Full Throttle Friday fun launches 2014 at Sydney Dragway

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Racers had the chance to blow away their New Year’s cobwebs at Sydney Dragway’s Full Throttle Friday event, the first serious hit out at the venue for 2014. Read on as we take you through some of the highlights of the round.

Rick Gauci was preparing for the next Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Car round coming up at Portland in just over a week. He had the flames pumping from the pipes of the `57 with 5.83/249mph best for the night.

Shake, shake and more shake didn’t prevent Norm Longfield’s digger from clocking a 6.37/205mph pass.

Brett White was out testing his Top Alcohol dragster with new go-fast bits, with a best in the low sixes.

With the rotary world record taken to Puerto Rico in recent months, the Pac Performance boys are hell bent on taking it back. A 6.55/213mph on George Rehayem’s only pass was impressive but the world mark now stands in the 6.2 second range. Early incrementals show they are on the pace, however.

A slight mismatch in utes here! Craig Hanley ran a 6.89/208mph best as the fledgling Supercharged Outlaws team is finding some great consistency. It followed on from his top qualifying effort in Portland at the opening round of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship.

Here’s the first of the new cars for the season, veteran Modified racer Greg Smith has upgraded to Supercharged Outlaws with a new version of ‘Stress Relief’. He made an impressive debut as well, cranking a 7.05 at 186mph.

“The Dentist” Andrew Maratos and his screaming 13B RX3 from the Pac Performance stable is the fastest of its breed in Australia. Maratos is chasing the elusive six second zone and was close with a 7.07 at 189mph.

Another chasing the sixes is Daniel Nunziante – on radial tyres! Pazzo in the 632ci twin turbo Cortina “nugget” made the fastest ever pass by a radial car in Australia at 222mph with a 7.19 ET.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing best describes Michael Kalaitzakis’ (lets just call him “Stix”) new car. There is no 2JZ in this unassuming Supra, instead a twin turbo 525ci big block is shoved between the chassis rails. Fighting traction issues, Stix had the Supra hooked up on its final pass for a 7.88 at 183mph.

The carpet doesn’t match the drapes either for Nathan Hagenson’s RX2, a potent 2JZ is under the hood. The team have struggled with the combination but a switch to the Gas workshop saw their first seven second pass – 7.77/189mph.

Mark Harding has moved up from his Capri purchasing the ex Trick & Mansweto prepped Mustang Super Sedan. Harding has been coming to terms with the power of 760 cubes. He did run a new personal best with an 8.05 at only 133mph.

Also in the new car club is Garry Humphreys and the family’s new blown dragster. Their first time out was not much more than some test launches to gain the feel of driving a supercharged rail.

Alex Borg’s new Suzuki Hayabusa took some riding skill to get down the track.

After a few sketchy passes in recent test sessions, Colin Long looks to have resolved the issue of going straight in his new altered with a 8.38 best.

Sydney Dragway lost a number of Junior pilots with the age curfew last season, but it looks like the ranks are replenishing quickly with a few new second generation racers including Cory Burns, Claire Little, Oscar De Main and Georgia Fardella.