Europe’s premier drag racing weekend gets a spectacular birthday twist this weekend as Santa Pod Raceway celebrates its 60th anniversary alongside the climax of the 2026 European drag racing season.
Running from 9-13 September, the mega five-day event is headlined by the FIA/FIM European Finals, with around 300 car and motorcycle racers from 17 countries currently entered for the season finale. Racing spans an extraordinary range of classes, from 10,000-horsepower nitro-burning Top Fuelers to the Junior categories featuring the sport’s stars of the future.
Ten ground-shaking blown nitro cars will headline the Euro Finals, with four Top Fuel Dragsters battling for FIA European Championship honours and six Fuel Funny Cars contesting the prestigious UK Funny Car Cup.
Reigning FIA Top Fuel champion Susanne Callin will defend her title against Swiss former champion Jndia Erbacher, while Norwegian veteran Øyver Jacobsen makes a remarkable return to the cockpit after decades away. Scotland’s Colin Millar completes the four-car field and will be hoping to cap his impressive transition from Outlaw Anglia competition with victory.
The six-car Funny Car field is entirely British, with defending cup winner Steve Ashdown among those chasing honours. Kevin Kent currently leads the championship standings, but the title will be decided at Santa Pod.
The FIA Pro Modified championship is also set for a dramatic conclusion, with a 16-car elimination field featuring some of Europe’s fastest and most spectacular machinery. Finland’s Jere Rantaniemi is chasing a hat-trick of titles but faces a strong challenge from Estonia’s Andres Arnover, who arrives at Santa Pod holding a narrow points advantage.
FIA titles will also be decided in Top Methanol and Pro Stock, supported by a full programme of Sportsman racing and spectacular Jet Car demonstrations.
The racing action begins even before the European Finals, with the concluding rounds of the Carl Cox Motorsport Series on Wednesday and Thursday. Superstar DJ and motorsport entrepreneur Carl Cox has backed the three-round Pro Modified series and will compete in his own 250mph American-built machine.
Adding another dimension to the celebrations, Saturday will see a unique 60th Anniversary Car Show featuring machinery representing every one of Santa Pod’s six decades. Race cars, hot rods, street rods and customs will showcase the venue’s remarkable history.
Santa Pod opened in 1966 on a former WWII airfield, becoming Europe’s first permanent drag racing venue. Sixty years later, its birthday celebration promises to be every bit as spectacular as its history, with Monster Trucks, stunt demonstrations, parachute jumps, historic aircraft, funfair rides, live music and fireworks adding to the attraction.
Multi-day ticket holders can camp for free, while paddock access is also included, offering fans the chance to get close to the teams and machinery between the runs.
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