Santa Pod at 60
Santa Pod owner Keith Bartlett has plans to create a global Drag Racing championship
ROGER GORRINGE
Classic and vintage dragsters gather at Dragstalgia, Santa Pod’ s annual historic race meeting
was President of the European Top Fuel Association, and he kept things busy by bringing in two rounds of the European Top Fuel Challenge Series, prior to the inauguration of the FIA / FIM European Drag Racing Championships.
When Bartlett bought the venue in the mid-90s, his vision was a community focused on a shared passion for drag racing and live motorsport. The calendar has grown from around eight events per season to approximately 65 gatherings across the year – including the European Drag Racing Championships, the Motorsport UK British Drag Racing Championship for Pro Modified and the National Drag Racing Championship for all Sportsman classes.
The technology development at the top level has been astonishing, with the modern nitro-burning Top Fuel dragsters producing around 12,000 horsepower each. Two of those on the startline is the equivalent of an entire grid of 22 F1 cars, unleashed at once. They accelerate from 0-100 in 0.8 seconds, reach 250mph in just 2.5 seconds and top out at 320mph – and despite running in a straight line, they must be driven with absolute precision.
The high-profile events are just one part of the success. A wide range of lifestyle, modified car and festival events have been added to the calendar to expand the use and popularity of the venue. Two of these have grown into major fixtures – with
THE GREAT LEVELLER
Drag racing has a higher-thanaverage female contingent, from grass roots right up to the top level – and Swedish racer Susanne Callin is the current reigning European Top Fuel Champion.“ Once you do it, you are hooked,” Callin explains.“ I went up through the classes but having reached Top Fuel, I had a long time away raising my family before making a comeback. There have always been a lot of females in drag racing. Gender really doesn’ t matter – it’ s more about who you are as a person and whether you have the feeling and reactions for the sport.”
Bug Jam in July and Ultimate Street Car( USC) in August each attracting crowds of over 30,000 spectators. There are also regular Monster Truck shows and drifting events.
Over the past decade, Santa Pod has evolved at a pace even faster than the ten years before it, with a dual aim of maintaining its longstanding drag racing supporters and actively welcoming a new, younger generation into the sport. Drag racing is perfectly suited to the modern world, with races decided in seconds and winners defined almost instantly and the venue has embraced new media, with live-streamed broadcasts attracting large audiences and social media channels delivering highlights and behind-the-scenes content.
As it reaches its 60th anniversary, Bartlett is far from finished building Santa Pod – and his key ambition is now to help create a true World Drag Racing Championship. He is working with partners across the USA, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Asia to turn that vision into reality in the coming years – and if he achieves it, another part of Santa Pod’ s rich history will be written.
14 Revolution Magazine