Supercharged Outlaws
With a field of 40 cars initially there would have been a few disappointed non qualifiers in Supercharged Outlaws, but only 27 returned and that was reduced further after some mechanical mayhem in the test sessions.
Matty Watts had a 60 point lead in the championship over John Trinder with several others just behind him.
Steve Easton top qualified his funny car with a 6.53.
Bronte Henning and son Jay traveled from the NT for the first half of the event.
Tony Argentino was another who travelled a great distance to compete and couldn’t return, the Argentino team will be missing next season sitting it out to concentrate on business commitments.
Bart Bedrossian had some wild launches trying to tame his altered.
Les Winter returned but holed a engine in one of the test sessions.
Bill Fletcher had his new dragster running sweetly with son Josh now behind the wheel of the old car.
Shannon Gaddes was at his first event with his new altered running into the sixes
Roly would be smiling down on Peter Leahy’s long smoky burnouts and wheels up launches along with mid six second ET’s
John Trinder’s hopes were dashed of a championship when the Torana kicked out a couple of rods firing up for his first round match up against a returning Joe Schembri.
Darryl Woods advanced a round in the rebuilt Mustang after the cars monstrous accident at last years accident.
The championship was blown wide open when Matty Watts 7.12 (7.02) lost to John Loy’s Torana 7.72 (7.64) in round one, the loss made now made contenders of Paul Stephen, Fiona Keating, Christine Steffens who all advanced.
In round two both Stephens who defeated Bill Fletcher and Keating who beat Easton continued to eat into Watts’ point lead. But controversy rained when Steffens had her dragster stall after the burnout on a single, the team was disqualified when the car was restarted due to outside assistance. After protesting the ruling due to obscure rulebook wording about outside assistance on a solo and a lot of heated discussion, the original DQ was upheld ending her championship.
Darren Fry fell in round three to young gun Josh Fletcher, and Keating who defeated John Loy continued to the semi’s with Stephen who had a single.
The championship on the line for both Stephen and Keating as they faced each other in the semi, a 7.20 (7.12) for the altered of Stephen capped with a 0.45 reaction force Keating to break out 7.41 (7.42) trying to chase him down. This ended Keating’s championship but did wrap up the local Track Championship title, Stephen would still have to win the final to take the title.
In a rookie match up Luke Marsden in his first Supercharged Outlaws event would be going to the final defeating Josh Fletcher in his first season out of Juniors, after identical .020 reactions the funny cars 6.94 (6.62) was too good for the break out 7.28 (7.31).
Rained however ruined Paul Stephen’s Hail Mary chance of a championship and monumental comeback from last years disaster, with Matty Watt’s hanging on to the title.
Modified
Going into the Winternationals the well traveled Tony Littlewood had a 60 point lead over Kelly Corbett and Andrew Loy. In round one though a trend was developing in the Group 3 ranks with the points leader losing, Littlewood red lit by just .001 against Bruce Mansfield.
Michelle Osborn had qualified number one with a 7.25 and with Littlewood on the trailer she became a major contender but a red light in round one finished her chances as well.
Next up Kelly Corbett and current champion was driving her brothers dragster after the huge wreck in Sydney was in the box seat if she could go rounds, but the dragster spun the tyres off the line sending opponent Phil Bellert to the next round.
Andrew Loy now the next best to take the points lead off Littlewood though he would need to make the semi finals to have a chance at the title, a win over Bob Millet in round one had him on the path.
The lost of the top point holders also brought Shane Wynd’s dragster and Chris Mank’s altered into contention if they could win the event, both racers moved on to the second round.
Andrew Pinkstone’s 8.16 (8.05) was good enough to take down Loy’s 7.84 (7.70) in the round two, and another contender falls.
As fate would have it, Manks and Wynd faced each other in round two, a red light from the former Super Sedan national champion sent Manks’ quest onward as the only racer who can now take the title from Littlewood.
Phil Bellert’s .003 was good in his round three match up, but Troy Barrett’s .001 in the other lane was better, both racers pushed each other to a double breakout with Bellert taking the win into the semi.
Bob Frawley moved to the semi after David Mullins’ red lit, Frawley claimed the Willowbank Track Championship in the process.
After taking out the points leader in round one, Mansfield fell victim to his own red light against Pinkstone.
Young Ami King also picked off a cherry against Manks, Manks was two wins away from the national title but the rains came and he will have to start his campaign over next season.
Modified Bike
The make up of the Modified Bike championship was a interesting affair, with only two riders in the top ten point scorers actually able to win the championship, that being Daniel Sekli and Rod Barchet. A number of Sydney bikes which lead the points did not contest the event and Barchet also did not return to the rerun which basically meant anyone who had previously scored points and competed outside their division had a shot at the title.
Championship leader with 120 points was Daniel Sekli who also top qualified his Kawasaki with a 8.80, but that trend continued and Sekli was out in round one at the hands Dave Rundmann.
Mick Mundey who now had a mathematical chance lost to Michael Mitchell also in round one.
Robert Simmonds trounced Mark Watson with a 9.01 (9.00) to move into round two and was the only one left after round one who could grasp the championship off Sekli, but he would need to put the ‘Busa into the semi’s.
Dennis Ryan claimed the Track Championship and moved into round three, Ryan would also have had the Australian title had he competed outside of his division, Simmonds also moved on.
David Rundmann was still going strong in eliminations and a round 3 solo had him into the semi final.
NSW’s Matthew Kempe joined him in a double red light race with Ryan.
Micheal Beaton ended Simmonds championship campaign 10.61 (10.60) to the Hayabusa’s 9.08 (9.00), thus falling one win short of the title which reverted back to Sekli. That’s how eliminations in Modified Bike finished up when the precipitation started.
Super Sedan
82 Super Sedans went into battle, the championship was evenly poised with Jim Denaro and Neil Constantinou narrowly leading a bunch of racers.
Sydney’s quick sedans held down the top five qualifying spots, with Mathew Basanovic earning his first six from his nitrous Capri with a 6.97 to take the top spot.
Daniel List had the Nova flying high again.
Michael Nash’s gorgeous beetle and a tumble in the braking area during qualifying, Nash was unhurt but the bug was pretty beat up.
Greg Fowler was close behind in the teams new GXP with a 7.01 at 199 MPH. The GXP lost in the first round but ran 6.97 at 200 MPH resetting the SS/A speed record.
Neil Constantinou looking for another number one plate was the next points leader to be eliminated in round one courtesy of Alan Grimsey’s Capri going 9.06 on a 9.06 dial. Denaro and a host of other contenders moved on to round two which was held at the rerun.
The other points leader Denaro didn’t last much longer, breaking out by 3/1000ths against contender Paul Doeblien in round two.
Paul Doblien had given his Falcon ute a new look between the two event segments and also won his round three match up defeating Gary Brett in his new Pontiac after a crash a couple years ago destroyed his Torana. Brother Darren Doeblien also moved on with fellow contender Steven Fowler.
Round three did see the demise of Mark Harding from the championship race fouling out against John Poole.
Round four became a championship decider, Darren Doeblien pulled a red light against Gary Clarke’s Torana and Fowler ended new Track Champion Paul Doeblien’s run with a killer 7.73 on a 7.73 dial, the win securing the Fowler team another national Super Sedan championship.
Earl McCallum’s HK defeated John Poole ute in the first semi with a 10.91 (10.85) over the Ford’s 9.67 (9.53)
Steve Fowler shot into the would be final when Clarke red lit but a 7.74 on a 7.73 from the Beretta was going to be super hard to beat anyway.
Super Street
Rob Harrington had a 40 point lead over Kylie Tanner entering the Winters
Tanner in her LJ Torana from SA lost in round one to another contender in Ethan Hort from WA, while Harrington moved on.
Multiple time Sydney Track Champion Joe Zammit was also in the chase, though he won his first round double breakout match up, a 10.99 from the VL meant a disqualification in Super Street.
Another championship candidate from south of the border Mark Phillips was beaten by Darren Kellaway also in round one giving Harrington a tighter grip on the title.
By round two at the rerun Daryl Williams fell to Ken Moss’ Cortina ruling him out of the championship, Harrington defeated Damien Morris and Ethan Hort did not return from WA. Harrington only needed now to win his next round of racing to become the champion.
Harrington took victory in round three defeating Lucas Holz, claiming the national title and the local track championship.
Wallace met Harrington in round four, Wallace was the only racer who could of taken the title had Harrington lost in the previous round. Wallace did take some payback running 11.15 (11.13) to the Commodore’s breakout 12.57 (12.60) to move on to the semi.
Chris Heit and Dave Moller also moved on to the semi finals had they been run.
Super Gas
With a 40 point lead over a the rest of field and running in fine form Roy Romeo was going to be the one to beat in Super Gas, but that first round hoodoo continued as Darryl Stephen in his Probe dumped a 9.909 on Romeo’s 9.92 in round one meaning the championship would most likely go to whoever could win the event if other results fell their way.
Ian Nielsen defeated Simon Isherwood with a 9.90 of his own, Colin Griffin went red against Loughlin Boyde, likewise Graeme Spencer against current champion Dale O’Dwyer and Dave Gauldie had a solo.
Rick Dudek had a large holeshot on Joe Catanzariti but backed off too early with a10.36 to a 10.03 allowing the Torana to drive around at the stripe.
Gauldie moved into the semi holding off O’Dwyer and claimed the track championship as did Boyde.
Stephen broke out against Catanzariti and that’s where the racing ended, Catanzariti was holding a 20 point advantage over Gauldie and was declared the Australian Champion.
Junior Dragster
Junior Dragster was a battle in two between Matt Loy and Jake Donnelly.
Kiwi’s Alyvea Lawson and Tyler Zahorodny made the trip across the pond and faced off here in qualifying
Matthew Loy suffered the same fate as the majority of the other point leaders, bombing himself out in round one with a red light.
Jake Donnelly didn’t do much better being trailered at the rerun by Tristan Plant, but it was enough for the track championship.
Hayley Mackay and Daniel Donnelly though were the only other racers able to catch Jake, but Mackay also lost with a cherry in round two. Daniel Donnelly had to win the event to take the title off his brother, but he too turned on the red bulb in round three handing the title to Jake Donnelly.
When racing stopped the semi finals featured Kaine Schwarz, Tristan Plant and Jake Roney.
Snapshot
Bob Keith returned from the US to fire up is meticulously restored dragster by Lex Swayn, the dragster was the first blown big block Chev dragster in the world.
A cacklefest at the rerun with the “Scorcher” FED, it was the last appearance of the countries first 200 MPH car of Ash Marshall in Australia.
The Winternationals always provides plenty of off track entertainment and sights.
Victor Bray had some of his old rides on display bring back a lot of memories from the old Wildbunch days.
The kids scramble for the free giveaways.
Though this young lady preferred the capture the action.
Hopefully he lost a bet, there would be no sane reason for this.
Track photographer Angus Macmaster getting a birds eye view of the track.
The Hogster was back.
USA Pro Stock veteran Jim Yates was brought over by Dave Newcombe and lent a hand in Australia’s first Pro Stock six second pass.
Rob Oberg announced his retirement from commentary and was awarded a plaque for his contribution to Willowbank Raceway.
Reece Glass may be from the bush, but this was not the place to start a camp fire.
No one is safe from the ANDRA RBT squad.
Click on next to view the Lights, Camera, Action Event photo gallery.
