Saturday saw me mooching over to Santa Pod for the Extreme Bike Weekend, which was an opportunity to watch fast bikes going really fast. The Northamptonshire venue remains a definite non-corporate attraction, and the lack of trappings makes even Mallory Park look plush. But that’s part of the reason I like it, and drag racers aren’t known for having hospitality suites to host self-important guests.
Considering the free weekend camping it was no surprise to see a shanty town of caravans dominating the place. Luckily unlike Mallory, there’s a decent grandstand and I was able to find a seat. The cream of the drag racing crop from the UK and Europe were in attendance, and Saturday was mainly a shakedown session for the main event on Sunday.
With loads of classes plus a RWYB session, I loved the variety of machines rocking up before my eyes. Everything from 7 second monsters reaching nigh on 200mph to a CB100N. We also had the chance to cheer on some Rescogs contributors…
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before something detonated itself halfway down the strip, leading to about 30 minutes of frantic cleaning by the track staff. But the racing was soon back under way with a circus of bikes that continued to amaze and amuse me from the safety of the stands. Sadly I couldn’t be back for the racing on Sunday – I had a date with an autojumble at Newark.
Extreme Bike Weekend Winners:
For the benefit of anyone who didn’t make it on Sunday, the Santa Pod Raceway website lists the winners as:
- Funny Bike: Winner Maarten Zijlstra, Runner-up Stu Crane
- Super Street Bike: Winner Graham Balchin, Runner-up Richard Hann
- Comp Bike: Winner Jemma Venables, Runner-up Phil Crossley
- 8.50 Bike: Winner Mick Winyard, Runner-up Jake Mechaell
- 9.50 Bike: Winner Jay Roe, Runner-up Dave Smart
- Supertwin Comp: Winner Joe Elliott, Runner-up Terry Green
- Supertwin ET: Winner Brett Cordelle, Runner-up Tim Boutle
- Junior Drag Bike: Winner Scott Collier, Runner-up Liam Holgate
And they also have a few more Run What Ya Brung events before the end of the year – they’re open to motorcycles as well as cars, and cost £25 to have unlimited trips down the track. All you need is a valid UK, EU or International driving license.
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