Bug Jam 2000

The cult meet, BUG JAM 2000 again proved to be Europe's biggest VW meet. The expectations of Florida weather never materialized, none the less, the 20,000 plus spectators & racers from all Europe were treated to non-stop entertainment & racing throughout the weekend. Saturday is "Run What You Brung" day combined with "Quick 8" Eliminator. Racers and enthusiasts waited patiently throughout the day to run their street cars or race cars, to get that all important timing slip, with the fastest 8 vehicles going on to the "Quick 8" Eliminator. The Santa Pod officials had their hands full keeping car after car running the 1/4 mile, as thousands of VW enthusiasts joined the racers throughout the pits. Mid-afternoon the track closed, the quickest 8 VW's were officially notified. Russell Fellows with his ultra fast street Beetle, type 4 engine with Porsche heads and turbo, was the only street car to make it into the competition. Likewise the only buggy was that of Ali Southcombe, this race car represents the ultimate in buggy engineering, the finish and attention to detail has been rewarded with ever decreasing ET's. Paul Jackson had the only dragster at this years event, this long wheel base, aero-dynamic, lightweight machine feature a large capacity type 4 motor with Pauter heads, turbo charged & inter-cooled plus nitrous, running through a Powerglide transmission and 2 speed rear axle. Not unexpectedly Paul was the quickest qualifier. Five tube chassis cars made up the remander of the 8 car field. Jon Rathbone in his turbo beetle, Cliff Watkin's Bug Catcher nitrous injected beetle, Jim Smith in his resto-look normally aspirated racecar, Karl Donovan in the normally aspirated Bugeyed and Lee Darby the newest member of the tube chassis "Pro-Cars", having recently purchased the split window oval beetle from Ralph Craig, running Paul Jackson's last seasons normally aspirated motor.