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Twelve teams returned to Santa Pod for Round 4 of the 2011 Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator series, this time amidst the hustle and bustle of Bug Jam.
Such is the nature of this feast of air cooled strip action that this is the only round in which the Street Eliminator cars do not have to complete a qualifying cruise as it simply takes too long to get in and out of the place. That didn’t ensure that all of the cars made it to the elimination round however as three of then retired after qualifying due to technical problems. Richard Billings couldn’t get an air tight seal on the rear tyres on his Mustang, Stuart Williams trashed the rear axle crown wheel and pinion in his Toyota Supra, and Alan Williamson’s Chevy pick up was the third casualty.
Brian Payne, Andy Bond, Ian Hook, Dave Murdoch and Alex McIntosh all made it through to the second round of eliminations with Ian Hook benefiting from the deleted field and getting a bye into round 3. A stout 7.926 second pass saw Brian Payne also make round 3, as did Dave Murdoch with an 8.47 pass having previously run a new personal best of 8.40 in qualifying.
Brian Payne got the benefit of a by in the semis whilst Hook and Murdoch set almost identical times of 8.441 and 8.432 respectively with the Ford taking the win over the Willys. The final was therefore a re-run of the previous round – Hook against Payne. On paper Payne’s Mustang ran out favourite having run a 7.76ET and a best terminal speed of 180mph in qualifying, coupled with the fact that Hook’s ’34 coupe was once again not running as straight and true as it should do. The form book proved correct and Payne was an easy winner, his 8.343/172 easily usurping Hook’s shut off 11.056/79.
With just 3 rounds left to run and Payne leading the championship table 770 points ahead of second placed Hook is it all over bar the shouting? That all depends on just how loud Hook can shout in round five
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