The West Coast Summer Slam Top Doorslammer series returned to action at Perth Motorplex, with a strong 11 car field chasing points in the local series.
Daniel Gregorini was on point early with his Camaro, top qualifying on a 5.79 ahead of a 5.85 from Kelvin Lyle’s Mustang. A transbrake issue for John Zappia meant Zap’s Rat would not record a time in qualifying and have to face Lyle in the elimination round.
Summer Slam is contested over one elimination round with the quickest four winners running A and B Finals.
Gregorini had a bye in the elimination, so a win was guaranteed, but he would still need a quick ET to reach the A Final, and he delivered a 5.82. Lyle went quicker with a 5.81, but it was on the back of a loss to Zappia’s 5.76. This would form the A Final in after the round was complete. Matt Abel’s 6.44 victory over Stuart Moresby’s 6.61 sent the 57 Chev into to the B Final where he would face Pino Priolo who defeated the wild wheelstanding Charger of Shane Catalano.
Abel ended up with a solo in the B-Final to a non-representative pass, while Gregorini and Zappia put on a cracker. Zappia snatching the win with a 5.73 to a 5.78 to remain the points leader of the series.
Moreno Gullotto once again conquered Top Comp, the CC/API Soarer went 6.62 on a 6.66 index to head qualifying in a nine car field. Nigel Johnson blasted out a 5.58 in his Top Alcohol dragster, just missing his 5.57 index for second, and a honourable mention to Paul Carey who clocked up his first five second pass in his Top Alcohol Altered with a 5.96 on a 5.73 index slotting him into sixth.
Johnson’s dragster didn’t see the tree in the elimination round, Gullotto with a 6.70 (6.66IN) kept the Soarer ahead of a storming Russell Ladbrook AA/Altered – 5.83 (5.81IN). Third qualifier Madison Brown would join Gullotto in the A Final with her Celica funny car after taking out Carey. Ryan Van Dyk took the win light in the only other race of the round when Bailey McClure’s Torana was timed out trying to get up on the boost.
The Van Dyk dragster went on to win the B Final with a 6.50 (6.26IN) over Ladbrook’s 6.22 (5.81IN). A red light ended Brown’s hopes in the A Final as she took a shot at the tree against Gullotto.
Super Comp was run of a three round Chicago Shootout format then a final, Rob Gaikhurst’s C/Gas 200SX ripped it up, top qualifying, taking three round wins, then defeated Jayde Robinson’s C/DA dragster in final.
The case was the same for Competition Bike with Daniel Natalotto riding through the field on his B/SB ZX10R undefeated, capping the night off beating Rebecca Archer in the final.
Casey McClure chalked up the win in Supercharged Outlaws in an all-girl final, defeating Jodie Mellet with a 7.44 on a 7.42. Alby Bakranich went the distance in Top Sportsman, a 7.87 on a 7.84 from the Monte Carlo doing the damage in the final against Rocco Salvo’s Camaro. A 8.02 from Kevin Boulton’s Pontiac was too quick for Stephen Lundy in the final for Outlaw Radial.
Darryl Treasure took home another win in Modified, the Cleveland Express altered going 7.89 on a 7.84 against Jeff Acton’s dragster on the money run. Despite a holeshot from Kathy Reagan’s VK Commodore, she couldn’t stave off Martin Micro’s 9.05 on a 9.02 at the stripe. Ian Read’s Hayabusa was the victor in a double breakout two wheel duel for the Modified Bike final against Tony Ambrosini. The Super Street win when to Beau Higgins’ XY doing the business with a 11.07 on a 11.06 over Steph Gullotto, and Nathan Townsend went home with the Junior Dragster trophy against a breaking out Brock Ferguson.
Next major for Perth Motorplex will be Night of Fire on Jan 7.
Photos from the event courtesy of Phil Reeve.
