Former 2012 New South Wales Junior Dragster champion David Roberts will finally make his senior debut in the Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway May 2-3.
Roberts will jump straight into the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series Competition Eliminator bracket in an EE/DA classed dragster that he expects to eventually run high six second passes over the quarter mile.
“Dad and I have been talking it over and tossing up our ideas for a few years now,” Roberts says.
“We bought a second-hand bare chassis from Cameron Ambesi and pieced together the missing parts of somewhat Dad already had. I pinched the twin turbo Chev engine from dad’s pro street Torana and de-cubed it from 380 ci to 280 ci to suit the restrictions for EE/DA.
“Dad had a small cubed combo for years but never used it. He bought a set of alcohol Indy car EFI injectors back in 1992 to run CC-G but EFI was banned back then. The same injectors are on the car now, and were actually one of the first EFI injectors to be imported to Australia to run in a drag car.”
Provided licencing is completed, Roberts will join the likes of 2014 champion Al McClure and title chaser Craig Geddes in a tough Competition field that will serve as the perfect advert as he chases sponsorship to run the full calendar.
“When set up properly, we are expecting to run in the high sixes to the quarter mile,” adds Roberts.
“I feel pretty confident racing against those guys, especially someone like Wayne Cartledge, as Dad and I have known him and his family for years, and I have raced against his two sons Luke and Jake in Junior Dragster. I hope one day I step up to Wayne’s standards and be a good as him.
“We plan to stick around in Group Two for a while, but Dad would like to eventually get back into his grassroots door cars.”
The 2015 Nitro Champs featuring the full 18 ANDRA Championship brackets will be held May 2-3 at Sydney Dragway.
