Santa Pod Raceway has confirmed the renewal of its partnership with Coated Race Bearings for a further three seasons, strengthening a collaboration that has already delivered two years of technical alignment and competitive progress within European drag racing. The agreement reinforces a shared ambition to push the limits of performance engineering while continuing to support teams competing at the highest level of the sport.
As the home of UK drag racing and one of Europe’s most iconic motorsport venues, Santa Pod Raceway has long positioned itself as a proving ground for innovation. Its continued alignment with specialist engineering partners reflects a broader commitment to advancing technology within the sport, where fractions of performance and durability often define the difference between victory and defeat.
Coated Race Bearings has become a recognised name in high-performance engine solutions, known for its Race Series and Performance Series products developed in collaboration with leading bearing manufacturers. Beyond its core range, the company also offers advanced services including a coating-only option for customer-supplied bearings and a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating process applied to critical components such as piston wrist pins, cam followers and rocker arms. These coatings are engineered to deliver extreme surface hardness, significantly reduced friction and enhanced wear resistance, ultimately improving both efficiency and component lifespan under demanding racing conditions.
Commenting on the renewed agreement, Caroline Holden, Commercial Manager at Santa Pod Raceway, highlighted the technical value the partnership brings to the paddock. “We’re delighted to continue our relationship with Coated Race Bearings,” she said. “CRB has proven its expertise in advanced bearing coatings, delivering measurable performance benefits in demanding race conditions.”
From the perspective of Coated Race Bearings, the partnership represents more than brand visibility, instead forming part of an ongoing connection with racers and event organisers at the heart of the sport. Owner Richard Batist noted that sustained collaboration continues to translate into real-world performance gains on track, with an increasing number of competitors adopting CRB components as part of their build strategy. The relationship, he explained, is rooted in shared respect for the demands of high-level competition and the environments in which these components are pushed to their limits.
The renewed agreement also extends beyond the circuit itself, with Coated Race Bearings confirmed as title sponsor of the Front-Wheel-Drive class at The Doorslammers Powered by FuelTech event taking place from 15th to 17th May 2026. The class has rapidly grown in prominence, attracting highly technical builds and fiercely competitive entries, making it a natural fit for a brand focused on precision engineering and friction-reduction technologies.
The Doorslammers event remains one of the most anticipated fixtures on the Santa Pod calendar, reviving the spirit of its original 1970s and 1980s roots while delivering modern-day spectacle through high-powered, heads-up racing. With a significant prize fund and multiple competitive classes, it continues to draw some of the most extreme drag racing machinery in Europe.
Santa Pod Raceway’s ongoing collaboration with Coated Race Bearings underscores a wider trend within motorsport, where specialist engineering partners play an increasingly central role in both performance development and event success. As the partnership enters its next phase, both organisations are set to maintain a visible and active presence across key events, supporting competitors and contributing to the continued evolution of drag racing at one of Europe’s most historic racing venues.
