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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

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Locations: England / Categories: , ,

6 Responses to 'Santa Pod Raceway'

  1. 1. rob says: June 5th, 2006 at 6:20 pm

    the field to the right of the track doesn’t look too healthy!
    Also, do they do car boot sales there, cos it looks more like that than a race day!

  2. 2. koen says: June 5th, 2006 at 8:25 pm

    Well, that field might not look too healthy, but if the farmer simply clicks the sponsored link above the image, he’d be able to buy a remote control camera-plane! Wonder why they advertise it as something for agricultural use, I could come up with some more interesting uses…

  3. 3. Lee says: June 5th, 2006 at 9:21 pm

    Not a Carboot sale, it’s just shocking parking.

  4. 4. Olly says: June 5th, 2006 at 11:36 pm

    Awesome! My crazy uncle used to race his custom mustang at this track.

  5. 5. jake says: June 6th, 2006 at 1:09 am

    I think it’s a drag racing track ;)

  6. 6. Parad0x says: June 8th, 2006 at 11:26 am

    Ader, I can see you tent ! Chris I can see your pile of empty stella cans…

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