The Zappia Racing Team are set to enter their third event in their East Coast Tour for 2011, with this weeks 2011 Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway being Round 6 of the ANDRA Pro Series Top Doorslammer Championship.
The Team started their tour last month in Sydney for Round 5 of Top Doorslammer, but the event was washed out due to rain. The Sunraysia Slamfest drag racing event followed in Mildura, and after the Nitro Champs the team head up to Darwin for their opening event – then over to Queensland for the Winternationals.
Defending Top Doorslammer Champion John Zappia was more than confident this week when asked about the Nitro Champs – “The car and team have gained some momentum in the last two competing events, and our whole package is the strongest we have been all season”.
“We feel we are back in the winning groove, and are confident we can put the Procomp Motorsport “Crusher” HQ Monaro on the track with the best possible set up and tune up we have. Getting these hugely powerful slammers to run consistently and as we want them to run is a hard task – probably more than any other form of motorsport. It’s easy to get it wrong by small margins, and it’s easy to get lost with the hundreds of variables available”.
“The crew at Zappia Racing and all the dozens of supporters close to the team provide a depth to my tuning and decision making with the car. Our major sponsors are right behind our efforts, and the opportunity to bring their branding to regional Australia is welcomed. We really love the regional drag racing as racers and crew”.
“We fronted for the eighth mile racing in Mildura mildly optimistic, but in new territory as we had never raced that way before. Although the event was rained out, we managed to reset the speed and mph track records and top qualify for the event.”
“We ran a 4.27 @ 167mph off the trailer – rattling the Hoosiers and fishtailing all over the track. I got off early and was late with the chutes, causing a few dramas at the end of the track”.
“Second qualifier I was a little more prepared, and we adjusted the clutch a little and re-set the track record with a 4.02. The car rattled again – I hit top early and it started to drift off center so I got out early – hence the 183mph speed”.
Top four qualifiers were Zappia 4.02, Phillips 4.07, Ben Bray 4.17 and Chambers 4.42. Zappia drew Marcus Chambers in the first round – two HQ Monaro’s racing side by side!
“The car rattled again in second and I had to pedal, punched top early and drove it out the back door for a 4.03 @ 190mph – backing up the E.T. track record, and resetting the Speed track record as well. Unfortunately the event was rained out after the first round, so we packed up and headed back to Sydney”.
“The depth of our data and experience showed and I think at our first eighth mile event, and the ability to use some unique ratio’s with the B & J Transmissions we use. We raced at Ravenswood for years in the old Zap’s Rat, and that was pretty difficult to get down that track. We learnt a lot of our racecraft in doorslammers back then, and with modern cars and equipment it is easier for us to dial in a tune that will get us down the track”.
“The team is looking forward to the Nitro Champs in Sydney – we are ready and we are pumped for another win, to advance our Championship aspirations for the season”.
John Zappia leads the 2011 Top Doorslammer Championship, after pulling off the win of the season at Round 4 in Perth that catapulted him from fourth to first in the point score.
The Nitro Champs are scheduled for 29th April to the 1st May 2011 at Sydney Dragway. For details go to www.wsid.com.au
The Hidden Valley Drag Strip Macmahon Grand Re-Opening presented by 7mate, is on the 13th and 14th May 2011 and will feature a special Top Doorslammer bracket. For more details go to www.hiddenvalleydrags.com
The Winternationals are on the 10th – 13th June 2011 at Willowbank International Raceway. For more details go to www.willowbank-raceway.com.au
For more details, photos and videos go to www.zapsrat.com.au
Naming Rights Sponsors
Procomp Motorsport and Procomp Electronics
Major Sponsors
Striker Crushing and Screening, Fuchs Lubricants, K-Trans Racing, Beta Spuds, Southside Engine Centre, Noonan Race Engineering and PPG Automotive Refinish.
Supporting Sponsors
Santhuff, Victory1, B & J Racing Transmissions, Mi Camcorders, Current Trendz, Veem, Crow Cams, Force Tools Australia, Aero Group – Avtrac Maintenance Tracking, Legend Boatbuilders, Taylor Tyres, Kounis Metal Industries, Bravo Resources, CIC High Performance Coatings, Aurora Bearings, Track-Meter, and Alltools.
