Nostalgia Nationals

Santa Pod Raceway

By Carol Rule

The Nostalgia Nationals is supported by the National Street Rod Association in the UK Held at Santa Pod Raceway Northamptonshire in England. It is a three-day event, this year from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th June 2022. 

After a two year break from The Nostalgia Nationals at the Pod, restrictions having finally been lifted from the pandemic, it was great to be back at the track for a weekend of action. 

The weekend also saw celebrations across the country for Her Majesty the Queen’s 70th Jubilee. With a fly past from The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with iconic World War 2 aircraft. A Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster flying low over the track, which is on the former site of RAF Podington Airfield.

The UK weather, unfortunately, disrupted much of the weekend’s timetable, with rain showers, but in typical British style and one that the Santa Pod management team is used to dealing with, everyone who made it to the fire up lane’s got a run-in, continuing late into Saturday evening. 

Sunday’s weather sadly put a stop to the whole day’s events. 

The Nostalgia Nationals offer a chance to come and experience or race in the pre-73 ‘Run what you brung’ along with all the Nostalgia Race Classes. The ‘Gasser Circus’ is always exciting to see going back to the 60s Nostalgia. The UK Nostalgia Superstock Association is a class for pre-1980 American V8s, giving way to great wheelies along with those slick lines of the nostalgic 60s and 70s muscle cars. ‘Outlaw Anglia’, a truly British experience featuring Ford Pops and Fordson vans giving it heaps out there with great burnouts and taking on the best in their timed passes. The ‘Supercharged Outlaws’ are just Thunderous! Altereds with their short wheelbases against the long sleek front engined dragsters makes for some very interesting pairings. 



Richard Waburton: Running Pro Zac, with his wife Rachel. A street-driven 1941 Willys Coupe with a small block Ford stroked to 331 topped by a 671 blower. Richard ran a PB at the weekend’s racing, with an 11.12 quarter mile at 124mph. (Racheal is a lady who truly knows a thing or two when it comes to engine work, being crew chief / the team mechanic, also back up girl ! ) 

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