DRAG RACING Robinson claims fifth Pro Modified crown

Santa Pod

Organiser: Santa Pod Racers Club When: Starters: 10 September 24/25

The sixth and final round of the MSA British Drag Racing Championship in the featured Pro Modified category had leader Andy Robinson looking to add a fifth title, with Bert Englefield aiming to take his second.

Qualifying would be a serious affair as the 10 entrants would need to be in the top eight if they wished to progress to race day.

Visitor Marco Maurischat topped it with a 6.1362s/227.19mph from his supercharged 53 Corvette; Robinson and Englefield slotted in at two and three respectively with passes in the 6.1s range as well, Bert being on personal best pace with a 6.1921s run.

Eliminations proved to be a tense and dramatic affair as Maurischat, Robinson, Englefield and outgoing champion Kevin Slyfield all progressed to the semis, Slyfield with a new personal best of 6.2807s/220.36mph while Robinson recorded the quickest pass of the round with a 6.1845s/232.46mph.

The semis had Slyfield improve to a 6.2679s/215mph to defeat a redlighting Maurischat, whilst Englefield defeated Robinson with a 6.4395s/220.26mph but a fuel tank explosion in the braking area prevented him from returning to contest the final against Slyfield and handed the title to Robinson.

Organiser: Hagley and District Light Car Club When: Starters: 157 September 24/25

The man with nothing left to prove after 152 run-off wins over 13 completed seasons, six-times British Hillclimb champion Scott Moran, demonstrated his virtuosity by taking the penultimate run-off win of the season just as a short burst of rain threatened to snatch it from his grasp.

Later, a further shower did prevent him taking the last round of the year but a mere 0.02s separated winner Wallace Menzies, second place Will Hall and third place Moran to conclude a pair of thrilling shoot-outs.

Moran said: “It has been a hard season and I have decided only to partially defend the number one next year as my family deserve more of my time. That’s not to say I won’t try for title number seven at some time in the near future.”

With the podium places already sewn up, the remaining top 10 numbers to be worn in 2017 were settled with only one change from post-doune positions during the day as Eynon Price scored eight. That put him in to eighth overall, ahead of Ed Hollier, who could only manage two points. Price’s co-driver Sean Gould achieved his first top 10 position since 1988.

Richard Spedding sealed his fourth spot during the first encounter and his is the highest number ever achieved in a modern motorcycle-engine car. Following the engine mounting fracture at Doune