Launch Pictures from Autosport Show
9th - 11th January 2004

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Extract from Eurodragster.com coverage of the Autosport Show on
Friday, January 9th 2004.

On arrival we made a beeline for the Custom Car magazine stand where Nobby Hill's new Houndog Fuel Funny Car was unveiled yesterday. The Camaro body is in yellow and blue and of course features the famous Houndog on the bonnet. The car is currently carrying the number FC1, we figure that John Spuffard may have an opinion on that and as you will see shortly we asked Nobby about that.

We started by asking Nobby who would be driving the car as it is carrying the names of both legendary shoe Owen Hayward and Junior Olley. "Two years ago, I told Owen that I was building a new car, and I said "I don't suppose you will want to drive it" ", said Nobby. "Owen said 'I will tell you if I don't want to drive it!'. Owen will drive to start with, and he will teach Junior who will be driving by the end of the season."

Nobby estimated that the FC was three-quarters finished. "There is about two to three months' work left, then we will be running", he said. "I'm building a forty-foot gooseneck trailer so there is plenty to do". Nobby designed and built the chassis and is proud of his work. "I am proud that it is British built!", he said. "If anyone looks at the car and likes it then maybe I can start to build cars for them. I love building things! I also have a team member, Gary, who is an aerospace engineer and can weld anything. He has done a great job - the chassis is within 25 thou square."

We also noticed Stuart Bradbury's name on the car, as Crew Chief. The legendary Santa Pod starter has long been involved with Nobby Hills Racing and jumped at the chance to work with the new car. "Stuart's job will probably expand to involve promotion", said Nobby. "It will start with me telling him what to do but it will end with me having to do what he says!"

Nobby said that there are some radical ideas on the FC which he will be testing before competing. "l have a different fuel and clutch system on this car which will allow you to get off the throttle and it will recycle as if it was back on the start line", he said. "We will be able to turn the car round a lot quicker, so you may see us out within half an hour of running. Initially I want to spend a week with the car doing longer and longer burnouts then longer and longer runs. But it depends whether a sponsor comes in if I do that and for how long."

Nobby explained the appearance of the FC1 on the car. "It always used to be our race number", he said. "Now things have changed so I can't use that number any more. But believe me if I have to fight to get the number back then I will!"

We asked Nobby how he felt about coming back to Funny Car racing after twenty years. "I'm back where l should be", he said. "I'll tell you a story. As you may know I had a serious accident a few years ago. I was in hospital and then I didn't work for a long time. I spent ages at home watching videos of my old cars and one afternoon I made up my mind - I was coming back. That evening I told my wife Anne and my eldest daughter Jody that I was going to have a Funny Car again. Anne said "You see Jody, we should have pulled out the wires and smothered him when we had the chance!"