To give you a bit more of an update on our car, here is the latest:

Paul Bland has been hard at work and turned out a second, lighter and slightly wider body shell, which fits our chassis perfectly. Rich Walters has now started work on the fitting, prep and paint of the shell while the engine has gone east to our new crew member Dave Gibbons.

Dave has been a busy man, stripping checking and ordering new internals for our engine. Thanks to Kenny Coleman and the team at Good Vibrations for their assistance in machining and checking and supplying new bits respectively.

The team at Andy Robinson Race Cars hooked us up with a fresh set of body mounts for the new shell, and Luke kindly got in touch with Sean Brown of Davenports to give him the heads up that we will be looking to send our fuel system over to them for a flow test and jet set up.

It's full steam ahead really, with lots of people hard at work to get things ready for this coming season as early as possible. Hopefully as the car progresses will be posting some pictures up on our Xtreme Wheels Racing facebook page - so keep your eyes peeled for some updates in late Jan, early Feb.

Thanks to Rich, Dave, Steve, all the usual crew, Rob and Nick at ICE and Luke and Andy at RRC. More updates coming soon.

Best wishes

Matt Glassup

Nitro bug update!! As most people in our little world know, Andy Raw and myself are currently piecing together a nostalgia nitro funny car, over the last year Andy has been gathering a rather nice collection of parts to bring a dream for both of us to reality!! We will be showing a full build on this after Christmas as that's when things will really start moving on, our current status is we have a complete short motor, heads, rocker gear and spare heads/rocker gear, manifold and spare ignition system, blower (from Kenny Gomez at super unlimited), hat and fuel system to go along with my complete chassis, gearbox, clutch and can. The body is currently being made and confirm that it will be a VW beetle body, Jason Phelps of Fgr Motorsport is going to mount and tin the body and Andy and myself will built up the motor and running gear, paint for the body is in the hands of Steve Taylor and Paul Jackson who have got a paint scheme all planned out, we plan on being out for Dragstalgia, if all goes to plan we then hope to go to Hockenheim as well, both Andy and myself are very fortunate to have the support from our better halves to enable us to spend countless amounts of hours work hidden in a workshop to bring this whole project alive so I would like give to give a massive thank you to Tash and Lisa for all their support and hard work they do that often goes unnoticed!! There's also a couple of other tricks/surprises up our sleeves to compliment this build which we will share as and when the time is right, Andy has already been out and about talking to sponsors for the car and currently he has got 5 or 6 definite sponsors for the coming season, it's going to be a really exciting season with everything else we have going on as well with the two Harrison family super pro dragsters and the Marshall/Fgr nitro funny car, we will endeavour to keep to you all updated with progress as it happens, watch this space!!!

Hi to all followers of the European Nostalgia Funny cars,

2014 brought only one meeting for us, Dragstalgia in July. This weekend was not very successful for us, we were playing with the clutch the whole time to get it to work at least a little bit better, but a small Alky motor does not match with a 2-speed Lenco in a Nitro Chassis very well.... Besides that, we had a blast being part of the game. Then disaster struck on the last run on Sunday and our old Alky Warrior kicked a rod through the side of the Block when I let off the throttle at the stripe. After stripping down the remains, it was clear that this engine went to Hemi Heaven. Cracks from front to back and side to side, four big holes, future usage will be a cool living room table.

Because of that we were not able to attend the Nitrolympix a few weeks later, what a shame.... But Sabine and i were part of the Time warp Team that weekend, I had a lot of time on my hands to walk through the pits, and found a TFX block which I bought to build a new motor for our car. Sabine did the Backup girl job for Wendy Baker, for me it was the first time standing on the startline close to a nitro burning Funny car, what an awesome experience!!! And i got the offer to sit in Time warp while warming it up. No need to say it twice, next second I was behind the controls waiting for my first Nitro experience IN a car. And what an experience that was, the cackle and the whack at the hit of the blades, awesome!!! Thanks to the Time warp Team for being part of the game!!!

Now to our plans for 2015: After that disastrous engine failure it would not be smart to repair the Alcohol engine. It was good enough for becoming comfortable driving a Funny car, as I had only Door slammer experience until then. I really never thought about building another Alky motor, our car is built and certified for Nitro, so this is the one and only option and it’s the right time to get serious. But my Budget is very tight, we have no major sponsor. Since summer I have been collecting parts. TFX Block, BAE fuel heads, crank, pistons and liners (Thanks Paul!!), fuel pump and dozens of other small (but not cheap) parts. Most of the parts are used, but they will do their job good enough for us to get used to this Nitro thing. Without the help of Paul and Wendy from the Time Warp team this whole project would have not been possible. We are doing this the old fashioned way, no computers, no Racepaks, no datalogging. What worked forty years ago will work today, too. To this time I’m not sure if we are able to get the car ready for Dragstalgia, but we are all working on it, although it only depends on the money.....

A happy and successful 2015 to all fellow racers, see you at the track !!

Mike (Doc Stinger) Mugrauer

Photo by Julian Hunt, find more of Julian's Fantastic Photos at www.julianhunt.net

The Funny Car build is progressing at a sedate pace, a combination of funding and time constraints mean I'm doing a bit here and there where possible. Part of it is ahead of schedule, part is behind, some of it is under budget, some of it seems to know no budget...usual story really. The short block is complete, the rest of the motor will follow hopefully around Easter 2015, after which the chassis becomes the focus. I still aim to be ready for Easter 2016, but that'll take a miracle - we'll see. More updates in 2015.

August brings the journey to Germany for the annual Nitrolypx, and the spectacular that is the nightshow. Due to damage occurring from the previous weeks to the Stinger II and Andy Raw's beetle funny car the entry was reduced to 2 cars, Ramon and Wendy. As with the previous year the funny cars were put on at the end of proceedings to put a show on for the great fans that had made their way to Hockenheim. With tricky track conditions it was a tough decision as to what tune up to run. Both cars burned out nicely, the Time Warp team borrowing Mike's (Doc Stinger) back up girl, Sabine. With both cars backed up the dry hops brought both to the line. Ramon was away a lot harder and faster and took the win over the Time Warp Mustang.

Sunday afternoon came and with some spare time on the track this gave Ramon and Wendy a chance to run again on a track that was starting to rubber in nicely. Both cars burned out and were guided back and the crowds were in for a treat, not only dry hops but dry launches too!! Both cars lined up and took the green. With conditions improving and a bit of knowledge on what the track would take the teams had turned the wick up a bit, netting Ramon the win light from the hard charging Mustang which found itself back into the sixes after what seemed like a long time in the sevens 

So that was Germany for another year, shame not more cars could make it out for the show, however the cars that made it sure put on a great show. Hopefully we will see you out there next year for the 30th running of this fantastic race, what is sure to be a fantastic event!

The middle of July came, and that means Dragstalgia! After many meetings of match racing and rain affected events Dragstalgia saw the first ever European Nostalgia Funny Car competition, in a cannonball format, would the teams be up for it?? You bet they would!!

The weekend was scheduled for 3 qualifiers and then the final place run offs on Sunday afternoon, the pits were a buzz with anticipation!

The first qualifying session started with Tim Garlick vs. Wendy Baker. This was the first meeting of nitro nostalgia funny cars at Santa Pod, and I am sure not the last! All the hard work and testing for Tim in Apache has really paid off with a strong 1.14 60ft time, 4.31 to the 1/8th and onto an early click off 6.64 at 181.41mph. In the other lane Wendy running 1.24 60ft, 4.82 to the 1/8th and 7.31 at 195.34 in the 1/4. What a great way to start the show!

Up next was the Beetle car of Andy Raw vs the gorgeous Challenger of Doc Stinger. Issues for Andy saw the run aborted, leaving Santa Pod to Doc, running 1.47 to 60ft, 5.59 to the 1/8th and onto 8.32 at 175.73.

The last pair saw Ramon van der Weurf vs Jim Draper. Sadly for the Draper car the run was aborted as the car would not run properly. Ramon's car was running perfectly, 1.04 to the 60ft, 4.21 to the 1/8th and 6.49 at 210.11 in the 1/4 to take top spot! The set up advice from Adam Flamholc seemed to be working very well.

The 2nd qualifier started with Andy Raw vs Tim Garlick. Andy staged and got it down the track, carding 1.42 to 60ft, 5.45 to the 1/8th and off the gas recording 9.79 at the 1/4 at 91.25 for a time on the boards. In the lane next to him Tim was on a stormer!! 1.05 to 60ft, 4.20 to the 1/8th and 6.43 at an impressive 218.99 in the 1/4! Well done to Tim, Perry, Rob and the whole team!

Next on the track was Doc Stinger vs Wendy Baker, sadly both cars were shut off after the burnouts due to an issue at the top end.

Following on after the top end issues were resolved was Ramon van der Weurf vs Jim Draper. Again the Draper car was reluctant to work leaving the track to Ramon who clocked another great time of 6.56 at 208.17.

With racing done for the Saturday you would think that would be that, but it certainly wasn't! With the drive in movie about to kick off with the debut of the 'Snake and Mongoose' movie, what better way to watch it than from a funny car?!? Que the Time Warp team who fired up from down on the start line area and drove the car all the way to in front of the screen! It certainly got the attention of the people in the catering area and the exit road!

Sunday came with the sound of rain drops but the forecast looked favourable so the teams busied themselves preparing the cars. Sadly Jim Draper pulled out of competition with an ill car, so stepping into the void for this round, Nick Davies in Chaos going up against the ICE stable mate of Tim Garlick in Apache and what a race it was! 1.19 60ft for Nick to 1.11 for Tim, 4.27 for nick at the 1/8th to Tims 4.30 and at the 1/4 Nick just taking it, 6.584, 197.27mph to 6.587, 199.74, again what a fantastic race!!

Next pair saw Andy vs Doc, Andy running an off the gas 10.06 at 96.1 mph against Doc's 8.39 at 179.93. There is a great deal of consistancy for Doc who is certainly get the handle of this lovely car.

The last pair for this session saw Ramon vs Wendy. Wendy with an uncharateristic red light and a stutter off the line robbing her of some et, 1.71 60ft indicated this, resulting in a 7.59 at 202.46mph. In the other lane Ramon was running away with some cracking numbers, 1.02 to 60ft and onto 6.44 at 211.98mph to secure his top spot!

Sunday afternoon meant it was finals time, and sadly another retirement. Tim withdrew from competition due to irregularity on the data logger, showing on the oil pressure trace.

In the 3rd/4th place run off saw Andy Raw vs Doc Stinger. Andy getting to 60ft first with a 1.23 to Doc's 1.48, by the 1/th Doc had got past in 5.66 to Andy's 8.18. The win light coming up in Doc's lane with a 8.45 at 175mph. This race proving to be very costly for both teams as Doc split the engine from top to bottom and side to side, and Andy having a crack in the chassis.

The 1st/2nd place run off was between Wendy and Ramon. Ramon on top form, 1.02 to 60ft to Wendy's 1.25, Ramon was 4.11 to the 1/8th and onto a stunning PB of 6.38 at 215mph to Wendy's 7.12 at only 184.30mph. A huge well done to Ramon and the whole team for resetting your PB's so many times in one weekend!!

A huge thank you goes to James Forster for making such a fantastic event happen, the Santa Pod track crew for their tireless efforts, the www.eurodragster.com crew for their fantastic coverage and thank you Julian Hunt for the use of the brilliant photos. You can see more of Julians work at www.julanhunt.net

Here are Julian's photos from the weekend, I hope you all enjoy!

Hello to you all and a (a bit late) happy new year, where has the time gone!!

It is a series of changes here in NFC land for this year, we have been amalgomated with the NFAA series. This should hopefully give us more track time and more events we can actually enter into, with a chance of a trophy! Needless to say exciting times are ahead and it all kicks off at the Festival Of Power at the end of April, the entry list can be found here, keep checking back as the list is sure to grow! http://www.eurodragster.com/santapod/entrylists/2014festivalofpower.htm

One exception to the classes mixing it up is going to be this years Dragstalgia, where the funny cars will be running seperate, and for this year we will be running in a cannonball format! With 6 NFC already on the entry list it is looking like a strong field of cars, and lets hope for a couple of more to enter yet! Check out the entry list here http://www.santapod.co.uk/e_entrylist_dragstalgia14.php