They say that being number one is easy but that staying there is the true test of a racer’s mettle.
And so it will be when Aaron Hambridge, pilot of the Team APM Top Alcohol Dragster takes to the Sydney Dragway quarter mile on the 29th April – 1st of May in an effort to maintain and extend his points leader over a sea of former category champions.
With just four points separating from fellow Top Alcohol Dragster racer Wayne Newby, Hambridge knows that he has his work cut out for him if he’s to increase that margin to a championship winning level.
“We’ve won meetings, we’ve set and rest national records but the championship has eluded us. This season thanks to Jamie Noonan from NRE and our mates at Fabre Australia we’re in the best position to really go for it.”
When the subject of records is mentioned, Hambridge is quick to point out that he likes going fast and running at the front of the field but that it’s not without reason.
“When you’ve got experienced racers like Wayne (Newby) right on your tail you have to push hard on every pass to get the win. You can’t take it easy or rest on your laurels. The funny car guys like Gary (Phillips) are always really fast and so it’s even more important that we chase the bonus points for speed and elapsed time.”
In other developments, the team’s own dragster chassis has now been repaired to better-than-new specification by Sydney’s SCF Race Cars and will replace the borrowed hardware generously lent to the team by Jamie Noonan of Noonan Race Engineering.
“For Jamie to let me borrow his car after my crash at the start of the season was more than any driver could ask for. It’s a big deal and something that has played the biggest role in our being able to contest the championship. It’ll be good to get back into my car again and test before the Nitro Champs.”
With 471 cubic inches of supercharged Hemi V8 producing upwards of 3500hp, the Team APM dragster is sure to be the one to watch at Sydney Dragway, 29th April – 1st of May for round Four of the ANDRA Pro Series Drag Racing Top Alcohol Championship. See www.sydneydragway.com.au for more info.
