The Story of the Tudor Rose AA/Fuel Dragster

We are proud to be associated with the British Drag Racing Historians, a group dedicated to the preservation of drag racing history in the United Kingdom from the beginning up until the present day. BDRH member Jeremy Cookson has helped us to procure information, images, and stories of this essential project, and we thank Jerry, Eurodragster.com, the BDRH, and the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

British Drag Racing Historians is open to anyone who writes about the history of British Drag Racing and has been published through the Internet or print media. John Hunt founded the group by contacting those in the group and others in early 2020, asking if it was a good idea to operate under one banner as a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to the history of British Drag Racing.

The group aims to discuss and share information on a mutual basis and meets occasionally and informally. Our first meeting was held on 28th July 2021 at Blackbushe Airport, the site of the Drag Festivals held in 1964 and 1965 and where many races were held in the 1970s and 1980s. The second meeting was at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, on 29th November 2022. Seven of our historians met to discuss ways of preserving and making collections available to succeeding generations of historians, racers, and fans. They were hosted by Library Curator Carina Taylor and other staff of The National Motor Museum Trust, including Director of Collections & Engagement Andrea Bishop, to whom we are thankful for showing us the process of donation of collections and the professionalism with which the National Motor Museum Trust handles its archive.

Tonight’s feature from their posts on Eurodragster.com’s Pioneer Stories series is the restoration of the Tudor Rose AA/FD.

This is from Jeremy Cookson, a member of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame:

The Sluggett & Priddle Tudor Rose restoration was displayed for the first time this year at the Straightliners Speed Show held at the speed capital of the UK, Elvington Airfield, Yorkshire.

The first time I saw this car in anger was in the late sixties racing against the likes of Tony Densham in a late sixties night race meet at Santa Pod and billed as the Battle of the Giants. But, at that young age, I wouldn’t have remembered anything about the race other than what’s written in print! I had seen her fly down the old York and Long Marston quarter miles as the Ol’Timer in the hands of current owner Richard Lyon and crew members Mick & Paul White in the 1980s. Today, seeing the car again in all its glory with its gleaming and chromed Keith Black powerhouse was indeed an understatement. Everything down to the dragster’s finer details is perfection on wheels for this classy iconic slingshot.

For this special occasion, the dragster’s original owner Rex Slugget and driver, along with Dennis Priddle (and now co-owner again with Richard), sent across a copy of the original FIA Certificate issued for the cars record run achieved at this very airfield during an International Speed Organisation weekend October 5th/6th 1968. After some minor issues encountered with the dragster’s oil filters, Tudor Rose ran its official record runs twice in opposite directions, as the rules dictate, with a first run of 8.291s followed by a reverse direction 8.301s. When averaged out by ISO officials, the previous year’s record of 8.91s, held by Tony Densham with Commuter, had indeed been lowered to a joyous 8.296s.

Although Tudor Rose chassis had gone through several transformations in its time as the Ol’Timer winning the RACMSA Drag Racing Championship back to back in 1989 & ’90, it wasn’t until recently that both Rex and Richard wanted to see the old girl return to how it looked in the late sixties. Richard said, “It was mainly Rex who was responsible for the rebuilding of Tudor Rose. It was his enthusiasm and determination to see the car again as it was in 1967 that has got it to its current condition.” Former Rover V8 racer Steve Green and John Woolfe Racing boss Dave Riswick have been instrumental in returning the chassis to its original specification and the car’s reconstruction, leaving to Rex source a part-built engine, rear axle, and other parts located at various American swap meets for Dave to import the engine (dismantled) along with a host of other parts Rex had sourced in the States. Once in the UK, long-time friend and National Super Stock racer Dave Billadeau from Billadeau Speed & Automotive started to assemble the engine, and Dave’s brother Scott to paint the panels. This left Rex’s niece Diane to handle the period-correct sign writing and the all-important Tudor Rose graphic on the front driver’s cowl.

As you can see from the accompanying photos, everyone concerned about the project has given 110% in their efforts to pull off this amazing rebuild. If you didn’t get a chance to view its crowning glory, then there will be a reunion in July at Santa Pod’s Dragstalgia meet with Commuter, the other half of that classic ‘Battle of the Giants’ meet. Rex, who resides in Redondo Beach, California, will return to the UK to be with the car at Dragstalgia. So make sure you save the date for this very special occasion!

– John Bockelman