For current ANDRA Pro Stock Champion Jason Grima, his 2014 campaign so far hasn’t quite delivered the on track results he had hoped for. But he knows how tough Pro Stock is and how things can turn around quickly from race to race.
It all started on a positive note following the signing of a new multi-year sponsorship from PC Cranes. Grima hit the track running in April for the first round of the championship at Calder Park with a new look on his Ford Mustang, and the highly anticipated debut of his Buell Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Unfortunately, the weather conditions and a cold track saw drivers and riders struggle to make representative passes. The schedule over the two days was cut short due to safety concerns, but not before team rider Tony Hinkley came off the PC Cranes Buell in the first round of Pro Stock Motorcycle competition. Thankfully the Perth-based rider was able to walk away bar some scrapes and bruising, however the bike not so lucky taking the brunt of the accident having tumbled a few times.
On a happier note, not long after the Calder Park round, Grima and his wife Georgia became proud parents for the first time with the birth of their daughter Olivia.
“It was always going to be a tight time frame as my wife was due when we were at Calder,” said Grima. So it all worked out and the birth of Olivia sure helped turned the mood of the week around.
“Being there for our daughter’s arrival was the most awesome experience I’ve ever had, even better than running my first six-second pass,” grinned Grima. “Olivia has certainly added a new dimension to my life, and has certainly put things into perspective about what’s important and what’s not.
“There is certainly no doubt that we as a team were disappointed about the Calder Park race. It was such a debacle especially with the bike crash.”
For round two of the championship the PC Cranes Ford Mustang flew the flag solo, as the Buell, nor the rider were ready in time for the X-Champs in Sydney.
Once again a cold snap on Saturday’s qualifying made for a tricky track, and despite losing the third session due to safety concerns, Grima qualified in the top half of the 16-car Pro Stock field.
His first attempt saw the PC Cranes Mustang record a 7.086 ET at 192.8mph (310.3kph), but a second shot went no where when the car struggled right on the green light. The earlier ET placed him in fourth position.
In the first round of eliminations Grima defeated Arthur Kolaroff with a strong 7.01 pass, which was the second quickest ET of the round. The speed of 194.30 mph (312.69 km/h) was also the fastest of the session.
In round two Grima put away Shane Tucker in a 7.02 to a 7.03 race. That ET stood as the quickest of the round. The margin of victory was 0.0426 of a second while the speed of 194.46 mph (312.95 km/h) was second fastest of the round.
With the semi finals up next the PC Cranes Mustang was looking strong against the number one qualifier Aaron Tremayne. However backing up to the startline after his burnout, the track officials noticed some oil on the surface and signaled the JGM crew to shut the car down.
“The oil lid on the tank had vibrated loose, “said a frustrated Grima. “It was disappointing because we felt we had a good chance to go all the way.
“After I settled down and thought about it, we made the decision to stay at the track and test on Monday. The first pass recorded a strong 6.99. We then changed a heap of stuff in the car like gear ratios and it ran 7.03 and then the third pass we ran another 7.03 with a different tune up. In those conditions we now know we have a good base line.
“As we move to Willowbank I’m hoping that we will have better luck than what we’ve had so far this season. Look as a Pro Stock racer I haven’t had much success there, although last year was looking good when Brandon and I both ran six-second passes in the first round. We were on both sides of the ladder and had the potential to have met up in the final. Unfortunately the rain came and cancelled the event. Hopefully this year it will be dry and we will have some form behind us and perform better.
“I’ve never won a Winternationals title but got close with a couple of runner-ups in Super Sedan. It’s one of the best events on the ANDRA calendar so winning one would mean a lot to the JGM team. We’ll have the bike with us so it would be pretty cool to double up with two wins.
“When I was about 20 years old I remember turning up with my Jaguar in Super Sedan. It was all new to me back then. I think it was either Willowbank or Calder that was my first away from home race. We got in the truck and just drove up one time and hoped for the best. We didn’t even know what to look for or what to expect. Back then Jonathan wasn’t with us because he was too young but James went with me.
“I’m really proud to do this with the support of my brothers and family. I couldn’t do it without them, so bringing home our first Winternationals trophy would be fantastic for the team, our sponsors and supporters. I’d also like to welcome aboard Dunn & Farrugia to the team as a sponsor.
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