Monique
In memory of MONIQUE PELS
August 31, 1966 October 4, 2006

On Wednesday morning, October 4th 2006, the Zodiac team has lost one of their dearest team members, Monique Pels. Monique passed away after a long and unfair battle with cancer.
She was always one of the driving forces within the team and probably the biggest fan of her father Ton 'The Godfather' Pels. Her ever smiling face and willingness to talk to everybody in the pits was always very much appreciated by the other racers, teams and fans alike.

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Welcome to the home multi European SuperTwin Top Fuel Champions, Zodiac Racing.

The Zodiac Drag Race Team races a Top Fuel Harley Davidson™, previously ridden by Ton Pels and now ridden by Roel Koedam. Roel Koedam competes in the FIM/UEM European Championship of the "SuperTwin" class. This 4-stroke 2-cylinder class was established in 1992 and in that very first year the Zodiac Team took the win in the Euroserie Championship. It is now the most popular motorcycle class in Drag Racing and its European Championship is sanctioned by the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) since 1994.

In a good run, these bikes lift the front wheel at the start line, never to touch the asphalt again until past the finish line, while accellerating from 0-60 MPH (0-100 kmh) in 0.7 seconds, and from 0-210 MPH (0-338 kmh) in 6.6 seconds !

Click HERE for video of Ton Pels' European Speed record run
Main Event 2005 (Photo: Gareth Evans)


Ton taking the win and the European Championship title
European Finals 2004 (Photo: Stefan Boman)
 With the Zodiac dragbike, the team has won numerous races and quite some Championship titles. In 1996 the bike became the first European Harley - and third in the world - to go over 200 MPH at the PROSTAR World Finals in Gainesville Florida. Today the bike is, and has been for many years, the fastest and quickest normally aspirated motorcycle outside the U.S.

In 2005, the last year Ton Pels competed in the European Championship, he became # 3 in the UEM European Championship Supertwin. Some of his previous results are:

2004: European Champion
2003: European Vice Champion
2001: European Vice Champion
1997: European Vice Champion
1996: European Champion
1993: Euroserie Vice Champion
1992: Euroserie Champion

Roel Koedam appointed as new rider for Zodiac Racing

When Ton Pels retired as active rider after the 2005 season, the discussion about who would be the successor in the saddle of the Zodiac Nitro Harley started within the team. The main criteria would be that the new rider should be actively involved in the workshop with the development of the Zodiac race bikes and that he would be competitive in the championship from year one. Everybody's eyes immediately fell on 4 time European Champion Top Fuel bike (the 4 cylinder counterpart of SuperTwin Top Fuel), Roel Koedam. Not only for his riding skills, but he is also Ton's best friend and his team has travelled through Europe along with the Zodiac team for decades. Roel, a well known and respected competitor, showed that he can be a championship contender in his first race. In the second qualifying round, and his first full pass on the bike, he ran a 6 second pass with over 200 MPH to take the number 4 qualifying spot for that race. Even with all the changes, the Zodiac team aims high for the 2007 season.


Roel Koedam's first competitive outing on the Zodiac bike
Main Event 2007 (Photo: Ivan Sansom)

Next to the Championship titles, the bike and team also won a lot of awards like:

  • "Best appearing Team" Award in Avon Park - England, 1993
  • "Best appearing Bike and Crew" Award at the Nitro Olympics in Hockenheim - Germany, 1995
  • "Best appearing Crew" Award at the Prostar Worldfinals in Gainesville, Florida - USA, 1997
  • "Henk Vink Memorial" Trophy for Ton's many years of outstanding performance in motor sports, KNMV 1997
  • "Best appearing Team Award" at the 'ADBA World Championship Top Fuel Harley' in Melbourne - Australia, 2000
  • Ton Pels is the first overseas member to be inducted in the British Drag Racing Hall Of Fame - England, 2007


Photo: Stefan Boman

Special Thanks...

The Zodiac Drag Race Team would like to express their thanks to their main sponsor Zodiac International for their continuing support as well as to our very dear friend, the late Jim McClure for his help and valuable advises. Without them we couldn't have done it.

Vincent & Monique Pels (Bro & Sis)

1995 - 2007 © V&M Design