Narre Warren North’s Nino Cavallo has completed a rare feat by winning a third straight Rocket All Stars ANDRA Australian Drag Racing.
The 51 year old entered the event third in series points and his title chances received a significant boost when series leader, Queensland’s Omar Sedmak did not qualify for eliminations, crashing on his last ditch attempt to make the tough 16 car field.
Cavallo qualified eighth and after his first round opponent handed him an easy win by red-lighting, the defending champion and title rival Paul Beauchamp faced off in round two, the Victorian out-running the Brisbane driver to all but stitch up/ championship number three.
His third straight Rocket All Stars Super Stock title was confirmed when the only remaining driver with a mathematical chance of passing him, Western Australian Michael Frossos, lost in the same round.
“I had just got out of the car in the braking area and I could hear the track PA system, and when I heard Frossos lose I knew we’d secured the championship, I started doing back flips,” a delighted Cavallo said.
“To win one title was terrific, while the second one was sensational, but to win three straight is unbelievable – I’m absolutely rapt, big time!”
In over 30 years of ANDRA Drag Racing Series competition, it is only the second time anyone has won three straight Super Stock titles.
Cavallo also reset both ends of the ANDRA national records for the C/Altered Production Auto class in his Dodge Stratus, lowering the elapsed time record to 8.02 seconds and raising the terminal speed to 164.98 miles per hour (265.5km/h).
It was the third time this season Cavallo had set the ET record and second time the speed mark.
Cavallo’s three straight titles are all the more remarkable with the fact that no ANDRA Championship Drag Racing has taken place in Victoria since the 2001 Nationals at Calder Park almost 10 years.
To satisfy their racing appetites, Cavallo and his team travel, which includes wife Amanda, daughter Laura (14) and son Dion (12), chase the Rocket All Stars series around the country, racing in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and even Mackay in north Queensland.
“You can’t race without the full support of your family, crew, and sponsors, and I’m lucky to have it from all three groups.”
