Sports Listings: This Weekend: Drag racing: The Thunderball - Santa Pod

The Thunderball event at Santa Pod this weekend opens the season's Budweiser series. The first round of the European Top Alcohol Championship, with an entry of 18 cars, including the champion, Micke Kagered of Sweden, is the main attraction. Complementing this series will be the first rounds of the petrol-fuelled UK Super Gas Championship, the UK IHRA National Bracket Championship for cars and motorcycles and the Rover V8 Championship. The entertainment continues with the return after an eight-year gap of Samuel A Miller, the world quarter-mile record-holder. The American's Mustang-bodied Rocket funny car, Vanishing Point, passes the 350mph barrier in under four seconds.

How to get there: Santa Pod Raceway, Bedfordshire, is signposted from junction 14 of M1. Weekend ticket: pounds 35. Sunday/Monday: pounds 27. Daily: Tomorrow (practice): pounds 10. Sunday (qualifying): pounds 12.50. Monday (elimination/finals): pounds 15. Children aged 12 to 16 are half-price, 11 and under free. Action from 10am to 6pm each day. (Tel: 0234-781676).