When the Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars come to Willowbank Raceway this Saturday, the Series’ local drivers will be enjoying their first opportunity to race at their home-track.
Willowbank Raceway’s 12 September round of the series is the first to be held in Queensland since the Series’ inception in 2013, and has been hotly anticipated by the racers and fans alike.
The event will bring the largest ever field of outlaw nitro funny cars to the Willowbank Raceway quarter-mile, in a 60,000 horsepower show presented by Donnelly Blasting Services.
Local Outlaw Nitro Funny Car drivers Greg Leahy (Stormtrooper), Jake Donnelly (Bumblebee), Paul Messineo (Dark Horse), Peter Leahy (Superbad), Justin Walshe (Let’s Boogie) and wheelstander pilots Dan Donnelly (Rocket Ship) and Josh Leahy (Nitro Sherriff) will all take to the track as part of the AONFC show. They will be joined by a range of drivers for support categories Factory Xtreme, Kenda Tyres Drag Radial, and Pro Mod.
WHAT THE DRIVERS HAD TO SAY
Jake Donnelly – ‘Bumblebee’ – 20 years old, Diesel Mechanic of Tamborine – “Bumblebee is all ready to go, we just have to clean it and send it down the track hopefully. I can’t wait for the first event at our home track – we all want to race in front of friends and family, and we will find out soon enough if we have a home track advantage!”
Greg Leahy – ‘Stormtrooper’ – 48 years old, owner of Geezer’s Imports, of the Gold Coast – “We are very much looking forward to the event. This has been in the making for the last couple of years and to have this event in our home town is something that we are very excited about. As far as a home track advantage – I expect an advantage everywhere I go. Why? Well, age and wiles will always overcome youth and enthusiasm,” laughed Leahy. “We will have everything firing, don’t you worry about that.”
Paul Messineo – ‘Dark Horse’ – 49 year old builder of the Sunshine Coast – “We are very excited and looking forward to our home track event. This will be the first time for me at Willowbank raceway in three years – the last time I raced there was in Supercharged Outlaws about three years ago. I am certainly looking forward to it. I have no worries about being rusty, it is like riding a bike! We aren’t doing anything special preparation wise, we will just go through our usual routine once we get there and off we go – until then, we just count the sleeps!”
Justin Walshe – ‘Let’s Boogie’ – 40 year old director/owner of Harts Automotive Paint Supplies of Ormeau – “We have been hanging out for this event, to having an event in our home state. We have been driving for (series owner and team owner) Graeme Cowin for two years, and this is the one we have all wanted to do. As far as the home track location, it may give us an advantage tuning wise, but not driving wise – driving wise you don’t as it changes event to event, but when it comes to tuning we should definitely have an advantage as we know the track.”
Dan Donnelly – ‘Rocket Ship’ wheelstander – 21 years old of Jimboomba – “I can’t wait for this weekend – between Powercruise next door and our event at Willowbank Raceway it is going to be a great weekend. We may have a home track advantage, I guess we will just have to wait and see. We are definitely looking forward to a home track event, and it is my birthday on Sunday and also (fellow wheelstander driver) Josh Leahy’s as well, so it will be a battle as we both try and get a win to celebrate!”
Collin Willshire – Jett Racing (Factory Xtreme) – owner of Prime Signs/Speed Elec and head of Factory Xtreme – “We are definitely looking forward to the event – the Nitro cars put on a great show. I have run at a couple of their events so far and the entertainment value is huge, it is really good, and Factory Xtreme will put on a good show as well.”
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