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Bug Jam 32 Report / Gallery / Video

Bug Jam 32 Gallery

View photos from Bug Jam 32 on the Facebook Gallery.

Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32

Bug Jam 32 Highlights Video:


Bug Jam 32 Report

Saturday’s lunch break on the track showcased Santa Pod Raceway’s very own Marathon, The Human Powered Race! As ever, hundreds of you rocked up to the start line with some very vibrant and varied forms of human powered transport. Well done to all who completed the half mile; whether you ran, walked, rode, scootered or danced your way to the finish line - we salute you! The trophies went to the following Human Powered Race Champions: Fastest Runner: James McCafferey, Fastest Bicycle: Ewen Bower, Fastest Skater: Timmy Nettles, Most Imaginative: The Dinosaurs!

Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32

Bug Wam provided the ultimate chill out zone and rest from the; comfy sofas and live acoustic music created the perfect mellow vibe over the weekend. Little Buggerz kept the kiddies entertained with all sorts of weird and wonderful workshops, activities, shows and games to get stuck into.

Bringing a heavy dose of flame and thunder to the Bug Jam party, Oklahoma Willy, Firestorm and FireForce 3 & 5 took to the track reaching unimaginable speeds in the blink of an eye with Martin Hill’s Jet Dragster, FireForce 5, running a breath-taking 300mph!

The Autoglym Show & Shine Competition was on Saturday this year showcasing an outstanding congregation of VWs; the show paddock saw all types of pristine and stunning automobiles of all shapes and sizes. Whether you were there to see the ultimate custom car, rare original or restored beauty – this impressive line-up of VWs had something for everyone making judging this year particularly hard! We salute all of you who entered – you did us proud! Well done to the winners of the following classes:

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Bug Jam 32
Best of Show: Christoph Schiffer – Diamond Green 1966 Karmann Ghia – Stunning car all round – exterior, interior and the engine bay!
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Cal Look: Steve Roberts – Grey 1963 Beetle – 1.9 Waterboxer, Turbo EFI 354bhp - stance and features are just right for a Cal Looker!
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Bug Jam 32
Best Resto Cal: Nicky Murphy – Blue 1963 Beetle.
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Bug Jam 32
Best Custom: Darren Bates – Baby Blue 1989 Mk2 Golf – VR6 2.8 supercharged, one off custom-made wheels, full leather bespoke interior with Wolfsburg logo, V2 air ride. Mods everywhere you look, serial winner at Santa Pod at a number of events in a number of classes!
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Bug Jam 32
Best Interior: Jack Gammon – Black 1958 Beetle – One of the last Bernard Newbury interiors before he retired – paintbox and prosign paint. Simple but effective interior on this car with the rear seats stripped and body like new.  
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Off Road: Barry Trumper – Yellow 1961 Meyers Manx Beach Buggy – No 4 UK Serial number on bulk head passenger footwell. 
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Bug Jam 32
Best Paint: Dean Bates – Candy Red 1991 Mk2 Golf.
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Bug Jam 32
Best Original: Laura Johnson – Pearl White 1970 Beetle – Original stock car, used as a daily driver until a respray 2 years ago – now used as a show car only. Could have rolled straight off the production line!
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Best Other Air-Cooled: Laurie Poyser – Ruby Red 1966 Kharmann Ghia.
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Water-Cooled: Alex Downs – Brown 1980 Mk1 Golf GLS – Fully painted floor pans, chopped rear beam, full wire tuck and shaved bay with raised turrets, custom retrim with Porsche 914 front seats trimmed in Harris Tweed, air suspension. 
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Bug Jam 32
Best T25: Tim Southam – Keizal Grey 1989 Bus – No rust!
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Bug Jam 32
Best Late Bus/Van: Shaun Lewis – Tornado Red 2007 T5 Transporter – Clean paint, air ride, forged engine, box conversion, custom LSD, trimmed interior, show install.
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Bug Jam 32
Best Bay Window: Paul De-Angelis – 1973 Bay Crew-Cab – “The Jeans Crewie” – Real jeans interior, King & Link Pin beam conversion, Brazilian drop spindles, narrowed 4” beam, notched chassis, 1641 engine & twin carbs, adjustable rear plates, bowls modded to accept late Euro-tinted headlights.
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Bug Jam 32
Best Split Bus: Ben Hudson – Sealing Wax Red/Beige Grey 1967 Spilt Camper – Home built interior.
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Beetle: Josh Brooker – Custom mix Grey 1973 Beetle – Full restoration, self-build from the age of 16, driven nearly every day, straight to Bug Jam 32 from a 1000-mile trip to Paris!
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Bug Jam 32
Judges Choice: Josh Womack – Pearlescent Blue 1980 Mk1 Polo – As clean underneath as it is on top - immaculate vehicle – could have won a number of categories today!

On Saturday afternoon, the Main Stage hosted Bug Jam’s Got Talent where it was the audiences chance to be the stars of the show. We saw a fantastic range of performances with singers, guitarists, dancers and even a three-piece comedy act dressed as Baywatch! It was a tough decision for the judges this year with some serious talent to choose from; in the end, it was Beth Croxford who took the prize and the trophy.  Well done Beth!

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Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam's Got Talent: Winner - Beth Croxford

The Show Paddock on Sunday hosted the Rust & Rat Competition. An awesome array of styles and designs were on display making this competition a tough one to call as it can prove to be instinctive and abstract. However, after many turns around the paddock, I’m sure you’ll agree, the winners were as follows:

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Bug Jam 32
Best of Show: Andi Feather – Green/Rust 1966 Beetle – 1600 engine, Weber 32/36 progressive carb, 12v electronic ignition, high revving valve springs, cam banded steels, custom interior, Fauxtina “Rusty” paintjob with signwriting.
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Interior: Steve Kay – Oxblood Black 1965 Split Screen Camper – Complete with log burner, chesterfield seats, electric fence hammock, leather chesterfield bed, roof terrace – steampunk!
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Other Air-Cooled: Brett Elesmore – Red/Brown 1968 Karmann Ghia – 8” Narrowed beam with custom shock towers – sat in a field in Oregon USA for 10 years before it was salvaged!
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Water Cooled: Sue Dick – Rusty 2000 Lupo – Custom head liner and seats, static lowered, banded wheels - daily driver all home built.
Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Best Off Road: Colin Pace – Brown/Cream 1979 Type 2 Bay – Never welded, original paint. 
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Bug Jam 32
Best Van: Rikki Knight – Red/Grey/Rust 1959 Split Screen Panel. 
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Bug Jam 32
Best Beetle: Paul Pace – Blue/Rust 1957 Oval Beetle.
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Bug Jam 32
Judges Choice: Steven Ridley – Blue 1955 DKW Auto Union Schnellaster – Fabrication and patina.

The RWYB Competition was hard fought so we’d like to congratulate the following winners:

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Class A
Davy Decrael
VW Beetle
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Bug Jam 32
Class B
James Hillyer
VW T2
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Class C
Warren Ralph
VW Golf R
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Class D
Lloyd Brian Goodchild
VW T25
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Class X
Christine Mc Kinney
VW Beetle

Once the RWYB was finished, the drag racers hit the strip for the championship racing and there was a plethora of classes that kept us entertained throughout:

Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Sportsman ET
Winner: Felicity Gibbs – Runner Up – Kirstie Tramm
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Bug Jam 32
Lucas Oil Junior Dragster
Winner: Holley Marshall – Runner Up: Freddie Taylor
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Bug Jam 32
VW Pro
Winner: Sam Chisholm-Brown – Runner Up: Paul Bargate
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Bug Jam 32
VW Sportsman
Winner: Paul Day– Runner Up: Jon Crawford
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Bug Jam 32
Outlaw Flat Four
Winner: Udo Becker – Runner Up: Peter Shattock
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Bug Jam 32
Outlaw Anglia
Winner: Colin Millar – Runner Up: Scott Crooktson
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Bug Jam 32
Street Eliminator
Winner: Andy Bond – Runner Up: Joe Stevens

Hopefully many of you were able to catch the unmistakable sights, sounds and smells of the Top Fuel Nitro Funny Cars out on the ¼ mile over the weekend! With side by side racing from Kevin Chapman and Kevin Kent – the fastest run of the exhibition sessions was a crazy 4.4492 secs @ 283.94 mph from Kevin Kent in his Ford Mustang with West Ten Motorsport!

Midday on Sunday it was the kiddies chance to wow the crowds as the Main Stage hosted Little Buggerz Got Talent – new for 2018! From singers to comedy acts, the judges were very impressed with what they saw; this year, it was Sophie Baron who took the prize and the trophy with her fantastic gymnastics performances.  Well done Sophie!

Bug Jam 32
Bug Jam 32
Little Buggerz Got Talent: Winner - Sophie Baron

From beetles to buses, campers to caddies and golfs to ghias – Bug Jam 32 saw them all! We hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as we did and had a fun and action-packed festival. Thank you to everyone who brought a VW along, especially the clubs and those of you who get involved with the competitions.

See you next year at Bug Jam 33!!! All at Santa Pod Raceway.