The National Finals is the last meeting on the calendar and often sees some special ETs as racers either throw caution to the wind (with the upcoming winter break to make repairs) or push that little bit harder for an improved championship position. The original roster of 9 cars was reduced to eight when the two-week gap between this event and the Euros proved too small for Jerry Charles to effect repairs to his Capri’s 706. Jeff Meads on the other was back with a BBC full of new valves and ready to push Colin Lazenby all the way for the 2009 title

Qualifying turned into a battle between the hot rods of Meads and Hook, each taking a turn in the lead before Hook clinched provisional pole with (ironically) an 8.34 ET. Lazenby was struggling with valve train issues but still managed a creditable 9.13 for fourth behind Murdoch’s impressive 8.92 from the Willys. But they were all to move up a slot as a damaged electrical connector caused Hook to relinquish the top spot when his ’34 Ford failed the cruise. Joining him in the DNQ list were Pateman (suspension damage) and Jason Weir with a blown head gasket. Lazenby survived the cruise with no drama despite the Sonny Leonard motor being less than 100% in the valve train department.

The first pair up for eliminations were McIntosh and Lazenby and with an 8-car field the latter knew that all he had to do to secure the 2009 championship was to stage for round one, the 150 points moving him too far ahead to be caught by Meads. With a damaged motor he took the wise option and cruised up the strip for a 17.89 lose out to McIntosh’s 9.28. Despite the damaged motor Lazenby still pulled an excellent .04 light, his average for 2009 bringing him this season’s RT award, the first time Ian Hook’s name has not been on the trophy for seven years! This was the only race of the first round as Meads, Murdoch and Andersson all had byes into the semi-final courtesy of the three DNQs. Meads was still in ‘kill’ mode, running an impressive 8.30.

The first semi-final featured the hot rods of Meads and Murdoch, the former taking a massive 3/10 holeshot off the line and increasing the lead by ¼ track. But then the yellow Pop started to slow and Murdoch reeled him in. The Ford’s Glide had lost all drive and Meads could only coast to an 11.9 as the purple Willys took the win with an off the pace 9.61. Andersson’s tiny Opel squared up next with the silver blown Mustang of Alex McIntosh. Andersson new he had a job on his hands but, following Meads’ departure, a win would put him within grasp of the runner-up slot in the championship. Perhaps this thought pumped him up too much as he left way ahead of McIntosh – so far in fact that he left a cherry glowing on the tree handing the victory to the ‘Stang driver. It’s worth mentioning that following these two on a practice run was Ian Hook, the ’34 having been repaired overnight. And what a practice run! He made the quickest pass of the weekend (albeit outside of competition) and the quickest pass in his whole career with a 7.80 @ 174mph. One to watch for 2010.

The final race of 2009 brought together the rookie, David Murdoch and Alex McIntosh, the latter in his first ever final. McIntosh left first with an excellent .01 light with Murdoch close behind with a .05. But the off form pass of the last run had been a sign that all was not well with the Willys. A wrecked oil pump in the trans slowed the car to a 10.00 allowing McIntosh to take his first ever SE victory with a 9.16.

And that was it for 2009. This season had seen five different winners in the seven rounds run to conclusion, the quickest and fastest pass ever in SE history, another two cars into the sevens and the return of the class to Europe’s biggest stage – the European finals. Lazenby took the title with Meads as runner-up and Andersson filling the last place on the podium. Lazenby, as mentioned above, took home the Perfect Light award but Hook managed to grab a little silverware as he secured the Hardest Launching Street Car award with his ’34 Ford. The title of Most Improved went to rookie David Murdoch in the delightful ’33 Willys.

Thanks, as always, are due to the class sponsors - B&H Automotive, LA Racing Parts, Embroidery Solutions, Wright Guards Security, WRE, Eurodragster.com, quartermilehigh.com & RPM magazine. Roll on 2010!