Nostalgia Super Stocks

Northamptonshire May 28-30 VW BREAKOUT SANTA POD RACEWAY

With Covid restrictions now relaxing here in the UK, VW Breakout was a blast of a weekend and actually seemed something like ‘normal’. British bank holiday weekends are typically characterised by awful weather, but for the first time in a long while, the weather was glorious, which just made the weekend even better – after such a long winter, it felt like summer was finally here.

Most people arrived on Friday to set up, with some racers doing Run What Ya Brung to get some test runs in; it was certainly the ‘breakout’ from winter and lockdown that we all needed. It was good to see so many people on and off track excited about the summer to come. Saturday saw four qualifying rounds for all of the invited race classes, as well as Run What Ya Brung (RWYB) featuring a range of VWs, the Outlaw Street, the ‘Wild Bunch’ and Andy Raw with the Nitro Bug nostalgia fuel funny car.

The Nostalgia Super Stock class was well represented (many were profiled in the March 2020 issue of Classic American) with a huge entry of 34 cars, which is a great start to the season. They compete in what’s known as a ‘bracket class’ where they try and run as close as they can to the time they’ve predicted – if they run and go faster than this time, that is known as ‘breaking out’. Round one of qualifying was 9.30am sharp with Simon Rickwood leading the pack and 11 people ‘breaking out’ due to a rare Santa Pod tailwind. By the end of the day Dan Williams was in the number one spot for race day, running 10.29 on a 10.29 dial-in.

Saturday night there was a constant smell of barbecue wherever you went, and the sun set on a great first day of racing. Sunday morning came and although it started out dull, the sun soon made an appearance, turning many people into what’s known as a ‘Pod Lobsters’. Sunday saw eliminations take place for the invited race classes, with the Nostalgia Super Stock being whittled down to two throughout the day. By mid-afternoon the final was decided; Dave Billadeau (number 11 qualifier) against Rob Tyrrell (number 22 qualifier), both very good cars and drivers but when it came down to it Dave Billadeau took the win.

All in all it was an amazing weekend – well done to everyone who took part, with Covid restrictions eased and summer finally here, the weekend felt somewhat normal again and we can’t wait for the next round.

Race results courtesy of Eurodragster.com

NSS chairman Don Scott hitting the track in number 43. James Oliver makes the tyres of the Williams Bros Firebird smoke. Nic Williams, as always putting on a show in the Chevelle SS.

Regular racer ‘Kiwi’ in appropriately coloured Duster.

Santa Pod commentator Colin Theobald out for the weekend in Bruce the Camaro.

Simon Rickwood out in the gorgeous ‘Bossa Nova’.

Rob Tyrrell making it to the final in the Revenge Dodge.

Claire Johnson and Bev Tyrrell represent the ladies.

Jim Chandler getting plenty of air under the front of the Dodge Coronet. Chris Goodale burns rubber in this very smart Camaro.

Dave Billadeau out for the win in his new Challenger.

Dan Williams taking the number one spot for race day but unfortunately had problems.

Lee Chiles making out in the ‘Chiles Play’ Plymouth Valiant.

Gary Carr putting on a show going sky high in the Chevelle.

Chris and Adam Nowak in their recently restored ’69 Roadrunner.