Kevin Melling posted on the Old School Stockers UK Facebook with this Dragstalgia 2024 report: Kevin Writes:
The weather forecast throughout the weekend of this now long established and brilliant event was looking questionable at times. But as ever you never know what’s going to happen, so you turn up and hope for the best. I’m incredibly pleased to report, that despite what mother nature threw at Santa Pod Raceway these last few days, Dragstalgia once again did not disappoint.
We had seventeen entries for Old School Stockers this year, but for various reasons three of those were sidelined, leaving us a strong fourteen bike field. Once again, we were blessed with the attendance of Dan Esposti, hauling his small team and two bikes all the way from Italy, to be ably assisted locally by Paul Watson and Andy Haley. Dan had built a brand new and beautifully turned-out Suzuki GSX ES ride (naturally resplendent in his usual bright Yellow ‘Moon’ paint scheme), with the plan being for Paul to also ride on Dan’s old Suzuki EFE bike. Also new to this event was long established Pro Stock stalwart Len Paget, who had hastily put together a Suzuki GSX ET OSS bike, from ‘some old crap I had laying about the garage’! Len has a huge amount of experience, and there was no doubt that within a few runs his new bike would be competitive. Steve Howe is close to completing his all-new Suzuki EFE bike but took advantage of Nick Peppers kind offer to ride his recently reacquired ex Steve Tong white and green GS1000.
This was the bike that Rod Spry had re-tweaked last year, enabling it to turn its first ever eight second pass, whilst also making it go in a straight line! On his second Dragstalgia appearance, ‘young gun’ Freddie Smith was also graciously accepting of Rod Spry’s offer to ride his beautiful Sid Pogue replica Kawasaki Z1R stocker. Freddie more used to riding Kawasaki two stroke triples, had never thrown a leg over a big four dragbike before, but he quickly settled in to it like an old pro. Talking of the notorious Spry brothers, Rod this year was on his now eight second Paul Gast replica red H2 (that Freddie Smith campaigned last year), whilst younger brother Chris was on his trusty brown Bob Carpenter replica 74 H2B stocker (one of the bikes that established the class back in the mid-seventies). The Spry’s as usual also brought along a couple of gorgeous Kawasaki period hot street bikes to add some colour and variety to the pits, including Rod’s black and orange ZIR Turbo and Chris’s blue Z1B turbo.
The rest of the field comprised of much of last year’s competitors, namely Super Street regular Chris ‘Bois’ Reed riding one of Andy Lamberts black Z1 stockers (complete with pink tutu of course!), Sean ‘Biffo’ Biddlecombe on his white and red GS1000S Ice Cream Van, last year’s Dragstalgia winner Richard Peachey on his regular eight second turning black GSX, Alan Ward on his black GSX ET ride, and our current championship leader Claire Rule on her super quick black EFE, not long back from her win at the Retro Show in June. Pete McGuiness on his rapid tiny 500cc Kawasaki H1 triple, Dean Steven’s on Dad Nipper’s lime green Kawasaki H2, and myself on our now sparkly red H2, completed the field.
Seven took advantage of the Friday RWYB test session, for some final tweaking, before the scheduled first qualifying session late on the Friday. However, although a few car classes managed to get some qualifying runs in, unfortunately the heavens opened before our scheduled slot, with proceedings for the day being called shortly afterwards.
Throughout most of the evening and into the early hours the rain continued, as the winds picked up, resulting in quite an unpleasant storm around 4am. Anyway, we had four more scheduled qualifying opportunities to look forward to during the Saturday, so not to worry, eh! However, Saturday proved one long washout, but thanks to some gargantuan efforts by the Santa Pod track crew, our patient OSS competitors did eventually see one qualifying session around 6.30pm on the Saturday. With the huge overall event entry numbers, and a dodgy looking forecast for Sunday, there was no chance of another qualifying round on the Sunday, and so the ‘one shot’ qualifications is what most classes had to work with. Accordingly, without the opportunity to set up their bikes properly, we ended with several ‘out of position’ qualifiers, which would make for an interesting mix on the elimination ladder. Here’s how we all ended up:
Sunday morning started dry and bright, and we eagerly awaited our first round of eliminations, whilst constantly glancing to the skies, and checking weather apps. By late morning we were ready in the fire up lanes, and first pairing was me against Dan Esposti. Now Dan didn’t manage to sort his new bike troubles in time to qualify, whilst Paul Watson on Dan’s back up bike did. Since Paul was fighting a little back pain, the decision was made for Dan to take Paul’s place on the back up bike (as he rode at last year’s event). Unfortunately, at the line Dan just rolled out of stage, and so the win went my way with an [emailprotected], whilst Dan’s run didn’t record a time. Next up was a Kawasaki versus Suzuki ‘two valve’ pairing of Freddie Smith against Sean Biffo Biddlecombe. With Sean’s motor dying just before the burnout, and being unable to restart, Freddie took a solo pass, albeit with his own issues, slowing to a [emailprotected]. Freddie was therefore only too pleased to be gifted the win on this occasion. Third pair up were good friends and pit marquee sharing Alan Ward and Claire Rule. The drama continued as Alan had the unfortunate incident of the starter nut undoing from the end of the crank, whilst trying to fire it up in the water box (we’ve all been there!).
Despite their best efforts, Alan and crew Kyle were unable to start the bike without the necessary big spanner and hammer to hand, and so Claire took a solo win with an [emailprotected]. For the first time in the eliminations so far, the fourth pairing did complete full side by side runs. However, Steve Howe’s big GS Suzuki was too much of a challenge for Pete McGuiness’s little Kawasaki H1, and Steve cruised through to a [emailprotected] win, against Pete’s off form [emailprotected]. Next up was one of the closest races ever in OSS, with Rod Spry on the Kawasaki H2 up against Richard Peachey on the big black GSX. They both cut respectable lights, with Rod having the slight edge and pulling the quicker 60ft time putting him in front from the start. But the stonking power from the big Suzuki saw Richard start to reel Rod in, and by the stripe Rod just held for the win by 0.004 seconds, with his [emailprotected] Richard’s quicker, but loosing [emailprotected].
Neither rider knew who had one, until their pit crew met them at the top end, brilliant racing! Next up an all two-stroke triple contest with Chris Spry on the brown H2 against Dean Stevens lime green H2. Dean comfortably taking the win with his [emailprotected], against Chris’s usually consistent, but on this occasion troubled [emailprotected]. Final match up was Bois Reed on Andy Lamberts black Z1 paired up to Len Paget on his newly created GSX ET machine. Unfortunately, Bois pulled a red handing Len the win with a stout [emailprotected](on only this bikes second ever pass down the strip!), against Bois’s loosing and off form [emailprotected] run.
It was over four hours later by the time that our second round of eliminations arrived, and first up was an all Kawasaki affair with Fredie Smith on the Z1R pitted against Dean Stevens on the H2. Freddie cut the sharper light, but Dean on the quicker H2 managed to power through to a winning [emailprotected] pass, to Freddie’s [emailprotected]. Next up saw a very much on form Rod Spry on the red H2, against championship leader Claire Rule on her GSX EFE. Rod cut the slightly better light and once again the lightweight H2 took the lead past 60ft, but Claire’s 1428cc motor gradually reeled Rod in, taking the win with an [emailprotected] against Rod’s very respectable, but loosing [emailprotected]. Steve Howe on the GS1000 knew he’d have to cut a cracking light to hold off Len Paget on the big four valve GSX, and indeed he did, running a solid [emailprotected] in the process. But it was to be no match for Len’s ever improving new Suzuki, which ran [emailprotected] to take the win. Last up was me on a convenient bye run, with an [emailprotected].
Into the semi-finals then just 50 minutes later, and first up was the battle of the mighty GSX Suzuki’s of Claire Rule against Len Paget. Both riders cut almost identical 0.06 second reactions, but Len’s GSX smoking like a two-stroke seemed to lack some of its earlier power, running an off form [emailprotected] to Claire’s stronger and winning [emailprotected] pass. The other semi saw Dean Stevens against myself, both H2 mounted of course, with Dean’s [emailprotected] sadly unable to catch my [emailprotected] run.
So the final round was set to be a remarkably close match, with both Claire and me solidly in the 8.7’s or thereabouts, and each keen to take the win. My teammate Alan Smith and myself were both concerned at our significantly slower terminal speed during the semi’s, wondering if we’d hurt the motor perhaps? In the few minutes available nothing could be found on inspection, so we decide to bite the bullet and hope for the best. During the burnout however, we quickly lost power and the motor died, and we were out of the final. So Claire took the solo with her weekends best run of [emailprotected], to earn a richly deserved win, with plenty of power, consistency, and sharp riding throughout the eliminations. We all felt a little robbed of a close final race, but well-done Claire, another fantastic performance!
And so another Dragstalgia had come to pass, with plenty of weather, waiting and excitement thrown in for good measure. As always, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event, and once again the camaraderie of this small group was evident. None more so than the unsung behind the scenes’ friends and family, who stepped up to offer their support throughout the weekend. I won’t name them, they know who they are, and their kindness and contributions was appreciated by everyone participating in OSS. Thanks all!
