9 October 2024
It’s crunch time for racers. With the penultimate round of the 2024 NSW Track Championship wrapped up, the stage is now set for hard-fought showdowns at the upcoming Grand Final as another NSW Track Championship rapidly races towards its conclusion.
A blossoming Boosted Outlaws category had 10 entrants with a mix of supercharged and turbo combatants. Britney Olive continued her dominance in the bracket with her blown dragster, racing into the final with three round wins. She was meant to face the Speedflow blown altered of Shaun Liefting who was also perfect on the win sheet for the event, but mechanical misgivings left Olive unchallenged for the event win and she streaks away in the track championship.
Ryan Franks pushed ahead his championship advantage with a win in Extreme Bike, Franks was the quickest bike of the day and his 7.405 in the final out gunned Mike Lawson for the event win.
A first round loss for Joe Gattellari who has won there events this season opened up opportunity in the Top Sportsman championship chase. Gattellari’s two main challengers were to reach the final, however the planetary gears in the Flying Carrot Escort exploded leaving Joe Sorbello to take the points in the final on a solo in his Skyline.
The battleground that is Modified is no closer to crowning a champion with the FEDs of George Bukureshliev and CJ Davies still tied in the championship post-event. Davies finished runner up to Danielle MacCaskell who ran a great holeshot 7.347 on a 7.33 in her dragster to take the win light in the final.
Joe Zammit punished both his Super Sedan championship rivals, Andrew Little and David Gruber after they were trailer bound following round one. Zammit continued through the rounds in his VL winning the final against Jim Denaro to claim a 30 point advantage heading into the Grand Final.
The Modified Bike field were probably relieved to see no Sean Ricketts on the entry list, Ricketts who won five straight events was busy off at Dragway At The Bend winning the NDRC National Championship. As a result Lucas Neagoe up from Victoria took home the event win over Michael Riches, the runner-up finish for Riches gives the Suzuki rider a mathematical shot at Ricketts points lead heading into the Grand Final.
It’s all tied up in the Super Street points fight, Mark Hopkins and Adam Bowers remained locked up at the top of points with Rob Matestic moving into outside contention after he dropped his Camaro into the winner’s circle at the penultimate round. Matestic fought Brett Stucthbury for the win light in the final in a double-breakout race that saw both racers leave on identical reactions.
The Super Gas championship is all-but over, Joe Catanzariti nailed his fourth win of the season defeating Vince Panetta in a double-breakout final, Catanzariti only needs to see first round in his Pontiac Firebird at the Grand Final to claim the title.
Daniella Axiak cranked a 7.703 on a 7.70 to win an all-girl shootout in the Junior Dragster final, opponent Tegan Smith gave up the win with a heart-breaking one thou breakout. Piper Bennett is still cruising comfortably in the championship lead. While in Junior Bike Joshua Bertenshaw rode to his fifth win of the season and will take the inaugural Junior Drag Bike Track Championship.
A late season charge in Street Fighter with back to back wins for Danny Stadelmaier see the old AU Falcon on top of the series chase. Stadelmaier ran down Chris Vorillas’ Falcon in the final with a near perfect 13.951 on a 13.95 chase. While over in Street Bike, it’s a three-way tie going into the finale. A final fight between Greg Horadam and Jessy Barnes that saw Horadam’s Kawasaki take the win light is a double-breakout race elevated both riders to the championship lead alongside Daniel Bertenshaw.
The NSW Championship Grand Final will be an epic conclusion over two days as it partners with the PDRC to host the opening NDRC Championship rounds for Pro Alcohol, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Mod on Nov 15 and 16.
