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International Sporting Events In Eastern England On Spring Bank Holiday Weekend
Eastern England is set to host a significant international sporting event over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway will mark the commencement of the 2024 FIA/FIM European Drag Racing Championships. This event will feature over 250 competitors from 17 countries and is expected to draw around 20,000 spectators.
The event will see cars racing at speeds of up to 300mph, with participants ranging from children as young as eight to seasoned adult drivers. Notably, drag racing has long embraced gender-blind competition, with nearly equal participation from both boys and girls in junior categories and women in adult ranks.
Among the top competitors are Sweden’s Susanne Callin and Switzerland’s Jndia Erbacher, who will lead the 300mph Top Fuel Dragster show. Additionally, fuel Funny Cars will also be part of the spectacle. Nineteen Pro Mods will compete to qualify for Monday’s 16-car eliminations field, joined by Top Methanol cars and Scandinavian Pro Stockers.
On two wheels, Top Fuel Bikes and Nitro Super-Twins will vie for early victories in their FIM-Europe title chases, alongside Super Street and Pro Stock Bikes. Beneath the European championship level, a full programme of UK championship Sportsman classes will keep the on-track action intense.
When not on the track, racers will be in the pits working on their machinery. Spectators will have free unrestricted paddock access, allowing them a close-up view of all the action. Away from the track, there will be stunt driving and riding displays, along with a variety of family-friendly activities, including a circus.
Carl Cox's Debut
A notable late entry in the Sportsman class Competition Eliminator is Carl Cox, the renowned DJ and electronic music pioneer. Cox’s Carl Cox Motorsport organisation includes Isle of Man TT motorcycle hero Michael Dunlop among its roster. Cox himself is an established drag racer in Australia.
Cox’s vehicle for this event is a Plymouth Barracuda-bodied machine equipped with a ProCharger. This device is legal in America but not yet in Europe, hence Cox’s presence in Comp. The Barracuda is expected to outpace its rivals significantly, although Comp’s handicap start system aims to even out power disparities.
Event Details
The Main Event 2024 will take place from Friday 24th to Monday 27th May at Santa Pod Raceway, near Wellingborough NN29 7XA. Full event information is available at Santa Pod's official website, and tickets can be booked online or by calling 01234 782828. Advance booking is required as no tickets will be available at the gate.
Historical Context
Santa Pod Raceway opened in 1966 as Europe’s first permanent drag racing venue. Located on a former World War II airfield, it hosts more than 70 events annually from February to November. The venue includes major spectator events such as two FIA/FIM European Drag Racing Championship rounds and the renowned mid-summer Volkswagen festival, Bug Jam.
For further information and higher-resolution images, please contact Santa Pod Raceway's Press Office at (01234) 782828 or via email at pr@santapod.co.uk.
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