The Pro Drag Racing Championship brackets as part of the NDRC ripped and teared for championship points and to be awarded that NDRC Gold Christmas Tree at the conclusion of the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs as Australian Records fell in the process.
In Pro Alcohol, top qualifier Daniel Reed continued his quick form to claim the coveted gold and the Pro Alcohol Championship lead defeating a tyre smoking Cheyne Phillips in the all funny car A-final with a 5.430 after both racers left on identical reactions. Reed was knocking on the door of the Australian PA/FC ET record after a top qualifying 5.378 that remained the low ET of the event, the Allstar Batteries funny car also briefly reset the Australian Speed Record before Phillips pinched that in round two with a 272.56mph blast.
With Russell Mills declaring himself out of this year’s championship following his crash at the last event and unable to secure a replacement ride, and Jake Donnelly scoring no points after his crash in qualifying, Reed now sits in the box seat despite missing the first round of the championship.
“The car’s been going well, Dad’s doing a great job, the crew are doing a fantastic job, I don’t know what more to say, everyone is doing their job,” said Reed.
“We are not trying to rotate the earth, we are just trying to get it down there every time and be consistent, and that’s how you win championships, and hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”
The B-Final saw Chris Hargrave remain in championship contention when the Middy’s Electrical Funny Car narrowly hit the stripe first against fellow Victorian Cameron Ambesi. In a classic and cracking alcohol funny car versus dragster duel, the pair left on near identical reactions with Hargrave banking the win on a 5.570 to a 5.573 in the Pro Alcohol race of the event.
Britney Olive claimed the C-Final on a solo when Cruz Lovering could not show in the Sainty funny car, and Brett White saved his best run for last in the D-Final with a 5.71 also on a solo.
With the amazing atmospheric conditions on offer at Sydney Dragway, everyone knew Pro Stock was going to be the bracket to watch, and they didn’t let anyone down with the aspirated small blocks delivering more Australian Records and personal bests across the category.
While the 200mph barrier did not fall for the first time in the unleaded-fuel era, it was rocking after Tyronne Tremayne’s romped to a 6.855/199.85mph resetting both ends of the Australian Record in round one. The Pro Stock top qualifier set himself again as the one to beat with a 6.858/199.82 round two solo to see himself into the A-Final and complete his quest to win five straight events.
The reigning Australian Pro Stock champion would prove to be his nemesis though. Rob Dekert had this Unique Racing GXP singing with a round one 6.904 solo, then backed up in round two with a 6.898 to down Shane Tucker and shape up to Tyronne Tremayne in the A-Final. Down on ET, Dekert made it count where it most mattered in the final, on the start line. A .033 to .069 advantage at the tree kept the GXP’s nose ahead of the closing Tremayne Camaro at the stripe for an emotional 6.887 to 6.876 holeshot victory – the win also extending his championship lead to over 100 points from John Barbagallo with two events to execute.
Aaron Tremayne cut a .001 light in the B-Final to defeat Mario Polito’s 6.967 with a 6.952. Now former Australian Record holder Chris Soldatos was also living in the 6.80s all event, but his costly upset holeshot loss to Mario Polito in round one saw the GTO into the C-Final where he dropped a 6.891 to drive around Barbagallo’s 6.965. The D-Final produced no result when start line confusion reigned after Rick Chilton backed out of stage after accidentally double bulbing, unfortunately by then Omar Sedmak had lit the pre-stage disqualifying Chilton, before the Sedmak Stratus then left the start line before the tree had activated.
Pro Mod was full of drama, upsets, mechanical mayhem and impressive performances – however some were just too quick for the 5.85 index!
Zoran Gajic dialled the GAS Racing Mustang back to where it needed to be in performance after qualifying too quick for Pro Mod, once back in the zone with a 5.883 win in round one against Steve Smith and a 5.874 win over Neil Murphy, he was to face the top qualifier in Steve Carlsen in the A-Final. Unfortunately Carlsen’s dream event was sadly not to be, the Kiwi who brought his stunning Falcon Sprint across the Tasman, ran his first five second pass, top qualified, and earned a shot at the event win in the A-Final was stopped with an oil leak in the burnout. Gajic elected just to stage in the A-Final, and holds an almost insurmountable lead in the PDRC Pro Mod Championship.
Defending champion Craig Burns was too quick all event and doubled-down on that fact in the B-Final blasting a 5.71 against Craig Hewitt’s winning personal best 6.03. Paul Cibotto sent his big single turbo Falcon on a solo win in the C-Final with Stew Walsh not fronting and Nassa Matta wrapped up and untidy D-Final over Steven Smith.
Pro Stock Motorcycle featured a small but quality field after breakages and the crash of Locky Ireland in qualifying. Jason Lee once again upset the more fancied rival and championship leader Luke Crowley. Lee top qualified with a 7.28 and turned up the Trevor Birrell Suzuki during racing with 1.174 and 7.144 win going into the another A-Final against Crowley. The Luke Crowley Racing Suzuki turned around its performance in round two with a 7.09 win against Tony Frost, but could not repeat the act in the final with Lee riding away to his second win this season with a 7.179.
Tony Frost turned on his quickest run of the event to defeat Ryan Learmonth in the B-Final with a 7.295 and Paul Andrews, who was having a trouble event, had his Suzuki back in the groove with a 7.376 to close out the C-Final on a solo.
The PDRC series will head to Winternationals next where the Pro Alcohol champion will be crowned while the rest of the brackets will conclude at the Springnationals in October.
FURTHER EVENT COVERAGE HERE:
