Latest News
National Finals 2014
After testing at The Bulldog Bash it was time for my first meeting on the new bike. To start with we decided to keep the bike as it was and went for a dial in of 10.2 just to get a number on the board. After running a 10.8 we decided to see what could be done with the clutch. We lightened the base springs to allow for more clutch slip off the line and added weight to the arms to compensate further up the track. This worked off the line with a falling 60 foot time but definitely felt sluggish. We also noticed the shift point was set far too low as I shifted gear just as the bike was about to take off. All together it equated to a time of 11.2. The night before eliminations we added even more weight to the arms and rose the shift point to try and get some speed back and guessed a 10.6 dial in. I ran another 11 second run and was out. But all in all we learned a lot about the bike and what needed to be done. We are planning to go to some Run What Ya...
Nitrous Junkie Racing latest mutterings - 2014
It would appear my witty press releases have been missed, so I thought I would just put finger to keyboard, as it were and tell you what (little) the Nitrous Junkies have been up to.The story so far ……Kev Charman has bought Steve Carey’s Top Fuel bike, the Purple Princess, which suffered a huge and memorable crash at last year’s Dragstalgia Event at Santa Pod in 2013. So far we have upset absolutely no one in the village, much, by firing it up on nitro, or spending a lot of time in the garage. A new chassis is going to be built, and all being well, Kev aims to be out testing towards the end of next year. He is in no rush, and wants to learn as much as he can before he takes it back to the track. Big thanks to Steve to coming up to us, and spending a day with the crew teaching us all “stuff”Huge congrats to Steve, we went to the reception, so know it’s true….. Annette has made an honourable man of him, and they got married last Saturday !!Jake Charman’s new Junior Bike, aptly names “The Halfabusa” is now finished and he...
Kev's New Toy
What has he been up to ? Kevin has been in talks with Steve Carey, the owner of the Purple Princess Top fuel bike, who had quite a dramatic "off" at Dragstalga last year.Thankfully Steve is ok, but the fuel bike needs quite a lot of TLC, and Kev seized the opportunity, the deal was done, and has bought the bike!Kev won the TF Championship in 2011, on Rene Van den Berg's old bike, and since then there has been speculation on what he would do next. Now you know !The bike is now at its new home, awaiting new chassis and wheelie bars and we are looking forward to racing Top Fuel again, and the Team would like to take this opportunity to wish Steve all the very best in his new venture too.
2013 Review, and a New Bike For 2014
In 2013 I had a tough year of racing, getting taller and a tad heavier, so we were having to work really hard to set up the bike. We made such good progress on the old bike in 2012, gaining 6 positions in the championship. 2013 was therefore very hard gong, I got taller and wanted to go faster, but the bike didn’t. Towards the end of the year, cramming myself into the bike, knees sticking out, it was very obvious I was getting far too big for the old bike and, thanks so much to Dad it was agreed a new one just had to be built.The new bike is beginning to take shape at Dave Branch's and will hopefully vastly improve on some of the shortcomings of the old bike. Even Dad is too short for the new one, the foot pegs are too far back for him, but is just fine for me ! On the old bike, we were having problems setting up the clutch and finding the balance between the clutch slip and wheel spin in order to get a good launch. Then there was me, the rider that gained an inch in height between...
Extreme Performance Bike Weekend 2013
We arrived at the track not sure what the bike would run after the National Finals.Up early Saturday morning ready for scruitineering and the first run, after some thought between two times written on either side of the board we decided on a dial of 10.7 from last meeting over 10.4. We went out to run and you would not believe it ... a 10.4! I thought the timing boards where broken when I first looked up at the gantry! Other than that, the bike launched better than it has for a long time and begun to hit the bars again. Time to turn the board round and a dial of 10.4 for next time.Next run out and after another good launch, a 10.2. Got back to the pits, still laughing inside my helmet and gave the ticket to Dad to which he replied "You are so fired! A dial of 10.2 for next run. Went out again hoping for a time the right side of the dial this time, and that was exactly what I got, 10.4, the right side, now we need to get a bit closer. Sunday morning at time for another qualifying round, so we decided...
Stripe 21 Open Sport Nationals 2013
After finding two broken piston rings at the Junior Fun Day at Santa Pod on Wednesday we headed off to Avon Park hoping that a new piston and rings would solve the lack of power we have been having recently.First run out we decided to dial in 10.00 as a ballpark figure and I ran 10.80. The bike was back launching hard again and I definitely felt the front wheel lift up. Second run and we used 10.00 again to confirm our theory and I ran a 10.70. Again, the bike lauched well and despite a few prolems with the launch RPM light an alltogether good run. Back to the pits and an attempt at fixing the light ready for tomorrow.Sunday and the second day of qualifying. We agreed on a dial in of 10.50 for the next round as I still felt I could take some time off my ET. Another 10.70 and a whack with the dial in board from Dad (he suggested a 10.70 dial). We still had problems with the Launch light though, it was staying on down the whole track causing me to shift gear early.After another 10.70 run with the light on all the...
Summer Nationals 2013
As per usual, when me and dad arrived at the track, the awnings where already set up thanks to Lizz, Gipp and Nige.First run out in the morning and the headwind was unbelieveable! It knoked my MPH down to 56! Despite the wind, the bike launched well with a small wheel spin. Back in the pits, we tried raising the forks to get the spin down to a minimum. Next run out, it turned out that this had bought back the bogging problems from last meeting! Not wanting to lower the forks, we decided to tighten the clutch springs slightly. While this did get us a slightly better launch it still wasn’t great so back to the pits for the same adjustment again. On the last run before eliminations we still had a better launch but not quite good enough. We had only one option left. Dial in slow and try to push Lou out. The bike still launched with a bog as usual, when we were nearing the end of the track I couldn’t see Lou so decided to roll off. As soon as I saw the ticket, I was kicking myself immediately. On my 11.50 dial in I...
Springspeed Nationals 2013
When Dad and I arrived at the track, most of the setting up work was already done thanks to Lizz, Gipp and Nige. Thanks also to Don Kennedy, Bois Reed and Ray Debben for helping to find some spark plugs at short notice.First run out in the morning we started out with a 9.89 dial but it soon became clear that the bike was having real trouble leaving the line without bogging. I ran a 10.34 @ 65 mph. I came back to the pits feeling sure I had let go of the clutch too slowly and it spun the clutch instead of the tyre.Saturday morning , and another attempt at leaving the line. This time I made a point of reminding myself to ping the clutch and there was still a bog. Back to the pits and we put even higher pressure into the tyre and lowered the front in order to get the wieght away from the back wheel. Also, we decided to lean out the fuel mix. but still had the same problems as before.It was the last run before eliminations and lean didn’t work so we decided to try rich. Thanks to Binz for finding us...
Festival Of Power 30/3/13
When Dad and me arrived at the track, the awnings, vans e.t.c were allready set up thanks to Lizz, Gipp, Clair and Allan. After getting the caravan set up we started to get my bike ready for scruitineering. Despite the efforts of the track crew, the track was very cold. First run out I ran a 10.10 @ 66mph qualifying me second. Because of the cold track there was a lot of wheelspin, so we decided to drop the rear tyre pressure and go out for another run with a bigger burnout. Unfortunately due to small flurrys of snow throughout the day we would have to wait until Sunday for our next run. The big burnout heated the clutch causing the bike to drag me through the startline and red light. Apart from the clutch, this tecnique was working well so we decided to keep the same approach for the next run. Later, Dad decided to check the weather station and the adjusted altitude was under –300! Terrible for engines. After some consideration, we decided that it was too late into the meeting to change the jetting. Monday began with a surprise qualifying run then straight into eliminations. Jordan Bissel...
A Quick Update - 2013
It's seems a very long time since we updated you with anything at all, so no time like the present.With only a few weeks to go before the Festival of Power at Santa Pod, we feel it safe to say that Kev will definitely not be racing this season. The general idea being that he supports Jake and Lizz, and does some work to the house, as there will be some money in the bank !He finished in 2nd Place at Santa Pod in Pro Stock, and found that he is not cured, still has the nitro bug, so it has to be Top Fuel or nothing !Lizz will be racing in Comp bike again, and would like to thank all the "bloody marvellous" people who voted for her, and helped her win the Paul Giddings Memorial Trophy, for over coming adversity. From broken wrists, to broken engines, to running sevens, was more than she could have hoped for at the end, but what a fantastic end. She is now very much looking forward to the new season, and seeing what can be achieved.. Big thanks to John Austin who has let Lizz use the chassis for another year.Jake had...