[herb andrews]

Reading the news on Eurodragster today about the monthly car and chat meet thats been organised at Blackbushe got me thinking of the race meetings held there over the years. What was the best ET and MPH, for both fuel and alki classes, when and by whom?

[muddytalker]

I think that's going to be a tough one to crack Herb but we'll see what we can find out over the coming weeks as it will mean delving into the NDRC files.

I'm pleased to say that Paul Foote, the organiser of the Blackbushe Reunion Meets has been in touch with me to say that the idea all started off as a car meet held every month at the Airport's Cafe. "Its taken off really well with many people who used to race or watched drag racing at Blackbushe bringing cars along to the meets for others to see", explained Paul. "We have music in the cafe coutesy of Daddyo's rock 'n' roll Club."

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Paul has started a web site at http://www.dragfest.co.uk which is updated regularly as well as a Facebook page.

The next club meet is later this month on Sunday December 30th starting around lunch time. There's a big car park for plenty of display's and hot rodders to park up and show off there cars but what Paul is really looking for is a couple of dragster to add t the normal atmosphere, ideally old pre Blackbushe ones. Can any one help?

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I hope that some of our forum friends will be able to venture out into the cold for this meet and take some pictures as it would be really interesting to see in the next few months how this monthly event progresses. If you have any old photos, posters, programmes and memories from the NDRC days or even from the Drag Fests held in the sixties then please share them with us. And to start us off here's a couple of photos from Doug's collection.

Ray Hoare's Turbo Saxon Pro Comp Dragster. Is that Keith Parnell in the background on the ollers waiting to to run?

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Dave Gibbons and Rough Diamond.

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Malcolm Olley's Jet Dragster the Pink Panther.

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Graham Barrs with the original Neon Star Mustang. Whatever happened to Capital 194 Radio?

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[CRR]

In the NDRC Newsletter for November 1983, there's a list of the NDRC National records which covers all the tracks that the NDRC raced at. In the 2 Fuel classes, the only record set at Blackbushe was in FC at 217mph by Dennis Priddle in October 1975. Dennis also held the ET record at 6.95 which he set at Wroughton in 1975. So he obviously never went quicker than that at Blackbushe - no surprise there! Both ends of the TF record were set by Clive Skilton at Silverstone in 1974 at 6.74/222.

In Pro Comp, Norm Wheeldon held the ET record at 6.94 which he set at Blackbushe in October 1983. The speed record was held by Jim Read at 197 which he set at Long Marston in August 1980.

[SydMac]

Looks a bit like Jeff Byne on the rollers, but it's a long time ago and the memory isn't as sharp now.

[Martin D]

Not just the monthly car meet now, 50th anniversary meet now planned for 2014

[muddytalker]

Yep. Details for others who are not aware of the 50th anniversary will be going up on the board in due course.

[dragfest]

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Hi everyone

We have permission in principle to hold a 2 day Blackbushe Reunion event in 2014. This will celebrate 50 years since the first event in 1964. The event will be held on the disused section of the airstrip and will have cars from UK and US as well as racers from here and the USA. There is a possibility of a couple of famous groups performing from the 70's as well as trade stands, car show and much more. The starting condition for permission is to get an indication of how many people will come to the event. Anyone who would come needs to either email interest on info@dragfest.co.uk or register on site http://www.dragfest.co.uk or from your mobile http://www.dragfest.co.uk.


Thanks. Paul

[Badger]

I'm gonna try and get over there on the 30th with the camera, I'll stick some pick up here if I get there ..

[carpenterracing]

I hope to be over on the 30th with a few of the Surrey Street Rodders, and possibly Dad.
I'll try take a few if we make it!

[crazyhorses]

Can't make 30th because we are working on the Allard Chrysler at Andy Robinson Race Cars. Hope it goes well.