Some of you will remember Nick and Sue Osgathorp’s on going labour of love; the Excalibur nitro slingshot dragster which made its debut as a static display vehicle at the 2008 NSRA Hot Rod Drags. Well since then, the project had unfortunately taken a bit of a back seat but we can very now say that the project is back on track - and back with a vengeance, says Nick.
Pic 75.JPG (332.09 KiB) Viewed 12843 times
Sue and I are extremely pleased and very proud to announce that Wild Bunch chairman of the board ‘Crazy’ Chris Hartnell and Hall of Famer Nobby Hills will be joining the Excalibur team as Driver and Crew Chief/Tuner respectively.
DSC_0654.jpg (558.06 KiB) Viewed 12843 times
As most of us will know Chris is well known to all race fans as owner and driver of the beautiful Backdraft dragster which he races in the nostalgia events at Shakespeare County Raceway and Santa Pod as well as national event competition in the Super Pro ET class. It’ll be a steep learning curve for Chris stepping up to nitro but we’re 100% positive that he’ll take it in his stride - being the consummate racer that he is! I’ve known Chris for many years now and I can honestly say that there is no-one who I would trust more than him behind the wheel of Excalibur.
DSC_0666.JPG (648.42 KiB) Viewed 12843 times
There’s not much that I can add to what has already been said about this man before. With his string of Houndog dragsters, funny cars and altereds featuring in a successful racing career stretching back well over 40 years, Nobby Hills expertise in building and tuning nitro-burning cars is well-proven to say the least! A member of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame and one of the very few members of SEMA this side of the Atlantic, Nobby is a true professional in every sense of the word.
Joining us in the Super Crew will be Simon Hayward (son of former Houndog driver Owen Hayward), as well as Chris’ son Mark Hartnell and Pete Rivers. Both will all be bringing their own individual skills to the party and, of course, Chris’s partner Claire.
Work is already underway to get Excalibur back to a race-ready condition; the Donovan motor is currently in the hands of Nobby and Simon getting a freshen-up and there’s a couple of minor jobs on the chassis that Nobby will be doing to bring it up to his exacting standards before testing can begin in earnest, ready for a full season’s racing next year. We can’t wait! So roll on 2013.
DSC_0180.jpg (648.07 KiB) Viewed 12843 times
Our website is currently having a bit of a refurb as well to bring it up to date but, in the meantime, if you’d like to contact us on any aspect of the dragster then please drop us an e-mail at hemiheaven@aol.co.uk.
At this point I’d like to say a huge thank you to our latest sponsors who are helping to make this possible:
Speedflow - A leading supplier of high performance automotive plumbing parts and accessories. Why buy from the USA when you can get the highest quality hoses and fittings right here in the UK?Superb customer service too! http://www.speedflow.co.uk
D.S.Racewear - For all your top quality racewear and safety equipment including suits, boots, harnesses, helmets and accessories http://www.dsracewear.co.uk
Pete Walters Race Design - Pete specialises in the most awesome race car paint schemes and designs, and can also accommodate all your tee shirt or hero card requirements and much, much more. You’ll have seen his designs on many of the top European cars and the quality speaks for itself http://www.pwrd.co.uk
Richard Walters Custom Paint - Rich’s painting skills are second to none and his eyeball-popping paintjobs adorn some of the very best racecars around. Truly amazing! http://www.richwalters.co.uk
Scottie’s Vehicle Transportation - If you want your classic car, rod or custom moving then Scottie is your man. As a rodder, racer and a classic car owner himself, Scottie knows how to treat your pride and joy with all the care it deserves http://www.movinghotrods.co.uk
CT Services/Mac Tools - Mac Tools have a well-deserved reputation for their quality and West Country-based Chris Thompson can supply the full range of Mac Tools from stock or to order at very competitive prices. Chris is a long-time supporter of British drag racing and can be contacted on 07877 536919.
Joining us in the Super Crew will be Simon Hayward (son of former Houndog driver Owen Hayward), as well as Chris’ son Mark Hartnell and Pete Rivers. Both will all be bringing their own individual skills to the party and, of course, Chris’s partner Claire.
Work is already underway to get Excalibur back to a race-ready condition; the Donovan motor is currently in the hands of Nobby and Simon getting a freshen-up and there’s a couple of minor jobs on the chassis that Nobby will be doing to bring it up to his exacting standards before testing can begin in earnest, ready for a full season’s racing next year. We can’t wait! So roll on 2013.
At this point I’d like to say a huge thank you to our latest sponsors who are helping to make this possible:
Speedflow - A leading supplier of high performance automotive plumbing parts and accessories. Why buy from the USA when you can get the highest quality hoses and fittings right here in the UK?Superb customer service too! http://www.speedflow.co.uk
D.S.Racewear - For all your top quality racewear and safety equipment including suits, boots, harnesses, helmets and accessories http://www.dsracewear.co.uk
Pete Walters Race Design - Pete specialises in the most awesome race car paint schemes and designs, and can also accommodate all your tee shirt or hero card requirements and much, much more. You’ll have seen his designs on many of the top European cars and the quality speaks for itself http://www.pwrd.co.uk
Richard Walters Custom Paint - Rich’s painting skills are second to none and his eyeball-popping paintjobs adorn some of the very best racecars around. Truly amazing! http://www.richwalters.co.uk
Scottie’s Vehicle Transportation - If you want your classic car, rod or custom moving then Scottie is your man. As a rodder, racer and a classic car owner himself, Scottie knows how to treat your pride and joy with all the care it deserves http://www.movinghotrods.co.uk
CT Services/Mac Tools - Mac Tools have a well-deserved reputation for their quality and West Country-based Chris Thompson can supply the full range of Mac Tools from stock or to order at very competitive prices. Chris is a long-time supporter of British drag racing and can be contacted on 07877 536919.
