Santa Pod Raceway

Podington airfield, near the villages of Hinwick and Podington, was formerly a Second World War airbase. In 1966, permission was obtained to use the airfield as a drag racing complex, the {{Convert|3/4|mi|ft km|abbr=off}} main runway being used as the drag strip. Santa Pod was named after Santa Ana Drags, a drag strip in California, USA, and the local village of Podington. Since then, the name Santa Pod has become synonymous with the sport of drag racing in Europe. Informally known as 'The Pod',{{Cite web|url=https://abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/podington/|title=Podington|website=ABCT.org.uk|publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust|date=n.d.|access-date=23 November 2023}} today the raceway hosts events throughout the year, including the FIA European Drag Racing Championships and the 'Run What You Brung' (RWYB) events where anyone with a valid driving licence can have a go and put their own vehicles and skills to the test. This also serves as a 'grassroots' recruitment ground, as many who start by running their road vehicle on the track for bragging rights often progress to the next level and become competitors in National Events after obtaining a licence from one of the official sanctioning bodies; Auto-Cycle Union or Motorsport UK.

File:FIA MSA Pro Mod - Cadillac Coupe de Ville - Santa Pod 2010 (4656722419).jpg

Santa Pod is the venue at which the current world drag racing record, a time of 3.58 seconds at {{Convert|386.26|mph|2|abbr=off|lk=on}} was set by [http://www.draglist.com/stories/SOD-Nov-2002/SOD-110202.htm Sammy Miller] in his Vanishing Point rocket-propelled funny car in July 1984. Another record has also been set at Santa Pod, the world's fastest jet car (notably Santa Pod's 'resident') Fireforce 3 piloted by Martin Hill broke the record in Easter 2005 with a terminal speed of {{Convert|336.10|mph|2|abbr=off}}.{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurodragster.com/santapod/live/2005easterthunderball/reports/sunday.htm|title=Easter Thunderball 2005 event coverage|website=EuroDragster.com|publisher=Eurodragster|date= |access-date= |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112080914/http://www.eurodragster.com/santapod/live/2005easterthunderball/reports/sunday.htm|archive-date=12 November 2006}} Several other European drag racing records have been set, along with records unsurpassed outside the United States.{{Cite web|title=European and UK Bests|url=http://www.eurodragster.com/timing/europeanbests/default.asp|website=EuroDragster.com|publisher=Eurodragster|date=n.d.|access-date=23 November 2023}} In May 2010, Top Fuel dragster driver Urs Erbacher set a class speed record with a terminal speed of {{Convert|314.87|mph|2}} reached in less than 5 seconds. At the same race meeting, Eric Teboul set a time of 5.2321 seconds at {{Convert|249|mph|2}} on his Hydrogen Peroxide Rocket Bike, which he further improved to 5.19 seconds at the European championships in September 2010.{{Cite web|title=Santa Pod Season Review 2010|url=http://www.santapod.co.uk/e_season_review10.php|website=SantaPod.co.uk|publisher=Santa Pod Raceway|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208153157/http://www.santapod.co.uk/e_season_review10.php|archive-date=8 February 2011|url-status=dead}} In 2012, drag-racer Andy Frost set the record of 'the world's fastest accelerating road-legal car' at the UK's Santa Pod Raceway.{{Cite web|last=Rosamond|first=Chris|date=8 June 2012|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/go/news/stunts-records/worlds-quickest-road-legal-car-sets-the-record-at-santa-pod-raceway-35698|title=World's quickest road-legal car sets the record at Santa Pod Raceway|website=RoadAndTrack.com|publisher=Road & Track|access-date=23 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007005701/https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/news/a21902/worlds-quickest-road-legal-car-sets-the-record-at-santa-pod-raceway-35698/|archive-date=7 October 2015|url-status=live}} In September 2010, 47-year-old Briton Perry Watkins drove a racing vehicle, a 1994 Reliant Scimitar Sabre, decorated as a formal Queen Anne style dining table, complete with tablecloth, chairs, place settings, food and various vessels. The vehicle was dubbed the 'Fast Food'. It performed two runs at Santa Pod, topping out at {{Convert|130|mph|2}} and achieving an average speed of {{Convert|113.8|mph|2}}.{{Cite web|title=Man takes dinner table to 130 mph|url=https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/09/07/Man-takes-dinner-table-to-130-mph/UPI-29991283890715/|website=UPI.com|publisher=United Press International, Inc.|date=7 September 2010|access-date=23 November 2023}}

Santa Pod for many years remained the fastest all-asphalt dragstrip in the world, since most North American tracks are partially or entirely concrete in construction. However, during the winter of 2017/2018, the entire length of the track was lifted and replaced with a track constructed entirely in concrete, the reasoning being that concrete gives more consistent times as it, "moves around less" than asphalt.

File:2014-04-05 Santa Pod RWYB - Volkswagen Beetle.jpgSince 1987, it has hosted the annual Bug Jam weekend.{{Cite web|url=https://bugjam.co.uk/history.php|title=The history of Bug Jam|website=BugJam.co.uk|publisher=Bug Jam|date=n.d.|access-date=23 November 2023}}

Santa Pod appears in Led Zeppelin's concert film The Song Remains The Same. Drummer John Bonham drove a dragster at the raceway for his fantasy sequence in the film.{{Cite web|last=Dawes|first=Christopher|url=https://www.pushstuff.co.uk/mminfofreakos/ledzeppelin190394.html|title=Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains The Same - Info Freako - Melody Maker, 19 March 1994|website=Pushstuff.co.uk|date=n.d.|access-date=23 November 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite book|last=Taylor|first=Brian|date=2009|title=Crazy horses: the history of British drag racing, foreword by Don Garlits|publisher=Haynes Publishing|isbn=978-1-84425-425-5}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.santapod.co.uk Santa Pod official website]
• [http://www.eurodragster.com Site offering live coverage of Drag Racing events at Santa Pod and other venues]
• [http://www.fia.com Santa Pod's Governing Body for European Drag Racing]
• [http://www.fawcus.com Photos and video shot at Santa Pod by Brian Fawcus]
• [http://www.ultimatestreetcar.co.uk Ultimate Street Car (USC) official site]
• [http://www.bugjam.com Bug Jam VW show]

{{British motor racing circuits}}

{{Portal bar|Cars|Sports|England|United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Drag racing venues in Europe

Category:Motorsport venues in England

Category:Sports venues in Bedfordshire

Category:Sports venues completed in 1966