The penultimate round of the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, the Twilight Nationals, concluded in style on Saturday evening at Mildura’s Sunset Strip, setting the stage for what is sure to be an intense ANDRA Grand Final fight in just two weeks’ time (Perth Motorplex, March 4/5).
After two hot days of racing, it was Jordan Spencer (Super Gas), Sarah Osborne (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Andrew Waight (Super Street), Sean Ricketts (Modified Bike), Lance Larcombe (Super Sedan), Simon Barlow (Modified), Greg Damiani (Top Sportsman), Dale Tucker (Supercharged Outlaws), Jake Hamilton-Moderate (Competition Bike) and Craig Geddes (Super Comp) who secured the coveted ANDRA Christmas Trees for their brackets.
Also celebrated at the end-of-night presentations were runners-up Rob Bergamin (Super Gas), Lachlan Walker (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Brodie Tedesco (Super Street), Brian Alvisio (Modified Bike), Peter Tzokas (Super Sedan), Neil Dyson (Modified), Vlado Turic (Top Sportsman), Doina Day (Supercharged Outlaws), Joe Khoury (Competition Bike) and Madison Brown (Super Comp).
For Jordan Spencer, it was an exceptionally emotional win in Super Gas in his Commodore, with the victory delivering him his second ANDRA Christmas Tree – but his first in the Super Gas bracket.
Spencer took the win over Rob Bergamin and his VF Valiant hardtop, following earlier wins over Adrian McGrotty (round one), Warren Smith (round two), and Des Woolstencroft (round three). Bergamin meanwhile took the runner-up spot after defeating Decoglaze Glass Splashback Top Qualifier, Jason Wilson (round one) and Darryl Stephen before enjoying a bye run in the semi-finals.
“It hasn’t hit me yet, I can’t believe it, I was in tears when I got back,” Spencer explained soon after the final.
“It was quite a tough weekend; it was a very tough meeting for us. We were working a few things out and trying to get everything sorted pass after pass, but it came together, I honestly can’t think right now. It is safe to say that I am well and truly over the moon!
“Thank you to my family, my close friends, the Super Gas community, and SAAS Motorsport and Spencer Family Racing.”
In the Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster ranks, it was a very close final with a double break-out for Sarah Osborne and Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Lachlan Walker.
With Walker’s being the bigger of the breakouts, Osborne took out the ANDRA Christmas Tree. She had earlier taken wins from Shantaya Kardum (round one), Ava Walker (round two) and Ayden Lanciana (semi). Walker had booked his ticket to the final with victories over Nathaniel Kuchel (round one), Allirah Kardum (round two) and Cooper Plummer (semi).
It is the second ANDRA Christmas Tree for Osborne, who took out her first at Portland in December of 2021.
“It feels so good to win again, it still feels surreal from the first tree I won, so to be able to go back out and win another tree is just crazy,” Osborne said.
“It was a really good day. We had a few close races, but my dad had the car set-up and all I had to do was drive and focus on the top end and the lights, and all was good.
“I have to say thank you to dad because without him I wouldn’t have been able to race this weekend and none of this would be possible, and also to mum who watched the live stream all weekend and messaged and called me after every race.”
In Competition Bike, a win for Jake Hamilton-Moderate was something of a redemption for the SA racer, after recent difficulties.
The bracket runs a three-round format, with Hamilton-Moderate earning his way to the final with wins on his Suzuki Hayabusa over Archie Fabian (round one) and David Willis (round three) with a bye in round two, while runner-up Joe Khoury defeated David Willis in round two and enjoyed a bye in round three, following a round one lose to Mark Habel. Edge Mallis was the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier for the bracket.
“We haven’t had a chance to do much racing lately, so it is good to come out on a high. We ran in Alice Springs and blew the bike up, and then went to Portland and I disqualified myself,” explained the former champion.
“The bike ran very well all weekend, we definitely go ourselves comfortable, and the final went well, including a personal best run.
“We are definitely happy to have another tree – thank you to Modcon Civil, and also to my wife and family.”
In Top Sportsman, the win for Damiani was especially rewarding, following a major change in his HG Holden Monaro mid-season.
Damiani took the win over Vlado Turic, who ran into trouble on the start line with his Pontiac and was unable to race down the track, after having earlier defeated Cory Read (round one) and Bob Sherry (round two) before enjoying a bye in the semis, while Turic had taken on Glenn Henley (round one), Leon Davies (round two) and Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Darren Saliba (semi).
“I am absolutely stoked with this win. You are always happy for a win, but I actually changed engines a little while ago half-way through the season, so to actually get this result and have the car working after we have had a lot of struggles is just really rewarding, so I am very happy,” Damiani said.
“The weekend was pretty good for us. We started off with a bit of struggle, we were battling in the first couple of qualifiers but then we just got everything sort of adjusted right and started making some good passes and from there, it felt like we could actually race and be competitive.
“I would like to thank my crew – Adrian and Jamie – and my family, as well as my sponsors Mitolo Family Farms, VP Race Fuels, and Rhemac Motors.”
In Super Street, Andrew Waight took the win over Brodie Tedesco, who broke-out in the final. Waight’s winning run in his HQ Holden over Tedesco’s Gemini followed earlier victories over Julian Semmler (round one), Joey Carbone (round two) and Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Rohan Watson (semi). Tedesco – racing in the senior ranks for the first time seven years after the conclusion of her Junior Dragster career – had taken on and defeated Tony Antonino (round one), Lisa Sherry (round two) and Chris Tatchell (semi).
Sean Ricketts took out his second consecutive ANDRA Christmas Tree with his Kawasaki in Mildura this weekend, taking the Modified Bike win over Brian Alvisio after having earlier emerged victorious from battles against Rob Church (round one), Derryn McGregor (round two) and Dean Jamieson (semi). On his way to the runner-up spot, Alvisio successfully faced off against Glen Bellini (round one) and Shane Walker (round two) before enjoying a bye in the semi. Jarrod Healeay was the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier for the bracket, and was defeated by Jamieson in the first round.
In Super Sedan, Lance Larcombe was another backing up his South Coast 660 success with a win in Mildura, taking the win in his 68 Camaro over Peter Tzokas. Larcombe ensured his place in the final by taking wins from Matthew Cockerill (round one), Brett Mathew (round three) and Tony Tedesco (semi) with a bye in round two. Tzokas meanwhile had taken on Wayne Couzner (round one), Steve Paech (round two) and Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Brendan Carr (semi) with a bye in the third round.
Yet another racer on a roll was Simon Barlow, who backed up his South Coast 660 Modified win with another victory this weekend, this time over Neil Dyson. Barlow – the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier this weekend – went all the way to the final and the win thanks to earlier successes over Davydd Estcourt (round one) – who was awarded the Vinyl Wraps and Graphics Best Presented Award – Shane Wynd (round two) and Bradley Hicks (semi). Dyson meanwhile had defeated Jodie Wagner (round one), Kenny Stewart (round two) and Adriana MacCaskell (semi) on his way to the runner-up spot.
In Supercharged Outlaws, Dale Tucker took the win over a red-lighting Doina Day – who was also the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier. Tucker and his HQ GTS had earlier defeated Alan Mahnkoph (round one) and Shane Baxter (round two) while Day had faced off against David Thornton (round one) and Paul Stephen (round two).
In SuperComp, Craig Geddes took the win in his dragster over Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier, Madison Brown and her Celica Funny Car. The eight-time sportsman champion is in the hunt for another title this season, while Brown is in contention for what would be her first national title, so it was certainly a tense final ahead of the Grand Final in two weeks’ time. Geddes had earlier dispatched Leigh Donaldson (round one) and Adrian Vella (round two) while Brown had emerged victorious from a battle against Tom Dimitropoulos before enjoying a bye in the second round.
ANDRA thanks the Sunraysia Drag Racing Association and all of its volunteers and sponsors for an outstanding racetrack and a well-run event.
For results from today’s action at the Sunset Strip, please click here
The final round of the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series will be held at the Perth Motorplex, as part of the Westernationals across March 4 and 5. For event information, go to www.motorplex.com.au
For more information, visit www.andra.com.au
