Events are rolling out quickly at the Perth Motorplex now there new season is underway with the WA Quarter Mile Masters run on Nov 11, an event celebrating the WA’s drag racing icons and featuring the first round of the WA Top Doorslammer and Top Fuel Motorcycle championship.
In the build up to the event there was a flood of nostalgic photos released across social media from teams and the Perth Motorplex of cars and racers that have been apart of Western Australia’s drag racing history.
Into racing at there was five local Top Doorslammers on show for round one of their local series, plus Jaydee Dack who was licensing the family’s Mustang ahead of the national round at the Goldenstates. John Zappia coming off a rough showing at the NDRC Spring Nationals was back on point top qualifying with a 5.76.
Zappia’s return to form was short-lived when a transmission failure left the Monaro stranded and unable to stage on his solo first round run. Lisa Gregorini left before the tree in her race with Maurice Brennan who spun on the hit in the Commodore, and husband Daniel Gregorini, the only car to run a number with a 5.81 against a blower banging Andrew Cole ending and eventful round.
Lisa Gregorini was due to face Cole in the B-Final, but he chose not return after the previous round’s light show, and instead she was paired up against Zappia. Gregorini tried to chop Zap at the tree but came up red again, Zap’s Rat pedalling to a 5.95.
Daniel Gregorini and Brennan duelled in a pedalfest for the Quarter Mile Masters events win, with the Gregorini Camaro finishing on top after an adventurous 7.871 pass.
Top Fuel Motorcycle only saw two bikes in the field likely due to the closeness of the national round. Ricky Wood and Greg Durack were the combatants in the match race, and Durack on his potent Kawasaki took the A Final events honours with a 7.88.
In a strong Top Comp field, Connor McClure’s angry green LC Torana got the job done at the end of the night defeating Nigel Johnson’s Top Alcohol Dragster. McClure’s 6.56 on a 6.63 AA/APIA index held on against Johnson’s fast charging 5.586 on his 5.57 index. Ross Smith belted the A/AB index in Comp Bike with a sledgehammer and ended the night undefeated after he ran down Daniel Natalotto in the final.
Vince Belladonna and his stunning Torana kicked his season into top gear with a win in Supercharged Outlaws over young gun Brodie Zappia and his procharged Camaro. Modified newcomer Paul Garbellini carried on from his Super Street winning ways taking the win light in the final against Michelle Morrison. A big field of Modified Bikes shook down to Graham Jennings and Andrew Sellears in the final round, it was over at the tree after a flash of red in Sellears lane.
Rocco Salvo took the event theme to a new level wrapping his Top Sportsman Camaro in a tribute to Pro Stock racer Chris Mills – correct us if we are wrong, but we believe it is the actual Mills Pro Stock machine as well. Alby Bakranich overcame Roger Moorehouse’s 0.005 reaction to knock him off in the Top Sportsman final.
Purple was the theme in the Super Sedan final, Glen Sterkenburg took his Holden ute to the victory against Christine May’s cant be missed Studebaker. In Super Street Paul Zuidema had his Clevo powered CX ute on song for the win beating Jeff Thurley’s VG Pacer. Finally Lucas Green was king of the kids for this event winning Junior Dragster after battling Seth Jervis in the final.
Thanks to Phil Reeve for these shots from the event.
