Santa Pod Raceway excited for the year ahead

There will be10,000-horsepower Top Fuel Dragster action at Santa Pod Raceway this year. Picture courtesy of Santa Pod

Santa Pod Raceway has unveiled a full 2022 calendar of events running from March to November and embracing its usual array of championship drag races, modified car shows, specialist and family events.

Public track days (Run What Ya Brung and Drift What Ya Brung) will extend throughout the year from January to December.

In a normal year, 400,000 people pass through Santa Pod’s gates to attend more than 75 events. The 2020 planned programme was halted abruptly by the Covid-19 pandemic’s arrival before a reduced, socially-distanced schedule was completed.

Last year’s programme was also significantly truncated early in the season but a full, unrestricted schedule is anticipated in 2022.

Calendar highlights include the first and last rounds of the FIA/ FIM European Drag Racing Championships, returning after Covid cancellations in 2020 and 2021.

The first round – The Main Event – retains its usual late-May weekend, between Thursday, May 26 and Sunday, May 29, rather than switching to the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday a week later.

The European Finals, from September 8 to 11, brings the international racing season to a close.

UK national drag racing championships on two and four wheels begin with the annual Festival of Power over the Easter weekend (Friday, April 15 to Sunday, April 17) and conclude with the National Finals on September 24 and 25.

The Motorsport UK British Drag Racing Championship (the Pro Mods) will be contested over six rounds, beginning and ending on those dates.

Historic drag racing takes centre stage over three weekends, with the Nostalgia Nationals (June 3-5) and the Hot Rod Drags (September 16-18) book-ending the 11th annual Dragstalgia summer fiesta, which takes place between July 8 and 10.

July is also the month for the season’s biggest festival event, Bug Jam (July 22-24), the largest of several popular Volkswagen celebrations.

Other marques featured with their own dedicated events throughout the year include Vauxhall, BMW and Ford, while enthusiasts for French, Japanese, American and German car cultures are also well served. Another major festival, USC (Ultimate Street Car), takes place over the weekend of August 5 and 7.

Dial-In Day, the occasion for interested newcomers to learn about and try their hand at entry-level bracket racing, takes place on Saturday, March 5.

The complete calendar of events, including Run and Drift What Ya Brung public track days can be found at www.santapod.co.uk/calendar.php.

Booking is open for this year’s events and tickets can be purchased online at www.santapodtickets.com or by calling 01234 782828.