Santa Pod

[KINGOFTHINGS]

No but I have seen Eric tubal run the rocket bike there.

This was long ago now. I think he was hurt there in '74 though this photo is 2/79 I think.
~
I wonder if he and Eric conferred.
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[KINGOFTHINGS]

How about that VW truck with the blown Chrysler on alky. Watch that thing run on U Tube. Wow! Not real fast but just looks soooo cool!

Not seen that.

 

[robinjackson]

In 1984, Sammy Miller clocked 3.58 seconds in Vanishing Point at Santa Pod, still the outright quickest ET ever achieved on a dragstrip. The published terminal speed, 386mph, has been widely questioned.

There's a fulsome tribute to Sammy here:
https://www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk/hall-of-fame/sammy-miller/
and more on Draglist here:
http://www.draglist.com/stories/SOD-Nov-2002/SOD-110202.htm

Eric Teboul has hit 5.12 at Bradenton, FL, and 282mph at Santa Pod.

 

[Cliff]

Ya know, if Sammy Miller went 3.58 in the 1/4 mile, 386 MPH would not be unrealistic. Just thinking about T/F today, running 3.6 in 1000' and how we think that could translate to around 4.40 or less in 1/4 mile, w/speeds around 345 - 350. So.... I remember seeing rocket cars at Pomona & the driver shut off early and still ran in the 4's at ? MPH. So the potential is there. Pomona too short to "leg it out the back door".

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

In 1984, Sammy Miller clocked 3.58 seconds in Vanishing Point at Santa Pod, still the outright quickest ET ever achieved on a dragstrip. The published terminal speed, 386mph, has been widely questioned.

There's a fulsome tribute to Sammy here:
https://www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk/hall-of-fame/sammy-miller/
and more on Draglist here:
http://www.draglist.com/stories/SOD-Nov-2002/SOD-110202.htm

Eric Teboul has hit 5.12 at Bradenton, FL, and 282mph at Santa Pod.

Thank you!

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

Ya know, if Sammy Miller went 3.58 in the 1/4 mile, 386 MPH would not be unrealistic. Just thinking about T/F today, running 3.6 in 1000' and how we think that could translate to around 4.40 or less in 1/4 mile, w/speeds around 345 - 350. So.... I remember seeing rocket cars at Pomona & the driver shut off early and still ran in the 4's at ? MPH. So the potential is there. Pomona too short to "leg it out the back door".

'Parker Avenue' is surely too short for full run rocket cars.
Evidenced by the visits the trap and net get.

 

[robinjackson]

Ya know, if Sammy Miller went 3.58 in the 1/4 mile, 386 MPH would not be unrealistic. Just thinking about T/F today, running 3.6 in 1000' and how we think that could translate to around 4.40 or less in 1/4 mile, w/speeds around 345 - 350. So.... I remember seeing rocket cars at Pomona & the driver shut off early and still ran in the 4's at ? MPH. So the potential is there. Pomona too short to "leg it out the back door".

I would agree that 386mph would seem entirely feasible when allied to a 3.58 quarter-mile ET. However, people involved at the time have expressed strong doubts, for reasons known to them but not to me. I was just a paying spectator in those days. Either way, it remains a staggering run.

 

[Nick Name]

This was long ago now. I think he was hurt there in '74 though this photo is 2/79 I think.
~
I wonder if he and Eric conferred.
~
View attachment 4320

Eric was running a nitro TF bike and his brother Bobby Feeler bought one of the ex Vanishing point funny cars and ran it in Europe. That is how Eric got involved with rockets. He then built the bike. I witnessed the 5.12 at Bradenton and he almost didm't get it stopped in time.

What is interesting is they have to "brew" their own fuel from commercial grade Hydrogen provide. I was told that when they came to the USA, they had to source US made fuel and it turned out to be "good stuff", hence the 5.12

I was told that Sammy used to black out on some of the runs. The burn was on a timer and then the chutes would come out. And the car would just stop on the track. When the crew showed up and lifted the body, Sammy would be out.

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

Eric was running a nitro TF bike and his brother Bobby Feeler bought one of the ex Vanishing point funny cars and ran it in Europe. That is how Eric got involved with rockets. He then built the bike. I witnessed the 5.12 at Bradenton and he almost didm't get it stopped in time.

What is interesting is they have to "brew" their own fuel from commercial grade Hydrogen provide. I was told that when they came to the USA, they had to source US made fuel and it turned out to be "good stuff", hence the 5.12

I was told that Sammy used to black out on some of the runs. The burn was on a timer and then the chutes would come out. And the car would just stop on the track. When the crew showed up and lifted the body, Sammy would be out.

Wow!!! Thanks!
He probably told me of this though I don’t recall.
I believe he invented the valves that were used on the rockets. These became a source of great pain with a partner I believe.
I’ll dig out some more personal photos in the morning.

 

[Larry]

I hold Santa Pod in reverence as Drag Racing is a Totally American Sport and the track sits on the very same asphalt American B 17's bombed Europe from . Nearby are well maintained graves of American flyers killed defending and defeating the Germans bent on taking England and winning the war .

 

[Cliff]

Thanks for that info Larry. Sad that WWII is slowly disapearing from our view.