Custom Car – September 2019

■ Words:MikePye Pics:MattWoods

D

oorslammersmadeawelcome

returntoSantaPodlast

yearandthisyearbackedup

itssuccess.Withatotalof 200

cars(up 60 onlastyear)competingin

sixheads-upcategoriesandonebracket

class,thiswasEuropeandragracingat

itsfinest.CompetitorsfromEngland,

Scotland,Sweden,France,Poland,the

Netherlands,Germany,Switzerland,

Malta,Estoniaandmoreallvyingfor

achunkoftheunprecedented£80,000

prizefund,thelargestpurseeverpaid

outforthistypeofeventintheUK.

TheSwedesinparticularlove

thisevent,andcameoverinforce,

includingnolessthan 12 ofthe

24 entriesinthespectacularVP

RacingProDoorslammerclass.

Despitesomeunwantedrainoverthe

courseoftheweekend,theracingwas

fast,furiousandvariedwitheverything

fromturbocharged,fourcylinder

pocketrocketsthroughblisteringly

faststreetcarstomountainmotor

nitrousandsuperchargedProMods.

Whateveryourpreference,ifyou

wanttoexperiencedragracing,orwant

tointroducesomeonetothenoble

sport,youwon’tfindamoreinclusive

weekendthanDoorslammers.CC

’Slam dunk

True Street

Perhapsthemostinterestingclassfromaspectatorpointof

viewthisyearwasTrueStreet. 13 entries,butwhowould

comeoutontopwhenyouputaLamborghiniHuracanup

againstaNissanGTR,ahandfulofmodifiedGolfsandacouple

of‘our’kindofcars.Wouldmoderntunerapproachesoutwit

factorydevelopment,orcouldbruteAmericanhorsepower

ruletheday?

Intheend,itwasacombination,withMarkBiggars'

turbocharged,6.0-litreFoxbodyMustangtriumphingforthe

secondyearrunningandtakingthe£2,500purse.

Inpoleafterqualifying,theLambo

HuracanofJurgenVallonslooked

strongwitha 9. (^684) / (^158) andthen
capablysawoffJustinWoolner’s
GTRinroundone,butMarkBiggars
Mustangshowedhimacleanpairof
heelsinroundtwo.
BeavisAllen’sroaring,twisting
Impalaisarealcrowdpleaser,and
putsinconsistent 10. (^90) satover
120 mph.EnoughtoseeoffChris
Roylance’sGolfinroundone,butnot
enoughtokeepupwithCarr’sCamaro
inroundtwo.
TwoDoorslammers,two
TrueStreetwinsforMark
Biggars.Congratulationssir.
A9.38at1^48 mphbagged
thewinin^201 8,butthis
yearMarkwasintheeights,
cardingan8.^991 /1^57 in
roundone.A9.^099 /1^57 in
thefinaldefeatedCarr.
Anotheronewhorepeatedhis
runner-uppositionfromlast
yearwasGaryCarrwithhis540ci
Camaro.Asolid10.318at1^33 mph
sawoffBeavisAlleninthebig
Impalainroundtwo,buta10.^49 3/
14 6wasn’tenoughtocatchBiggars
inthefinal.
6Cylinder
ItwasanallTeamExtreme/MXEfinalin6Cylinderwhen
MarkMoseleyintheNissanGTRlinedupalongsideteam
mateGaryGooding’sex-StreetEliminatorToyotaSupra,even
thoughbothcarssatbehindPaulDziubekinthecamoGTR
afterqualifying.
ButwhenDziubekandformidableFrenchman,RegisLeCaer,
bothfailedtoshowintheheats,the£2,000winner’spurse
andrunner-uppositionbothwenttotheTeamExtremeboys.
GaryGoodinghadhisSupraon
tuneandonslicks,qualifying
thirdwithan8.777/1 24 and
thenseeingoffGraemeCook
andMikeWhittakeronhisway
tothefinal.Despiteearning
abye,heprovedthecar’s
potentialwithascreaming
7. (^896) /1 69 solointhefinal.
Firsteverseven(7. 978 /1 87 )in
qualifyingforGermany’sPaul
DziubekinhiscamoNissan
GTR,buthefailedtobackthat
upintherounds.Carallegedly
puts2,500bhpthroughits
stockfactorygearbox.
F
Perhapsthemostunlikelylookin
g
entrantin^6 Cylinderwas‘Sleepy
’
MikeWhittakerintheVWCad
dypick-
up. 3.^0 VR^6 turbomotorand^4 WD
saw 10.^889 at^133 mphontheboa
rd
inroundone,butwasoutclassed
by
Goodinginthesemis.
Lastyear’swinner,andcapable
of 8. 30 satcloseto^160 mph,Mark
Moseley’sNissanGTRwassecond
afterqualifying.Likelastyear,hehad
anothereasyrunuptheladderwitha
byeandanoshow,butshutoffinthe
final,sohadtocontendwithrunner-
upslotthisyear.