Thanks to Remco Scheelings from Drag Racing Europe for this article on Lars Sjӧholm steps up to Pro Modified:
After several years with all kinds of doorslammers, Lars Sjӧholm is ready for the next major step, Pro Modified. The 2024 Summit Racing EDRS Series Top Doorslammer champion found a new challenge in a well-known Chevrolet Camaro with a blower engine. Sjӧholm and his LSR Motorsport team will try to get familiar with the new combination in the EDRS Bilsport Pro Modified Series, to enter the FIA European Championship later this year.
You can read on this article by clicking here.
Thanks to Force of Nature rider Graham Sykes for sending in this fantastic report from the Festival of Power, Graham write: What a fantastic bank holiday weekend at the Festival of Power at Santa pod with the Force of Nature Steam Rocket Bike.
Friday we ran around 6.00 pm and unfortunately I headed straight for the wall on the launch with a 0.75 second 60 ft and had to peddle the rockets power to avoid the left hand wall . So we coasted to a 6.3 1/4 Saturday we faired a little better and ran a 0.74 second 60 ft and just as I went past the grandstand around 175 mph a gust of wind took me and I had to lift again for 0.4 seconds so spoiled the run and coasted to a 6.1 second 1/4.
Sunday however was great weather and we were called to the line around 3.00 pm . And ran a 0.73 second 60 ft and 1.99 second 330ft. 3.2 second 1/8th and 6.05 second 1/4. That’s my personal best and the bikes fastest 1/4. The fastest ever run for a steam powered vehicle and one of the fastest runs ever to the 1/8th at Santa Pod .
The commentators Darryl Bradford and Colin Theobald said they cannot think of any other vehicle that has run sub 2 seconds 330ft . We are soooooo close to running a 5 second 1/4. And all this with the small rocket motor. With 88 litres of water and 1.9 seconds of power.
Really looking forward to getting the big motor finished later this year with 110 litres of water and up to 3 seconds of power! We damaged a few valve seats with having to shut off a few times so that’s the next problem trying to locate some seats in time .Next meeting is Melbourne 10-11th May see you there. Thanks go to Santa pod for all your help and support.
Graham and the "Force of Nature" Steam Rocket Bike team
Thanks to Comp Bike racer Daniel Madeira for sending in this report from the Festival of Power at Santa Pod Raceway, Daniel writes: First of all, I would like to thank you for the hard work you do covering every single event. Festival of Power was our first event on the comb bike after moving from 8.5, and we think we've found our class for now.
Racing against very competitive riders gave us the motivation to push the bike and fine-tune it after every run, resulting in PB's after PB's this weekend. On test day, we managed a new PB of 7.52 at 188 mph. After qualifying in 6th with another PB of 7.44 at 195.56 mph, we achieved yet another PB of 7.40 at 195.56 mph in the first elimination round against Pete Slater. In round 2 against G. Dance, we run 7.47. In round 3 against M. Piggott, who was in top form running 7.2, we knew it was hard to beat, so we did our best to get him of the line but it was not enough; however, we pulled another PB of 7.38 at 197.08. We're looking forward to the next racing meeting with some upgrades.
Happy Birthday for today to Wild Bunch racer Bradley Cooper, Outlaw Flat Four racer Jack Marriage and Comp Bike racer Michael Gooding We hope you all had a great day!
