15/07/2026
At the Euro Finals in 2025, in the first qualifier, for an event we normally struggle to get into the top 32 , we ran a 6.09 which was good enough to keep us qualified. Unfortunately, the rear end was very, very tight after the run. So tight that we had to quit at that point, as the axle needed to go back to Geof Hauser’s workshop as it needs special tools to dismantle it, and HRC was very busy so no time to resolve the issue in time for the National Finals.
So, early in 2026 the rear end was going to Geof’s, together with the chassis as the body was extremely tired from all the tyre shake we’d suffered in the year (I seem to remember that there were only 2 runs all year when we didn’t have to weld something on the car afterwards – fortunately, we have two very skilled welders on the team).
When we went to pull the Lencodrive out of the car, we found a large puddle of transmission fluid under it. Tyre shake had broken all but one of the tabs where the 2/3 box bolts on. So, new case required, and duly a billet case was ordered. When dismantled, we found that the gear assembly, the sprag and the intermediate shafts had also been destroyed by the shake. So, these were added to the order at Snyder Motorsports.
Marcus at CG Composites had found the mold for the spill plates for the rear wing, so we were going to be able to finally run the new wing he’d built for us (added structural strengthening to live with the shake).
Lenco had failed to deliver the billet case, so we had to switch to a good used CS2 case supplied by Mick Snyder.
New rods had been ordered for 2026. When we stripped the block, we found that the #2 main cap had cracked, so after taking advice, we decided that #2, #3 and #4 caps should be replaced, so these we added to the order.
We were still hoping to make the Festival of Power, but when the rods and main caps arrived, they were all wrong (wrong set of rods accidentally put in the be ox), but the wrong main caps had been supplied. Rush order for the correct caps was placed, and a urgent shipment was arranged. Rods and new main caps arrived. Sadly, we’d been sent incorrect main caps for the second time, despite the manufacturer being given the critical dimension and the correct part number that we needed. So FoP wasn’t going to happen for us.
Andy Mapes was going to align bore the new caps, and he agreed to manufacture main caps for us, so the block went on holiday to Huddersfield.
Car was finally back together for the Main Event. Dougie was driving for us at the event as Harry was crew-chiefing on Susanne’s TF car, but Harry would drive on the test day. On the first run, there was a loud bang in the shut down area, and the motor stopped.
On stripping the motor, we found that the cam drive idler gear had lost 7 teeth. 15 of the 16 valves had hit the pistons, and the cam had tried to escape out of the top of the block, cracking the block.
Miraculously, all the valves were straight, so it was down to 2 broken push rods, and 5 busted adjusters. The block went on it’s second holiday to Huddersfield. New cam drive components ordered from JR and Robbin at RBS Superchargers.
On to the Summer Nats with Harry driving. After struggling to get the correct thrust bearing for the cam drive, Andy Robinson came to our rescue.
Missed the first qualifier (we’d worked until 02:00am but had no chance to time the motor and see if it would fire).
In the second qually, pleased to see no real tyre shake, and a 6.0113 on the timing ticket. Thought we’d finally got the shake under control, until we noticed that #1 and #2 cylinders were dead from the hit, only lighting at half track.
Third qually – at the end of the burnout, the chute release levers detached from the chassis and the RH chute deployed. Whilst being pushed back, the LH chute popped out and was run over.
Onto the fourth qually, tyre shake reared it’s ugly head at the hit again. Harry pedalled the car and run it out the back door – result in a 6.09 at 244.97 – a new fastest speed for the car.
More tuning attempted for qually 5, a little shake about 50’ out but Harry drove thru it. Result, a new PB for ET – 5.7551 at 238 mph
On to race day, first round against Jacqueline Bartlett. Harry cuts his best light of the weekend, lifts just past half track and the chutes out before the finish line and runs a 6.12 @ 167 for the win.
Second round against Dave Crowhurst. Dave gets a -0.04 red and Harry a -.02 red and Harry takes the win.
Third round unlucky as Harry gets another red against Bob Doyle, and runs the car out of the back end with a 5.81 at a ridiculous 246.82 mph.
As it turned out, we wouldn’t have gone any further as we found a lot of ally in the filter, and found that a nut from #1 main cap had come loose and visited most of the rods and damaged the liner for #7. Shame to lose a set of rods after 8 runs but it could have been a whole lot worse. Liner replaced before we put the car away, and the previous set of rods will go again…. Everyone very positive about the weekend.
Hopefully, we’ll get it together in time for the Green Light Nationals with Dougie driving as Harry will be at Hockenheim with Susanne.
Great work from all the team, Harry, Kyle, Dale, Brad and Lilli with additional help from Scott and Jimmy. And thanks to Geof, Scott and Matt at HRC, Mick Snyder, JR and Robbin at RBS, Andy Mapes, Andy and Luke Robinson and Tom Conway…..
