In their own words……

Kevin Charman - Pro Stock Bike

After a very busy afternoon getting loaded up and meeting up with Gipp and Crew, we set up the Nitrous Junkie/Team Gipp pit space, complete with MPM branding. All looked very impressive. Four bikes in 4 different classes. Jake in Junior Drag Bike, Brendan Young in 9.50, Lizzy in Comp Bike and myself in Pro Stock, we were set on a pretty busy weekend!

Saturday came, and down to the start line for Comp and Pro Stock, with Juniors a few classes behind. I helped Lizzy get set and run, then donned helmet and gloves on for my run. First pass for the PSB was a 7.80 @ 170mph, that gave me number 2 slot. Although we were still not getting data from the logger, and the 60 foot times were down. Towed back to the pits, Chris, my Crew Chief was helping Lizzy get her bike ready for another run.

Gipp and Nige set about getting the PSB turned around and made some more changes to get out 60 foots back, while I went off to the line again, this time with Jake!

Qualifier 2, same deal, set Lizzy off, back to the Stocker, did the burnout and the bike stalled as I was putting it back into 1st gear. Re started and up to the line, stalled again. That was it, push back as you can only have one re start. Fortunately this did not change the ladder and we stayed at number 2.

We scrapped the third qualifier as we were having problems with Lizzy’s Comp bike, so Chris and I worked on trying to get this ready for racing.

Sunday morning we were down to 2 bikes, as we couldn’t repair the Comp bike at the track. Very disappointing for Lizzy and the Team.

Round 1, I was up against Ray Debben. The clutch was starting to work, as we were back to 1.16 60 foots, and a winning 7.7 ET on a tricky track.

We were set up to meet Len for the Finals, but the weather thought otherwise, and the meeting was called at 13.30.

I Hit The Bars! - Photo Thanks Blackett Photography

Jake Charman - Junior Drag Bike

After some very good runs at Shakey last meeting I was keen to see what I could do at Pod. I arrived at the track and everything was ready to go! Thanks to Dad, Brendan, Gipp, Nige and special thanks to Lizz for taking time off work to come and pick me up!

Before we raced we were all given purple and black ribbons to put on our wheelie bars for Martin Bishop and his Family who lost their Grand daughter in a tragic accident last Monday. All in Junior Drag bike, and Nitrous Junkie Team are thinking about them at this most difficult time.

We decided to start with our last dial–in of 10.10 and I ran a 9.92 @ 66 mph prompting us to change the dial to a 9.90 for the next run. Back to the pits normal maintenance done, back out for qualifier no. 2. Next run I ran a 9.99 @ 66 mph bumping me up to 2nd qualifier and taking a shot at the perfect light award with a .002 reaction time (the best reaction for the class as far as I know!) Qualifier no. 3, no changes to speak of, 9.92 @ 66 mph bumping me up again to 1st qualifier!

Sunday morning and a bye in the first round. I kept my dial in the same after yesterdays success and ran 9.93 @ 66 mph! Unfortunately we began to get spits of rain that soon turned into buckets and the meeting was called making every official meeting of Junior Drag Bike rained off this year!

As always thanks to my Sponsors “Uncle” Steve Wood at Motorshack and Alan Young at RCP Training - hope to see you both next year! Also thanks once again to Dad, Lizz, and Chris for crewing on the line and to Donna, Gipp and Nige for support in the pits.

Now I just have to wait for next year...

Lizz McCarthy – Competition Bike

I was looking forward very much to racing again at Santa Pod, after not being on the track at all due to injury, and having such a successful time at the Bulldog Bash, running 2 sevens back to back.

While Kev went to the track to set all three bikes up, drove from Banbury to Southampton to fetch Jake, who lives on the Isle of Wight, and then drove onto Pod. This was the first time all three of us has racing at the same time, and we were under no illusions that this could be a very busy weekend!

From suffering engine damage at the Bulldog and having various parts around the country, Kev had been working flat out most evenings, once parts arrived getting my engine back together again for this meeting. I can never thank him or Allan Davies enough for all the help. Finals checks done and started at the track, and was happy when I got a call to say all was well, and no problems.

Saturday morning we went to start the bike up, and it wasn’t having any of it. It started fine the day before, why not now. Eventually after going over the whole bike, and testing everything, a loose connection was found, sorted and the bike fired up!

First run was disappointing, and fantastic at the same time. Unfortunately I didn’t give Harold Wolfenden the race I so wanted to (we have been trying to race each other for 3 years !) Although the nitrous purged, it didn’t activate. I knew I was on full throttle as I was trying to wring the neck of the throttle trying to chase him! Great shame, but still very happy that I ran an 8.90 normally aspirated. It’s the quickest the motor has gone. Before that it was 9.1 with Kev on it !

Back to pits, found the issue, so the next run should be a good nitrous pass.

Second run, launched hard, and then seemed to lose power, kick in again when I hit 3rd gear pulling me towards the wall, and me having to correct it quickly. A power ring had failed, resulting in a very rough 8.70, and very fortunate that I didn’t do anymore damage to me or the bike. We need to address this, as this is the second time, I have had the same thing happen, and just had repaired.

There was nothing that we could do at the track, so my bike was put away. To say I was gutted was an understatement – but on the bright side, Jake did fantastically well, number one qualifier, nearly a perfect light winner, and Kev got into the final, before it was rained off.

Our next meeting, the last of the season is the Extreme Performance Bike weekend in a fortnight, I am so hoping that my bike will be ready, but if not there is always next year…

Thanks as always to our long suffering, hard working Crew, who without them, this Weekend would have been murder ! Chris Pyke, Donna and Corey, Richard Gipp, and Nigel, Allan Davies, Big Rich, and Alan Young, and our Sponsors, Richard Stevens at MPM Oil UK, Steve Wood at Motorshack, Ken Cooper at Cooperized, and Doug at Ensys.

A quick mention too to the Track Crew, Eurodragster, Colin Theobald, and Nitro FM, without them we wouldn’t have any idea what was going on!