Finally managed to stop grinning long enough to write a race report!!

Dragstalgia 2025

It's been a while..........

For a few years now, Andy Lambert has offered me his awesome Prostock bike to ride, after my few attempts on Claire Rules and Richard Gipps stockers, someone must have seen potential or giggle factor! If you don't know me, I used to race in Comp and Funny bike, and won the Championship in 2013, and been a "borrower" of race bikes, or sometimes, even offered a ride!

Then Covid, total knee replacement, and recovery - 4 years down the line, Andy asked me again - He, being unable to ride due to a shoulder injury that he's still waiting for an op for, told me this year I had no choice!

Now, I'm not the size for a ProStock bike, Nostalgia, or otherwise anymore, but really wanted to have a try, so yes! I then had to convince Bois that Dragstalgia was a great idea, so "Give me your card, Bois, I'll enter you now, and can you bring both bikes please" whilst in the bar !! Bois was going to see Linkin Park at Wembly with his girls, so the logistics, got kind of amusing.

Thanks to Stacey for working it all out. Bois would bring both bikes down on Thursday evening, test and qualify Friday, he would run one Saturday and shoot off on road bike, and come back on Sunday for Elims

This "great idea" also involved a day trip from Woodford Halse to Farnborough to get Top Fuel bike stuff sorted, and then onto Southend-on-sea to see the bike,sit on the bike, have a lesson on how to ride it etc, have a cup of tea, and Dragstalgia entries were in!

I'm not going to regale you on the frustrating setting up, on Thursday when Kev wasn't with us...and I couldn't remember how to set it all up, or the space we needed, but we managed it, and once set up we could relax!

Friday testing - wanted to do the bike justice, always been so in awe of this lovely bike- however it was very happy to show me who the boss was! It launched so hard, and very left. I wasn't expecting that and kissed the wall. Except I didn't realise I'd done this! K collects me, asks if I'm OK, if the bike is OK and I affirmed all was fine - then got told what i'd done. I (obviously) disagreed and was then asked to look at the footpeg.

The bike is an animal, in a lovely way, and hauls arse off the line but sadly I'm a little overweight to control as well as I might, plus very rusty but photos thanks to many show I readjusted handlebars so launched left, and corrected incorrectly, so continued to go the wrong way. 12 sec pass

Second run, not so bad - didn't hit the wall, but still launched left, and ran a 9.5, getting me 5th qualifier, but didn't see the shift light, and only 120mph, but no 4th or 5th gear. Then the sole of my boot literally fell off, and thanks so much to the loveliest couple who had a stall, for the life of me cannot remember their names - no glue at the Pod shop, or anywhere else, gave me their personal stash so I could take the gaffer tape off my boot! It seriously would have been game over, unless any of the guys had a spare size 4 boot, or I was allowed to race in Birkinstocks!!

Kev also drove home for parts, and didn't get back for my last run. First time I had to rely on someone else to sort me out!! Paul Callow stepped up to the plate, and looked after me admirably.

So I ran on 3 to 4 gears on every run, but still managed 9.5, 9.2, 9.2 Kev changed the gear lever to a shorter one in the hope that may shift, upped the psi on the air, but still not playing. It was the launching left, and although quite nerve racking, I was slowly "getting it" and beginning to compensate for this. Last run being the best at 9.2 at only 107mph - but the bloody lanyard fell out!!

That evening Kev and the crew did all maintainence and also some pretty drastic modifications ready for the following day.

Eliminations - I had Dean Stevens in the first round. Now Dean crews for us on the Fuel Bike and we had a little tiff on "you be kind to me" "No you" etc etc. I lost - it couldn't have been better for Dean, who had shifting issues all weekend. My terrible reaction and my, or the bikes ability couldn't have caught him, with his storming 8 second run - Dean went on to the final, and although his reaction was quick, and got him off the line, Steve Howe got him at the quarter. Definitely the run of the weekend!

Enough waffle

In conclusion - a lot of time attempting not to hit the wall, racing with 3, maybe 4 but definitely not 5 gears, having the best time with some lovely people : My incredibly amazing Husband Kev Charman, Fabulous Bois, for ferrying the bikes, and being quite the calming influence, "Dad" and sponsor Paul Callow and his lovely girlfriend Rachel Park-Delaney , who came over from the Isle of Man for a bit of time with us, the "forgotten one" Natalie Jones my adopted Family, Julie and Abbi Moxley .....Saving the best til last. Andy Lambert for trusting me with this absolutely awesome bike, and thank you for not yelling at me!

Also very privileged to have an interview with Paul Wright and Barry Bohannon on Nitro Fm which was a very enjoyable experience!

Oh! Almost forgot. I may not have won, but I was awarded a rather lovely trophy for best riding job of the weekend. How cool was that!?

Thanks as always to the track crew and marshals for looking out for us all, we are so blessed to have such an ace facility in Santa Pod Raceway and forever grateful. Colin Theobald and Darryl Bradford for the commentary and recognition that I was trying my best! Almost forgot Ian and Paula Blackett for slow mo's friendship and general mickey taking !

As for the Old School stockers - What a class, and thanks for the kind words - you all seriously rock ! What a brilliant weekend :)

Unitl next time...........