The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway once again welcomed Europe’s fastest racers to the famous Northamptonshire strip, with soaring temperatures creating some of the toughest conditions teams have faced so far this season.
While the sun drenched crowds enjoyed wall-to-wall action across the weekend, the intense heat and punishing track temperatures made life difficult for drivers and tuners alike. Even so, the event still produced record-breaking performances, dramatic incidents and some of the closest racing of the year.
The 'Pro' class winners - Andres Arnover, John Spuffard and Susanne Callin - Ben Feetham
One of the biggest headlines came early on Saturday courtesy of German Top Alcohol star Timo Habermann. Returning to drag racing after seven years away from the sport, Habermann stunned the paddock by laying down a phenomenal 5.192-second quarter mile at 280.47mph — officially the second fastest Top Alcohol run in world history. It was a statement return that immediately electrified the venue.
Saturday also saw fans lining the fences for Ahmed Jamshaid and his turbocharged front-wheel-drive Honda Civic. The crowd favourite machine blasted to an incredible 8.45-second pass before suffering a dramatic top-end failure, bringing an abrupt end to what had looked like a hugely promising run.
As expected, Pro Mod once again delivered some of the most entertaining racing of the weekend, with the category continuing its reputation for relentless side-by-side action. Although a handful of competitors dropped out during Friday qualifying — including Andy Robinson and the fearsome ‘Anger Management’ machine — the class still produced an exceptionally strong field throughout eliminations.
Monday brought an unusual twist for several Pro Mod runners, with parachute deployment issues catching multiple drivers out immediately after burnouts. Both Kevin Slyfield and Peter Wacker experienced similar problems before racing even began. When the dust finally settled, Andres Arnover emerged victorious in the final against Andy Robinson, after Robinson triggered the red light with a premature launch.
Just a few examples of the 20 car strong Pro Modified Field - Ben Feetham
Elsewhere, the Top Fuel Dragsters and Nitro Funny Cars faced a constant battle against the conditions. With already microscopic setup windows becoming even tighter in the hot air, many teams struggled to find grip and consistency on the challenging surface.
Saturday afternoon then saw one of the most dramatic moments of the entire event. Sean Law lost control of his Super Pro ET dragster ‘Wicked Lady’ in the shutdown area after fluids appeared to send the car sideways at high speed. Thick smoke poured from the machine before it spun violently into the wall and flipped onto its roof before the parachutes could even be deployed. Thankfully, Law climbed from the wreckage and was taken away for precautionary checks.
It's not just cars who attack the times down the strip, but bikes too, shown here is the Super Street Bike class - Ben Feetham
Sunday’s temperatures climbed even higher, but the performances kept coming. Andy Raw produced a personal best in the Nitro Bug nostalgia funny car, recording an impressive 5.84-second ET. Not to be outdone, Tony Betts and the Venom nostalgia funny car raised the bar even further on Monday, setting the fastest nostalgia funny car pass of the weekend with a blistering 5.76-second run.
By Monday, conditions finally began to favour the nitro machines and the crowd was treated to the best Top Fuel action of the event. Nitro Funny Car driver John Spuffard stole the spotlight in the final, smashing through the 300mph barrier while recording a spectacular 4.18-second quarter mile to secure the overall victory.
The Top Fuel Dragster final produced arguably the closest battle of the entire weekend. Defending champion Susanne Callin narrowly held off Jndia Erbacher in a breathtaking side-by-side duel, with Callin taking the win thanks to a 3.9027-second pass at 311.17mph against Erbacher’s equally ferocious 4.0191-second run at 307mph.
Despite the brutal temperatures, the 2026 Main Event once again proved exactly why Santa Pod remains one of Europe’s premier drag racing destinations — delivering huge speeds, dramatic moments and unforgettable racing from start to finish.
