Dragstalgia Santa Pod Raceway 2025
Images and text by Carol Rule
Dragstalgia 2025 at Santa Pod raceway UK, this year having been the 14th Annual event dedicated to all things Nostalgic. Taking you back to those exciting days of drag racing, featuring the Cannonball with a huge, varied range of supporting race classes, when nitro and alcohol fueled funny cars, slingshot dragsters and alterds take to the track, always bringing great action and presence out there.
The weekend's huge 'programme' of listed classes that were out on track, plus additional aspects that are recognised by the showmanship trophies, all went into making Dragstalgia the great experience and thrilling entertainment that it is.
The regular line up of classes were all included, The 'Wild Bunch' having several cars over 50 years old, always enjoy putting on a great nostalgic show for the fans with their slingshots, alterds, funny cars and dragsters. The Supercharged Outlaws, where all cars must run faster than 9.90 to be part of the group but can come from any sphere as long as they run a Roots or screw type supercharger, all competing to win a championship and closely contested. Old school Stockers, ( also known as Nostalgia Pro Stock Bike) paid homage to those bikes and riders from the mid 70's through to 87 as the cut off year. Some of the bikes being recommissioned were over 40 year old genuine race bikes. Nostalgia Super Stock, a class celebrating the halcyon days of the muscle car era of the 1960's and 70s; stock bodied with period paint and wheels- up launches with the great sound of open headers. NSA Bike Shootout , the majority of bikes were in action at Santa Pod during the 1970s, some riders came from as far as New Zealand. Outlaw Anglia, with a mixture of Ford Pops, Ford Anglias , Ford Prefects and Fordson vans. Gasser Circus continued the essence of the Gasser Wars with various models adding to the spectacle out on track, from Tri Chevys, Pops, Austins, Falcons, Novas, Mercury, Willys, Dodge Darts, and Baracuda bringing on those wheelies and some great burnouts. This was the 11th annual Willys Wars, open to any 1933 to 1942 Willys Coupe, Sedans or PIckups, the class can include any kind of street car to a full blown Pro Mod. Run what Ya Brung, is an opportunity on the Friday, open to anyone with a pre 1980 car, fitting in with the nostalgic, Dragstalgia theme, to get some track time in and experience the famed 1/4 mile of Santa Pod.
The Historic Marque had its usual display that brings together a great time capsule, paying homage to the pioneers that shaped the early decades of British drag racing. The newest addition was Swamp Rat 21 which was on loan from the Don Garlits museum of Drag Racing.
Dragstalgia 2025 is now firmly established as Europe's premier Nostalgia Drag racing event at Santa Pod raceway, alongside the NRSA. A huge Thank you to those who helped to make the weekend so successful; from the marshals and all the crew at Santa Pod who worked so hard in the extremely hot! hot! weather. (A personal Thanks to Keri in the media centre for looking after and taking care of all us media guys and gals so well.).
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