After a disappointing rain-out in Sydney, Stuart Bishop, the Stuart Bishop Racing crew and the ’67 Diamond Doorslammer are now on their way to Perth for round five of the ANDRA Pro Series Top Doorslammer championship.
The 39th annual Westernationals at the Perth Motorplex, featuring ANDRA Pro Series racing for Top Doorslammer as well as Top Bike, will take place over Saturday and Sunday February 27 and 28.
The last time Stuart Bishop Racing took to the West Australian quarter-mile (in November) a wild rollercoaster ride in qualifying saw them performing an exhibition run on race day – a run that saw them set their second ‘five second’ pass.
With the next championship round – Sydney’s Summernationals over February 12-13 – frustratingly cancelled due to poor weather after the Doorslammers got only one qualifying run down the track, the crew is now chomping at the bit to get into the business of racing this weekend.
Bishop at Sydney Dragway with the laundry out
“We are more than ready to do some serious racing!” said Bishop.
“It was really frustrating earlier this month when the Sydney event was cancelled. With the team breaking through for our first ‘five second’ pass at Sydney in September and then running another one during the exhibition pass in Perth in November, we were really keen to get out there.
“The weather gods wouldn’t have it though, and now we look towards this weekend as our next chance to get on track and put down some passes in anger.
“Hopefully this trip to Perth will be more successful than November’s, where three problematic qualifying runs – including the head turning, wheelstanding second run – saw us relegated to exhibition status on race day.
“Fifteen Top Doorslammers will be fighting it out for the eight spots so I can guarantee the action is going to be well and truly on this Saturday and Sunday for the fans and we can’t wait to get out there.”
Stuart will first take to the track in Perth on Saturday for Top Doorslammer qualifying at 6.00pm, 8.00pm and 10.00pm (local time) on Saturday while Eliminations will kick off at 6.00pm on Sunday, with the semi-finals at 8.00pm and the final scheduled for 9.30pm.
Thanks to his performance in the one and only qualifying run for Top Doorslammer in Sydney (which saw him as the second qualifier) Bishop is currently sixth on the Top Doorslammer ANDRA Pro Series ladder. West Australian Robin Judd currently sits on top of the standings.
Also competing for Stuart Bishop Racing in Perth this weekend will be Junior Dragster competitor Cody Grohn aboard the Wallace Bishop Jewellers ‘Junior Jem’.
After winning the category at September’s Sydney meeting, Cody is currently tied with Obe Ward, Rebekka List and Dakota Ward for the lead of the Junior Dragster Rocket All Stars Series Championship, with four rounds including this weekend left in the chase.
It will be a race both on and from the drag strip for Grohn, with the 18 year old set to fly back to start university on Monday the 29th. Grohn and father Dave – an integral member of the SBR team – have spent the recent weekend moving him from his Bundaberg home to his new residence at Brisbane’s University of Queensland, where he will study Engineering.
For more information on the Stuart Bishop Racing team please visit www.stuartbishopracing.com.au
