FIA Main Event 2022
Discussion
So 3 Top Fuel dragsters only at Santapod Main event. What are the reasons for a small field? Is it post Covid, the economy, Brexit, something else, all of these factors? I know Anita Makela announced her retirement but was hoping for a few more fuelers. Perhaps one or two more might be announced?
I have read on eurodragster.com that the swedish government set really high hurdles for travelling
from Sweden to UK, that was protested by Patrik Pers with his rolling burnout on a public motorway....in a Fuel FC.
I don´t have any more info but that might explain the almost complete absence of swedish drivers & riders.
from Sweden to UK, that was protested by Patrik Pers with his rolling burnout on a public motorway....in a Fuel FC.
I don´t have any more info but that might explain the almost complete absence of swedish drivers & riders.
Interesting and very sad to hear. I did see that clip and wondered what it was all about. Is this fall out from Brexit complications? To see the FIA Drag Racing affected so badly is sad after all the years of building it up and generally expecting an 8 car field in TF (or more) and big fields in other classes. I hope this isn't a long term decline.
On top of everything else, now that the UK is outside of the EU, the vehicles and equipment that the teams bring with them are no longer "in free circulation in the EU" so teams coming into the UK from the EU and out of the UK into the EU have to have all that stuff described on a document called a carnet whch allows the goods to be temporarily brought into another country, the goods on the carnet have to be checked inbound and outbound to make sure that nothing has been left behind as a permanent export. As you can imagine the documentation and process is not cheap and just adds another tier of complication and cost - it seems for many EU racers who would like to come to the UK that the carnet process has become the final straw that means they said bucket, I'll stay at home. And who could blame them.
It's fixable... said:
On top of everything else, now that the UK is outside of the EU, the vehicles and equipment that the teams bring with them are no longer "in free circulation in the EU" so teams coming into the UK from the EU and out of the UK into the EU have to have all that stuff described on a document called a carnet whch allows the goods to be temporarily brought into another country, the goods on the carnet have to be checked inbound and outbound to make sure that nothing has been left behind as a permanent export. As you can imagine the documentation and process is not cheap and just adds another tier of complication and cost - it seems for many EU racers who would like to come to the UK that the carnet process has become the final straw that means they said bucket, I'll stay at home. And who could blame them.
That was one of my fears... teams operate on very tight budgets and with all that extra red tape and associated cost and effort, it looks like it is having a very bad effect. No Brexit benefit for FIA European Drag Racing then, quite the opposite. What a shame. Potentially destroying the European championship.A lot of factors are involved, not just the Carnet.
The cost of getting a truck here has gone up everywhere. We only have a truck and trailer for our race car, but the cost has gone up by a £100 per race weekend and we only live and hour and a half from the Pod, thats not factoring in Ferry crossing costs etc.
In addition to that with Tierp already cancelling their first round of the Championship, it does look like it's potentially going to be another damp squib of a year for FIA drag racing, although I am hopeful I'll be proven wrong.
The cost of getting a truck here has gone up everywhere. We only have a truck and trailer for our race car, but the cost has gone up by a £100 per race weekend and we only live and hour and a half from the Pod, thats not factoring in Ferry crossing costs etc.
In addition to that with Tierp already cancelling their first round of the Championship, it does look like it's potentially going to be another damp squib of a year for FIA drag racing, although I am hopeful I'll be proven wrong.
I was chatting to a former TF driver at the weekend and he agreed , its not the carnet that's really not the problem people make out , the hardest this is listing everything in the truck which is something most teams do anyhow to make sure you take everything , its the usual stumbling block , money
One factor for out/in EU / GB travel is the carnet with all the hassle :
List everything that has a serial number ( frame, engine, power tools, measuring/calibrating eqipment, computers ),
you don´t have to list every tool in a set, just write "set of 12/sockets brand x, set of screwdrivers brand y", etc etc.
The listed stuff has to be shown to customs before departing,
either at their office or maybe they send an agent to your workshop.
And bring everything back, even a rodded block or a car that has met the wall.
The other hurdle is the huge deposit that has to be laid down before travelling :
Say your car, trailer & extras is worth 50.000 pound, then this sum has to be put to customs as a deposit,
when you return with every thing on your carnet you will get the money back, minus handling fee.
In Germany, if you have a company, the stately-operated credit bank will cover this deposit,
for a reasonable charge, but for privateers I don´t know how they handle this,
is this the same rule for UK racers going abroad ?
The reason behind the deposit is : If you should sell / miss anything on the carnet when returning home,
the customs & tax offices can deduct the VAT and taxes for this foreign sale from the deposit.
This is what I know about the subject, sure does not make "going racing on tour" easier, or cheaper,
then there is the thirsty engine in the tow vehicle, and ferries have to "adjust" their tickets for the Diesel price hike.
Still hoping to see some racers from UK or Scandinavia at NitrOlympX, fingers crossed for a full FIA/FIM season.
List everything that has a serial number ( frame, engine, power tools, measuring/calibrating eqipment, computers ),
you don´t have to list every tool in a set, just write "set of 12/sockets brand x, set of screwdrivers brand y", etc etc.
The listed stuff has to be shown to customs before departing,
either at their office or maybe they send an agent to your workshop.
And bring everything back, even a rodded block or a car that has met the wall.
The other hurdle is the huge deposit that has to be laid down before travelling :
Say your car, trailer & extras is worth 50.000 pound, then this sum has to be put to customs as a deposit,
when you return with every thing on your carnet you will get the money back, minus handling fee.
In Germany, if you have a company, the stately-operated credit bank will cover this deposit,
for a reasonable charge, but for privateers I don´t know how they handle this,
is this the same rule for UK racers going abroad ?
The reason behind the deposit is : If you should sell / miss anything on the carnet when returning home,
the customs & tax offices can deduct the VAT and taxes for this foreign sale from the deposit.
This is what I know about the subject, sure does not make "going racing on tour" easier, or cheaper,
then there is the thirsty engine in the tow vehicle, and ferries have to "adjust" their tickets for the Diesel price hike.
Still hoping to see some racers from UK or Scandinavia at NitrOlympX, fingers crossed for a full FIA/FIM season.
I have talked to some racers and it seems the swedish government has been ignoring some brexit facts,
like the "deposit" situation mentioned in my post above.
As far as I know now, swedish racers have to put down a deposit, in cash, before traveling to non-EU countries.
This deposit is a whopping 40% of the value of everything the team transports.
If your FIA car, trailer, spares and tools are worth 200.000€ , this deposit would be 80.000€.....ouch,
under these circumstances we will not see many swedish racers @ SPR.
This is a shame, bad for the sport, bad for the fans, and hopefully will be changed.
But as the swedish govt. has done nothing during the last two years,
I have doubts that this will change in 2022.
like the "deposit" situation mentioned in my post above.
As far as I know now, swedish racers have to put down a deposit, in cash, before traveling to non-EU countries.
This deposit is a whopping 40% of the value of everything the team transports.
If your FIA car, trailer, spares and tools are worth 200.000€ , this deposit would be 80.000€.....ouch,
under these circumstances we will not see many swedish racers @ SPR.
This is a shame, bad for the sport, bad for the fans, and hopefully will be changed.
But as the swedish govt. has done nothing during the last two years,
I have doubts that this will change in 2022.
well, a year on and...
3 Jet cars
6 Top fuellers
4 AA/FC
4 Nostalgia AA/FC
4 TM
18 P/mods (inc Fast Freddy)
9 T/F bikes
4 Supertwins
and a multitude of S/Gas/ Comp/ S/Comp...
hope the engines and weather hold together for monday when lilttle old me will be on the grandstand/round the pits for the first time since 2017
Prostock seems to have vanished, TMD is down to 4 (no Maltese)
3 Jet cars
6 Top fuellers
4 AA/FC
4 Nostalgia AA/FC
4 TM
18 P/mods (inc Fast Freddy)
9 T/F bikes
4 Supertwins
and a multitude of S/Gas/ Comp/ S/Comp...
hope the engines and weather hold together for monday when lilttle old me will be on the grandstand/round the pits for the first time since 2017
Prostock seems to have vanished, TMD is down to 4 (no Maltese)
coppice said:
I wasn't intending to go but , well I love the spectacle , the noise and the buzz unique to drag racing - I first went to the Pod in the Pre Jurassic era (1973 ) and, well, looks like an early start on Saturday morning and a long drive south ...
cant pin down my 1st visit, I drove so 1973 or 74, deffo went in "the heatwave" of 76 in my Rover P5 3ltr (slept in it)things seemed simpler back then somewhow
never know when i wont be able to go, monday will be a day trip/solo, billy no mates and im 69 in february, the grim reaper is always tapping my shoulder, we used to be a happy gang of 4 or 5 making weekends of it stocking up on fluids at Billing aquadrome off licence, meeting The Stones fan club "organiser" for lost weekends....
Edited by Upatdawn on Friday 26th May 13:52
Well that was fun , and made the 5am start worthwhile. If ever I tire of the spec formulae , dull commentators , flat sounding and oversilenced cars and corporate bull s
t which infect almost every major UK race series , the Pod is a welcome breath of toxic fumes , showmanship, accessibility and thunderous noise . Love it .
t which infect almost every major UK race series , the Pod is a welcome breath of toxic fumes , showmanship, accessibility and thunderous noise . Love it . 90 minute drive for me...lol
left the factor 50 in the car cos it was overcast
now got sun/wind burn but ive had worse (1976)
spent time between pro rounds in the pits, got funny looks of many cos i had a respirator on.... they werent laughing after the warm ups, in fact they were not there....
ill sort some pics out later, wifes at work im still coming down, coming out the gates was poignant as it was 50 years since my first visit, i recalled the days of our gang going or even taking my lad, the time has flown by
left the factor 50 in the car cos it was overcast
now got sun/wind burn but ive had worse (1976)
spent time between pro rounds in the pits, got funny looks of many cos i had a respirator on.... they werent laughing after the warm ups, in fact they were not there....
ill sort some pics out later, wifes at work im still coming down, coming out the gates was poignant as it was 50 years since my first visit, i recalled the days of our gang going or even taking my lad, the time has flown by
Really enjoyed the livestream , the Fuellers were awesome and was rooting for Midgo on the fuel bike but Rickard was great as well in fact the Funny bikes , Fuel bikes and Twins were all great . Looked like the Super streets were struggling a little with the track
Going to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
Going to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
liner33 said:
Really enjoyed the livestream , the Fuellers were awesome and was rooting for Midgo on the fuel bike but Rickard was great as well in fact the Funny bikes , Fuel bikes and Twins were all great . Looked like the Super streets were struggling a little with the track
Going to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
pit action/nitro startups are my bag...lolGoing to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
liner33 said:
Really enjoyed the livestream , the Fuellers were awesome and was rooting for Midgo on the fuel bike but Rickard was great as well in fact the Funny bikes , Fuel bikes and Twins were all great . Looked like the Super streets were struggling a little with the track
Going to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
pit action/nitro startups are my bag...lolGoing to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
liner33 said:
Really enjoyed the livestream , the Fuellers were awesome and was rooting for Midgo on the fuel bike but Rickard was great as well in fact the Funny bikes , Fuel bikes and Twins were all great . Looked like the Super streets were struggling a little with the track
Going to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
Who is your mate running in Sportsman ET?Going to have to get up there at least once this year , especially since a mate has started running in Sportsman ET
Another thing I love about drag racing is that hardly anybody cares who wins . It is almost entirely about the spectacle, so there is none of the ghastly tribalism infecting BTCC and especially F1 now . What I go to see is a theatrical burnout and a ballistic start, preferably involving a wheelie .
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