Fastlane Magazine - Issue 23

fastlane lane EDITION 23 M A Y

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRAG RACING ASSOCIATION

CHAMPS CELEBRATED!

In a special feature, we take a look at the last round of the 17/18 season and catch-up with our Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian Champions.

IN THE KNOW WITH RACING TECH STAGING MEMBER BEST FACES LANES ROFILE AT RACES TORQUE B E N E F I T S E N G I N E E R E D SUNOCO PRACER SUMMIT

CROW CAMS

SUMMITRACING.COM

contents CLICK TO VISIT

STAGING LANES

2017/18

CHAMPIONS CROWNED

FINAL

TECH

SUMMIT SPORTSMAN SERIES

ANDRA MEMBER

POINTS

PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW

IN THE KNOW WITH SUNOCO RACE FUELS

RACE REPORTS

Fastlane is produced by the Australian National Drag Racing Association LTD. Editor: Amanda Salmon (media@andra.com.au) Design: YBI Creative (www.ybicreative.com.au) Photography: Outlaw Images, DragsSA.com, Rogue Snapper Photography, Cara Bertoli, Bob Taylor, High Octane Photos, Craig Radcliffe Action Sport Photography

RACERPROFILE ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

ANDRA Staff

General Manager: Brett Stevens Accounts: Janelle Mannix Business Manager: Jackie Mills Business Development Manager: Jennifer Harrison Licensing & Membership: Susan Branscombe Licensing and Membership: Kylie Hazelhurst Media & PR Officer: Amanda Salmon Technical Officer: Scott Halfyard

SHOCK ABSORBERS

TORQUE

BENEFITS

RACERPROFILE

FACES AT THE RACES SUMMIT QLD CHAMPIONSHIP - ROMA

Contact Details

Phone: 08 8271 5355 Fax: 08 8721 6988 Email: info@andra.com.au Street: 11 McInnes St, Ridleyton SA 5008

ANDRA Board

Terry Jongen (WA) - On leave Murray O’Connor (WA) – Alternate Director Nathan Peirano (QLD) - Chairman Grant Wilson (SA) Peter Kapiris (VIC) Wayne Downes(QLD) Grant Hamon (NT)

staginglanes CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONS

Along with our Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series champions (see page 11 of this magazine for more on them), ANDRA is pleased to announce the following competitors have been confirmed as the 2017/2018 Divisional Champions after achieving the highest points for their brackets in their respective divisions:

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

• Todd Knight – Top Sportsman – 60 points • Adam Murrihy – Supercharged Outlaws – 330 points • Dean Raddcliffe – Modified – 100 points • Ashley Smith – Super Sedan – 160 points • Tim Bryan – Super Street – 170 points • Dale Smith – Modified Bike – 80 points • Michelle Abel – Junior Dragster – 120 points

NEW SOUTH WALES

• Leo Vangelovski – Super Stock – 60 points • Jason Stares – Top Sportsman – 60 points • Paul Stephen – Supercharged Outlaws – 40 points • Bradley Bishop – Junior Dragster – 320 points • Anthony Panetta – Super Gas – 100 points

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

• David Clark – Competition – 20 points • Jim Ioannidis – Super Stock – 350 points • Jim Hanlon – Competition Bike – 120 points • Jason Arbery – Top Sportsman – 400 points • Shane Kramer – Supercharged Outlaws – 300 points • Sergio Bonetti – Modified – 310 points • Peter Tzokas – Super Sedan – 360 points • Harry Harris – Super Street – 290 points • Danny Rickard – Modified Bike – 350 points • Tommy Turic – Junior Dragster – 270 points • Michael DeRose – Super Gas – 180 points

VICTORIA/TASMANIA

• Craig Geddes – Competition – 185 points • Daniel Camilleri – Super Stock – 230 points • Tony Frost – Competition Bike – 200 points • Chris Theodorakopoulos – Top Sportsman – 360 points • Justin Russell – Supercharged Outlaws – 380 points • Matt Czerny – Modified – 320 points • Alex Gkroidis – Super Sedan – 320 points • Graeme Cooper – Super Street – 240 points • Johnny Ireland – Modified Bike – 320 points • Baillie Ponton – Junior Dragster – 260 points • Graeme Spencer – Super Gas – 320 points

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• Ralph Lewis – Competition – 190 points • Jamie Chaisty – Super Stock – 175 points • Phill Paton – Competition Bike – 185 points • Paul Downe – Top Sportsman – 140 points • Alan Mahnkoph – Supercharged Outlaws – 340 points • Mark Grieve – Modified – 80 points • Martin Mirco – Super Sedan – 160 points • Steph Gullotto – Super Street – 100 points • Gordon Crawford – Modified Bike – 320 points • Brodie Zappia – Junior Dragster – 280 points

DATES CONFIRMED: ROUNDS ONE AND TWO, 2018/2019 SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT SPORTSMAN SERIES While we are still working through the confirmation of dates for the 2018/19 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series with member tracks, it has been announced that Round One will be held at Hidden Valley Drag Strip across July 13-14, while Round Two will follow one week later at Alice Springs Inland Dragway across July 21-22.

Entries for round one, Nitro Up North, are open now. To enter, please click here. To see the entry list in progress, click here.

Be sure to keep an eye on www.cadra.com.au for when entries open for round two.

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RESULTS: 2018 ANDRA DIVISIONAL ELECTIONS Voting for the 2018 ANDRA Division Director positions in South Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales closed on Friday the 27th of April.

Paul Stephen was elected unopposed to the position of NSW Division Director, replacing Geoff Crisp who did not re-nominate.

We hope you will join us in thanking Geoff for his work and input during what has been a trying period.

Wayne Downes was re-elected unopposed to the position of South Queensland Division Director, while Robert Rath was elected as Division Director in South Australia. Our thanks goes to Vladimir Ostashkevich for his role as alternate Division Director in South

Australia for the past two years. We are pleased to report that Vladimir will continue on the division council.

ANDRA thanks all of those who nominated and who voted in the election, and also those who are not returning to their council positions – we appreciate your input and your involvement in your association. The new divisional appointees will officially begin their positions on 1 June, 2018.

For more information on the election process, please click here to view the ANDRA Constitution.

SOUTH QUEENSLAND

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

VICTORIA/TASMANIA

Wayne Downes (DD)

Nathan Peirano (DD)

Paul Rogers Jr (DD)

Lance Ginbey

Ross Bryant

Robert Cassar

Varton Bedrossian

Peter Peirano

Darren Parker

Sarah Langridge

Aaron Stibbs

Bill Caris

David Roderick

Ross Lemberg

Douglas Anderson

Darren Booth

Glenn Cunningham

Stephen Crook

Robert West

Doug Penna

Lawrence Galliani

Darryl Chamberlain

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES

Robert Rath (DD)

Terry Jongen (DD)

Paul Stephen (DD)

Vladimir Ostashkevich

Murray O’Connor

Jim Rowley

Andrew Favotti

Geoff Chaisty

John Ward

Bob Scerri

Nick Gardiner

Frank Cannistra

Bruno Romeo

Ian Jenkins

Jason Stares

Danny Buccella

Alan Hudson

Sharon Ward

Sergei Ostashkevich

Peter Glover

Aaron Brookes

Margaret Oppes

Anthony Begley

Martin Stevensen

Andrew Braithwaite

Elizabeth Johns

Harry Harris

THANK YOU!

In early April, all Group Two and Three Licence Holders received a survey designed to gain feedback particularly in relation to possible future changes to Group Two and Index racing. The surveys are now closed, and the responses are being reviewed with the assistance of the Division Directors and members of the Index Review Committee.

Thank you to all of those who participated and provided their valuable feedback.

staginglanes ENTRIES OPEN FOR SUMMIT RACING QLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, ROUND TWO

The second round of the 2018 Summit Racing QLD Championship Series will be held over two days at Palmyra Dragway.

Qualifying will be held on the evening of Friday the 29th of June from 3.00pm until approximately 7.00pm, ahead of qualifying and racing on Saturday the 30th, with qualifying kicking off at 9.00am and racing set to begin from 12.00pm.

Local food vendors and kids’ entertainment will be on-site, and there will be a BBQ dinner on Friday night for all competitors and crew, as well as breakfast on Saturday morning.

Nomination fees are $130 or $80 for Junior Dragsters, while an ANDRA Day licence is $10 if required.

To enter online, please click here.

ENTRIES CLOSING SOON FOR THE SUNSET STRIP JUNIOR NATIONALS

Entries for the Sunset Strip Junior Nationals, being held by the Sunraysia Drag Racing Association across the 4th and 5th of August, 2018, will close on the 5th of June.

Each entrant will receive a free event shirt, and on the Saturday evening a group dinner will be held at the track in the club rooms.

This dinner is included in the entry fee, with Saturday’s presentations set to follow the meal.

Prize money and other prizes will be on offer during this special ‘juniors only’ event. For more information, visit the event’s facebook page by clicking here or go to www.sunsetstrip.org.au To enter online, please click here.

SINGLE EVENT LICENCE TRIAL

Last month, ANDRA was pleased to announce the trial of an event licence. The trial follows the consideration of feedback to the ANDRA board from a number of clubs and venues; and will allow racers to compete at events at ANDRA member venues without having to hold a full ANDRA licence.

Event licences will cost $50.00 and racers must be a full ANDRA member and hold a current ANDRA (or equivalent) medical clearance (other sanctioning body medicals will be accepted by ANDRA) to be eligible. Vehicles will require an ANDRA log book and tech

inspection to be raced under an event licence. The event licence can you used in place of an unlimited group two or three licence or a group one licence.

There will be no limit as to how many event licenses a competitor may use. Applications must be made through the ANDRA office at least seven days prior to an event, to allow enough time to ensure all medicals and provisions on the licence are in order. Prior to applying please check with the venue you are racing at to see if they have applied for that particular event.

For venues, there will be a limit of two events per calendar year at which event licences can be offered, and this proposal to offer will need to be made as part of the venue’s permit application to ANDRA at least 14 days prior to the events in question. Venues will be able to apply to ANDRA for a possible extension if they wish to hold more than two events a year at which event licences are offered.

Event licence application forms are available at the ANDRA website – www.andra.com.au – throughout the trial period. For more information or to apply please click here.

UPDATE: BURNOUT POLICY

After receiving significant feedback following the previous update (released late last year), ANDRA has made some changes that we hope will make compliance a little easier without reducing safety for competitors, officials and spectators.

You can view the updated policy by clicking here.

ROLLCAGE SPECIFICATIONS UPDATED

Both ANDRA Rollcage Specifications have been updated by ANDRA Technical and they can be found at the below links: •

Removable Rollcage Specification v3.0

•

Welded Rollcage Specification v3.0

The updates, which became effective from the 1st of May 2018, present changes to some requirements as well as adding clarification to other requirements that were generating questions from various rollcage fabricators.

All changes are highlighted with different coloured text throughout the documents and now bring both ANDRA Rollcage Specifications in-line with each other as well as with the current CAMS Rollcage Specification.

Removable Rollcages are still required to be approved and registered with ANDRA Technical (prior to having a Technical Inspection), however Welded Rollcages do not need to follow that procedure.

If you have any questions regarding the information presented in either specification, please contact ANDRA Technical on technical@andra.com.au or 08 8271 5355.

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champions

crowned AS 17/18 SEASON RACES TO AN EXCITING CONCLUSION Following an intense final round of the 17/18 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, 11 Australian Champions were named. In this special feature, we take a look at the ANDRA Grand Finals and catch up with each and every one of the title winners to get their perspective on the season that was.

9 The final round of the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series concluded with celebrations at Adelaide International Raceway with both event and championship winners crowned.

Strong winds on race day put a halt to racing for a number of hours, however with a change of racing distance to eighth-mile and a whole heap of commitment from the volunteers and officials at Adelaide International Raceway, the show continued for the large crowd of excited spectators.

Taking out the ultimate honours for their classes after an intense season of competition were Graeme Spencer (Super Gas), Bradley Bishop (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Danny Rickard (Modified Bike), Harry Harris (DENSO Super Street), Peter Tzokas (Super Sedan), Matt Czerny (Modified), Justin Russell (Supercharged Outlaws), Jason Arbery (Top Sportsman), Tony Frost (Competition Bike), Jim Ioannidis (Super Stock) and Craig Geddes (Competition).

Each of the racers received a prestigious Gold Christmas Tree for their efforts. The champions will also receive a custom champion’s jacket along with a cash payment thanks to Summit Racing Equipment.

At the same time, Warren Bull (Super Gas), Jackson Perri (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Bryan Finn (Modified Bike), Graeme Cooper (DENSO Super Street), Alex Gkroidis (Super Sedan), Sergio Bonetti (Modified), Jason Keily (Supercharged Outlaws), Chris Theo (Top Sportsman), Robert Cassar (Competition Bike), Tom Dimitropoulos (Super Stock) and Shane Baxter (Competition)

claimed the runner-up honours in their brackets.

Frost and Arbery had their hands full at the presentations in Adelaide, claiming the event victories for their brackets over Cassar and Paul Russo respectively, while Crow Cams Best Engineered Award Winner Steve Norman joined them in the winners’ circle after taking out the SuperComp bracket over Geddes. For Arbery, the accolades didn’t end there either, with the South Australian receiving the prestigious John Storm Memorial Trophy to his great surprise.

Following the conclusion of the season, we caught up with each and every one of our victors to talk about the Grand Final, the season, and their victories – to find out what they had to say, please see later in this feature.

Arbery headed to the finale as one of five racers in contention for the main honours in his class. After clinching the title in the early rounds, he went all the way to the final against Russo, the Top Sportsman recipient of the Top Qualifier Medallion-presented by The Tile Co-The Shower People and KC Tools. Earlier, he had defeated championship rival Vlado Turic in round two before taking on Glenn Henley in the semi-final.

Russo had enjoyed a bye in the first round before dispatching Bruno Romeo and title contender Chris Theo (semis) on his way the final.

The SuperComp bracket in Adelaide brought together those contending for the

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Competition and Super Stock Australian Championships, with five racers in the running for the Competition honours and three in the box seat for the Super Stock title at the beginning of the event.

Geddes would claim the Competition title for the third consecutive time while going all the way to the final against Norman, who would clinch the event victory and also the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award.

Geddes previously faced off against Tom Dimitropoulos and Hugo Di Gianvincenzo before he took on Daniel Camilleri in the semi-finals.

Norman meanwhile won against Andrew Dyson, Super Stock championship winner and SuperComp Top Qualifier Ioannidis, and Alex Panagiotidis on his way to the final.

In Competition Bike, the Australian title battle came all the way down to the end with the two contenders, Frost and Cassar, facing off against each other in the final. Frost had a bye in the semis after earlier dispatching Jason MacFarlane in the opening round, while Cassar had taken on and defeated Jim Hanlon and Gavin Dohnt before eventually taking the runner-up honours in both the event and the Australian title chase. Frost had also earlier taken out the Top Qualifier honours.

The Supercharged Outlaws battle was another that came right down to the end, with Keily and Russell ending up tied on points at the conclusion of the event. The pair were set to face off in the final race, however the track curfew saw that race unable to be run. Tied on points, the championship would ultimately be decided with the use of ANDRA tie breakers, with Russell awarded the championship. On their way

10 fastlane fast to their final match-up, Keily had beaten Mark Zauch (round one), Longest Distance Travelled Award winner Alan Mahnkoph and Peter Datson, while Russell had taken victory over Warren Leonard before enjoying a bye ahead of a semi-final run against Mike Evans. Adam Murrihy had claimed the Top Qualifier honours earlier in the day.

In the Modified bracket, Czerny broke through for a maiden championship just weeks after his first ever Modified event win.

It was a nervous day for the Victorian, who after a first round lose to Matt Forbes had a long wait on the sidelines to see if he would walk away with the title. Neil Dyson and Kenny Stewart advanced the furthest from the field to be matched for the final before racing was brought to a close, while Simon Barlow had laid claim to the Top Qualifier Medallion earlier in the piece.

Modified Bike saw the ultimate victory go to Top Qualifier Rickard, who would have faced Derryn McGregor in the finals if they had proceeded. In what was a very competitive bracket, with seven racers in contention at the beginning of the on-track action, Rickard had earlier dispatched Edgell Mallis

(round one), and Shane Walker (semis) while McGregor had faced off against Dan Dycer, Jake Hamilton-Moderate and Michael Cristoforo.

In Super Gas, Graeme Spencer was able to secure the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian Championship ahead of fellow first-round loss-getter Warren Bull. Spencer was beaten in the opening salvo by Charlie Saraceno, who went on to lose against Michael DeRose (who had earlier dispatched Bull) in the semi-final. De Rose was matched with Top Qualifier Colin Griffin for the final.

semi-final match-ups prepared but would be unable to go any further before curfew intervened. Receiving the Top Qualifier Medallions for these brackets were Leon Davies, Robyn Phillis and champion Bradley Bishop respectively.

While no event trophies were handed out for the juniors at the ANDRA Grand Final, every single one of the 25-strong Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster field did receive a special nod at the event. Each driver was presented with a 2018 Grand Finals Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster Entrant Medallion, with thanks to Mark Hunt and Huntsman Racing.

ANDRA thanks Adelaide Drag Race Promotions as well as all of the volunteers and sponsors for an outstanding race track and a well-run event.

For results from the final round of the 17/18 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series round at Adelaide International Raceway, please click here

The Super Sedan, DENSO Super Street and Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster brackets would all proceed as far as to have

Photos by Bob Taylor, Mark Cuffe and Outlaw Images

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champchat chat JASON ARBERY

Top Sportsman Champion John Storm Memorial Winner

performs round after round, the guy really is a legend! Huge thanks also has to go to Paul Rogers Performance Transmissions; Paul backs his products like no other and delivers a bulletproof Transmission: if anyone was going to break one, it’s me, and I’m still trying!

“I of course have to thank all of my boys, my mates that have crewed for me this year: Fitz, Brett, Simon, Andrew, Josh, Ken, Buzz, Big Pete, Benny, my bro Mick and Uncle John, and also Brett Henley, this is a team effort and I fully appreciate what each and every one of these guys have done to help me get this result.”

“Finally, my sponsors who have backed me all the way – in my opinion I have the best sponsors on my side and I am so pleased to have won the championship with them,” Arbery concluded, thanking Komatsu Forest, Trident Tyres, Henley Chassis, Shannons, Hyland Fox Signs, Tabeel Trading and Craig Carrison Racing Engines.

GRAEME SPENCER Jason Arbery clinched not only an ANDRA Grand Finals victory and the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Australian Title in the Top Sportsman ranks, but he also was awarded the prestigious John Storm Memorial Trophy.

Super Gas Champion

“To win the Championship was an absolute dream come true – it only feels like yesterday that we set off to round one in Darwin to begin this journey,” Arbery said.

“And then to go on and receive the John Storm Memorial Trophy, it was just unbelievable. It is such an honour. It is the Holy Grail of our sport, the drag racing equivalent of ‘the Brownlow’…my name is now next to the greats of the past 45 years on this trophy – words really just don’t cut it and it is going to be quite a while before it sinks in properly I think, I really just can’t believe it.

“There are so many tough competitors in the Top Sportsman ranks, it is just crazy! Every single time you go out on the track to run a pass, you have to have 100 percent commitment and focus, otherwise you are going to be going back on the trailer quick smart.

“My congratulations goes to Chris Theo and his team on the runnerup result, they are one tough outfit and I can’t wait to battle them next year!

“Taking out the Grand Finals event, especially after winning the same event last year, is something I am really proud of and it was a great way to end the season.

“It came down to just .001s between me and Paul Russo in that final run, what an awesome race that was and it is pretty poetic really as he drilled me by .001 a few years back!” he laughed.

“My family and especially my wife Kristen are such a great support and the encouragement they give me is so incredible, I can’t thank them enough for always being there for me and believing in me.

“I would also like to thank Craig Carrison who builds the best Engines in the country – I give this engine a hard time every time and it

While any season with a championship at the end of it is likely to have been a good one, Graeme Spencer says this one ranks right up there.

“I would have to say that in my whole career of racing, spanning around 35 years, this would have to be my best season by far,” Spencer said.

“When you compare it to past seasons, we have achieved more results from wins, going rounds and top qualifying. This is also the first season where we have competed as a whole family team, with even the kids having their jobs as crew to take care of.”

While it was a good season for Spencer, the last round still brought its own pressures.

“Obviously the weather and the dusty environment didn’t help – there was only one other competitor that was a threat to me winning my third championship,” Spencer said.

“When I went ‘red’ in the first round, my crew waited back to watch the other pairings and when my closest component also went out in the first round, we knew we had the championship won.

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DANNY RICKARD

Modified Bike Champion

champchat “I would say the fact that we had won the championship for the third time sunk in right then and there, after that first round, as the celebrations stated almost instantly! We all remained pretty excited for quite a while after that!

“Winning a third Super Gas championship, well it doesn’t get any better than that I think; but having said that – I am not stopping there – I will be aiming for a fourth “I just hope our fellow racers can continue to support our bracket.

“My family, my crew and myself all work hard together getting the results we have achieved and we all enjoy the excitement together when we do well. Hopefully we can continue to do that as we support every meeting that we can next season, as we have done for the past many years.

“In the meantime, we would like to thank Summit Racing Equipment for their continued support of the championship, and also ANDRA for their efforts.”

BRADLEY BISHOP

Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster Champion

and have been able to just have fun all the way through. We always were pleased to be able to help everyone out and try to make their weekend’s as enjoyable as ours along the way too.

“There were certainly some downs as well, but this year went really well and I was happy to not go out in the first round of eliminations at any event. My worst event for the season was the final, where I went red by 0.001 of a second – I am still not sure what to think about that, whether I should look on it as not so bad as it was such a small margin that I red lit by, or badly because it was so close to a perfect light!

“Sitting on the sidelines after that red light was a bit hard at the Grand Finals – I wasn’t feeling the title pressure in the weeks leading up to the event or even once we were underway in Adelaide, but once it was out of my control like that it kicked in a bit. I had to sit back and tell myself that whatever happens, happens, and I was really happy to see the luck fall my way. It was really rewarding to pick up the trophy at the end of the night, and to see how many people were happy about our win.

“I am not sure at this stage what will come next for us as far as racing – I am ageing out of the Juniors bracket and heading to university, so at this stage I won’t be chasing the points in the coming season and it may be a few years before we are back giving it another crack in another bracket.

I can say for sure though that we will definitely be back!

“In the meantime, I am going to be lending a hand to the Berias family at some events as crew – Jake Berias is a gun little racer and will be one to watch in the next season of Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster. He has a great car and is very comfortable in it, so I am looking forward to seeing how he goes and helping him out with my 10 years of JD experience.”

DANNY RICKARD In his final year racing in the Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster bracket, 17-year-old Bradley Bishop was able to secure the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian title.

“I guess it has sunk in, it has always been such a huge deal and we have been chasing it for a few years now,” Bishop said a few weeks after the Grand Final.

“While the title might say we were the best of the season, I don’t see myself as any better than anyone else, anything can happen when it comes to racing and luck plays a huge side to it – I guess when it is your time, it is your time and I am very grateful for the outcome.

“There is no doubt that we gave ourselves the best shot that we could at taking it out, and that is all you can do. We have done a lot of travelling and put in a lot of hard work to get to this point, so there is a big sense of relief that it has finally paid off in the end. I know my sponsor, dad’s wallet, was certainly happy with the result, it made everything he has done for me worth it!” laughed Bishop.

“The best parts have been the laughs and the good times we have had in the pits. At the end of the day we are all there to get one thing – be that the round or the championship win – but Dad and I are pleased to have never had any issues with any other racer in the pits,

Modified Bike Champion

In only his second full Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, Danny Rickard broke through to take the Australian Title honours in the Modified Bike bracket. He had stepped up to a new bike for the 2017/2018 season, racing the ‘Raw’ V-Rod previously owned by close friend Niki Zak – who has been called the fastest and quickest woman in the world on two wheels.

“It was a huge buzz for me to win the championship,” Rickard said.

“It has sunk in now, and I am very proud to be able to show off the new number on my bike!

“I am pretty lucky to have some of the best people in the business on my side – most of all my very special friend Niki Zak who has given me lots of coaching and taught me to relax at the light. Yes, at the Grand Final the pressure was high, but I didn’t let it get to me, and obviously all of Niki’s support paid off.

“After running every round, I knew we were in the running to take it.

We went to the Grand Final on 270 points alongside my good mate Dan Dycer.

“Being presented the trophy at the end of the night was a huge moment for me – I have only been racing in the Summit Racing

14 fastlane fast Equipment Sportsman Series for two years and I guess all of the stars were well-aligned on the night for me and for my great crew I had there with me – my great mate ‘OB’ and another true champion Dan Lesnock, the master behind building these V-Rod engines that are simply ‘unbeatable’.

“We drove around 30,000kms chasing the whole season and had a few major dramas across those kms including destroying two axles on the trailer, hitting two Roos, and smashing a few rims and tyres; but we also had a ball and met some really great people.

“For me, I think the best part of the series was racing at the Motorplex in Perth – what a set-up they have got over there! I don’t mind the 32-hour drive to race there and be treated like royalty, so for anyone that hasn’t been there, I say you have to go!

“We truly have learnt a lot about how the bike performs with different track conditions along the way, and it was well worth it, especially when you look at our end result: Australia number one – YEE-HA! “At this stage, our plans for next season are a bit up in the air at the moment – it is most likely that I will be going into the Competition Bike bracket, but we will see. What I can say for sure is that we will be back next season on a new bike that is bigger, badder and faster!

“I have really enjoyed the Modified Bike racing, it is a great way to get into drag racing whether you are on a tight budget or going all out with a high horsepower and big dollar bike. It is all fun and we have a great bunch of racers.

“We do have a few major sponsors on the way which hopefully we can announce soon too.

“While we didn’t have a lot of sponsorship this season aside from my business Rickfield Truck Repairs, I do still have a good list of people to thank for getting me through the last two years and helping me to be able to achieve what I set out to do. Firstly, my accountant Kim for giving me the ability to do this, my friends and crew Clint, OB, Beth and Dan Lesnock, and of course Niki Zak who is just an amazing woman who handed me the bike to be able to get out in front and win!”

HARRY HARRIS

DENSO Super Street Champion Harry Harris’ breakthrough DENSO Super Street Australian title comes as a well-deserved reward after a number of years spent in its pursuit.

“I don’t think (having won the championship) will settle in until the next Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series season starts really,” Harris said “Having said that, I have been able to enjoy a couple of races at Whyalla Dragway since taking the championship out, and it was a real buzz to be able to run the number one on the car, that is for sure.

“This is certainly a very exciting time for my team and I. We have been chasing the title for a few years and it has felt like we have been knocking on the door of the championship for some time, but now we have finally got there.

“When it came time to receive the trophy, I was pretty speechless – no matter how many times I stand in front of a crowd, I never know what to say, and this was no different.

“To be honest I don’t really remember how the presentation unfolded, I was on such a ‘high’ with the excitement of it all. It was really good to be able to thank all of the people who have helped me along the way in front of such a supportive crowd.

“It is always challenging for us to get to the rounds to begin with as we always run on a shoe string budget. We managed to start our season off in Alice Springs, with a really tight run against Robyn Phillis in the final. From that high point where we also gathered 50 percent bonus points, we went to Mildura where we left as the ‘first round runner-up’ after racing Graeme Cooper,” he laughed.

“From there we went on to race in Adelaide and Portland, accumulating some good points along the way while making the semi-finals at Portland’s South Coast 660.

HARRY HARRIS

DENSO Super Street Champion

champchat

PETER TZOKAS

Super Sedan Champion John Kapiris, Graeme Cooper and myself shared the points lead across the year, with Cooper especially having a couple of good wins. In the end it came down to Cooper and myself, and I was really pleased that

we were just able to keep a straight head and focus on each pass all the way to the title.

“I was anxious to make sure that I got the best out of myself on the day, but when it came time to go racing the weather and the changed

format did help as a distraction to keep my mind off the points and more on when and how we were going to go racing!

“Having the points lead during the weather break was certainly helpful and left me with a bit more confidence too.

“Once we got underway, the car went fine. We faced off against the

top qualifier Robyn Phillis in the first round which was a bit nervewracking as I knew I had a real challenge ahead of me.

“If they had re-seeded the class, it would have been Graeme and me

racing each other in the first round which I would have loved – we could have ripped the band-aid off nice and early! But as it was he

had a bye before going out in the second round and I was able to make it through all the way to the quarter-final to take out the title.

“We are looking to start our season once again in Alice Springs, and hopefully we can then follow the calendar down and do as many rounds as we can.

“If we can afford to do it, we certainly will – we are always looking

PETER TZOKAS Super Sedan Champion

When it came time to be presented with his Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian Title last month, larrikin Super Sedan racer Peter Tzokas celebrated by landing a big kiss on the face of ANDRA General Manager Brett Stevens. The move was met with much amusement from the watching racers and crew, but not surprise, as anyone who knows Tzokas knows he loves to have a laugh.

“I am not quite sure to be honest, but I certainly can’t stop looking at my gold ANDRA Christmas tree!” Tzokas said when asked if the championship win had sunk in yet.

“My sponsors were almost as excited as I was, which is a big feat!” he laughed.

“I really can’t thank them enough for their support, having sponsors who are invested in your program and support you all the way is so invaluable.

“The travel and being able to meet new people while racing the full season was really great, and I was also really pleased to have a very consistent season overall, earning points at every track I raced at.

“The worst moment would have to be breaking my transmission in the semi-final of the Spring Nationals when I was racing my good friend and travelling companion, Ned Karanovic, it is never good when that happens!

to help us really throw everything at defending the title this coming

“Overall it was a great season – we just go out there to have fun, and that is what we did. Having said that, heading to the final round I was probably a little more nervous than usual!

“My father Harry Harris needs to be thanked first and foremost – he

“The Super Sedan field is the most contested field with a lot of good racers, any one of us on any given day is good enough to win.

for sponsors and hopefully we can have a few more come on board season.

is my crew chief, and when I come back from a pass he attends to the car and does everything to turn it around so all I have to worry about is driving and dial-ins. Without him, we couldn’t be doing what we do,” Harris explained.

“I also need to thank Peter Schafer of Performance Techniques for

taking care of the engine and componentry for me, he has been with us since day one and with his mechanical help and advice we have now accumulated a few ANDRA Christmas Trees.

“My thanks also goes to Mark and Maxine of Huntsman Racing for

the transport; Safe Site Traffic Solutions; RV Trailers for keeping us on the road; The Boathouse Tavern; and Marine Tyres.”

“To be handed that trophy at the conclusion of the Grand Finals was just an awesome feeling, but as far as I am concerned it deserves to be handed to my crew as they are the ones that got me through – in particular, my wife Stef.

“We are already planning for next season and getting ready to do it all again – hopefully with a few more wins along the way and many more laughs.

“In the meantime, I want to say my biggest thanks to my crew – Stefani Tzokas, Joe Jurkovic, Mark Olsen and Murat Gemci, and of course to my sponsors Marz Civil, Joe’s Towing, JMT Joinery, Adelaide Race Transmission and also to Mic Yfantidis – my mechanic who maintains my car all year.”

16 fastlane fast

MATT CZERNY Modified Champion

to do, so we stuck to our routine. However, we ran a little off of our dial-in and so we had to watch the rest from the sidelines.

“Watching and waiting was a weird feeling, however the results fell our way. Our congratulations go to Serg (Sergio Bonetti) on his runner-up result and to Jess (Turner) on her third-place finish in the points. It was very surreal to stand in front of a lot of our friends who are also racers and see them so super happy for us as we received the trophy. We are all one big family and whenever someone wins it is always a good feeling – never did we think it would be us!

“We will run at a few local meetings next season and see where we end up in the points – we would love to go to Perth again with Gordon Crawford, as that place is a must do for any racer! We are also having a new car built which will debut in the Top Sportsman class in a couple of seasons from now – stay tuned for more info!

After a strong and consistent season and a break-through event win at the MacTrack Westernationals, Matt Czerny headed to the final round in the Modified championship lead and as one of three racers who had a chance of taking it out.

“We made three finals and a couple of semi-finals this season and learned a tonne along the way, then to take out the Westernationals win and then the Championship in the space of two weeks was just awesome – it is safe to say we will be smiling for some time yet!”

Czerny said.

“In the meantime, I have to say a final thank you to my sponsors – Robinvale Estate Dressings, ETS Racing Fuels, Rayscraft, Paul Turner Performance Engines, Castlemaine Rod Shop, Total Tools Epping, Wayne at Racecomp Motorsports, MSMAA, Keen’s Bed & Breakfast Mildura, Ricky’s Glass – and my mates Ray Gould and Dave Code, we created something really special this season and without their support, we wouldn’t be racing.”

JUSTIN RUSSELL

Supercharged Outlaws Champion

“Our sponsor Robinvale Estate Dressings were quite surprised we took out the number one this season, and pretty stoked at the same time. They were aware we are only new into the class and with the amount of publicity they have received over the course of the season, they were happy regardless. The number one is the icing on top of what is a great partnership – they have some big plans for the next couple of years and we can’t wait to be a part of it!

“The best part of the season for me was travelling with my crew Ray and Dave and having a blast with a marketing partner on board that we are super proud to have! We have been mates for a long time and we got to do something we never thought we would ever do, travelling the country racing while having a tonne of fun, and gaining a number one in the process!

“The new engine going in before Mildura was a highlight, as of course were the last two rounds, but there were some challenges too – such as when we raced at the Rowe Memorial absolutely exhausted after having worked 48 hours straight to make race day. I swore to my guys I’d never race again like that and tried really hard to be fresh for race day after that.

“A few times across the season we were on the losing side of a race and that taught me a lot as a driver. The main lesson there was backing off in the deep end against Jess Turner in the final of the Springnationals – I had the holeshot and the incrementals to 1000ft were bang on what we dialled, so that loss hurt! Even with those challenges, I can’t say there were any ‘worst parts’ of our season – whenever we lost, we learnt.

“I didn’t feel much pressure going in to the Grand Finals, and when it came to the weather everyone was affected in one way or another I think. Getting closer to the first round of racing, I knew I had a job

Following a hard-fought season which ended in a points tie with Jason Keily, Justin Russell was awarded the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian Title for the Supercharged Outlaws bracket.

“It was a long wait for the appeal after a tie in the final round at the Adelaide Grand Final, but the tribunal found that I was the champion in accordance with the National Championship tie deciders in the rule book,” Russell explains.

“A tribunal isn’t how you want to see these things decided, we are racers and we wanted to race for the championship, to race for the win.

Unfortunately, the conditions at the Grand Final were horrendous and the chance to do that was taken away, so it came down to tie breakers to decide it.

“It has been a very emotional ride, and I want to thank my wife Robyn and my children Kyle and Ryan for all of their support since the final – their love and support means the world to me.

“To ANDRA also we say thank you – we have a new appreciation for the handbook we receive every year and appreciate why it is made pocket size!

champ champchat “To the runner-up Jason Keily, we extend our congratulations on a strong run. Jason, your friendship, professionalism and class will long be part of our memories.”

The Australian title comes after a strong 17/18 racing season for Russell and his crew.

“The Spud Racing Team had a fantastic 17/18 racing season with round wins in Darwin and at Calder Park, which was a very emotional return for us to a track where we had wrecked two years prior and go on to win the Rowe Memorial,” Russell explained.

“We top qualified at Calder Park and at Portland too, where we also claimed a runner-up result, and then to top it all off we tied with Jason Keily in the final round of the season at Adelaide International Raceway.

“It was a solid season all-round, and it has been pleasing to have that success across the season after years of hard work.

“We must send out our thanks to all of our sponsors: Bushy’s Fencing and Plumbing, Pete’s Truck and Diesel, Men Only hair design, Rhinos Diesel Service, A M Cranes, Buchanan Family Chiropractic, Quinn Funerals and Dandy Engines. Without the amazing support of these people both financially and emotionally, we would never go racing.

“We also must thank my crew members and their families – to them I say you all simply cannot believe how grateful I am for the support I get from you all, I could never go racing without you. Whether you know it or not, this title is down to the efforts you put in every time we wheel the car out.

“During the 18/19 season Robyn and I will be dedicating our time to taking our sons racing. Kyle has a V8 Commodore and Ryan has a Junior Dragster and we are hoping for a fun season which is full of family time.

“During the coming year we will also undertake a freshen up of the car and look to tie together a financial package to be able to run strongly - we hope that the 19/20 season will see us back in Supercharged Outlaws for another tilt at the title.”

TONY FROST

Competition Bike Champion

“We pulled the bike apart then and thought we had found the problem, a broken gearbox. In the first round at Adelaide we went down the track with an 8.3 second pass straight off the trailer, so we were pretty stoked with that and thought we had the problem well and truly sorted.

“However, the second round saw us unable to change further than third gear after we put some more speed in the bike, and it really made some awful noises during that run. When we got back to the pits we thought we had broken a crank shaft. Luckily Trevor Birrell offered a hand and for us to go back to his workshop to pull the engine out to look at what the damage was.

“We worked there to nearly 4.00am on Saturday morning, discovering in the process that it wasn’t a broken crank shaft we were dealing with, but instead a broken cam that had also broken the timing chain which was all locked up in the bottom of the motor.

“Luckily, with Trevor’s help and all of the spare parts he had lying around, we were able to put the motor back together; heading to bed at around 5.00am before coming back at 8.00am to finish it off. We arrived at the track around 10.00am and with plenty of people rallying around to give us a hand, we had the bike fired up and ready to go racing just before 11.00am.

“Then, the winds came, and it was a bit of a godsend for us really – little did we know, we had broken a part of the gearbox too so when we went out for the first elimination run, it again wouldn’t go any further than third gear. As a result, we went across the finish line with the bike absolutely screaming on the limiter and only just beat Jase McFarlane to the line – so it was lucky for us that the weather had forced a switch to the eighth mile distance!

“We had a bye in the second round and just took the green light, knowing the time restrictions the event was facing and also considering the fact that we had a damaged bike. When it came time to go to the final, we were hoping that it might change gears, but we knew were up against it racing Robby Cassar and his new bike which was on-song. It was a good race, but he was well and truly across the line in front of us. Lucky for us, we were able to still take out the title.

“It felt pretty good and was a great reward for all of the hard work that was put in by not just myself, but also all of our team and our sponsors. It is a shame I couldn’t race a good race in the final, but after the years of stepping up through Modified Bike and then into Competition Bike, it was really good to have that pay-off for all of the hard yards put in.

“All of the offers of help and the well wishes that poured in from our fellow racers was really greatly appreciated, there is a real mateship in Competition Bike and in drag racing and it was really great to see that in action.

While it is true that most championships do not come easy, for Tony Frost, the road to claiming the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian Title for the Competition Bike bracket was particularly rocky.

“It all started a couple of months earlier when we did some damage while testing the bike at Calder Park Raceway,” Frost explained.

“The Competition Bike field in particular is a great one to be a part of – we are working hard at the moment to get it back to a stage of having full fields all of the time, and we are very pleased to see that there are some Modified Bike guys looking to step up and race with us moving forward.

“The class is a real stepping stone to the elite bike categories like Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Fuel Motorcycle, so I think it is important that we all do all that we can to make sure that it continues and that it keeps growing. When the bikes do come out they are tough racers and it is great to see the competition and the spirit that is shown, and I want to see that grow.

18 fast fastlane lane “We will certainly be back next season – at the moment we are working out what needs to be done to fix the damage with the motor and deciding whether we will stick with the same combination or go to another motor size.

“We are looking to hopefully do some more travelling this coming season, but that will depend on the business expansion we are undertaking at the moment and how much time I can get away. We will do all that we can though to be at as many events as possible, that is for sure. We are also working on a second bike to run in local events and to run in Modified Bike as well. Again, we will have to wait and see what the damage bill is like for the existing motor first though!

“I want to thank my wife Tracey; and all of my crew, especially Rick, Jill, Simon and Kim for all of the travelling they do and the help they give me, I couldn’t do this without them. I also need to thank my sponsors, Ballistic Racing, Forcewear Components, Trevor Birrell and Speedflow Warrnambool. Hopefully they can all come on board again next year and we can have another great season together.”

JIM IOANNIDIS Super Stock Champion

“There were many doubters in the early days, but our on-track results speak for themselves.

“At the start of the season we freshened the current 312-cui engine and it hasn’t missed a beat, allowing us to focus on tuning to the conditions and race track on the day. The numbers show we are making plenty of horsepower which is very impressive for an Australian-built and developed engine, and it makes it all the more rewarding.

“Running competitively in group two is always a challenge, and that’s why we do it. Every time we run, we learn something new and keep moving forwards…it keeps me motivated as I set the bar higher and higher. Looking back at the season I have to say we had a lot of fun along the way, although one event stands out from the rest.

“That event was the Westernationals – it was an awesome event for us with a clean sweep of the points and the hospitality we enjoyed from Sandro and the team at SCM was unbelievable, they went over and above to look after us and it made the weekend one to remember. Hopefully one day they will travel over East and we can do the same for them.

“Coming into the last round the pressure was on to complete the job we had started. All was looking good until the change back to the eighth mile racing distance,” Ioannidis said, referring to the change from 1000ft to 660ft racing in light of very windy conditions on race day. “This put us on the back foot to win the event, but I was comfortable we could still sew up the championship and that we did.

We now have another championship trophy to add to the collection!

“Now that the dust has settled (literally!) our plans for the offseason are to implement the new updates we have been working on, do some more R&D, and then charge the batteries and come out for another play......who knows what surprises that will include?!”

Ioannidis teased.

Following a dominating performance in Super Stock across the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series season, Jim Ioannidis and his MRX Racing Commodore claimed the Australian Title for the bracket.

“We can comfortably say the 308-powered MRX Racing Holden VS Commodore dominated Super Stock this season,” Ioannidis said.

“We top qualified at all of the rounds we contested except for one, where we qualified second fastest. We also won three rounds and set multiple national ET and MPH records along the way. At the end of the day, I don’t think anyone can take away from what we have achieved this season, we are very proud and extremely pleased.

“It was great to hold up the championship trophy as reward for the endless hours of preparation, homework, maintenance and planning that is required to run consistently quick at the front of the field with today’s tough competition.

“We might make it look easy, but I can assure you there is always a lot going on! I’m not only proud of myself, but also proud of my team as a whole and of the success we have achieved in what has been a relatively short time in the bracket.

“I want to say thank you to my team partners: Crane Cams for the invaluable camshaft R&D and for grinding the ‘special MRX’ custom cams; Automotive Performance Distributors for their continued support and supply of high performance parts; Bullet Race Engineering for the countless hours Marcus has spent on cylinder head and manifold development along with all of the custom billet engine accessories they have made for me; Rhemac Automotive for the precision engine machining, detailed block preparation and balancing; and Speedflow Performance Hose Fittings for the best quality ‘Australian made’ fittings and hoses.

“I also need to thank my sponsors, Light Vehicle Solutions, NTM Fresh, Mogas Golden Grove, Sprint Auto Parts Salisbury, SCM Performance, OZI Pawn Shop, Centreline Building Consultants and Infinity Signs.

Without their contributions I wouldn’t have been able to follow the series and chase the championship points.

“The championship-winning race parts and technical support I received from Autoverdi Racing Oil Pumps, Braswell Carburetion, Coan Engineering, JE Pistons and Total Seal Rings also needs to be recognised. My team members cannot be forgotten either – a very special thank you goes to my crew Joe Fontanelli, Jason Gregorace and Zvon Vujcic. These boys have been with me from the start, they have stood by me through the highs and the lows and tipped in plenty of support when needed. The special bond we have has withstood the test of time along with the many thousands of kms we have travelled on the road together. That team consistency is a key element to our

champchat champ continued success and words simply can’t thank them enough.

“Thanks also goes to the ANDRA staff for all of their help – especially Colin Brassington for the many late nights spent in my shed inspecting my car and checking and sealing my engine! Finally, I have to say thank you to my wife and kids – they support what I do and I know they are always cheering for me when I’m away racing.”

CRAIG GEDDES Competition Champion

When he claimed the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Australian Title for the Competition bracket, Craig Geddes also made history. By taking the title, he was the first racer in Australia to claim three back-to-back championships in the Competition class.

“To have won our third straight Competition Championship is an amazing feeling, and something our team is very proud of,” Geddes explained.

“We set that goal for ourselves early in the season, but then went to the Grand Finals with a self-inflicted points shortage – we had decided to run our new Cavalier Super Stocker at the Rowe Memorial in which we won, but in the wrong class when it came to our championship chase! We also decided not to run at the penultimate round in Perth, as we were just too busy with work commitments.

“All of this meant that Ralph Lewis was way out in front of us on points, but then he did not race at the Grand Finals and that left Shane Baxter and ourselves to shoot it out for the title, all the while navigating through a mega-tough Super Stock field in the combined SuperComp bracket.

“Thankfully for us, Shane red-lit early in the piece and we made it through to the final to seal the championship deal.

“It was a real privilege to stand up in front of our fellow competitors, team members and supporters to receive the highest honours in Australian drag racing at the Grand Finals.

“It really is an amazing sport – I still remember in the early 90s going to watch every event at Heathcote and Calder with my now-wife Amanda, dreaming about one day being in a position to compete in any class – never did we think we could be so successful.

“This is not only our third back-to-back title, but our fifth in total – our first came in the Super Gas bracket in 1996 and then we took out Competition Eliminator in 2006 ahead of these last three (2016, 2017, 2018). From memory, in the 23 years we have been racing, we have never finished outside of the top five and we are pretty proud of that!

“We will be back for a full assault on Super Stock in the Cavalier next season, and we would love to win a fourth championship in a row – I guess some of the other competitors might have something to say about that though!” he laughed.

“Our team and sponsors get on really well and always have a great time at the track and away from it – it is a fantastic space we operate in. It is important I think to really enjoy what we do on and off the track, and our success shows that.

“Firstly, and most importantly I have to thank my family – Amanda and the kids: Laura, Jesse, Charlie and Alexander.

“My team partners and crew Rob Martin, Michelle, Heppy, Ethan and Ross also need to be recognised, as do my sponsors and all-round good guys DecoGlaze Glass Splashbacks, Quicks Freight Express, JAX Tyres Ballarat, The Cleaners Room, Lucas Oils, Ballarat Roadworthy Centre, Laser Electrics Ballarat, CHS Broadbent Grain, Crane Cams, Bullet race Engineering, Custom Engines, Patterson Elite Racing USA, Protrans, Peter Ridgeway, Michael Marriot and Jamie Tanksley in the USA.” Photos by Outlaw Images and High Octane Photos

CRAIG GEDDES

Competition Champion

championship points

COMPETITION

PTS

TOP SPORTSMAN

PTS

SUPER STOCK

PTS

MODIFIED

350 280 270 220 210

Matt Czerny Sergio Bonetti Jess Turner Ken Stewart Adam Mundy

PTS 320 310 260 200 190

Harry Harris Graeme Cooper Michael Bridges Johnny Kapiris Nikolas Karanovic

COMPETITION BIKE

PTS

SUPER SEDAN

PTS

SUPER GAS

SUPERCHARGED OUTLAWS

PTS

MODIFIED BIKE

PTS

Craig Geddes Shane Baxter Mark Newman Con Soldatos Andrew Dyson

Jim Ioannidis Tom Dimitropoulos Alex Panagiotidis Daniel Camilleri Steve Norman

Tony Frost Robert Cassar Gavin Dohnt Phill Paton Jim Hanlon

Justin Russell Jason Keily Alan Mahnkoph Tim Stewart Adam Murrihy

180 145 60 40 40

200 180 20 185 120

380 380 340 340 330

Jason Arbery Chris Theodorakopoulos Vlado Turic Darren Nichele Greg Damiani

Peter Tzokas Alex Gkroidis George Tipoukidis John Kapiris Ned Karanovic

Danny Rickard Bryan Finn Johnny Ireland Gordon Crawford Dan Dycer

400 360 340 320 320

360 320 300 290 270

350 340 320 320 290

JUNIOR DRAGSTER

PTS

SUPER STREET

PTS

Bradley Bishop Jackson Perri Brodie Zappia Tommy Turic Baillie Ponton

Graeme Spencer Warren Bull Colin Griffin Michael DeRose Charlie Saraceno

CLICK HERE

320 290 280 270 260

290 240 220 210 180

PTS 320 240 220 180 160

FOR FULL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

tech torque FIGURING OUT DRAG RACE AND STREET-STRIP

SHOCK ABSORBERS Story by Wayne Scraba - Photos by Wayne Scraba and Summit Racing

21

22 fastlane fast FIGURING OUT DRAG RACE AND STREET-STRIP

SHOCK ABSORBERS

The shock absorber is a key ingredient in making a car “work” on the street or on the strip. The reason for this is simple: if you can control the wheel motion, then you can control the dynamics of the car. In the world of acceleration, this boils down to “hook.” It also means your tuning capabilities are greatly expanded.

Shock Basics Let’s start at the beginning. A shock is a hydraulic device that resists chassis movement by passing oil through a set of orifices and valved passages.

A shock extends and compresses as the car moves – in the shock world, these movements are termed rebound and bump.

Rebound (extension) is the shock’s resistance

to being pulled apart. It can be used to control chassis separation— the point at which the axle housing is pushed away from the chassis and the tires are applied to the track. During separation, many things occur. As the car is pushed up and forward, the axle housing sees the opposite force (don’t forget the tire sidewalls are also wrapping up). As the car moves forward, torque is created as the tires get traction.

Too much body separation can lead to some undesirable side effects: •

Wheel hop can occur as the tire tries to return to its original form (the tire unwraps). Stiffening the shock’s rebound can control wheel hop.

•

Tire shake is similar to wheel hop and can be addressed similarly.

For the most part, a “bald” starting line or unprepared surface will mandate a softer rebound setting to apply the tires with more force. A stiffer rebound setting on a well-prepped track can provide quicker vehicle reaction times. Essentially, too much separation is an ET and energy waster.

Bump (compression) is the shock’s resistance

to the chassis moving down or the axle housing moving up or into the chassis. The bump adjustment is important since it determines how long the tires are held down on the track after chassis separation. When you use a soft rebound setting on a double adjustable shock, try using a slightly stiffer compression setting.

To get a grasp of what this is all about, pretend that you drive your car over a good old-fashioned speed bump. The speed bump “bumps” the shock and compresses it. After you drive over the speed bump, the shock rebounds and extends. That’s where you get the terms “bump” and “rebound”.

There are all sorts of shock absorbers built for street-strip and drag race applications. This is a complete set from Strange Engineering. The fronts are single-adjustable while the rears are double-adjustable.

techtorque Non-Adjustable and Adjustable Shocks In the old days, a loose front shock – either a worn out stocker or a special 90/10 valved shock – was used to allow the nose of the car to rise quickly. That transferred as much weight as possible to the back wheels. It was simple because there was virtually no rebound (the “10” in the 90/10 rating) and a whole bunch of bump at work (the “90” in 90/10). These shocks kept the nose up in the air; you can imagine how this messed with the race car’s aerodynamics.

You can still purchase shocks with 90/10 and other valving ratios designed specifically for maximum weight transfer. Some of these shocks have dual stage valving on the compression side that allows the nose of the car to settle on the top end. They work well, and you don’t have fiddle with them.

On the other end of the spectrum are adjustable shocks like those manufactured by AFCO, Strange Engineering, Koni, Competition Engineering, and others. Many shocks are available as singleadjustable or double-adjustable.

A single-adjustable shock lets you set rebound valving only, while a double-adjustable shock lets you set compression and rebound valving.

Many shocks have external adjustment knobs on the shock body with settings from softest to firmest. For example, Strange Engineering single-adjustable shocks have 12 rebound settings to choose from with 1 being the softest and 12 the firmest. The rebound adjuster is extremely sensitive; one or two “clicks” will make a significant change in tuning the chassis.

Here are the starting points Strange Engineering recommends for their singleadjustable shocks:

Drag Race, Front

• Turn to position 2 or 3 (position 1 is full counterclockwise) • Rotate the adjustment knob to increase weight transfer (front end travel)

Drag Race, Rear

• Turn to position 5 • Rotate counter-clockwise to plant the tires harder • Rotate clockwise to decrease wheel hop

Street, Front & Rear

• Turn to position 4 or 5 • Rotate the adjustment knob clockwise for a firmer ride Double-adjustable shocks are often used at the rear of the car for drag racing. Chassis builder Jerry Bickel offers this advice for initial settings:

Single-adjustable front shocks like these from Strange Engineering allow for external rebound adjustment.

“A good starting point for rear shock adjustment is to set the rebound adjustment tight and the bump adjuster loose.

Remember that the final setting that is best for your car will be found with some thoughtful trial and error and may change with track conditions.”

ADJUSTMENT

TIPS

So, you have the shocks on the car and you know how the adjustment settings work.

Now what? Here are the basic procedures for dialling in the shocks:

Front or Back First?

If the car wheelstands excessively or bounces on the gear change (more likely), adjust the front shocks first. If the car rattles the rear tires, wheel hops, or has way too much body separation, adjust the rear shock absorbers first.

Front Shock Adjustment The idea is to get a smooth transition in front end movement as the car launches right through the first gear change.

If the car is violent on the launch and physically jerks the front wheels off the ground, the shock setting is too soft or loose. If the car bounces on the gear change (off the front suspension limiter), the shock needs to be stiffer.

Obviously, if the shock is set too tight (stiff), the front won’t move sufficiently to transfer weight.

On a similar note, a too-stiff setting on the front shock will bounce the car on the tire after the launch. Don’t get this confused with bouncing off the front suspension limiter.

Rear Shock Adjustment When it comes to the back shock absorber, the idea is to shock the tire as hard as possible (track conditions permitting). Keep in mind it’s the shock that actually controls how much force or “hit” you are applying to the slick.

If the shock is too loose on the extension (rebound), you may get too much rear body separation. If the shock is too tight, then the car will flatten the tire excessively or simply cause the car to spin.

Generally speaking, start soft on the rear and tighten up the valving until the car slows down.

Double-adjustable shock absorbers like these rear shocks from Strange Engineering allow for external rebound and bump adjustment. There is a separate adjustment knob for each.

24 fastlane fast

This is the adjustment knob on a single adjustable shock absorber. While adjustments between shock manufacturers are often similar, each has their own method of determining what the starting points are.

techtorque

Here are the double adjustment knobs on the Strange shock. As you can see, one adjuster is larger than the other. When installing these shocks, it’s a good idea to plan their orientation on your car.

With some suspension setups, it could be better to have the small adjuster inboard.

Some aftermarket lower control arms come pre-notched for a shock absorber with an external adjuster.

Front suspension interference is another issue when the shock absorber has a large adjuster knob. Strange Engineering includes a diagram showing how and where the lower front A-arm must be clearanced for shock fit.

On a Strange Engineering singleadjustable shock absorber, it’s best to start the adjustment process by turning the adjuster to full counterclockwise first. That’s position number 1.

This is the compression (or bump) adjuster on a Strange double adjustable shock. Turn to full counter clockwise for the softest (lowest) setting and work your way up.

Tie bars are used on both front and back shocks on many cars (bottom on the front and top on the rear). This Strange Engineering shock uses a hard durometer bushing to keep the tie bar in place. Note the snap rings on either end too.

The rebound (extension) adjuster on the Strange double adjustable shock is on the opposite side of the lower body.

It’s best to start the adjustment process in the full clockwise (stiffest) position and tune from there.

Winning Takes Work.

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Int’l: 1.330.630.0230 FIND IT AT

ANDRA MEMBER BENEFITS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW The list of companies signing up to offer ANDRA members discounts through the ANDRA Member Benefits Program continues to grow, with a number of great businesses jumping on board in recent times.

The below names and more are ready and waiting to work with ANDRA members – for full details of all of the offers available to members, please click here to view the ANDRA Member Benefits Program directory.

FAST AND LOUD INDUSTRIES

10% OFF ITS SANDBLASTING SERVICES*

The blasting and restoration specialists, located in Perth (WA), work on all kinds of vehicles including classic cars, race cars, muscle cars and even specialise in F100s. The business also offers mobile blasting within Perth and its surrounds (within a radius of approximately 200km).

“We are looking forward to working with the ANDRA members and they can expect good old-fashioned, honest service from us – we treat every car like it is our own,” Fast & Loud Industries’ Steve Gill said.

Fast & Loud Industries is located at 22 Morilla Road, Mundaring (Perth, WA). For more information, contact Steve on 0428 682 103 or ftruckheaven1@gmail.com *For sandblasting services only, terms and conditions apply. Please contact Fast & Loud Industries for full details.

PRECISION TURBO AND ENGINE

10% OFF

PTE offers a full line of custom turbochargers, accessories, intercoolers, fuel injectors and stand-alone engine management systems.

The Indiana (US) company has been a leader in turbocharger technology for street and race applications since 1987. Its knowledgeable and friendly staff has behind-the-wheel experience in a wide variety of vehicles ranging from Buick Grand Nationals to Nissan Skylines, so each sale comes with expert advice and support.

“PTE has a long-standing history in drag racing and working with ANDRA and its customers is a natural fit for us. We understand that competing at a high level takes an enormous financial contribution, and we are always looking for ways to help our customers to ‘race more and spend less’,” PTE’s Joe Krivickas said.

To learn more about PTE, visit www.precisionturbo.com or contact Joe Krivickas via + 1 (855) 9967832 or jkrivickas@wabtec.com

HUSSEY PERFORMANCE

10% OFF

The copper gasket manufacturer, based in Pennsylvania (USA), offers copper head gaskets of any thickness as well as oil pan/valve covers and header gaskets.

“Customers can order directly through me, so there is little confusion when it comes to making sure they get the exact gasket they need. I can be reached by email or phone at any time – the shop phone directs to my cell phone after hours so late calls are not an issue, I find this helps a lot with the time difference between Australia and the US!” Hussey Performance’s David Allen said.

“The thickness of the gasket is crucial for getting absolutely everything out of your motor. Unlike any of our competitors, we offer our head gaskets in one thousandth of an inch (.001”) increments as standard. We keep sizes from .030” up to .125” in stock also, and this allows the racer to get the exact thickness for his desired compression ratio at no additional cost (normal gasket sizes are .040”, .060”, .080”).”

For more information, visit www.husseyperformance.net or contact the Hussey Performance on (724) 318 8292 or HusseyPerformance@gmail.com

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C & R MOTORSPORT DEVELOPMENTS

20% OFF

C & R Motorsport Developments specialises in Engine Dyno Testing and Development for all types of Motorsport applications including Drag Racing, Speedway, Circuit Racing, Marine, Street Hi-Performance and more.

“With 30 plus years of drag racing experience and 15 years of dyno testing knowledge, C & R Motorsport Developments are able to help our customers achieve their goals,” said C & R Motorsport Developments’ Geoff Chaisty, a former Australian Super Stock Champion and father to successful racers Jake and Jamie Chaisty.

“We see that ANDRA are committed to its members and the sport, and so we are very proud to become a member of the ANDRA Member Benefits Program.”

For more information, contact C & R Motorsport Developments on 0417 922 879 or crmd@tpg.com.au or visit them on Facebook by clicking here.

APPLIED RACING COMPONENTS

15% OFF

Applied Racing Components (ARC) will offer all ANDRA license holders 15 percent off of its services, including EGT Probes and heating elements for nitrous systems, oil warming and more.

“ARC is a division of CEM Electric Co, an industrial heating element company established in 1973 which engineers, develops and manufactures electric heating elements for many different types of manufacturers,” ARC’s Carl Breihan explained.

“At ARC, we are the innovators of the only safe way to warm nitrous bottles to obtain the required PSI – we began the development of this innovation in 1989 and after five years of development, plant testing and field testing, were pleased to bring this safe means of warming nitrous to the market. We are also pleased to have brought to market a full line of engine warmers, oil warmers and a complete line of EGT Probes as your temperature experts.”

ARC is located in Florida (US) and can be contacted via (877) ARC-HEAT (272-4328) or carl@archeat.com. For more information on ARC, visit www.archeat.com

VISNER ENGINE DEVELOPMENT

10% OFF

Visner Engine Development, based in Michigan (US), is an industry-leading induction systems specialist with more than 20 years of experience, providing advanced cylinder head and intake manifold designs and technology to racers and high performance street/strip enthusiasts.

“We work closely with all of our customers to provide them with the induction components that will work best for their application. Coupled with our unique billet valve covers, throttle body, carb spacers and burst panels, we have everything you need to help your engine perform and look its best,” Visner Engine Development’s Dave Visner said.

“80 percent of our international sales come from Australia and we see this as a great way to further connect with the Australian racers and work with them.

In the past we have provided cylinder heads for Rick Water’s Pro Stock and also worked with the Red Bull teams in Supercars before limitations were put in place. We also work with a large array of Australian racers right now, including South Australia’s Mark Hunt whose engine drew plenty of attention as part of our display at last year’s PRI (Performance Racing Industry) show.”

Visner Engine Development is located at 4700 36th Street, Kentwood, Michigan in the United States. You can contact them on +1 616 7266600 or via dvisner@ visnerengine.com For further information, visit www.visnerengine.com

WHAT IS THE ANDRA MEMBER BENEFITS PROGRAM? The ANDRA Member Benefits Program has been created to offer loyal ANDRA members the opportunity to receive discounts on products and services from supporting companies.

Participating businesses of the ANDRA Member Benefits Program receives promotion through ANDRA’s database of over 5000 members and

race fans, exposure through the ANDRA website, the quarterly FASTLANE digital magazine and the fortnightly MotorMail email newsletter.

If you would like more information on the program or want to register, please click here. To view a listing of all ANDRA Member Benefits Program offers, please click here

in the

know WITH SUNOCO RACE FUELS

Words by Zachary Santner - Technical Specialist, Sunoco Race Fuels

OCTANE STABILITY:

High Octane Fuels vs Low Octane Fuels

Octane is the most talked about property when it comes to gasoline.

It’s no surprise because selecting octane of gasoline is the only choice the consumer has, except what station to buy it from. In this article, Sunoco Race Fuels focuses on octane stability of regular and premium octane pump fuels versus racing fuels and what you can do to prevent octane loss in your fuel.

It is necessary to briefly review what octane is in order to dive deeper into stability issues. At fuelling stations in Australia, octane is typically displayed as the Research Octane Number, RON. The RON is determined by a test method developed by American Society for Testing and Materials in the mid-1900s. This number provides a scale to measure how much heat and pressure can be put on the fuel before it spontaneously combusts.

Spontaneous combustion is a source of engine knock which can quickly damage an engine. Octane ratings are important because different engines expose fuel to different amounts of pressure and heat – engines must use the proper octane fuel to avoid knock and provide reliable operation.

A key aspect of gasoline stability is vapor pressure. This is

determined by how much pressure builds up inside a sealed fuel container when the fuel is heated to 38°C. Pump fuels with high (12 pounds/square inch, psi) vapor pressures are used in cold weather to prevent engine starting issues due to low temperatures. In warmer climates low vapor pressure fuels are used to prevent fuel boiling in fuel lines, also called vapor lock.

If stored in a vapor tight container, the vapor pressure can be maintained for long periods of time. Fuel exposed to the atmosphere can lose light components within a couple of days.

Over time as vapor pressure decreases the fuel can become stale. Stale fuel doesn’t evaporate as easily and can cause rough engine idle and hard starting.

91 RON fuels tend to be less refined and contain more unstable hydrocarbons. As the months pass during storage these unstable components react to form gums, varnishes and lower octane hydrocarbons. As a result, the octane can decrease within months for 91 RON pump fuels, especially when stored under less than ideal conditions.

98 RON fuels are more refined and contain more stable hydrocarbons. These stable hydrocarbons can last two to three times longer than 91 RON fuel. Even in proper storage, 91 RON gas can start to degrade in three months, while 98 RON fuel should last closer to nine months before degradation is noticeable.

Octane stability in racing fuels is much different because fuel quality is valued more than production cost, unlike the pump gas industry where cost drives the majority of refining decisions.

A large part of any quality race fuel is consistency. Race fuels are designed to be high in octane to allow for increased compression ratios and boost levels.

In order to achieve high octane and consistent composition, pure chemical components are mixed with highly refined gasoline.

The components used in Sunoco Race Fuels are very stable and can retain octane in excess of two years when properly stored. We have test results confirming octane stability in our unleaded, leaded, ethanol-free and ethanol fuels.

Some high octane unleaded fuels, 260 GT Plus, and octane

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boosters contain the additive MMT. MMT is a very effective octane booster and doesn’t harm oxygen sensors or catalytic converters so, it is ideal for modern vehicles. Please note this additive is degraded by sunlight and can lose all octane boosting properties within minutes of exposure.

Degraded MMT will settle to the bottom of the container as a rust coloured material that can clog fuel lines and filters.

Extra care needs to be used when storing and handling MMT fuels in order to minimize contact with sunlight.

The additive is stable in gasoline as long as no UV light hits the fuel. Sunoco 260 GT Plus is our only race fuel that contains MMT.

Octane

stability

is

greatly affected by the storage conditions.

Proper

preserve years,

storage

storage

octane

but

can

can

for

improper reduce

octane and degrade fuel within weeks. That is

why we provide proper storage

information

on our website, www.

SunocoRaceFuels.com.

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engin

best

At the MacTrack Westernationals and the ANDRA Grand Finals, two very deserving racers were recognised with prestigious Crow Cams Best Engineered Awards.

ANDRA would like to congratulate Keys Family Motorsport and Steve Norman on receiving these special accolades in Perth and Adelaide respectively.

For Keys Family Motorsport, the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award was a perfect ending for the race debut of its brandnew AA/AP-Top Doorslammer Camaro, which contested the Pro Slammer bracket at the MacTrack Westernationals.

“To receive the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award at the MacTrack Westernationals was a very pleasant surprise,” explained Wayne Keys, who thanked Applied Automotive Race Engines, Perth Diving Academy, RJ Metals and Dale Signs for their support of Keys Family Motorsport.

“While we were building the car it wasn’t a conscious part of our wish list (to receive the award), but we did set out to build a very well-engineered car, a nice car, and we have been able to do that.

It is a good example of what can be done at home with help from a small but dedicated group of friends.

“The car has worked right out of the box, it is going straight and showing good performance – we are a little way off yet but now that we know the car will do down the track, we can adjust things accordingly and make it go quicker.

“The feedback we have gotten so far has been amazing. We are not a ‘look at me’ kind of team, we are a family-based operation and self-funded, however, it has been very nice to hear the appreciation of the car from everyone – from those on the hill to the other racers and to the officials and ANDRA, they all seemed to love it!” grinned Wayne.

“It was cool being the first of the late model breed of Camaros to get out there as well – we didn’t expect that to happen as we knew of a few others that were underway, so we thought they would beat us to it – it was a steady 13-14 month build from start to finish; every available moment that I wasn’t at work, you could find me in the shed!”

At the ANDRA Grand Finals, Steve Norman not only took out the SuperComp victory for the final round of the 17/18 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, but also the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award.

neered The recognition of Norman’s D/GA BMW M3 Coupe comes at the end of the car’s debut season, following the retirement of Norman’s 2015 Super Stock championship-winning Chevy Cobalt.

through the four to five years of planning all the way through to the tricky process of building it – a lot of work is needed to put together these ‘three-quarter’ type cars, I can tell you that.

“Without meaning to sound arrogant, I was always pretty confident that somewhere along the line the car would pick up the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award,” Norman said.

“Being a BMW it is a bit of an odd-ball kind of car to run as well some think, but it was something Reg and I always wanted to do after seeing someone using a BMW as a tow car in Perth five or six years ago.

“The reason for that belief was that Reg Lee and his sons Ryan and Bryce have just done such an absolutely unreal job of building the car.

“It is 100 percent Australian built, and the guys have done such a great job of it with the help of John Lang of Pro9 who did all of the chassis work and Peter Ridgeway who has helped with some of the engine development. The paintwork is absolutely ‘show quality’ as well, and that is all down to Bryce who did all of the paintwork on the car.

“I have owned a couple of Don Ness cars from the US before and he was always reputed to be one of the best in the world when he was building them, and in my opinion what Reg and his boys have done with my car is just as good as what I had with those two Don Ness cars.

“Without being blasé about it, we always hoped we would pick up the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award along the way somewhere, mainly due to the effort that the boys put into it

“The car has a really interesting back story actually – I bought it from a salvage yard in the States; it had been awarded to a husband in a divorce settlement, but the wife had a set of keys so she went around and pinched it before driving it into a creek!

“It has come a long way since then, and I am really proud of what we have been able to achieve so far.”

Norman says the Crow Cams Best Engineered Award was the icing on the cake of a weekend that saw him take victory in the SuperComp bracket, dispatching not one but two Australian Champions along the way.

From burnouts to blown alcohol, street and strip, Crow Cams’ valve train technology has you covered with world class performance and reliability. For more information, visit www.crowcams.com.au Photos by High Octane Photos and Outlaw Images

STEPHANIE GULLOTTO

racerprofile racer Age 29

Hometown Perth, Western Australia Occupation Primary School Teacher - Year 6 Started Racing 2015 Classes Completed Super Street ANDRA Racing Highlights Winner of Westernationals 2017 / 2018 - Super Street Best ET & Speed 10.08 @133mph Sponsors SCM Race Engines and Performance, Tile Boutique Osbourne Park, High Wycombe Bakery & Patisserie Favourite Race Vehicle Jet Dragsters Favourite TV Show Baywatch Favourite Food Pasta Favourite Race Track Perth Motorplex

How did it feel to be announced as the Super Street Divisional Champion for Western Australia?

I feel very proud and excited to be announced the Super Street Divisional Champion. A lot of time and effort is spent working on my race car by my husband Matt Gullotto and the team at SCM Race Engines, so it is really nice to reward and acknowledge their hard work with the Super Street divisional win.

If you had to pick out your top three moments from the last season, what would they be?

Winning the Nitro Slam event in January; Winning the Westernationals Gold Christmas Tree, seeing the pride on my husband’s face back in the pits and celebrating with all the crew and supporters afterwards; and coming up against Top Qualifier Joel Trottman in the final at the Westernationals Event with the same dialin for a good old ‘heads up’ race and taking the win.

What do you love about racing?

I love the challenge of each race and the focus that is required before you go out. It is a great sense of personal achievement when you manage to run a good race with a quick reaction time and close dial-in time.

I also love coming back to the pit area after a successful race and seeing the excitement and joy from my husband, the crew and all the supporters. That in itself makes all the hard work worth it! Also, drag racing for me is about having fun and spending quality time with family and friends. The drags really is a ‘racing family’ and it is a sport that I am extremely proud to be a part of.

How did you get into racing?

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My husband and his family have been racing for many years so when I started dating Matt, I joined his crew and he started

explaining the concept of drag racing to me and I absolutely loved it. After we got married, he decided that his wedding present to me would be a VN SS (which is my all-time favourite car) and he told me I was going to race it. Three seasons later, he still can’t wipe the smile off my face every time I sit in the car!

What are your plans for the coming season?

I am actually due to have a baby in September this year, so my husband Matt Gullotto will be racing next season in Super Sedan however I am hoping to come back for a few meets later in the 2018/2019 season.

Is there anyone you would like to thank for being part of your drag racing journey?

There are definitely many people I would like to thank for being part of my racing journey. Firstly, a huge thank you to my husband, Matt Gullotto, for allowing me the opportunity to race such a consistent car in Super Street and for always being there to support and encourage me throughout the journey. I couldn’t have done it without him. I would also like to thank Sandro Principe and Carmelo Gullotto from SCM Race Engines for all their help with the engine, and Michael Crossing from Race On Customs for the car set-up. Big thanks also has to go to my crew, Matt, Denis, Jared and Natalie for always being by my side on the track. And of course, thanks to my parents (Denis and Sophie), my in-laws (Cristina and Carmelo), family and friends for all their love and support. Lastly, thanks to all the Super street competitors for all the great races throughout the season and to the Ray Treasure, the track staff, commentators and volunteers for making it all possible!

Photo by Outlaw Images

PROUDLY SUPPORTING ANDRA Proudly supporting ANDRA

Transit and static race vehicle insurance In an industry that is no stranger to risk, your vehicle, transporter and tools are exposed to risks every day.

Our longstanding history working with the motor sport industry, means our insurance experts understand your risks and can help you find the right cover to keep your passion on track.

Talk to us today Martyn Luck – 08 8172 8121 martyn.luck@ajg.com.au Renee Morris – 08 8172 8084 renee.morris@ajg.com.au

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L DR

I

LEGENDARY RAG RACER

INDUCTED TO HALL OF FAME ANDRA would like to send its congratulations to Graeme Cowin, who was recently inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame, presented by Speedcafe.

Cowin’s history is well known within Australia’s drag racing industry. He was the first driver outside of North America to break the five second barrier, with that milestone coming at Calder Park Raceway in 1993; was crowned as Australia’s Top Fuel champion in 1995; and also raced overseas in NHRA-sanctioned events in the United States.

The Cowin Family Racing outfit of the truck driver and his wife Wendy also invested their life savings into the famous Psycho nitro-fuelled drag

car, established the leading Rocket Industries business, and is a key driver of the popular Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Car Series in which his team also races.

After the award was announced, Cowin told the award’s presenting partner, Speedcafe.com, that he was very pleased to be recognised.

ANDRA General Manager Brett Stevens attended the event to present the award, which was accepted by Aeroflow brand manager and Cowin’s friend and fellow racer, Glen Collett; as Cowin himself was in Perth for an Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Car event.

“I am surprised, deeply honoured, humbled and proud,” he told Speedcafe.com.

“None of this would have been possible without my wife Wendy. Our partnership started in 1967 with a passion for racing and is still as strong as ever today.

“It’s hard to stipulate one highlight, but one that stands out was qualifying for the US Nationals, at Indianapolis in 1985.

“It was the first race I ever attended in America.

I got to race on of my all-time heroes in the first round, John Force.

“Even though we lost by a foot, we felt like we still won by qualifying at the biggest race in the world.”

For more on Cowin’s award, please click here or here.

MICHELLE ABEL

racerprofile Age 16

Hometown Darwin, NT Occupation Student Started racing 2017 Classes competed A and B junior dragster ANDRA racing highlight Being runner-up at the NT Titles Best ET and speed 7.85s and 81mph Sponsors Abel Tiling and Progrind NT

What do you love about racing?

Everything! The adrenalin rush, the smell, the noise, the community and all the smiles.

How did you get into racing?

I grew up at the racetrack, watched my dad and family friends race, and helped my siblings with their cars. I was too scared for years, but after a confidence boost and a little help from jealousy I knew it was my turn.

What do you consider as your racing highlights?

I was the runner up for the 2017 NT titles, rookie of the year and JD runner-up for the 2017 Hidden Valley Track Championship.

What do you love about Junior Dragster Racing? Why should others get into it?

Favourite race vehicle Nitro funny car

All the friends I’ve made in the past year, I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

More people should get into juniors because it’s a lot of fun and you won’t regret giving it try.

Favourite TV show The Checkout

What is your ultimate racing goal/dream?

Favourite food Chocolate cake Favourite race track Hidden Valley Drag Strip

To race for as long as I can and maybe a gold Christmas tree.

What do your school mates think about what you do?

They think it’s awesome and most of them understood after I told them “it’s what the family does in ‘Upper Middle Bogan’.”

What are your goals for the upcoming Nitro Up North event?

I want to catch up with the other juniors, qualify higher, improve my reaction time and hopeful get past round one.

Is there anyone you would like to thank for being part of your drag racing journey?

I want to thank my Dad, my Mum, the Wood family, Nathan Coles and all of the volunteers at Hidden Valley.

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Photo by Craig Radcliffe Action Sport Photography

Behind the Wheel with Jr. Dragster Baillie Ponton.

“I love the adrenaline rush I get from competing and the people you get to meet. It’s a fun family sport. My ultimate racing goal is to win at the ANDRA Nationals and take home a championship.”

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QLD CHAMPS

OFF TO STRONG More than 100 racers headed to Roma’s Ironbark Raceway for round one of the 2018 Summit Racing Queensland Championships.

Taking out victories were Warren Dun (Street Bike), Liam Holt (Junior Dragster), Michelle Roydhouse (Street), Craig Shelswell (Super Street), Dallas Everett (Modified Bike), Dan Morton (Super Sedan), Katie Cunningham (Modified) and Russell Grulke (Outlaws).

Runners-up were Matt Halpin (Street Bike), Tayla Kelly (Junior Dragster), Sonya Wagensveld (Street), Craig Williams (Super Street), Top Qualifier Phil Halpin (Modified Bike), Lorenzo Bonato (Super Sedan), Geoff Everett (Modified) and Rodney Hansen (Outlaws); with Peter Johnson (Street Bike), Harrison Thwaite (Junior Dragster), Roydhouse (Street), Phil Halpin (Super Street), Matt Halpin (Modified Bike), Col Gould (Super Sedan), Cunningham (Modified) and Hansen (Outlaws) taking out the Top Qualifying honours for their respective brackets.

For local racer and Outlaws winner Grulke, it was a very rewarding weekend indeed.

“I am a born and bred Roma boy and have been tied up in the drag club here for 20 years or very close to it,” Grulke said.

“We are running an Outlaw car now – you start off in an old bush banger and work your way through as you can afford to do it!

We put a new set-up into the car at the weekend with what was pretty much a whole new motor and electronics, so we could stop blowing it up!” he laughed.

“It was a six-car field and we were able to go the three rounds of qualifying with three wins and were the third top qualifier, and then we lined up against Rodney Hansen and managed to get the win over him for a change!

“He is a pretty tough competitor as they all are, and it was really good to win at our home track – now we look forward to doing the other two rounds in the series and see how we go with them!”

For Mackay’s Cunningham, some issues early in the event could not derail what would become a winning effort in the Modified bracket.

“The first couple of rounds of qualifying went well and then we had a couple of issues with the oil pressure, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to even run, but we managed to keep going for the rest of the day and ended up winning it!” Cunningham explained.

START “It was a bit of a pleasant surprise, to go from not knowing if we were to run at all to winning all of our races and then the finals as well.

“There is a real thrill to it, when you have a really close race like that final was, it reminds you why you do it and it is just so much fun.

“I hope everyone comes along to the other rounds of the Series and helps support all of the local tracks, I think it is really great what these events are doing.”

As it did in 2017, the 2018 Summit Racing Queensland Championship seeks to develop and promote drag racing in regional Queensland, taking in Ironbark Raceway (Round One – 31st March-1 April), Palmyra Dragway (29-30 June) and Benaraby Raceway (22 September) in 2018.

For more information on the Summit Racing Queensland Championship, please visit https:// www.facebook.com/andra.QLD.Champs/ Photos by Rogue Snapper Photography

faces r

at the

races

t

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Photos by Bob Taylor

WORLD CLASS

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