Flathead
Meltdown
We’re pleased to announce the Flathead Meltdown will be running again in 2025. Rather than being part of the Hot Rod Drags in September, the decision has been made to run the class at the Nostalgia Nationals at Santa Pod on the 3rd & 4th May to avoid any conflict with the Hot Rod Races on Pendine Sands.
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The main focus of the Flathead Meltdown is street driven, car derived valve-in-block engines, but with the addition of classes for race cars, and overhead valve conversions. That gives four classes as follows:
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Street Flathead: all valves in block, this will likely go to a V8, but fours and twelves are included.
Four Banger Shootout: street flathead four bangers only.
Competition Flathead: anything flathead that’s not road going.
Outlaw Overheads: for flathead blocks with OHV conversions.
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The Flathead Meltdown is open to any car with a qualifying engine and you don’t have to be VHRA member to compete. Whilst the VHRA is proud to sponsor and promote the Flathead Meltdown, Brett Pillinger is the man in charge of putting it on. So, if you fancy taking part, send him message by clicking HERE. There's also a Facebook group you can be part of, which will carry news of upcoming events, as well as the history of past competitors and cars. That can be found HERE.
For spectator passes, go to the Santa Pod website.
History
Back in 1997 the editor of Custom Car magazine, Tim Baggaley, had an idea. He'd just brought the Street Eliminator race series into this world and thought he could organise something similar, but a little more grass-roots, for some of his mates in their traditional hot rods. It was intended to be a bit of a laugh, and to run for just one or two events. but for more than a decade, the Meltdown continued to attract racers, both young and old; male and female; quiffed and bald to every event, all with a fascination with depression-era speed technology.
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The first Meltdown, won by Danny Townsend, also featured Dave Wilcox, Billy 'the fish' Roe, Chris Rawlins and future CC editor, Kev Elliott. Kev went on to organise the Meltdown for several years before upping sticks to the US for a job with Rod and Custom. The clipboard was passed to fellow Executioner Ian Whittaker, then to Darren Hart, who was followed by Neil Fretwell as part of the VHRA sponsorship, until the event took a break when Shakespeare County Raceway closed its doors in 2017. During this time, the speeds got faster until 100 mph was achieved with a street driven flathead, when Tony Cardy and his naturally aspirated purple Model T roadster finally hit the magic number, dipping into the twelves at the same time. Only two other people managed to top the ton after Tony, that was Jim Turnbull and Mike Couch, both in 1932 Ford roadsters running blowers.
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Now back on the racing calendar, the Flathead Meltdown has a new home at Santa Pod, where it's good to see some of the old faces, as well as plenty of new ones, taking to the strip once more with their old jalopies.
