Last year with the Arosa was a disappointing one, mainly because we only managed to do just over 30 runs at Santa Pod over the full year, as we didn't get chance to do anything with it until BugJam in July. We also had the problem (as does everyone else) that with Santa Pod being the only purpose built drag strip currently in operation, whenever there is an event, the queues are so big that you can only grab a handful of runs each day. With the expense of preparing the car and getting to the strip, you need to get as many runs as possible in, with as little pressure to perform as well. On a packed day, it is harder to make the decision to test something experimental in case the time is bad!

Day 1

Andy Frost in the Red Victor (which is aiming to be fastest street legal car in the world) had organised 2 days of private track time right after the Bank Holiday weekend and the FIA Main Event, this meant the track should have been at its best.

However, the typical British Weather meant that it was wet for a big part of the weekend, and the evening before we got there too, so the track won't have been at it's best!

Run 1 - 9.582 @ 147.60mph - New best time - 7 PSI Tyre Pressures, 30% Nitrous - last year we ran 80%. For 633bhp we were at 40%

Run 2 - 9.6476 @ 148.10mph - Slightly slower off the line but better speed due to 40% Nitrous

Run 3 - 9.461 @ 150.55mph - New World Record!!! Great 60ft time (still 0.12s off our best) and the car was flying! Also hit the limiter 3rd to 4th

Run 4 - 9.677 @ 150.06mph - Increased to 50% Nitrous at the higher RPMs but slower off the line

Run 5 - 9.475 @ 151.07mph - Fastest terminal - Still on 50% Nitrous and would have beaten Run 3 if it had got off the line as well

Run 6 - 9.702 - 145.23mph - Terminal well down but rained off

All the slips are below. The last run showed a dramatic drop off in speed compared to the previous runs. Ideally we wanted to do another run straight after to see if it was just a fluke, but we were rained off!

The guys at Pod kindly let us get to the top end of the track for a quick photoshoot after the downpour ceased, the images came out great!

Day 2

The forecast was much better for day 2 early on, but we had the dreaded Pod headwind! However, things were not meant to be, and whilst the times were good, we were still struggling with speed, so decided to call it a day and run the A5 and CitiGo, just as the weather started to take a turn around lunchtime.

A5

We decided in the A5 to do a run without Nitrous, then a couple with. The last run was disappointing, the car went over the line stuck in 4th gear, so the speed was over 10mph down on the run before, so would have easily been into the 11s! Next time!

CitiGo

We had always been disappointed in the time we did before in the CitiGo, so thought it would be rude not to send it down. The time was 12.940 @ 112.22mph, which considering we have no launch strategy in the ECU and the start was not great, Is not too bad. It still did what we aimed for (12s over 110mph) so we are happy! The CitiGo lives on the track, not the drag strip.

Overall a great couple of days in regards to results, but still plenty to improve upon. But I guess that is what gets you hooked! The prospect of quicker and faster runs!

Check out the video below: