Speed fans headed full throttle into the future at Santa Pod last weekend when an alternative energy racing event took place at the drag track.

A wide variety of vehicles lined up on the grid, ranging from 1,000bhp biodiesel trucks to silent electric motorcycles.

And, with fossil fuels out of the picture, the competitors filled up their tanks with substances such as bioethanol, vegetable oil and specially synthesized methanol.

Highlights of the day included the first-ever side-by-side race by two bioethanol motorbikes, and an electric drag racing record for the fastest time outside the US when one vehicle went from a standing start to 81mph in just 14.4 seconds.

Rick Cuthbert, event coordinator, said: "We wanted to do something different and explore the future of Santa Pod.

"It is the first time we have done anything like this, and it was great fun.

"The racing trucks were unbelievable, seeing those big
vehicles go so fast was something else. And this was the public debut of the Tri-fuel Lotus Exige, which runs on methanol, ethanol or petrol."