Archive for June 5th, 2006

Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Santa Pod Raceway

Monday, 5th June 2006 by James

Santa Pod is Europe’s first permanent drag racing venue, and this aerial photo was taken on a race day. This site us a disused WW2 American Air base once called RAF Podington and it was here that Sammy Miller set the current world drag racing record with a time of 3.58 seconds and a speed of 386mph.

Now I’m not much of a Drag Racing expert, but the cars line up at the north end (you can see a few waiting up there) and then race 1/4mile in various different categories called weird things like “Top Fuel”, “Pro Mod” and “Top Alcohol Funny Car”. Halfway along the track there’s also a tractor - but I think it’s just cleaning up rather than racing.

More info on Drag Racing, as ever, on Wikipedia.

Thanks: Rick

Main Street Station Sign

Monday, 5th June 2006 by Alex

Fantastic shadow being cast from the sign on top of the Main Street Station Hotel and Casino and Brewery in Las Vegas. There’s actually two signs, which means we can see it backwards too. Nice.

Useless fact about this hotel? The men’s toilet off the main casino floor contains a large piece of the Berlin Wall to which the urinals are affixed. Apparently the Travel Channel voted it Las Vegas’ number 2 historic bathroom.

Only number 2? I wonder what on earth number 1 was…

Thanks Gwaer and Babaganoosh.