We're pleased to announce that Barry Sheavills will be appearing at Santa Pod Raceway for Flame and Thunder 2008. Barry will be sharing the ride of the same Rune Fjeld owned car he raced at the National Finals with Siw Nystad. Siw will make the first run around lunchtime and Barry will be making the later run at around 4:30pm if all goes to plan. Once again Barry will be joined by crewcheif Eddie Corr who will handle the tuning duties and if anyone can make a top fueler go quick this late in the season its Eddie! "Hopefully we can continue from where we left off at the National Finals and run that 4 that we were looking for!" commented Barry.

Barry Further Added "The engine damage that caused us to miss the final back in September and the lack of available spare parts for the setup in that car has necessitated that the drivetrain be removed from the orange car (as driven by Linda Thun Tønseth at the National Finals) and fitted to the newer chassis, mainly because I just don't fit in the orange car! So with only having 2 cars available for three drivers, we decided that the best option was for Siw and I to share the drive". Our good friend Risto Poutiainen will drive the other car in which he competed in the FIA Championship this year and there will be further nitro action with Thomas Nataas, John Spuffard and Gary Page in their Nitro Funny Cars.

Flame and Thunder is the traditional season closing event for UK drag racing, and also includes action on the dragstrip from the Fireforce and Firestorm Jet Funny Cars, Split Second Jet Dragster, The Time Warp Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car and Baseline Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragster, The HKS Jap series "import" racers, and many of the UK sportsman class racers. Off the track there will be Monster trucks and our friend Terry Grant performing his stunt show in the Arena, Drifting, Freestyle Motocross, and a HUGE firework display!

 

 


 
     
Barry Sheavills started his drag racing career over 30 years ago in street legal car, progressing swiftly onto his first purpose built race car, a Jaguar powered Austin Ruby. This was the first in Barry’s line of race cars to be christened with the name “Stagecoach”.

He then moved on to Super Gas and later Top Alcohol (now Top Methanol Dragster), where he achieved multiple championship wins. Barry was the first driver to win the British MSA Top Alcohol Championship three times and achieved the first 5 second Top Alcohol Dragster run in Britain.

In 1997 Barry made the move up to Top Fuel Dragster and won the FIA Rookie of the Year award. He won his first FIA Top Fuel Championship in 1998 and was the first British Top Fuel driver to cover the quarter mile in less than 5 seconds. Barry was also the first European racer to achieve a terminal speed on the quarter mile of more than 300 mph, at the FIA Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway in 2002 in an amazing race alongside fellow Brit Andy Carter, which reset the record books as the first side-by-side 4 second run and the first side-by-side 300mph run in Europe.

In September 2002 Barry was lucky to escape virtually uninjured after his 7000 hp dragster was destroyed in a 280mph accident at Santa Pod. However, this incident in no way affected his drive and Barry is pleased to be back in “his office” once again.

Barry topped the FIA all-time points table For nearly 9 years, his points total only recently being overcome by arch-nemesis Andy Carter. Barry can't wait to be back in FIA competition and is determined to wrestle back his all-time number 1 position.


   Marketing Opportunities

We would be pleased to hear from potential marketing partners as we have a number of opportunities avialable for the 2009 FIA Championship season and beyond.

If you are looking for a powerful and inventive way to market your business, you can learn more about becoming a corporate partner by taking a look at our sponsorship page or by contacting Barry Sheavills or Chris Parker.