racer Day and Street Day requirements and regulations, is available at www.rwyb.co.uk/backontrack.php and entry tickets may be booked, first-come, first-served, at www.santapodtickets.com.

The UK drag racing season was due to begin at Easter, with racers already eager for action after a long winter’s break from the track. By now, Santa Pod should have hosted three national championship events and the opening round of the FIA/FIM European Championship series, plus its regular programme of modified car shows, specialist festivals and public track days on every intervening weekend. Despite their Covid-imposed restrictions, the Back On Track Racer Day and Street Day events respectively offer racers and RWYB entrants on two and four wheels a precious opportunity to test, tune and match race for the first time this year. It has been a long time coming, but drag racing is at last heading Back On Track.

 

[Cliff]

Thanks Robin. Good News for you guys. Hope the race is safe for everyone. Will there still be the FIA/FIM series in Europe? I follow that series on computer.

 

[Nick Name]

Every hard core drag racing enthusiast needs to visit Santa Pod at once in their life. No facility like it here in the USA.

 

[robinjackson]

Thank you, Cliff and Jay.

The FIA/FIM European Championship has just been called off. There were only five races on this season's calendar, with the round in Finland taking a year's break for improvements to their new track. One by one, each race has been called off (Hockenheim, Germany, the most recent), leaving only Santa Pod's European Finals in September to be officially cancelled. That one is not going to happen either. Roll on 2021.

See www.eurodragster.com , Friday 26 June.

 

[Cliff]

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[4onthefl4]

Every hard core drag racing enthusiast needs to visit Santa Pod at once in their life. No facility like it here in the USA.

Only in my dreams ☹