Kevin Wicke repeats as Quick 32 Sportsman Series Champion –  K&K / CVR Team captures second title by two points…. (continue reading…)

ANDRA Fuchs Australian Nationals – Sydney NSW (Sep. 10-12th, 2010)

Fuchs Australian Nationals Kick off 2010/11 Series

 Courtesy of: Phil Blondel — www.dragnews.com.au 

 The Fuchs Australian Nationals, the first event of the new 2010/11 season calendar, culminated with some amazing final rounds of eliminations.

Top Fuel — Was full of surprises when Phil Read, Andrew Cowin, Allan Dobson and current Aussie Champ Martin Stamatis were all eliminated in the first round of competition.

First it was Terry Sainty’s great 5.16 that knocked out Read’s 8.01 after Read’s struck the tyres and then lost a blower. The next big name to exit the field was Andrew Cowin after Bob Shepherd’s coasting 7.14 got the better of Cowins pedaling 7.43. Then came Stamatis, who ran a troubled 6.68 to lose against Darren Morgan’s 5.89. In the final pairing of the first round , Phil Lamattina knocked out Allan Dobson’s slowing 5.00 as Dobbo smoked the tyres at 1000ft allowing Lamattina the win with a 4.75/312.

In the semis, Morgan won with a 7.8 when Sainty had troubles staging, while on the other side of the ladder, the upsets continued where Shepherd eliminated Lamattina with a quicker 5.01 to Lamattina’s 5.10.

The finals saw Bob Shepherd make it just in the nick of time. His crew doing last minute adjustments to the engine whilst towing at a rapid rate to the start line. Darren Morgan, in order to have a paired final, displayed good sportsmanship by patiently awaiting Shepherds arrival. All Shepherd’s efforts were to no avail as Morgan was far too strong, laying down a 4.70 second time to win the event as Shepherd turned the tyres and coasted on through for a 9 second time.

Top Doorslammer – Round one competition saw Mark Belleri advance with a 6.16 against Sean Mifsud’s 6.29. Robin Judd ran a 6.48 solo run after Steve Dupond could not start. Maurice Fabietti ran an awesome 5.89 to progress with Tony Defelice only managing a 6.57. Gary Phillips progressed in his Studebaker with a 6.08 after Deno Brijeski slowed to a 6.67.

Top Doorslammer Winner - Robin Judd

 The semis saw Judd win again with a 6.00 after he beat Belleri’s troubled 9.02. Fabietti then had the ride of his life when a supercharger let go at half track producing a massive fireball in the braking area from leaking oil. The car finally coming to a stop with a nudge of the wall. Fabietti still carded a 7.1 second time which was good enough to beat Phillips who was taken out of competition after producing a troubled a 14.2. Fabietti was OK in the incident.

It was a one-car show though for the Final, and it was Robin Judd who took the win with another super consistent 5.93 after Fabietti could not show as a result of damage incurred in the previous round.

Top Alcohol – Produced some very quick times. Upsets continued though when Gary Phillips was eliminated in the first round after shaking and crossing the centerline, narrowly missing Madill, allowing Paul Madill to take the round. Rick Gauci and Wayne Newby were the next pair up  and although Gauci ran a good 5.76, it just wasn’t enough to hold off Newby’s super quick 5.57. Steven Ham’s Funny Car was next to progress to the semi finals after his 5.63 eliminating Steve Read’s 6.00. Next up, Adam Marchant ran a 5.74 but was put back on the trailer after Aaron Hambridge ran an amazing 5.50 to advance into the semi’s.

Newby met with Ham in the first pairing of the semi’s. Newby, although some what troubled, won with a 5.91 to Ham’s 6.47. In the other pairing, Madill did not show allowing Hambridge’s 5.62 to advance into the Final.

In an awesome Final race, both dragsters were on pace and it was Hambridge the winner with a 5.60 to Newby’s wheel-standing and oh so close 5.68 secs.

Pro Stock Car – The naturally aspirated Pro Stock sedans put on a great show with 16 cars in the first round. In the first pairing, Aaron Tremayne was sent home with a 7.14 while Dave Newcombe advanced with a 7.09. Next up Denis Whiting ran a 7.11 to eliminate Peter Ridgeway’s troubled 7.46. Aaron Tremayne ran a great 7.07 to advance against Wayne Daley’s super close but losing 7.10. The upsets continued when John Barbagallo’s 7.23 lost against Jason Hedges’ 7.12. Lee Bektash ran a slower 7.2 against Michael Ali, but advanced after Ali red lit. Nick Xerakias advanced with a 7.25 against Bill Kotsias’ 7.31.Top qualifier Scott Porter showed consistency running a 7.10 to win against Ian Brown’s red light.

Pro Stock Champion -- Aaron Tremayne

With eight cars left for round two Newcombe got a win first up with a holeshot 7.10 against Porter’s quicker but slower reacting 7.09. Tremayne went 7.08 to win after Tucker did not leave the start-line. Whiting also advanced against Xerakias with a 7.19 and after Xerakias also did not leave the line. Bektash could not front as a result of engine damage suffered in the previous round, allowing Hedges 7.19 to progress into the next round.

The semi’s paired Tremayne with Whiting. Whiting hung a cherry on the tree giving the win to Tremayne with 7.10 . The other pairing saw Newcombe’s consistency continue with a 7.09 to eliminate Hedges’ 7.12.

It was Aaron Tremayne all the way in the final though stepping up a notch and running a 7.08 against Newcombe’s close and chasing 7.13.

Top Bike — In round one, Chris Matheson had a solo to advance after Phil Parker did not stage. Troy Maclean ran a good 7.18 to win against Mick Murray’s 7.64. Geoff Redgrave advanced over Chris Porter. The final pairing saw Craig Bonwick win with a 7.64 over Dennis Grant’s 7.75.

The semi-finals saw Matheson on another 6.11 solo after Maclean had troubles in the burnout and shut off. Redgrave got a free ride to the finals  after Bonwick could not fire.

The final saw Matheson run a strong 6.14 to win the event. Redgrave had troubles on his 8.43 pass but was happy enough to finish runner up to Matheson.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — The first round saw Peter Cochrane advance with a 7.50 against Glen Wooster’s losing 7.84. Michael Gilbertson ran a 7.68 to win against Lachlan Ireland’s red lighting 7.70. Andrew Badcock went 7.27 to advance against Mark Hancock’s 7.82 and Phil Howard reacted quicker to win his round with his 7.53 against Maurice Allen’s slower reacting but quicker 7.49.

The semi’s saw Gilbertson advance with a 7.33 against Cochrane’s 7.40 whilst  Phil Howard went 7.38 to win against Badcock’s 7.49.

The Final was set to be a ripper, however Howard shut off giving Gilbertson the win with a 7.36 secs at 178.14 mph.

(Photos by: Daniel Ward)

CANADIANS ROWE & LANG STILL IN CHAMPIONSHIP HUNT

BY:    Anthony Vestal

(continue reading…)

FIA European Finals — Santa Pod Raceway England, Sep. 9-12^th, 2010

Euro Records Smashed — Champs Crowned at FIA Finals

By:  Roger Gorringe 

The weather forecasts were dire but despite a couple of showers the FIA & UEM European Finals event was one of the best in years; there were stunning records, big highs and deep lows and some unusual bouts in eliminations that all culminated in the crowning of Champions and event winners on the Sunday…..

Top Fuel:

Was a dramatic affair with England’s Andy Carter running a quickest ever 4.613 on Friday then surpassing that on Saturday to gain the European ET record of 4.572 with a 320.19mph clocking, the best ever on an all asphalt quarter mile track. The point leaders were Switzerland’s Urs Erbacher and Finland’s Risto Poutiainen with fellow Finn Anita Mäkelä on a mathematical chance. Carter went out in round one after contacted the timing blocks at one thousand feet negating his 4.962/236 and giving the win to Sweden’s Micke Kågered. Finland’s Janne Ahonen ran the winning 5.032/281 as Denmark’s Stig Neergaard got sideways and lifted. Erbacher stretched his lead when his 4.859/274 beat the 4.987/244 from Finn Jari Halinen. Poutiainen went into instant smoke allowing  Mäkelä to take a front end lifting at three-quarter track win, this gave the FIA Top Fuel Championship to Urs Erbacher. Round two had Ahonen take a 5.11/265 win as Kågered slowed to a 5.747/169 and Erbacher’s 4.900/304 beat Mäkelä’s 5.503/180. It all made a Swiss Finland confrontation for the money run with Urs Erbacher getting away first with Janne Ahonen chasing but in the lights it was a 4.885/278 win for the new champ as Ahonen came in with a losing 4.986/270.

Urs Erbacher clinched the 2010 FIA Top Fuel Championship

Top Methanol Dragster:

Germany’s Timo Habermann had the FIA Top Methanol Dragster Championship all but wrapped up on arrival at the Finals; he ended up second qualifier behind Norway’s Fred Hanssen with a 5.355/266 securing the title. Round one winners were Hanssen over Sweden’s Krister Johansson, England’s Dave Wilson beat Germany’s Peter Schöfer, Timo went out to his brother Dennis Habermann and England’s Derek Flynn beat Norway’s Paul Ingar Udtian. One of the bizarre semis followed; Hanssen and Wilson had damage from the last round and failed to make the round whilst Dennis Habermann banged the blower panel on the burnout allowing Flynn an easy 8.614/96 to the final. Flynn went on to take a 5.351/268 solo for the win and backing up a European speed record of 270.53mph.

England's Derek Flynn prevailed in TMD

Top Methanol Funny Car:

The championship was between Denmark’s Dan Larsen and Germany’s Jürgen Nagel with the latter qualifying ahead of Larsen. It was Belgium’s Danny Bellio that sat on pole with a neat 5.793/247. Bellio took the first round bye as Larsen took out England’s Rob Turner who went up in smoke, Nagel saw off the charge from Brit Stephanie Milam and Dezsoe Krivan solo shaking win as Norway’s Arvid Grødem had broken. The semis gave Dan Larsen the FIA Top Methanol Funny Car Championship when he took out Bellio who red lit as did Nagel in his run-off with Krivan. Dan Larsen beat Krivan in the final an eased off 6.443/186 as Krivan red lit.

TMFC winner and FIA Champ - Dan Larsen

Pro Stock:

 Class wars saw Conrad Stanley the first ever British entry into the FIA class, but he unfortunately broke on the burnout in round one. Sweden’s Jimmy Ålund was not a realistic contender in the point race even though he qualified top with a 6.726/205 ahead of leader Michael Malmgren’s 6.760/202. Losers in round one were Stanley, Tommy Leindahl to new driver Sampsa Palos, Jonas Dantanus to Malmgren and Michael Callin to fellow Swede Jan Palmqvist.

Ålund ran the quickest of the event with a 6.697/206 to defeat a hard charging Palos whose 6.822/202 was not enough. A holeshot 6.819/202 was enough from Malmgren to oust Palmqvist’s close 6.805/204 to field a classic final with arch rivals Malmgren and Ålund. Michael Malmgren had sewn up the FIA Pro Stock Championship and was first away but was chased down by the power of Jimmy Ålund’s car, a 6.731/205 won the event as Malmgren runner upped with a 6.812/204.

Jimmy Alund scored again in Pro Stock

Pro Mod:

Not surprisingly it was hugely popular visiting American, Melanie Troxel that led the large Pro Mod field despite an earlier motor detonation in the pits, a 6.027/241 got her pole position but luck ran out in the semis as she was shut off with a fluid leak. The points race was equal between Swedes Micke Gullqvist and Johan Lindberg. Gullqvist went out in the quarter finals having gone up in smoke then pedalling it chasing an also pedalling Bruno Bader with Bader getting the nod. Lindberg, now the FIA Pro Mod Champion suffered no reverse after the burnout in the semi final leaving Sweden’s Adam Flamholc the win. Flamholc had earlier run two 5-secs passes in his blown ’68 Camaro, but the final was his with a 6.070/233 as Switzerland’s Bruno Bader’s shake and pedal try was not enough.

Johan Lindberg sealed the 2010 FIA Pro Mod Championship

Text and Photos Copyright Roger Gorringe — September 2010.

Martino(s) Realize “Indy” Dream

By:       Bruce Biegler

There is no doubt that the word surreal probably crept into the minds of both Tony and Mark Martino during the recent NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals held at Indianapolis…. (continue reading…)

“Iceman” Upgrades

By:       Bruce Biegler

Richmond Hill Ontario’s Ken and Adam Perry, who operate the sport of drag racing’s all-time quickest supercharged and alcohol burning TAD class car, are priming themselves for even quicker and faster performances…. (continue reading…)

Q32 Series Series Wraps up at Cayuga

Late Season Flurry from Montesano

By:  Tim Miller

The driver of the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Modified nailed down the number one qualifying spot with a 5.887-second, 238.53-mph in the large field of cars during the Marydel Homes Qualifying Session.

“We have worked hard to get this package together, together with Jason at Coan Racing to accomplish some goals, one of which was to qualify number one at a PMRA event.” And also to conquer the 5.80’s with a converter.

And he said he has already made plans for next season.

Chrysler Canada Honours Top Canadian Techs

By:  John Bolton

During the recent Mopar Canadian Nationals some top achieving technicians from within Chrysler’s Master Tech program were honored during a pre-race ceremony….  (continue reading…)