European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Smoke erupts from the rear wheels of the California kid s All american Conette funny car during action at Avon Park s inaugural  Par British racing with . Spice Story and photographs by Dave Diehl . Bureau there Are few places in England Wiere you can find such a conglomeration of american and British As at a drag strip. And the newest British track spices the mix with High Speed drag racing Quot a la  at the new Avon Park raceway the likes of the California kid driving his fully blown All american Corvette funny car and Brian Thomas behind the wheel of his Oxford builder 2 very British Jaguar were among the dragsters competing in the inaugural race weekend april 21 and 22. Some 13,000 fans turned out to see about a dozen different classes of drag racing including Street cars motorcycles and the vehicle billed As Europe s fastest top fuel funny car the 200 Mph plus Lonsdale Volkswagen passant driven by Norm Wilding. Organizers Hope to attract some big names in european drag racing especially More of the crowd pleasing top fuel funny cars and dragsters. The Avon Park track just South of Birmingham and near Shakespeare s Stratford upon Avon literally doubles Britain s drag racing capacity. Before Avon Park opened Santa pod raceway near Northampton was the country s Only viable drag strip. Organizers at Avon Park predict that it will become the Premier drag strip in the country. Judging by the Well organized opener they re off to a Good Start. Built on the site of an old Royal air Force Airfield the new drag strip has had More than $1 million poured into it including a fresh surface on the former Landing strip says Tina Ewbank a spokeswoman for the track s publicists Black top promotions. The opening meeting was hindered on the first Day of the two Day event by an Accident that damaged one of the safety barriers near the Quarter mile finish line Ewbank reports. Racing thereafter was limited to one eighth of a mile to keep it Safe. Ewbank says the track was Given a new surface before the opening weekend s action and that the surface is still curing. The surface should get better with age As More traction compound and rubber is Laid Down on it she adds. The track Hopes to draw More american entrants and More americans to the stands for upcoming events. Fans with . Military id cards can get a 20 percent discount on race tickets Ewbank says. The next drag racing meeting at Avon Park is on the memorial Day weekend May 26-28. For More information Contact the British drag racing association at 0954 210028. Avon Park raceway is about 4 Miles South of Stratford upon Avon at Long Marston off the b4632 Highway. England s other track the Santa pod raceway is in Podington just South of Rushden. 8 stripes Magazine May 3, 1990