Perth Motorplex officially launched their drag racing season with the first round of the WA Drag Racing Championship featuring round one of Nitro Max last weekend.
The weather gods did their best to upset proceedings with bitter cold and some wet stuff hanging about that made racing conditions challenging, but the event did run to a conclusion.
The Nitro Max field was small for the first round with just three cars, all of them funny cars. This included Tim Stewart who has stepped up from Supercharged Outlaws and completed licensing in his Camaro ‘Thumper’ with a 7.57 – also the quickest run of the night, with conditions getting the better of the other teams.
Aaron Deery and Ben Stevens made some laps aboard their nitro bikes as they prepare for what will be a huge ADRC round for the class at the Goldenstates.
The Top Doorslammer Summer Slam series was not part of this event, so the doorslammers slotted back into Top Comp for those looking for more track time ahead of the Goldenstates. John Zappia was on point again top qualifying with a 5.71 on a 5.68 index, ahead of Sam Treasure’s AA/Altered that clocked a 5.98 on a 5.81 index.
Running on a three round format, Zappia however wasn’t quick enough to make the A Final, and Treasure had a thrash in qualifying, and just missed the call to race Paul Carey in the first round, ruling the altered out of finals contention. As a result Russell Ladbrook was to race Carey in an all blown altered final, but it was Carey this time who could not take the green.
Errol Quartermaine with his DD/G Falcon of the BA variety topped the Super Comp qualifying heap with a 8.17 (7.76IN) and kept that form to win the event over Brett Glover’s rotary powered RX7.
In Competition Bike, Daniel Natalotto was well under the B/SB index with his Kawasaki running 9.21 on a 9.67. Natalotto reached the final after the three Chicago Shootout rounds, but was trumped by Ross Smith who smashed the 8.65 A/AB index with a 8.17.
In the other sportsman classes, Jodie Mellitt took her dragster to the win in Supercharged Outlaws over Peter Appleby’s blown HG Ute and Phil Rowles scooted to a victory in the Top Sportsman final with his RX4 after opponent Alby Bakranich let a big holeshot get away from him with a breakout.
Kevin Boulton defeated David Gillespie in the Outlaw Radial final, the Trans Am’s 8.60 too quick for the VL Commdore’s 8.82. Nicholas Wroe took home the winner’s trophy in a small Modified field. Roger Moorhouse’s Torana snatched the win in the Super Sedan final after a breakout from Kathy Reagan.
Back on two wheels, and Simon Garbutt conquered a big Modified Bike field, riding away with the win on his Hayabusa in the final over Chris Morgan. Super Street went to Brett Connelly and his Courier, the final win gifted to him by a red light from Steph Gullotto. And finally in Junior Dragster Angel Bakranich was victorious running almost dead on her dial in against Jett Martin.
The 48th Goldenstates in next up on the calendar at the Perth Motorplex on Nov11/12 featuring Australian Top Fuel Championship, Australian Drag Racing Championship for Top Doorslammer and Top Bike, plus the ANDRA Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.
Check out some photos courtesy of Phil Reeve.
