In the Australian Drag Racing Championship classes, Daniel Gregorini heads the Top Doorslammer field and a returning Jay Upton leads Top Bike at a drama filled day one from the 51st MacTrack Westernats at the Perth Motorplex.
It certainly was a wild night at the Perth Motorplex, but the drama started in testing on Friday night with the Top Doorslammer field reduced after Marty Dack suffered a top end accident in his Mustang. A mechanical failure saw the Dack Mustang turn into the wall in the braking area, Dack fortunately walked away unharmed.
The warfare between Gregorini and John Zappia continued with both racers one (5.717) and two (5.837) respectively on the ladder after the three rounds of qualifying. Frank Taylor’s Chevelle rounds out the field sitting on a 6.403 bump. Mark Chapman will be an unlucky spectator, missing the cut after a few spectacular attempts to get his Studebaker down the quarter.
Gregorini is feeling confident heading into eliminations.
“Our qualifying day started well. We had done a lap in testing earlier in the week and got the car going straight again, and it went fast, so we were happy on Saturday that we were able to pick up where we left off the other night,” Gregorini said.
“In testing we ran a 5.71, and in round one of qualifying Saturday we went 5.74 – it was cool to get that straight out of the truck on a warmish track. We kept plodding along with that and ran a 5.71 in the second qualifier, and then left it alone for the third one as it was getting a bit skatey out there. We were sitting back watching what everyone else was doing to make sure they didn’t knock us off, and when it was our turn, we got to half-track and it got loose, so I buttoned it off to save the car for racing.
“We are pretty happy about the result, to have about a tenth and a half over the rest of the field is pretty great.
“We will do our regular maintenance and make sure we have the same car going into eliminations that we have had in qualifying. We will be trying to secure the fast ET and fast MPH too to wrack up as many points as we can ahead of the ANDRA Grand Finals.
“I would like to thank all of my crew, and also Lisa’s crew who are here getting more experience by working on the car Saturday and Sunday, and thank you to the Perth Motorplex, to ANDRA and the ADRC.
“Thank you also to Crow Cams and Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks for their support of the Top Qualifier Award, it is much appreciated. And of course, to my sponsors: Scratch and Match Autocolour, Kerb Doctor, Westcoast Siteworks, Kendall Oils, S & S Industries, Dalisa Estate Winery, Signbiz WA, PT Promotions, Go Print, Dirty Detailing, Final Drive Engineering, Gforce Race Cars, Resolution Racing Services, DMPE and Applied Automotive.”
Greg Durack led Top Bike qualifying early, but a returning Jay Upton finished the night on top with a 6.66. Durack’s turbo Kawasaki slotted into second with a 7.01.
“We have had a challenging day – we didn’t make the first lap as we had a fuel pressure issue; it wasn’t right in the pits and it probably would have run but discretion is the better part of valour and we thought it was best to fix it,” Upton explained.
“Then in the second qualifier we got caught out by our own safety system. We have a system that won’t let the bike start with low oil pressure, and due to the other issue, we were having it ended up shutting off. It was frustrating but saved us a motor and a lot of work. We could see in the data that that was what had happened, so we got that sorted.
“The main change has been that we put a new pair of mags on. It is about 10 grand for a pair of new mags but as you can see it makes a difference. We have been fighting the thing for quite some time and now we are in a good position with a good starting point to work from going into tomorrow.
“I would hope that we can stay around this level in the first round of racing, and then pick it up thereafter. We aren’t looking to set the world on fire, we are looking to get to the other end and hopefully that should be enough.
“I want to send a special thank you to my crew – it has been a tough day and they were all at the shop late Friday night as well, and when things aren’t going well it is hard on everyone.
“I would also like to recognise our sponsors: Rare Parts Western Australia, Gates Belt and Hose, and Gulf Western Oils for their support.
“Of course, I also want to say a big thank you to the track staff, the officials and volunteers, who put in so much work to make it all happen.
“Finally, a special shout out to the public for being patient with us. I feel bad when we frustrate them because we aren’t going well, and I appreciate their patience and their support. It used to be that every time we went out, we were going fast, and I think we can get back there.”
Andrew Katavatis decimated the Nitro Max field in the Beach Bomb funny car with a 5.43, it a wild qualifying night for the nitro cars, Kyle Putland slipped into second with a 5.78 in the soon to be big show Top Fuel dragster, edging out a 5.85 from Matt Abel’s funny car who is doing double duty at the event, also racing in Top Doorslammer.
Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series qualifying was marred by Pro Stock racer Jodi Racco’s horrendous top end crash. It was great to see Racco walk away to the medical crew from the incident that saw his GTO barrel roll violently on top of the wall in the braking area.
Competition, Super Stock and Supercharged Outlaws brackets completed their qualifying, with Jeff Lewis, Errol Quartermaine and Vince Belladonna taking out the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Medallions respectively for these classes.
Qualifying will continue today for the remaining Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series classes, with Beau Ferguson (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), John Szabo (Super Street), Paul Nieuwhof (Modified Bike), Luke Guppy (Super Sedan), Paul Ryan (Modified), Colin Davis (Top Sportsman) and Phill Paton (Competition Bike) currently topping the time sheets and the chase for their Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier medallions in their respective classes heading into day two.
For Jeff Lewis, his Top Qualifying result in Competition Eliminator was unexpected but exceptionally welcome.
“We had heaps of boost problems and manifold problems – all teething problems with the new car. So, it was definitely unexpected that we top qualified in this 16-car field with all of that happening, it is a bit unbelievable really,” Lewis said.
“We are very happy with that result. We are only just starting to get used to the new car and I think we are getting on top of it now, so hopefully it can go smoother tomorrow and we can have somewhat of an easy day.
“I would like to thank my crew, ANDRA, the Perth Motorplex and everyone that makes the Westernationals happen.”
Jeff Lewis’ father and crew chief, Greg Lewis, echoed Jeff’s statements.
“This is a low budget family affair and we have been preparing the car for the last couple of years in a shipping container and painted it in the paddock! But we are having fun!” Greg Lewis said.
“In this configuration this is the first event for the car – we had one pass at the Friday test and tune and one pass on Saturday and that was the top qualifying pass. So, we are pretty happy with how we sit at the moment, especially as it looks like we may have a solo pass in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.
“Anything could happen, but I think we have got a pretty good chance! Thank you to everyone that helps us out!”
Video highlights of some of the crazy action from day one.
Photo by Phil Luyer – https://www.facebook.com/HighOctanePhotos
