Drag race pioneer the first to see National Motor Museum exhibition
30 September 2024
One of the first to build and drive drag racing cars in the UK were among the attendees at the launch of Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival – a new mixed-media exhibition at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire.
Derek Metcalf and his wife Pam from Surrey were at a launch of the exhibition that marks a major milestone in the history of British motor sport. Guests at the launch, which included members of British Drag Racing Historians (BDRH), exhibition contributors, museum trustees and team members, were welcomed by National Motor Museum Chief Executive Jon Murden and Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. They were treated to a surprise loud ‘start-up’ of the 1961 Allard Chrysler which is part of the historic vehicle collection at the museum.
Derek and Pam were part of the drag racing community in the 1960s. Derek, who is now 91, built his own dragster and drove the powerful vehicles at circuits across the UK. Pam also joined in the sport and closely assisted Derek with the build and pit work support
Pam Metcalf driving Wombat at Santa Pod’s Ladies Eliminator competition (Derek Metcalf collection)
Pam and Derek discovered drag racing at a visit to the Brighton Speed Trials in 1963. Derek starting to build his own car based on his own chassis design, working out all the engineering assisted closely by Pam. The car was ready by the final 1964 Drag Festival event at Blackbushe on 4th October. He continued to race the car in 1965, 1966, and 1967 and building a new dragster for 1968. Derek and Pam visited many locations, Pam driving on one occasion, and they helped promote the sport until their retirement.
The National Motor Museum exhibition presents a fascinating display recounting the 1964 International Drag Racing Festival as the first large scale event to bring the motor sport, which was hugely popular in America at the time, to the United Kingdom.
Drag racing, born from the Hot Rod scene of 1930s America, involves two specially adapted vehicles racing side by side at extreme speeds, fuelled by petrol or nitromethane over a quarter mile distance or 440 yards. Winners are decided through a knockout competition format.
The exhibition, which is on until 2 February 2025, is a community collaborative project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The National Motor Museum Trust partnered with the British Drag Racing Historians (BDRH) who researched and curated items for this exhibition from its members’ private collections and other archives recommended by the group.
