Neil Gannaway broke through for his first ANDRA Christmas Tree at last year’s Goldenstates, and now his daughter and third-generation racer, 21 year old Rachel Gannaway, will do her best to follow in his footsteps at this weekend’s 50th running of the prestigious event.
The 2024 instalment across November 22-23 marks the latest round in the 2024/2025 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Championship and will see a full field of highly competitive sportsman racers taking to the WA venue alongside Top Doorslammers and Top Fuel Motorcycles.
When he took out the victory in Modified in his Front Engined Dragster last year, Neil Gannaway fulfilled a dream more than 40 years in the making – now his daughter is hoping to represent for her family team and take a breakthrough victory of her own.
“Dad has been both crewing and racing since the Ravenswood days and mum and dad were both into racing before they met,” Rachel explains.
“I grew up obsessed with dad’s FED, and I was ‘crew chief’ for as long as I can remember, so it was amazing when one day after years of being told ‘if you want to go racing, save up and buy a race car,’ I was offered a go in the driver’s seat of the FED in March of 2021.
“This made me not only a third generation drag racer, but also a third generation FED driver as my grandfather owned and ran the Holden Grey Motor FED known as ‘Gold Attraction’ back at Ravenswood.
“The whole family side to our racing is very important to us all – our crew is made up of family and very close friends, and the whole Modified field in Perth is a very close mob who have been racing together for years; we all do whatever is needed to help people get and stay on track, which makes for a great atmosphere and something which is very enjoyable to be a part of.
“Growing up I always knew it would be hard work, time and lots of money to go drag racing and I never even imagined I would get to drive dad’s car, so it was definitely very cool to be able to take that step and also to start racing within the class I had grown up around also and with the people I have known for a very long time.”
An Automotive Spray Painter from Wagin in WA, Rachel says being able to take a win at the Goldenstates would be exceptionally special for her and her family.
“It would be huge to back up dad’s win from last year, which was his first ever ANDRA Christmas Tree victory after many years of trying,” Rachel said.
“It would also be my first event win, as that is a box I haven’t ticked yet, although I have been to a number of finals.
“To be driving dad’s car as I challenge for this event is really special – and it will be a challenge, given we have a new engine combo, diff gears, slicks and carburetor set up on board, but if we can do it, that would be just incredible,” she concluded, while thanking Aaron Deery at ADR Engines, Connelly Images, WA Suspensions and Wagin Mechanical Repairs for their support.
The 50th Goldenstates, round three of the 2024/2025 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Championship, will be held at the Perth Motorplex across November 22-23. For event information, visit www.motorplex.com.au
For more from ANDRA, visit www.andra.com.au
