Following the trend of the last four years, Wanneroo stonemason Allen Puglia will go in the WA Drag Racing Grand Finals under pressure as he fights yet again for a state championship.
“It’s that time of year when everything you’ve worked for comes down to a handful of races, and you lay awake at night thinking through how you can get another championship. On one hand, you love it because it’s our whole family and crew’s passion, and it’s the best possible way to show our appreciation to Nuford, Big Rock Toyota and Stonecivil, but on the other hand you hate it because it consumes you,” the three time champion said, chuckling his way through the pressure.
Puglia has claimed a hat-trick in the last three years of competition, both in the highly competitive Super Comp category as well as the overall Driver of the Year Award that covers all seven four-wheeled categories that compete in the state championship at the Perth Motorplex.
“We ‘re behind Robbie Gaikhorst by only twenty points in the Super Comp Championship so that could all change in one round, and we sit equal third in the Driver of the year title, so it’s great to be within the top three rungs of the ladder on both accounts.”
Puglia’s upbeat attitude fended off a tough Westernationals campaign at the start of the month, where the team entered four cars over three categories, with Allen at the wheel of the three time championship winning Ford Probe as well as piloting the Pro Stock Mustang as part of the visiting ANDRA Pro Series, and his sons Nic and Matthew steering their respective Junior Dragsters.
“We may have bitten off more than we could chew but we learned so much that weekend. Having to spread our time and attention over four cars rather than three was a massive task and it may have hampered my state championship points but you have to keep taking the opportunities you get given, and as tough as it was, it was extremely rewarding both for us and our sponsors as the ANDRA Television guys did a wonderful profile of the team and really gave some great exposure for our sponsors to the whole nation.”
“But there’s a lot to consider going in to the weekend. What I like about how the points are stacked is that we don’t have to be secretly wishing misfortune on anyone to be able to win the series. We can win this purely by being smart, quick and consistent and that’s what has won us championships in the past, so we’ll keep on doing what we’re doing.”
The Nuford/Big Rock Toyota/Stonecivil Ford Probe will begin qualifying just after midday Saturday with the championship deciding eliminations from 5:25 at the Perth Motorplex, Anketell Road, Kwinana Beach.
