The return of old school was on again at Willowbank Raceway’s Nostalgia Drags where classic muscle mixed with wild winged wonders for some throwback racing.
Some classes may have been light on entrants this time around but the day still rocked on.
The Georgettes unveiled their restored “Outrage” AA/A Fiat Topolino.
There was some nitro in the air with Peter Leahy putting in some laps in his Superbad Outlaw Nitro Funny Car.
After a shaking first pass his second stab at the track rocked a great 5.97/242.32 while carrying the front wheels over 100 feet.
A pedaling 6.26 finished off the night for the team.
How cool is this, Darren Bazarnik had this Rat Trap replica built by Grant O’Rourke and All Kustom Fabrication & Performance and reeled off a 7.97.
Top Eliminator had five entries that were led by Joshua Leahy in his late grandfather’s FED with a 6.71/193.46.
Young Josh steered Roly’s iconic digger to a 6.68 the night before in testing.
During the round robin format Leahy won his first round match up against the digger of Ron Early (above) with a 6.74 at 195mph.
Wade Wagstaff’s Chev was another to go down to the Leahy freight train.
On the other side of the ladder, Trevor Smedley in his 540 cube blown big block Camaro did not contest the first round following his 7.25 qualifying effort. After a round two bye, Smedley defeated Early in round three with a 7.25 to meet Leahy in the final. Leahy took the win with a 6.72.
Quick Eliminator had a solid ten car field with John Fleming in his FED taking top qualifying honours for the bracket.
Kerry Boyde in his ’27 Roadster was victorious in the round robin format of Quick Eliminator after taking a 8.97 on a 8.90 win over Darren Otto in round one. Boyde then lost his round two match up against Alan Perry but bounced back with round three win over Leonie Bailey, this was enough to send him to the final. Boyde ended up on his lonesome for that final when his opponent failed to front.
Disappointingly there was only two for Nostalgia Super Stock so it became a match race between Mark Sugars’ high stepping Cortina and Paul Crossley’s Falcon.
Sugars clean swept the first three rounds, but was on the receiving end of a holeshot loss in the final, Crossley stealing the trophy.
The weird and wonderful came out in Vintage Gas – Gary Smith takes on Ian Campbell.
Andrew King in his Prefect took wins against Allen Millard’s FC Holden, Tim Roberts’ Morris Minor and a third round bye would earn a final round start.
Facing King would be top qualifier Gall who defeated Shaun Pask’s Valiant wagon, Gary Smith’s FX Holden and Ian Campbell’s Daihatsu en-route to the final.
It was King’s race to lose after a .602 leave from Gall, the Prefect of King remained in control taking the final win with a 11.28 on a 11.22.
The quickest of the posse in a 18 car Hot Rod field was Wayne Simpson’s ’34 Pickup, high tailing it to an 11.10.
The final came down to a Ford vs Chev showdown, Grant Carpenter with his ’28 Ford Model A against the ’47 Chev of Cameron Martin.
Carpenter had the better of the lackadaisical reactions at green and a 11.77 on a 11.73 forced the break out from Martin.
The 17 Gas entries were lead by Shane Hudson’s blown Camaro with a 7.87 at 170mph, coming back from a sky high wheelstand earlier in the day.
Soon to to be ANFA Legend George Wegener rolled through three rounds of racing and into the final with his veteran Corolla to throw down against Brad Wooldridges ’67 Camaro (above).
Reaction times were not a factor in this one, both drivers broke out and Wegener added another winner’s trophy to the cabinet.
The XY Fairmont of Troy Saville was on pole in a well populated 40 car Aussie Muscle field with a 10.63 at 127mph.
In an all Ford final Rik Van Der Vegte’s Falcon ute had the jump by a light year over Neville Heffler’s big Falcon panel van.
A 12.52 on a 12.37 from Van Der Vegte forced the breakout from Heffler’s big top end charge.
For the classics originating from across the pond in US Muscle, it was Mark McLean’s ’57 Chev on pole with an 11.14 at 121mph.
The Ford Mustang of Trevor Bush made it to the final but would have to settle for runner up.
A near perfect 11.701 on a 11.70 from the Mustang should have had this one in the bag if it was not for a .069 holeshot to the Chevy as Doyle drove around Bush on the top end with an 11.62 on an 11.56 stealing the victory with a holeshot.
Retro Bike saw a lot of crazyiness with some wild clutch popping wheelstands, Ethan Wright on his Kawasaki took the top qualifying spot with a 9.77 at 133.34.
A large 18 bikes made up the Retro field and at the end of the day Wright would also qualify for the final against Adam Smith.
The timing system was not needed to decide this final, Smith leaving a big cherry on the tree.
Photos by Blacktrack.com.au & Dragphotos.com.au
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