16th November 09 - Bennett Racing

Bennett Racing

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Monday 16th November: Team member Alan Scott writes

It all started back in the mid 60s picking up a hot rod magazine, I think most guys of my age

identify with that scenario. Opening the pages and seeing them wild hot rods, slingshot

dragsters with those massive engines leaving the line with smoke pouring off those big fat

tyres and the front wheels in the air, how could a young lad not be blown away with that!

Just looking at the photos you could nearly hear them and you knew they were going to

sound incredible.

I got to the Pod for the first time in 1969. But things really got going in the 70s, seeing

Priddle do the first six and the battles he had with Clive Skilton to me they were our very

own Snake and Mongoose. The big American names of the day that came over to play, Big

Daddy staging up against Peter Crane and making him do the first five. And didn't Funny

Cars do the thickest smokiest burnouts then, Allan Herridge just didn't know when to stop.

It wasn't just the big boys though, you had the altered of Dave Stone and Fred Whittle, the

early Pro Stockers, and Al O'Connor who as we all now is still racing today, hats off to the

guy. We cannot forget the bikes because they have been just as entertaining. Henk Vink

and John Hobbs and what great racing between the two American racers, Goliath the

double engine Harley of Danny Johnson up against Hogslayer the double engine Norton of

Tom Christensen. Could go on a lot longer but it would seem like I was doing a Brian Taylor only briefer and no pictures. There's a lot of memories when you have been a fan/spectator for over forty years and loving every minute of it.

We got them in and everything buttoned up by the Sunday that's when I got to hear the motor for the

first time. And as soon as it cracks in to life that's it that's what its all about. I have heard it crack into

life umpteen times this season but it still gets you, gets you right just there. Saw it run on the Monday

(only decent day weather wise) and being on the start line, a place I had wanted to be for years and

seeing that power unleashed was pure magic. Went home knackered but absolutely buzzing.

Went to four events with the team and we won three out of the four, got low ET at 6.4 and at the

National Finals we managed to put down a 202 mph run. Glad we got a 200 mph run in, I'm sure it can

go quicker still. Talking of the Finals, what a cow bag of a weekend. Had the Lenco out five times and

stripped it three. Think I understand it but it's so different to a normal gearbox. The intensity of a

weekend like that is unreal, all that you have to do and still get it turned around to meet your time slot,

adrenalin is just pumping, tempers can be on the edge if things don't quite go right, but it gets done, i

t's a team effort. And when it's all done and you get down to the start line and put in a good run its

worth all the effort. I felt that at this event it was all coming together better I was getting the format of our pit area and where most of the tackle is, tools etc. Feel as though I've learned a bit but there is a lot more to learn. Also managed to go to the Main Event and the European Finals not with the team, just spitting. Two great events, and can still enjoy just watching, but you see it with a different head when you've been on the other side of the fence.

just as valid. and even though you can get so knackered you can still get such a rush from it all. I just love it. We could be running a three car team next season, can't wait!

Well it's another season over and what a season it's been. For one thing the weather been exceptional, except for the Easter event, another thing I've been more than just a spectator I managed to get on as a crew member with the Bennett Racing Relentless Fuel Altered. It all came about when I was reading Eurodragster.com and there were crews wanting help for the coming season, their web site address was provided so thought I'd take a look. Very professional web site and the car just looked the business thought it would be great to get on this team. After a couple of E-Mails and a trip down to meet them I was on the team. I was well chuffed, I thought at last after all these years I'm actually getting involved. Could not wait for Easter the first event.

Easter soon came round and it was a four day event. It was just like the first day at a new job you don't quite know what to do, anyway managed to get into it in a fashion. We got the pit area set up (the amount of tackle they can squeeze in that truck) and then they rolled the car out that was it I just wanted them to fire it up there and then. It nearly didn't get fired up at all because on inspection the next day it needed a set of lifters and the only set available were in Somerset and before you know it two other crew members were in the van and on their way a round trip of four hundred miles. I knew then I was with a serious team.