In cooling weather, Team Bray Racing’s Victor Bray has enjoyed a semi-final appearance at Heathcote Park Raceway’s round one of the 2013 Slamfest Series against eventual winner Peter Kapiris.
Victor faced the 2012 Slamfest Champion in front of more than 3,200 race fans after taking victory against Frankie Mamone in the first round, defeating the New South Welshman’s 5.570s/101.01mph effort with a 4.108s pass at 179.07mph.
“I was able to start off pretty strong today with the third fastest time in qualifying which saw me face off against Mamone for the first round,” said Victor Bray.
“We were able to make it through to the semi-finals with a solid ‘four second’ result, and were hopeful for another win in the semi-final, but unfortunately my long-time friend; Peter Kapiris was first to the finish line.
“He has one of the eighth mile records to his name after setting the mile per hour marker last year in Gladstone (194.81mph) and he is now the current leader of the 2013 championship, so I have got to say congratulations to him on a great day all-round.”
“For Team Bray Racing, while we didn’t take the win it was still a good day out with some great racing for the fans in surprising conditions – after all of this extreme heat, today we had a top of 26 degrees and by the time the finals were run, it was only 16.7 degrees, who would have thought!”
On his way to facing Victor in the semi-finals, Kapiris met Team Bray Racing’s Ben Bray in round one. Ben had earlier qualified seventh fastest after suffering tyre shake in the right hand lane, with his luck to only get worse with an unexpected problem encountered during his first round.
With the starting tree set to the sportsman (full tree) setting rather than the regular Top Doorslammer settings of ‘Pro tree’, Bray left the line upon seeing the flashing amber light – resulting in a red light (jumped start).
While Kapiris reacted in the same manner, with Ben breaking the starting beams first he was deemed the ‘first offender’ and so Kapiris was awarded the win.
“It was disappointing to lose like that with something so strange, but what can you do, that is racing!” said Ben Bray.
“It was great to get out to Heathcote and put on a show for the fans who came out today, and it was nice that the weather let up for us as well.
“From here it is off to Portland for round two of Slamfest before we head across the country to race at the Perth Motoplex for the Westernationals in March.”
Victorian, Kapiris took the event win from John Zappia with a 4.152s pass at 167.54mph over the West Australian’s 4.447s at 117.58mph result. For a moment, Zappia was not in the final after being dispatched in his semi-final by John Brunner on a hole-shot (a better time based on a quicker reaction to the starting light than the other racer). However during post-race review it was decided the timing system had malfunctioned and Zappia was awarded the win and his place in the final.
Full results from the Heathcote Park Raceway event can be found at http://teambrayracing.com/slamfest-results.html
The 2013 Slamfest Series will be held over six plus rounds in 2013, with the next round to be held at Portland’s South Coast Raceway on 16 February. For more information on the Series, please visit www.slamfest.com.au or www.facebook.com/SlamfestAustralia
For more information on the team, please visit www.teambrayracing.com.
picture courtesy Darren Bingham
