2015 – European nostalgia funny car
Tony Betts checks in after contesting the two thousand fifteen CHRR
Hi Tony, very first of all congratulations for running at this years California Hot Rod Reunion.
Hi Chris, many thanks it was a fantasy come true and I am still in disbelief.
For some of our readers who may not know about you, how did you get embarked in haul racing, and what cars have you run in your career?
It seems a long time ago now when I purchased my Morris one thousand with a Three.8 triple carb E type engine in, running on methanol. I actually commenced in the street rod scene after going to a rod run in Romford, Essex and witnessing Barry George there with his V6 mark one Cortina. I built a Morris one thousand with a 1622cc BMC engine in. A parts store was shutting down and had every panel fresh which I purchased and so the car was built. Since then there has been hundreds of cars from various mark one Cortina’s to a four hundred forty ford Capri and from a Mustang fastback that I fitted the interior out with the curtains from the house, while my wifey was in hospital providing birth to our fifty five Chevy with a V10 Viper engine in that we have now. Race cars I have possessed are the Morris 1000, then I purchased the Bennett Brothers Phantasm and renamed it Robopop and repainted it with murals, I was then asked if I dreamed to buy the old Madness so the pop got sold and a supercharged big block Chevy was purchased along with Madness. This was renamed Spirit of Madness and ran real strong for a few years.
At this point in my life I had the terrible news that I had cancer. Thanks to a supportive family and fantastic medical staff we kicked it into touch and looked forward to the rest of my life.
It was at this point that I was asked by Knut Soderqvist if I dreamed to sell Spirit of Madness to some guys from Malta. A deal was struck but part of the deal was I had to go and drive it at the next meeting. Well I took along squad chief and all round good stud Charlie Draper plus Rob Nigh who carried out various jobs on the car like paint etc. The car was the very first V8 in Malta and one the meeting an practice I will never leave behind.
Now we step up to an alky altered built by Steve Hodkinson from the USA and we was the very first into the 6’s and held that record for seven years. This car was then sold and I am never racing again haha.
A deal was struck with long time racer and friend Harlan Thompson to purchase his 2nd fuel funny car. We ran this car to mid six 2nd runs in various guises attempting to get that one big sponsor.
This car was sold and I am never racing again, no I mean it this time haha
We went to Bakersfield and a fuel altered was for sale which we purchased. We had a few problems with this and well we all know what happened when the car came down from carrying the wheels. I hit the wall and my wifey hit me. Believe me the latter hurt more.
Right I indeed mean it this time, were done, no more racing, I have gardening to do.
Now at this point I blame Dave Bryant plus Jason and Roy Phelps. They said they would rebuild the car with a current nitro fuel funny car chassis. Oh go on then one more go.
We ran this car down into the low 6’s over a few years and had a fantastic time with superb friends.
We had just been had over by a Spanish builder who stole our desire and our money and to this day lives in our house without paying us a penny back. Sounds wrong and it gets worse when the solicitor we had was in with the builder GGrrrrr. Spanish law is a funny old thing.
So the car had to go along with the race trailer and home for many meetings.
Time to recoup and build a house, then she said I can go back racing lol.
I spotted an advert for a thirty four in Holland. It was an ex TCI showcase car now with a Hemi in and ready to race. I spoke to my long time friends and team Kevin Miller, John Mordey, Ian Walkerdine, Micky Moore and ultimately the poser himself Jimmy Mackenzie. It was agreed we could do a few meetings a year as we were all older now haha. Well what turned out after a finish revamp none of us expected. The thirty four is one awesome showpiece that runs the numbers to back it up. We are all truly pleased with the end result and it has attracted much attention across the world.
So that would be it, we are all glad doing a bit of gardening and a few races a year plus the odd demonstrate with the fifty five and the 34.
Every other year the entire Venom team go away for the Fresh Year and last year it was Cyprus. On the morning we were due to leave the minibus came with everyone on ready but we were both indeed ill so never made it. We flew out the next day on what must have been like flying over Germany in World War one as everyone thought it was the end. The youthfull lady next to me was sobbing her heart out and asking if the plane was going to crash. Well obviously we did land but how that put a different perspective on life for the future.
My wifey pointed out that I was going to be sixty this year (thanks for that) and did I want a party ? Hell no I want to race on the Patch in Bakersfield. We explained to the team that they may need to save all their pennies for October. When we got home the very first idea was to do as Bob Glassup had done and ship the thirty four over and run it. However I noticed Richard Hartman had his fifty five funny car for sale. I asked him if he would be interested in renting it for the meeting. He rang back a week or so later to explain that the fifty five was too old for Nostalgia Funny Car but he would love to do the meeting and he had a fresh sixty nine Camaro ready to run so a deal was struck. I would go over for a duo of test runs then inject the meeting at Bakersfield.
There are so many stories fastened to these meetings but I will save them for the grandkids. We arrived at Bakersfield and very first Qualifier came round, wonder who will be in the other lane? I was standing next to the car putting my head restraint on and this fellow came up and said “stay safe” it was none other than the man himself Cruz Pedregon. Tony Betts from Basildon in UK is up against flippin Cruz Pedregon at the Patch. Did I need to keep my cool now! I shook his mitt and said good luck Cruz. I was Shxtting myself, don’t mess up its only very first qualifying run. Well I did mess up but not as bad as he did and I crossed the line very first. So that’s all I am telling the grandkids haha. It was an eight 2nd run and the car had run a Five.6 with Richard driving. No pressure then. Richard and the squad came down to the end of the track but I thought someone had passed away. No figure spoke and the car was taken back to the pits and stripped ready for the afternoon run. Virgil Hartman came up and went through the run and explained where I went wrong. Must attempt tighter.
2nd qualifier went very similar as there is a solenoid under the throttle that operates an actuator on the fuel shut off to keep it on. I was being shoved up in the seat and pushing the throttle with my toes. As the throttle came off the actuator came off as well and my arm was shutting the fuel lever. The moment utter throttle was on again the actuator was on and all hell broke liberate haha. Another eight 2nd run and a quiet excursion back. I told Richard he should have drove at this meeting and me at a smaller event. Being the super nice boy he is, his reaction was “This is your wish not mine “. Right then tomorrow you are gonna get it.
Virgil sat me down and had a quiet word with me, he is truly clever you could not see any welts. This is it my last chance to qualify, I need a low Five.9 and I am in the demonstrate. I was indeed quiet and everyone had a smile on their face. I think they knew.
Well a 6.1 at two hundred forty nine mph was just not good enough, but boy was it good.
What a bday!
What excellent friends!
What a superb family!
Thank you one and all!
What does two thousand sixteen hold for team Venom?
I had a duo of offers while in the USA that hopefully come true.
The thirty four will be at a few meetings in Europe
If a plan can be put together I would love to run a NFC in Europe
There are a few other things that are in the pipeline for two thousand sixteen like a one thousand nine hundred forty eight panel truck, Mark Williams rear and a sucked big block built by Rob and Nick at ICE engines. This is all being built by the maestro Wayne Flows.