Nitro Champs
Sydney Dragway, NSW
3 – 5th May 2013
Well it was a real buzz to be on the track again after our recent engine failure. A big thank you goes to Bill Hatzi from Bill’s Automotive for lending me a race engine for the Nitro Champs as we were running 4th in the championship at that time, and a big thanks to Martin Stevenson from Focused Solutions for offering the Powerplus panelvan for us to run also. It just shows you the passion around drag racing and the helping hand from fellow racers.
Qualifying for us was a challenge with a fresh motor and rebuilt gearbox, it meant our 1st run was a tip toe through the tulips. The SSS Torana lit up the tyres of the start line and headed for the centre line, off the gas as she straightened up, then on the gas and we ran a conservative pass 11.44 secs. Our 2nd run was a good one of 10.84 secs which is too fast for the Super Street cut off but if gave me a bench mark to run off. Then our 3rd run was 11.33 secs. Friday qualifying was a mixed bag for us but great to be out racing again.
Saturday was our 1st round, we were 1st pairing on the track against the dodge dart from Adelaide. We chose to dial in the same as the dart, a 11.05, which made it a heads up race. We got a .064 to a .070 reaction time I didn’t see the dodge till the finish line, he crept around me on the finish line and took the win. Clearly not knowing our new package cost us in the end.
After all the late nights our time to enjoy the event was here. We had a great time at the Nitro Champs and it was a great feeling to be on the track again as just 3 weeks before we sat on the track stationary with a blown engine. Great to see Martin in the Powerplus HB Torana get to 2nd round just missing out by a slight red light, and fellow S/ST racers put on a great show also.
Great crowds, great weather and great racing. See ya next time!
Written by: CRAIG WARREN SS/A 1751