Carter Motorsport, Aug update by Jan B (Team member from Holland)

Well the word is out, Carter Motorsport are in no way shape or form connected in any way with Rune Fjeld Motorsport, in simple terms, we are no longer hiring a Top Fuel Dragster from Rune Fjeld, from now on we will be running our own Top Fuel Dragster.

First of all we as a team are sorry to hear that the news got out via unofficial channels, instead of giving us the chance to explain the situation correctly and first hand, because of course we have to inform our fans and sponsors concerning team matters, since we know that we have a big crowd cheering on for us.

Anyhow now in retrospect, having taken the time we needed to ourselves, to give the current situation a place in our racing hearts and minds, we will give you a short insight about what the current situation is. And more important what the future holds for Andy Carter and all at Carter Motorsport.

Going to Sweden we were absolutely ready for war, we knew that after the technical issues we had during the Main Event the engine had been well and truly sorted and the engine performed really well in Finland, making 4 runs and only hurting 1 main bearing. Therefore we knew that we could immediately step up the power in Sweden, sadly we didn't have any luck, despite a fantastic crew and no lack of driving skills.

Q1 we were up alongside Hakan Nilsson, sadly for us the track didn't have the bite we thought it had and we hit tyre shake after about150ft. So with massive amounts of power hanging securely in the chrome-moly tubing, we weren't able to convert it into straight-line speed.

Second round on Friday we had Mikael Kagered as our opponent. The reaction time was spot on, even the best one of the weekend at that moment. Again after half-track we lost traction. Perhaps also due to the rear-wing changes we had to make at the technical scrutinizing, before our first run. Anyway we were told the wing changes were the same for everybody. But to give you some insight on this, NHRA has been regulating rear wing angles to a maximum of 2 degrees inclination, since a couple of years. Racers being racers they like to bend the rules within the possibilities. So what actually happens is that the older style wings need more inclination to have the same amount of downforce, opposed to the next generation rear wings, which have been constructed during the 2 degrees regulation, which will give you almost the same amount of downforce at 2 degrees, as the older style pre (03-04) wings produced at 6 degrees. Our wing was sadly the older style wing, so having to take angle out of the wing, made a huge difference to our car and the ability to keep the rear wheels from running over themselves at high speeds. So we did struggle with amounts of tire-shake and little whiffs of smoke, but this is also due to driving skills. But as any drag race fan knows, having smoke, or shake, kills et.

On Saturday we knew that we needed to step up once more, hoping for better air conditions and a track that would give us enough traction to get us really in the ball-park of the eight top qualifiers. Third qualifications we were up against Lex Joon.
It really looked that the car and the track were becoming friends by then, we were faster during the whole pass, until the blower-belt came off. An event choking the engine, since the supercharger stops pushing air into the engine and effectively works as a closed throttle blade at that point in time. So we lost that round, on the back of the track.
Again proving winning and losing are things that are just separated by a very thin line.

Fourth qualifying round we needed to get in. Setting the best reaction time of the qualification rounds, we knew Andy was on the ball, driving on a razors edge. He was determined not to let either the team, sponsors or fans down. But again the combination of lots of horsepower and the track, was killing us. The car was pedaled as only your much appreciated European drag racer driver can, but it wasn't enough.
We were out, qualifying in 11th spot, we were out!

Actually, after having this disaster, one of the best things happened to the team. Saturday we had wrapped the car up, cleaned the tools and benches, not putting the engine together like the team would do before a run, actually not even having a clutch pack in the car.

We went out to the track on Sunday morning. No more than 45 minutes before elimination rounds started, someone of the organization came along and told us that we were first spare, since Joran Persaker wasn't going to run, and Monica Oberg packed up her whole assembly. A split decision was made, we were going to try to run the car. Within secounds the covers were off the car. Ben and Eddie started crunching numbers inside the trailer. Blower, heads, headgaskets, bellhousing amongst others were rapidly taken off the chassis, serviced and put together. No one was even near thinking that even Carter Motorsport was able to pull this one off, having the car ready and sitting waiting before the first pair started their engines, but we did. There she was, Andy strapped in and we all hoping that some team would fail to start. Sadly after the fourth pair managed to start and rolled through the waterbox, we were definitely out! No eliminations on the track on which Andy holds the speed record, a sad sad day indeed.

The above events, which led to uncalled gossip, was that we have made the decision to not contest the European Finals 06, we are not going to chase a lost cause. Just the sheer amount of money involved in dragracing at this level made us decide that we weren't going for less than the Championship. A chase which we lost, by not qualifying in Sweden.

That is the only reason why Carter Motorsports will not contest the Finals, no more, no less. The break-up with RF Motorsports, all went in good harmony, Andy and Rune shook hands and we are glad to know that Siw is now driving the former B&Q car.

We will be back next year, make no mistake about that. We will be running a tight, professional organization, clean and fast, trying to do everyone proud, and trying to get our 3rd Championship.

One thing that is somewhat a relief, is that with the current field still running, it is unlikely that the current champion will be able to make a consecutive championship win, therefore Carter Motorsport is still the only team having won the European Championship two times.

Thanks for all the support,

Jan B
Carter Motorsport

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