With Funny Bike and Comp Bike titles in the ACU Championships decided and Super Street Bike almost done. That left Top Fuel Bike, which had three riders who could claim the title. It has been many years since we had so many teams fighting for the title going into the final round of the championship.
Top Fuel Bike.
Coming through the gates of Santa Pod, Reigning Champion Steve Woollatt had a slim points lead ahead of Al Smith. Smith bent a conrod in testing, but ran a jaw dropping personal best figures of 6.012-228.94 during qualifying. Which was under the ACU ET record and faster than the ACU Speed record. His next run was 6.096-225.89. The figures did not back up the earlier run. Woollatt led the opening session with a 6.150-221.17. Neil Midgley had a mathematical chance of the winning he championship and ran 6.435-200.58.
In the semis Midgley put a holeshot (rt 169 to 263) over Woollatt, but slowed at mid-track and Woollatt took the win. Smith had a bye to the final. The title was still up for grabs with Smith now leading. But in the final Smith red lit and Woollatt won his nineteenth ACU Top Fuel Bike Championship.
Funny Bike.
Stuart Crane had won the ACU Funny Bike Championship coming into this event and had planned to test a new billet cylinder head. A 6.627 out of the trailer put him in number one spot. The next pass saw a clutch gear explode damaging the frame and clutch assembly. Crane had some bits hit his body, but he was ok. Mark Smith ran 7.219, but later damaged all his selector forks and it was decided to fit the new billet cylinder head to Smith bike for the eliminations. Phil Crossley had worked his socks off to get the bike to the event. Making a crankshaft in his shed and machining the cases and fitting a spare cylinder head and barrels. Crossley and rider Tony Clark missed the opening session finishing the rebuild. Clark ran 7.392 with Kevin Osman 8.284 and Dave Peters 8.296 with Jiri Lukes 8.767 who had a chain break in the shutdown area and Roger Moore had a primary drive assembly break.
Peters beat Osman and had a bye to the final. Smith beat Moore 7.451 to 7.820 and Clark beat Lukes 7.794 to 9.056. Smith motor died when he was staging, leaving a solo to Clark. Peters led from start to finish in the final winning with a 7.445 to Clark losing 7.725.
Comp Bike.
Having sown up the ACU Comp Bike Championship Louis Davies wanted to be the first Comp Bike rider to run a six-second pass, but ran 7.056. Chris Neary ran a personal best of 7.550-185.06. Jordan Kenway broke all the outrigger bolts and was out of the show.
So both Davies and Neary had bye runs to the final. Davies ran 7.124 at the expense of a piston and other damage to the motor. Neary soloed to the winners circle 7.581-182.06.
Super Street Bike.
Steve Venables only needed to qualify number one to win another ACU Super Street Bike Championship, which he did 6.909-218.04. Alan Morrison Jr was back on form 6.981 with a p/b speed of 212.80. Alex Hope ran a p/b 7.011, Garry Bowe 7.027, Jake Mechaell 7.036, Mark Hope 7.186 and Mark Dainty 7.191 with a p/b speed of 205.11. Stephen Mead was on the bump spot 7.301. Once again seven of the eight riders ran 200mph plus.
Venables faced second alternate Ross Morrison and was behind Morrison at the 1/8 mark and Venables won a close race 7.399 to Morrison personal best of 7.469. Mechaell ran 6.967 to beat slowing Bowe. Alan Morrison Jr came from behind to beat Dainty 7.104 to 7.214 and Alex Hope red lit against his brother Mark.
In the semis Mechaell red lit against Venables and Morrison Jr won a close race against Mark Hope.
So number one and two in the championship for the final and it was Venables 7.127 who took the win light to Morrison Jr 7.157.
Congratulations to the following ACU Champions
Top Fuel Bike Steve Woollatt.
Funny Bike Stuart Crane.
Comp Bike Louis Davies.
Super Street Bike Steve Venables.
Report by Steven Moxley