TURNER MOTORSPORT

THE FIRST ROUND OF THE BRITISH CHAMIONSHIP IS ONE WE WILL ALL REMEMBER. THE RAIN PUT STOP TO PLAY ON THE SATURDAY BUT WE MANAGED TO SQUEEZE IN TWO QUALIFYING RUNS IN BETWEEN THE SHOWERS ON SUNDAY. THE FIRST WAS A 9.11 SECOND PASS AT 161MPH WHICH LEFT US FIRMLY IN FORTH PLACE WITH ALL CARS ATTEMPTING TO GET DOWN A VERY POOR TRACK QUICKLY AND IN ONE PIECE. WE HAD OUR SECOND QUALIFYING RUN AT 8:15PM ON A VERY COLD TRACK. ROB LEFT THE LINE WITH A 1.07 TO SIXTY FEET RUNNING A 5.856 AT 224MPH. GREAT WORK FROM STEVE AND ALL THE CREW WITH ROB'S DRIVING BEING 100% PERFECT. THIS LEFT US WITH A HUGE QUALIFYING LEAD AT NUMBER ONE. WE WERE TREATED WITH SUNSHINE ON MONDAY MORNING READY FOR ROUND ONE WHICH WAS A BYE RUN  FOR US. ROB LEFT THE LINE SLOWLY WITH A 1.391 SIXTY FOOT AND HIT IT ABOUT FIFTY FOOT FOR A 4.08 SECOND AT 200MPH 1/8TH MILE CROSSING THE FINISHING LINE AT 203MPH IN 6.17 SECONDS. THE SECOND ROUND WAS A REAL TREAT FOR THE CROWD. WE MET DENNIS HABERMANN WHO GOT TO SIXTY FOOT IN A 1.402. BUT ROB WAS ALREADY IN THE DISTANCE WITH A FANTASTIC 0.906 TO THE SIXTY FOOT MARK. DENNIS SEEMED TO TURN HARD LEFT AND NEARLY UP ON TWO WHEELS CROSSING THE CENTRE LINE. ROB REACHED HALF TRACK IN 3.492 AND WENT ON TO TAKE THE ROUND WIN WITH A 5.484 AT 255MPH. AFTER CLOSE INSPECTION AFTER THE RUN WE DISCOVERED THAT WE SPUN A ROD BEARING. THE CREW SHOWED JUST WHY WE ARE CURRENT BRITISH RECORD HOLDERS AND GOT THE CAR TURNED AROUND QUICKLY AND WERE OUT TO FACE DEREK FLYNN IN THE FINAL. ROB GOT TO THE SIXTY FOOT MARK AT 0.920 WITH THE LEAD OVER DEREKS 1.0067. BUT AT ABOUT 200 FEET THE CAR LOST DRIVE WITH THE MAIN SHAFT BETWEEN THE LENCO AND REAR END BREAKING CLEAN IN TWO PIECES SO DEREK TOOK THE WIN LIGHT. A FANTASTIC WEEKEND ALL IN ALL. THANKS TO ALL OUR FANS AND FRIENDS SHOWING FANTASTIC SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AT THE MAIN EVENT ON THE 22ND TO THE 25TH OF MAY.

With the winter now behind us Turner Motorsport is looking forward to getting out for the first time at the Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod Raceway on the 10th to the 13th of April. The whole crew are excited to keep the car running quick and consistant. Knowing the FIA European title was again so close throughout the 2008 season we look forward to the Main Event creeping up on us, Turner Motorsport are confident that we can repeat our victory in Sweden at Mantorp Park and be at the top of the table at all the European and British events for the 2009 season!! In the 2008 season we ran a 5.45 in Sweden and then went on to run a 5.46 backing it up with a 5.47 to become the British record holders. More to come!!!!!

With the 2009 season just around the corner we are extremely pleased to announce a new sponsership deal with Lucas Oil. We have used their products before with fantastic results and with top methanol dragster being such a tight class we know Lucas products are going to give us an instant edge over our competition. We would all like to say a big thank you to Les Downey of Lucas Oil Uk and the whole Lucas Oil family for their support. more to come..........

Turner motorsport are pleased to announce that they will be appearing at the Nitro olympix at Hockenheim, Germany for the Top Methanol cannonball shootout on the 17/18/19 of August.

Steve said "This will be the first time since 2004 that we have been back to Germany, and we hope to return home as champions, as we did the last time we raced there, its a fantastic venue and its great to be going back ."

After a mixed season to date, the team are hoping for better luck than at Mantorp park, Sweden, where on the first round run against Arto Hoyla, we spun a bearing and broke a rod, and missed the semi-final as we ran out of time turning the car around, wheres ten minutes rain or an oil down when you need it !!  But thats racing, you move on and learn from it. Thanks also to John and Sarah for your help in trying to make the call, were just sorry we couldnt make it for everyone.

In Finland we were beaten by the weather, we had a real good feeling in the camp, as we did in Sweden about our chances of progressing rounds, but we now move on to Germany, as a replacement round for Norway, and a chance to get a few more runs on this years set up on the car.

Thanks to our sponsors for there continued support over this season.

Steve Turner

We are pleased to announce the continued support from our sponsors GRP for the 2007 season.

GRP connecting rods, a world leader in manufacturing billet aluminum and billet titanium connecting rods, is celebrating its 7th year in Denver, Colorado. Our climate controlled shop employs 13 people in both product development and manufacturing. GRP connecting rods continues to supply high quality billet aluminum connecting rods for some of the fastest race engines in the world.

Steve said ,
"Brian and the team at GRP, have the knowlage and skill to work with, and help racers determine exactly what they require, and deliver the goods on time every time."

Thanks to everyone who commented on the new colour and graphics scheme on the car at the Easter Thunderball ( photo supplied by Blazing Wheels )

The design was by Carmel Turner team manager and was applied by our sponsor

who can be contacted via clicking on the above link .

We reproduce lost/old decals as new. We design and manufacture decals to order, fitting up most things including boats, jetskis, cars and vans, motorbikes of all kinds, including other sports equipment of various types.
Our most prominent work recently being the 2007 Turner Motorsport Dragster, which is entirely vinyl.
We use a thermal resin imaging technique which allows us to print true chrome and silver and renders the printed detail highly resistant to volatile fluids as well as the weather.
We are also registered number plate manufacturers, also producing 'showplates' for private and commercial use.

We are based at 25 Alfred Street, Rushden, just 4 miles from Santa Pod.

Contact Julia, Steve or Richard on

Tel: 01933 418419 or Fax 01933 317790

As you may be aware Steve has taken over the driving duty at the British rounds for 2007, and it was an interesting season opener as we had a new crew, new driver and crew chief to put the routine out to start.

The whole deal went very well, and with very few if any problems, Steve set a new PB running 5.90 @ 218mph which is fantastic bearing in mind he had never driven this car, and I think everyone involved was impressed and proud to have helped him to realise a dream, and to be fair I think even he would have taken that time and speed if you,d said it to him before the meeting.

The new crew all seemed to fit in well and Rob did a good job as crew chief in this roll swap, I think they both learned that the other perhaps does more than they thought and thats a good thing for them to understand each others perspective on what they do. 

A full report of the meeting will follow shortly, but for now it its left for me to say on behalf of the team, Well done Steve, you done a great job and were all proud of you.

The Crew

Rob attended a star studded awards ceremony at the exclusive Royal Automobile Club on London,s Pall Mall to receive the 2006 MSA British drag racing champions trophy from Damon Hill.

The night of champions event was attended by every championship winner from 2006.

This is the record ninth time that Rob has picked up the championship and a record that now seems will never be bettered.

Rob said " The thrill of accelerating to 100 mph in under a second and running up to 260 mph inside a quarter of a mile is just as exciting as it ever was."

" A lot of my success is down to the team of mechanics who work on the dragster, and again in 2006 it was among the quickest out there, but was by far the most reliable and that was crucial in helping score the big points and to extend the record we hold for championship wins."

A Crisp, cold day it turned out to be, just as the weathermen forcast ( for a change ) But a good meeting, with lots of new faces being introduced to Drag Racing , which can only be a good thing.

I think the term Mineshaft conditions, would have been apt for what we saw on the weather station first thing saturday morning, but we had clear blue skys and no chance for rain.

Our first run was over in 2.8 seconds, as thats when the blower belt broke ( splitting down the middle into two halfs lenghways ) with the detached half cutting the mag wires and killing the engine instantly, the other half of the belt stayed on the engine, hence the timeslip of  7.95 @ 101.

With the car turned around, we towed down in the dark for the second run, the track temp was now 5 degrees, which by all accounts doesnt make for the best traction,  Rob left the line at very low launch rpms, to get the car moving and had to pedal at about the 330 to get it back in the groove, a 6.37 @ 194 being a very respectable result in those conditions.

It was also good to hear that after his nasty fire, Tony Baker only required a cigarette and not medical treatment.

We hope everyone enjoyed the racing and fireworks, and had a good day,

Thanks for your support, and that of our sponsors over the season.

Steve Turner

Turner motorsport are very pleased to announce that they will be running the Top Methanol Dragster at the Flame and Thunder show at Santa Pod on November 4th.

We hope to do two exhibition runs on Saturday, giving people the chance to see what Methanol dragsters can do.

After the dissapointment of the National finals being rained off, and having very unusual issues on the one run we did do ( second gear launch ) This was due to racers tape getting stuck to the front tyre, while Rob was reversing back from the burnout, This in turn threw Steve and Robs startline routine, due to Steve having to remove the tape and so on, then Rob followed the normal routine, said he was in first gear, staged, and left in second !!. The clutch didnt like it too much and Rob clicked it off by half track, hence the 7.2 timeslip.

So were now all looking forward to running the dragster,at one more meeting this season.

I know this has been said hundreds of times before on here, but id like to add our thanks to all the track crews this year, your hard work is very much appreciated, even if we racers dont always show it !!

Thanks also to all our sponsors for there ongoing support.

Hope to see you all at the Flame and Thunder show.

Rob, Steve and Carmel

As reported on Eurodragster today (25/09/2006)

 Going into the final round at Santa Pod next weekend,  Turnermotorsport have retained the MSA British Top Methanol Championship for 2006.   Making a RECORD 9 TIMES that the team has won the Championship.

Steve said " Obviously were all delighted to win and retain the MSA Championship again , and also to extend our record of Championship Titles to nine, But, this by no way means were going to be taking it easy at the National Finals, as we want to try and replicate our step into the 5.40s, from the European finals earlier this month."

Good Luck everyone attending the National Finals, and heres hoping for more good weather over the weekend.

Steve Turner

After a season of chasing different problems around the car, The whole Turnermotorsports team were ecstatic to step up in to the 5.40s for the first time, with a final qualifying run E.T of 5.494 at the European finals at Santa pod.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors - G MAXfuels, GRP rods, Fuchs oils, NGK, NFAA, R V Gold, Rushden graphics and CT autoparts, without you, this just would not be possible.

 Its just a shame the car got out of the grove in round one against Krister, meaning an early exit in round one,  Myself, Rob and Carmel would like to thank all our crew, for the hard work and dedication they have put into the car this year.

We would like to pass on our thanks, to YOU the fans, who as always, gave our team great support at our home track. , You made a great atmosphere and we really do appreciate your support.

We are now looking forward to the National finals at the end of September to try and retain the MSA championship, and end the year on a high.

Finally,  Everyone at Turnermotorsports was shocked and saddened ,to hear of the freak accident that occoured at the end of the Euro finals, and would
like to take this opportunity to pass our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of  Roger George.

Steve Turner.

09/09/2006

TURNER MOTORSPORTS MOVE INTO THE 5.40s

ROB SET A NEW PERSONAL BEST E.T , WITH A 5.49 SECOND RUN , ON THE LAST RUN OF QUALIFYING AT THE EUROPEAN FINALS AT SANTA POD