Pro Street Drag Series at Shakespeare County Raceway.

[Twin Turbo FTO]

With the first Pro Street Drag series title awarded to season racer Richard Batty driving his self built and NR Autosport tuned 11 second Mitsubishi FTO sports racer, attention is now turning to this years title race in the 5 round drag race held at Warwickshire’s Shakespeare County Raceway.

In a move to make the series even more accessable for the average Japanese and European car enthusiast to enter, during the winter months the timing brackets have been altered in the street classes to:

9.30 to 10.99 secs
11.00 to 11.99 secs
12.00 to 12.99 secs
13.00 to 13.99 secs
14.00 upwards

The Professional classes continue to cater for Pro 4wd/RWD (currently chasing 7 sec runs) and Pro FWD.

The series will take place during five of the Stratford-upon-Avon’s quarter mile Public Track Day weekends on Sundays, with practice being conducted on Saturdays on the following dates:

April 18th/19th
May 16th/17th
June 13th/14th
September 5th/6th
October 17th/18th


The main objective of the series is to run affordable timed bracket classes for Japanese and European manufactured road legal vehicles with current MOT, full working dashboard and lights but on radial tyres. Wrinkle wall DOT tyres and full racing slicks can be used but only in the Pro classes. Any vehicle running quicker than 9.3 will automatically move into the Pro class and must be fitted with an approved roll cage.

Since the release of the series official forum http://www.prostreetdragseries.co.uk the series has already gained attention from drivers all over the country as well as receiving sponsorship interest from such notable companies as AET Turbos, Motorshack & VP Racing Fuels and Japanese Performance Magazine.

To compete all you need to do is register for free on the Pro Street Drag Racing forum http://www.prostreetdragseries.co.uk and then post up in the "Enter Here" Section to be assigned a race number. Existing race numbers are carried over from 2008 to 2009 (so competitors from 2008 do not need to re-register)

We look forward to seeing you there.








Photos courtesy of Peter Donaldson

[andyr]

Great idea for a series mate.

Well done on the 11 BTW, any vid ?

Hope the series goes well.

Cheers,

Andy

[Twin Turbo FTO]

Cheers Andy.

Here is one of it running 11.2

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LhVCtpTsj54

PB so far 11.09@133 but some major developments over the winter. The turbo still has another 100-150bhp more in it, as we are only running 1.9 bar on a GT35r, new cams to go in, lots of suspension setup changes and then add some nos. We want to be in the low 10's next year and dare I say it, trying for a little lower

[Dave]

Must be a diesel skyline, judging by the black smoke from the exhaust!!!

Cheers
Dave

[Twin Turbo FTO]

With less than four weeks to go drivers are getting geared up for the first round of the 2009 Pro Street Drag Series, on the 18th/19th of April at Shakespeare County Raceway, near Stratford-Upon-Avon. I’m sure Richard B in his blisteringly quick FTO will be keen to repeat his overall Series win again in 2009, although many other drivers will be planning to knock him off the top spot this year.


Mick Begley preparing to run

With over thirty five new competitors having signed up for 2009, record numbers of PSDS drivers are expected to attend this year.

Many of the drivers who competed last year have been busy over the winter period making improvements to their drag machines. In the Street Class Tony Walters is planning to break in to the 9’s with his revamped Nissan 200SX, John Moreby has been negotiating a new turbo in to his already very quick 10 second Impreza wagon, and Mike Smith has added NOS to his twin engined Mini Estate.


Chris Impey's RX7

Also will we see a magical seven second run this year in our Pro Class? Mick Begley seems to think so with his ex Duke drag R33 GTR, currently holding the 4wd European record of 8.21/176 mph that he achieved in the 2008 Pro Street Drag Series. Mick’s car has recently been dyno’d at 1346hp and he has added a 175 shot of NOS in an attempt to smash his own European record hopefully with a seven second run. Keith Cowie also believes his car is capable of a seven second run this year but may struggle to make the first round due to head gasket problems causing the coolant system to become pressured up. This happened on Keith’s last run of the 2008 season when the motor blew 2 core plugs, dropping water under the wheels, causing the back end to come round right at the top of the track doing about 160 mph!


Keith Cowie in car footage

Whatever happens there’s sure to be plenty of action in the first round of the 2009 Pro Street Drag Series so make sure you don’t miss out, to compete sign-up at www.prostreetdragseries.co.uk, or to spectate just turn up and pay on the gate!



Photos courtesy of Peter Donaldson

[andyr]

Great post Richard !

I will be coming to see a round this year, so will keep a eye out for you.

Cheers,

Andy

[Twin Turbo FTO]

It will be good to catch up.