The man who wanted rain...

UK Top Fuel Dragster racer Andy Carter may well have been the only person grateful that it rained at Santa Pod Raceway on Monday. The Lucas Oil Team West-Tec dragster did not qualify, the multiple European Champions first DNQ in several years, but the effect was mitigated as the rain prevented a yawning gap forming in the FIA points standings.

"It was a disappointing weekend both for me and for the team", Andy told Eurodragster.com. "There was nothing obviously wrong. The car fired up OK in the pits and sounded good but as soon as it was on the track it seemed to have no power. Points-wise we were lucky that it rained - I was praying for rain on Sunday night! We will go to Sweden next week with the Championship still pretty even. Its a different race on a different track, we will go there and hope to have the Lucas Oil car running strongly."

Andy had solid backing on the home front at the weekend as his wife Sarah and mother-in-law Tina Gibbs along with Phil Cottingham, Gary Cottingham, Stu Bradbury, Bev Bradbury and Paul Hart ran the Lucas Oil hospitality area in the Team West-Tec pit. "Lucas Oil had fifty five guests at the weekend", said Andy. "Sarah, Tina, Phil, Gary, Stu, Bev and Paul worked very hard indeed, the guests had a good time and were well looked-after. I want to thank the Lucas Oil hospitality team for doing a great and very important job.

"I would also like to say thanks to Ben Allum and the team who worked tirelessly over the weekend trying to get us qualified, also to Les and Maureen Downey and of course all the staff at Santa Pod Raceway, it is much appreciated."

If you were tuned in to Eurodragster.com News last week you will have seen the announcement F&A Racing have joined Team West-Tec."It may be a two-car operation but its not a two-car team", explained Andy. "We are both operating under the Team West-Tec umbrella but we are separate teams - we will not be exchanging data or crew or anything like that. We are the Lucas Oil team and that wont change."

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