Power Tool Drag Racing spins up in the UK

In possibly one of the most bare-chested, manly sports since the caber toss was invented, Silverline is calling for entrants across the UK for the 2007 Silverline Power Tool Drag Racing contest to be held on August 5. Anyone can join in - simply rig up your favourite, fastest spinning power tool with any mods you think are necessary to make it a champion on the drag strip. Wheels, wheelie bars and custom frames are fine, but leave your radio controlled cars at home; they're banned for being "too boring." May the best tool win!

Tim "the Tool Man" Taylor would give this idea a giant "woof!" Take a hand-held power tool, turn it into a mean machine and race it down a 75ft track. Supercharge your circular saw, pull a belt sander burnout, or wheelstand your weed whacker. There are prizes galore and officials from the Guinness Book of Records will be at hand in case any records tumble.

"Mystery" prizes for lastr year's drag races included:

• Most impressive engineering
• Most pathetic engineering
• Most spectacular crash
• Machine most likely to impress the girls
• And of course, the ‘Silverline Award’ for the fastest top speed run of the event.

Several classes of tool-mobiles are raced, including a "funny car" class in which the vehicle has to transport a driver/rider down the strip - but it must be driven only by power tools. An example would be the Chainsaw Dragster (near the bottom of the page), a go-kart powered by eight chainsaws - or the Mini-motorcycle beneath it powered by an angle grinder.

In addition to the power tool action there will be activities for all the family. Ace British Touring Car racer, Jason Plato, is the VIP guest and will be signing autographs and giving us a demo in a Haynes classic car. If you fancy yourself as a racer, there will also be a multi lane Scalextric track with replica BTCC touring cars. Jason has dared anyone to take him on!

For a rest from the action, tour the world famous Haynes International Motor Museum – the UK's largest exhibition of the greatest cars from around the world. It boasts more than 350 cars and bikes, dating from 1886 to the present day, 11 huge display halls, the world famous red room and one of the UK’s largest speedway collections. It is an excellent day out for all the family, no matter what the weather.

The Silverline Power Tool Drag Race will be held at Haynes International Motor Museum on Sunday 5th August 2007. See the Silverline website for full details of the categories of power tool drag racers, guidelines for their construction and applications forms.