So the Grand Opening for the 2012/13 season at Perth Motorplex has been run and done! Here’s our take on how things went down.
Taking the honours in Top Comp was Jeff Lewis, not only top qualifying with a 6.63 but also punting out a 6.64 in the final for a win. It was a solo in the end for the Ford Falcon driver with Craig Glassby not fronting.
Shame really, as Glassby had run some impressive numbers of his own in the elimination round with a 5.69 pass that earned him a spot in the final. It sure set him well for the ANDRA Top Alcohol Championship round next event!
The rest of the field was a bit of a mixed bag with most people struggling in qualifying. Pino Priolo seriously upped (downed?) his personal best with a 6.18 from the 37 Chev while Shane Catalano scored a 6.44 from the Rude Stude.
Russell Ladbrook earned the B Final win over Priolo with a 6.20 in AA/FC trim.
Craziest moment was when Simon Travaglini got all sorts of sideways in the Allfast Ford Falcon!
In Super Comp, Errol Quartermaine earned his third win since breaking a drought of over 19 years last season. He defeated the fancied Kyle Putland who produced a light that matched the colour of his car – red!
Despite the foul start Putland ran a PB 6.81, a seriously impressive number that is way under the A/Altered record. Quartermaine mind you was also under his national record in eliminations with a 7.75 in a tough semi final match against Allen Puglia, who ran a 7.22 underneath his own record too! Phew, that’s a lot of records.
Good to see Shane Joyce making the step up to Super Comp as well.
In Competion Bike Rob Wasley survived to defeat Greg Durack in the final. Durack was the favourite after a massive 7.10 run earlier on his CC/CB but bogged off the line and couldn’t recover against the nimble street bike.
Ryan Learmonth debuted his new Pro Bike running in A/CB and went 7.75. He would have been a good chance to win the event if not for a semi final red light.
Supercharged Outlaws saw former champ Don Freind on top at night’s end, defeating Frank Taylor in an all Holden Commodore match, albeit with Freind’s version a ute.
NSW ex-pat Craig Allison scored a B Final win after stealing back the driver’s seat from daughter Rhiannon, defeating Ian Foster.
In one of the wilder moments of the day Peter Gardner almost put his neat Monaro into the wall after smoking the tyres.
Sam Treasure was the man in Modified again, going to his third final in three race meetings and taking his second win. It all came despite convertor issues during the day and was a great reward following the installation of a new motor combo. Treasure defeated Trent Morrison who went -.003 on the tree in the final.
On the good to see list was Chrystal Duffy top qualifying in father Jim’s dragster, while another Krystal of the Mackay variety also made a return to the race track in the family dragster.
At 23 cars it was a big field with some new debutants including Michael Butler, Jamie Nelmes and Saverio Clemente.
Super Sedan had Alby Bakranich yet again featuring as the winner, going 8.11 on an 8.08 in the final to defeat David Powell. It was a day out for Bakranich as he also top qualified.
Joe Bertolini clinched the Modified Bike final, defeating the well practiced David Gajsek. Gajsek’s Honda ran off its normal pace and Bertolini was able to get by with a sneaky roll off the throttle.
Blake Jeffreys put together a great package to win in the final of Super Street, a .025 light and an 11.12 on an 11.11 dial in defeating a 10.97 break out from Nicholas Wroe.
In Junior Dragster Georgie Gerritsen found her good form from the east coast carried back west, opening the season with a win over Phoebe Davis.
The next event is the Top Doorslammer and Top Alcohol round on November 16-17.
