Ultimate Street Car 2015
The Santa Pod drag strip has heritage for me going back twenty years and even more. As a thirteen year old in the blistering summer of 1976 (yes I AM that ancient) when we moved house, we had this builder working on the fixer-upper we moved to, called Liam who impressed the thirteen year old me. He had a Jaguar and a real tech whizzy thing back then, a TELEPHONE in his car. This was way before cellular technology and was actually a powerful two-way radio system and you had to squeeze-to-transmit by holding the ‘˜normal’ looking handset tighter. It had a concierge type system of radio operators as you had to have them dial for you. It interfaced with the regular landline phone system and making a call was a bit odd. I gather it was silly costly per call. But builder Liam regaled me with tales of motor sport and drag racing and even drew the kid I was, directions to give to the grown ups to take me there!
I never nagged my folks to take me but I never forgot and in time, found myself working at Santa Pod at car shows and have done so for the site’s last set of owners as well as at least three other employers, no four, Max Power, Fast Car, Clarion and EMMA. And it is the EMMA scene that I love the best as while the others were glamorous and involved me introducing and running show stuff as politically incorrect as it comes, (mostly involving breasty girls) the EMMA gig is about haranguing the public which I do adore and getting hands-on with the cars and people. Making video, snapping stuff to bits.
And this year was another corker, with perfect weather of warm sunshine and just a few grey bits.
ESPL Measuring was a big part of the day
Using the brand new Wayne Harris Kit, this is the loudness sensor, strapped to the headrest.
..and this is the main processor box connected to the PC.
I actually got some lovely profile shot-grade portrait shots of some folks. 
The video assembled from my day shooting clips
Woofer INK!
Here are Lea’s own words about this inscription. “Amat Victoria Curam” means ‘victory favours those who take and/or suffer pain’ or loosely spoken. as ‘victory takes careful preparation!’ It’s Latin!
A huge thank you to the Ackerleys led by Papa bear but directed by Andrew and the entire EMMA backroom team, who made this event the smoothest ever run.
Finally, if you click this link, you will get a gallery open up, slideshow style, with just a few more shots.
link
The lesser spotted Papa Bear