By his own admission Canberra Doorslammer racer Jeremy Callaghan was looking at buying a boat on his way back from his ill-fated trip to the Westernationals last month. After rolling his immaculate Moits Motorsport 70.5 Camaro in his first battle on race day at the Motorplex and having had mechanical dramas at his first appearance at the Spring Nationals at The Bend “JC” was understandably disheartened.
A concerted effort by Callaghan’s team however led by Skip and the Moits militia saw the pristine Z28 (with understandably a couple of small ‘blemishes’ still evident on the roof and side panels). None the less he remained upbeat and keen to reward his young team with a positive result at the Riverbend Nationals over the weekend. Nobody, including Callaghan himself, saw him not only making it into the A-Final in a 14-car field but then actually winning the event.
Callaghan faced the always imposing defending Australian Champion and current points leader Russell Taylor in the Royal Precision Lubricants 68’ Camaro but the West Aussie red-lit handing Callaghan the dream comeback result. Not that it was a gift he didn’t earn with the Canberra gasser loading up a 0.009 and a stout 5.75 to end a dream day with the perfect reward for perseverance.
Even Taylor conceded, “Jeremy and his team have done a great job and it’s cool to see a new team in Doorslammer getting a result like this. To be honest I stepped on my weaner with the red light but I’m happy to see Jeremy come back from his crash like this.”
With a ripping 14-car field the Riverbend Nationals promised plenty in terms of repeat or new winner alike and with an ever-changing NDRC points situation interest was focused mostly on Taylor’s runaway points advantage and the subsequent battle behind him between Lisa Gregorini and John and Brodie Zappia for second to fourth.
As usual there was plenty of drama and plenty of PB action at Australia’s newest dream arena – Dragway at The Bend.
Crow Cams Australia Qualifying saw Russell Taylor take the $1000 on offer with a typically stirring 5.60 ahead of Lisa Gregorini’s PB 5.64 (improving from a 5.68 in Q1), John Zappia’s 5.66 (improving from a 5.68 in Q1), Jeremy Callaghan’s 5.72 (improving from a 5.77 in Q1), Ronnie Palumbo’s 5.80, Brodie Zappia’s PB 5.82, Matt Abel’s encouraging 5.91, Peter Lovering’s new lightweight Shoebox 5.94, Kiwi Steve Carlsen’s 6.48, Andrew Sutton’s 6.90, Scott Ferguson’s 8.78, Peter Kapiris’ struggles starting early with 9.99, Mick Mahoney’s issues in the challenging Shelby and Daniel Gregorini’s horror weekend with an uncharacteristic 19.34. The majority of the field had trouble gluing down on the surface for the first of three Qualifying sessions with Ronnie Palumbo initially being the #1 qualifier with his 5.80 which ironically he wouldn’t better in the next two sessions – neither would Pete Lovering.
Round One of the all run format saw Pete Lovering take care of Matt Abel – an agonising .416 light didn’t help the Territorian – with Lovering’s consistent 5.90 taking care of Abel’s ripping late run to a 5.78.
Brodie Zappia took the Max Plant Monaro to a 5.92 to best Kiwi Steve Carlsen’s Yehaa Racing Falcon Sprint on a PB 6.26 which had the NZ team feeling fine and dandy and expecting more later in the weekend.
Ronnie Palumbo took the AC Delco Monaro to 6.21 over Scott Ferguson with a DNR but Palumbo was having trouble getting what he wanted from OI’ Betsy and break into the 5s. Callaghan showed his potential with a 5.76 – he’d be consistently in the mid 5.7s most of the weekend – whilst Peter Kapiris was experiencing four-link issues amongst other things that would eventually see him pack up early.
John Zappia had a scary moment when fluid from under the car saw the Dananni/Fuchs Monaro veer hard right into the opposing lane where Adelaide truckie Mick Mahoney had fortunately already skipped ahead to eventually run his first ever complete pass in a respectable 6.92 after a horror final run in qualifying the night before with rear end issues in the gorgeous Shelby. Zap’s DQ for crossing the centre line caused concern on two levels for the West Aussie icon – firstly the lack of points and secondly the question over what the moisture was and where did it come from. Lisa Gregorini had issues gluing the Consolidated Group Camaro down on her fortunately solo pass whilst Russell Taylor did Russell things in his solo pass to log in a sizzling 5.63.
Round Two saw Lisa Gregorini get back to business with a 5.71 as the Scratch and Match team revert to a single car team with husband Daniel having an expensive engine issue and electing to focus on “Team Orange” in what has been a tough season so far for ‘Youngblood’. Lisa took the win over Mahoney’s 8.83 as the team continued to try and iron out the bugs.
Steve Carlsen proved his consistency with a 6.86 but Ronnie Palumbo took the “W” with a pedestrian by his own standards 6.26 as the front wheels off the tarmac saw him in and out of the “Madonna” – as Jeff Cutajar would call it – aka “the Groove”.
One of the most anticipated races in Top Doorslammer history saw eleven times National Champion John Zappia take on his exciting newcomer nephew Brodie as the near identical “Zapp’s Rats” thrilled the South Australian crowd with a speedy side by side run which John won with a 5.72 over Brodie’s 5.84. John really stepped up his RT time with an .07 knowing he had to with Brodie ripping an 0.03 light alongside him.
Callaghan ran a consistent but slower this time 6.14 to get the win alongside the DNR for Scott Ferguson. Matt Abel showed speed and consistency again with a 5.79 for his solo and Russell Taylor headed to the A-Final again with a 5.75. Pete Lovering unfortunately didn’t stage whilst initially showing up but later diagnosing issues that took him out of the weekend.
Those results saw Taylor to face Callaghan in the A-Final. John Zappia did not need a D-Final appearance given his points chase on Lisa Gregorini but that’s what he got courtesy of the DQ in Round One. Brodie Zappia took out the C-Final with a 5.93 over Matt Abel. Ronnie Palumbo and Lisa Gregorini faced off in a typically entertaining Lisa-Ronnie stoush in the B-Final with Lisa winning the tree battle with an unusually slow 0.93 over Palumbo’s similar .97. Palumbo scored the holeshot win with a finally quick 5.71 against Lisa’s 5.68 which nearly gave her MPH in the finals with a 252.58 effort – Callaghan would run 252.70 in the A-Final.
The next round of the NDRC Australian Top Fuel Championship heads to home base for Ronnie Palumbo and Pete Lovering and now Riverbend Nationals winner Jeremy Callaghan – Sydney Dragway for the Nitro Champs on May 2-4.
Russell Taylor commands a healthy advantage over Lisa Gregorini in second whilst the Zappias continue their battle for third in what looks like being another mega round in Sydney. In the interim the Zappias will return to the Motorplex this weekend as Brodie attempts to wrap up the Blown Alcohol All Stars points and win his third major this season which now includes the Direct Mining and Industrial WA Championship and the Westernationals.
Peter Kapiris’ frisky Dodge Saratoga has returned to the Jeff Cutajar/Kapiris workshop in Gisborne Victoria before heading to Maurice Fabietti’s shop in Sydney to hopefully settle down the Dodge and run some strong numbers in the Harbour City.
Daniel Gregorini has fond memories of the Nitro Champs having won there previously and he’ll be hoping that they can solve some headaches as the Gregorinis return from WA.
