Monday 11th April 1966

Europe’s first permanent, purpose built drags racing venue, the Santa Pod Raceway opened. It was constructed on a disused World War II American air base, RAF Podington, in Bedfordshire, England. A world drag-racing record of 3.58 seconds at 386.26 mph was at Santa Pod in 1984 by American Sammy Miller in his rocket-propelled Vanishing Point Funny Car.