Rick Neilsen is just one of a host of Queenslanders, not to mention another Winternationals winner, making the trek south to Mildura as part of a start studded field for Round 9 of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship this weekend.
Racing for Jack Bros. Engineering and Precise Automatics, Neilsen was impressive in June on his home track at Willowbank going all the way to win the Super Sedan Fuchs Winternationals crown in the face of stiff competition from 73 other competitors.
While the field at Mildura Sunset Strip on September 13-14 may not be quite as large, it will be no less competitive as Super Sedan is consistently one of the toughest classes in Australian Drag Racing.
“Super sedan is the most diverse and toughest bracket,” explains Neilsen. “Everybody has a chance of winning on any given day. You can have a full chassis race car that runs six seconds over the quarter mile or a 10 second car.
“You don’t have to be the fastest, just the most consistent. With at least five rounds of racing you have to be on your game. One slip up and you are on your way home.”
Neilsen sits 170 points behind defending Super Sedan Champion John Kapiris and has his work cut out to take the number one. But it is not inconceivable to claim the title should he take his 445 cubic inch small block Windsor powered Ford XY GT to the winners circle in one or more of the remaining three rounds.
“At this stage we are giving the Championship a go. We have also entered the Aeroflow round in Benaraby (spilt round with Adelaide). We won that event last year in Super Sedan so I am confident we can pick up some points to close the gap.”
“The X-Champs (in Sydney) were just unlucky breaking out in the first round by three thousandths. It happens from time to time because you have to run on your dial in. After that event we tested a lot and found consistency with the car, which gave me a lot of confidence to run the car out the back door and not be afraid of breaking out.”
Although Neilsen is yet to race in Mildura he has experience over the eighth mile distance at Warwick Dragway in Queensland.
“We have not raced at Mildura before but I love eighth mile racing and have had a lot of success at Warwick so hopefully we can do well at Mildura this weekend.
Round 9 of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship will be held at Mildura Sunset Strip on September 13-14. Qualifying begins from 11am on Saturday and Eliminations commence from 10am Sunday. Tickets are available at the gate. For more information please visit: www.sunsetstrip.org.au
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