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BuyEnergyDrinks.co.uk in association with Battery Energy Drink are proud to be supporting Bennett Racing for the 2011 season
BuyEnergyDrinks in association with Battery Energy Drink are proud to be supporting Bennett Racing for the 2011 season in UK and European Events
Bennett Racing have been racing since the early 1980s initially fielding a 1958 Ford Pop before taking time out later in the decade to put together a Topolino-bodied blown-alcohol altered which firstly ran in Top Alcohol and with the Supercharged Outlaws and which is now raced with the Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association.
Bennett Racing started racing back in early 1981 with a Ford Pop called Phantasm, formerly Mean Streak, which they raced very successfully until 1987 when they imported an NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car named Cape Codder, formerly Boston Strangler. They spent a few years building the car up as they didn't buy the motor and since they used Small Block Chevy power in the Pop the obvious choice was to go Big Block Chevy in what was to become a Fuel Altered. They then competed in Top Alcohol with the other altereds of Tony Betts and Mickey Moore/Ollie Burns, they did this for a good few years but due to our extremely limited budget they were never going to be a force in the class. They ran an iron 427 block, standard GM forged crank, iron heads, and a blower which probably made about five pounds boost on a good day.
Then in the mid 1990s Bennett Racing started to race in a new class, the Supercharged Outlaws, in which they had great success and really enjoyed every single event. Then in 2001 the crank of twelve years had enough and broke in the best possible way, everything out the bottom but thank god it didn't touch our new ally block. On that run they still managed a 7.400 at 199 mph so it was on one.
Bennett Racing didn't have the budget at all to get back out until a new sponsor was found at the Xtreme Wheels show in 2005 brought us back out and ready to run in the newly-formed Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association, which so far is best class we have run in. As a few have seen already the car is a little bit different now and our intention is to run low sixes at 220+ mph.
Bennett Racing were the 2009 NFAA champions and won 3 out of 4 events they entered that year.
The current engine is a 511 cubic inch (8.5 litre) Big Block Chevy, Donovan solid block, Bryant billet crank, Brooks rods, CP custom pistons, Comp Cams custom cam to our specification, Crane lifters and push rods, Moroso billet oil pump, Moroso alloy two-piece sump, Taylor diaper, RCD billet crank support, Morgan billet heads, Moroso alloy rocker covers, Bennett made the headers, Pioneer billet mag drive, Enderle 990 fuel pump, MSD 44 amp Pro mag, 14-71 Kobelco Retro Hi Helix 15% overdriven with all modifications by DMPE, DMPE billet spacer, DMPE restraint plate, DMPE belt guard, Taylor blower bag, Enderle Big and Ugly hat, K style barrel valve, fuel system by Bennetts, three-speed CS1 Lenco, and two-plate 10.7" Crower clutch with Trick titanium clutch can.
The combination of Bennett Racing skills and Battery Energy Drink power should turn out some good results in 2011, check progress at www.bennettracing.co.uk
December 2011
Bennett Racing announce their latest team sponsor King Bearings to support the Battery Drink Energised Methanol Altered Topolino Drag Car. Read more here
September 2011
Bennett Racing announce a another team sponsor HRB Automotive to join forces with Battery Energy Drink UK in supporting the Methanol Altered Drag car
August 2011: Relay For Life.
A huge amount has been going on since our last blog entry (time flies as ever); we have attended the Universal Fast & Furious 5 DVD/Blu-ray release day at Santa Pod where we met up with sponsors Battery Energy Drink and www.BuyEnergyDrinks.co.uk.
This was also the perfect time to do a photo shoot as the track wasn't that busy and sadly had some rain but this did mean we could get on to the track and got some great photos (one below), thanks again to Lawrence Clift for these. This was a great day despite the weather and a nice change to racing as we were able to take the time to talk to people. It was really good to meet up, we all did a lot of talking around the car and team and what's in store for the future. Everyone was suitably impressed. We have of course sent on all of our PR so far to our other committed sponsors, all of whom we couldn't race without, thanks guys! Also a personal thanks to our team members Alan Scott and Joe Riley, hope you had a good day gents.
Next up, we went to the Cancer Research 'Relay For Life' in Southend, not too far from us and a great way to give this very worthy cause some support. We had a really good day, great weather, lots of interest in the car and even more fun for all the kids that had a photo sitting in Relentless. These are run all over the country so keep your eyes out for one being held in your town and go and support!
A bit of information regarding the cause - Relay For Life is an inspirational overnight event that honors cancer survivors and celebrates life. Relay For Life brings you and your town together to help beat cancer. Throughout the year, teams fund raise in their local communities to support the work of Cancer Research UK. Then everyone comes together in an inspiring overnight celebration and commemoration that the whole community can be part of. Relay events focus on fun for all the family, regardless of age or fitness level – everyone is welcome!
At the event everybody gathers at their local race track, park or sports field and take turns walking laps. Each team keeps at least one member on the track at all times, while all around them a party is in full swing. Relay events have a friendly, festival-like atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy. Camping, music, stalls and entertainment will be laid on, and many of the teams taking part camp overnight. Every Relay For Life lasts 12 to 24 hours, runs overnight and includes a Survivors' Lap of Honour and a moving Candle of Hope ceremony.
We also have attended the very popular and sadly the last Damn Yankee' American Car show; a big thank you to Gary Hall for looking after us, we loved every show we went to with both Relentless and also the Devil's Advocate altered. This was the 25th show too and was a great end, a big well done to the Drapers and all crew for getting the car built and started in the time you did, no mean feat at all! Once the bugs are ironed out it will be a quick car for sure.
Meanwhile back at the workshop progress has been steady on the other two Bennett Racing cars, first up the DarkSide slingshot has had some serious mods, and we're just getting near to putting on a new roll-cage and adding some chassis bars; we also plan to move the engine back about 6 inches for better weight transference and hopefully we will give it a good make over and it should come out very nice.
Progress has been slow but steady on the SuperPower Bantam altered; the block itself has been prepped and bolted into the chassis, and the engine very roughly mocked up to check everything goes in OK. The first job I want to get out of the way is to shorten the header tubes a little as I feel they stick out too far and will look wrong with the Bantam style body. Then I will make a front motor/idler plate and other parts for the car.
So as always, lots going on but its the way we seem to operate!
Wednesday 15 June 2011: Battery Energy Drinks.
Yet again the weeks have passed since our last blog update, and as I always seem to type, we're busier than ever. The car is really coming along, the engine is coming together very well, and within a week we should have it in the car and then a few more bits to fit and we will be ready to fire.
We have a great day lined up soon too - we will be attending the official Fast 5 DVD/Blu-Ray release, part of the Fast & Furious franchise. This is to be held at Santa Pod Raceway on 8th July 2011. This should be a great day with hopefully lots of interest in the car and Bennett Racing as a whole.
All we have left to do now is fit the engine in the car, fit the clutch, fit the new titanium clutch can, rebuild and fit the Lenco gearbox and send some parts away to be anodised. There are probably a heap more jobs to add to that list but we're certainly getting closer to having the car finished. While in the garage last night we also took the opportunity to take a few photos with our Battery Energy Drink and www.BuyEnergyDrinks.co.uk banner. Whilst you can clearly see we're not professional photographers, we think they still look good!
Monday 23 May 2011: Engine rebuild.
Well, the good news is that Relentless is now a rolling chassis; we have been working hard and it's finally coming together. Last week we started the engine rebuild/refresh too and, so far, all seems OK. We are going to change all the bearings and give the motor a professional clean and pretty much build it as you would a new motor just to check all is a-ok. On Saturday we also rebuilt the heads. This is a time consuming task, grinding each valve in, but got them done and are very happy that all the valve springs are still holding up fine. Titanium valves and retainers definitely help here.
Its nice to get to this stage, as you actually start to see all the hard work coming together and hopefully going together smoothly, its funny how this car is just being rebuilt but we keep finding things to improve and make better.
Also I must add in our last blog I wrote we found a hole in our puke tank, please note that this wasn't in the bottom, it was in the top and was a pin hole, we haven't been oiling the track all season!
We are also remaking/redesigning our inlet manifold plate too, to better suit our Kobelco blower; we feel that we can produce a better flowing better designed version than our current one. Which in turn we yield more horsepower. We will CNC machine this from 7075 aluminium, supplied to us by Smiths.
We also plan to get our Kobelco supercharger totally rebuilt and refreshed, so will be handing it over to Kenny at SuperPower Unlimited.
So as always, lots to do, but bit by bit we're getting there. Just can't wait to fire the car up again; it seems a very long time.
Friday 13 May 2011: Relentless updates.
Progress is pretty good on the Relentless Topolino; we're slowly getting the car back together and are really happy with it. We have tried to update the car a little this time around and make it easier to work on between rounds, only small things such as proper push fit air lines, but these make removing and refitting the Lenco gearbox just that bit quicker and easier when working on the car. Also large changes such as the Trick Titanium clutch can will make our lives easier as lifting out the 55lb Browell can was not always fun, especially when you catch your fingers too...so we hope that with the changes all over the car it makes servicing it easier and more efficient.
As promised, I have also taken some more photos of the progress of the car. It's now a rolling chassis and the 3rd member has also been fitted; before the wheels were all fitted we gave them a thorough polish with our Autoglym metal polish; they came up a treat. I cannot recommend Autoglym's products highly enough; we use them throughout the car and every product we use is faultless.
Also we had the fun task of bleeding the brakes, god I hate brake fluid, horrible stuff! But when fitting them back we also found an issue causing the brakes to bind so we fixed this too; every little bit helps.
As seen from this photo we have still yet to fit the seat panels, puke can and Silicon Hoses; we actually found a small hole in the puke tank so will weld this up before refitting to make sure no oil/fuel can escape onto the track or tyres.
The next job is to rebuild the engine. We broke a lifter at the last event so just want to double check everything is OK, we will replace both the camshaft and lifter but, fingers crossed, nothing else!
Tuesday 3rd May 2011: Relentless going back together.
Well the good news is that the Relentless Topolino is finally going back together after a long time apart.
We painted the chassis over the weekend and started to fit everything back in. First up, the fire bottles in their new position, and they look great - safer too, and we're really glad that we did it now.
Also we fitted our new air bottle at the front of the car for easier access, as it was near the puke tank which was sometimes a pain to turn on/off and once was forgotten, (cue a short burnout...). Also seen in the photo is the MSD coil and points boxes.
The next photo is of our new carbon steering wheel, a bit of a change from the usual, but it's given the car a nice simple update and saved a little weight too. There are a few jobs still to do, such as fitting lines etc for the Lenco gearbox. We're back out in the workshop tonight, and plan to fit the 3rd member and half shafts.
It's a bit of a short blog this time, but keep coming back and I plan to update every week or so.
