Adrian Vella is heading to next weekend’s Twilight Nationals at Mildura’s Sunset Strip as a defending winner who is also in the box seat for a championship challenge.
The February 17-18 event, hosted by the Sunraysia Drag Racing Association, marks the penultimate round of the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, which will conclude at the Perth Motorplex’s Westernationals/ANDRA Grand Finals across March 4 and 5.
Heading to Mildura, Vella has strong form behind him, winning the SuperComp class at the event last year and going all the way to the finals at the last round of the current season – January’s South Coast 660 at South Coast Raceway.
“At last year’s Twilight Nationals, we went all the way to the final and took the win over Craig Geddes,” Vella reflects.
“We actually hurt a lifter in the first round and Craig lent us one as he had spares, and then we ended up beating him in the final – which we wouldn’t have been in if it wasn’t for him!
“We raced against him again at the South Coast 660 final, but he was better on the day this time around.
“I am hoping we can go back-to-back when it comes to the Twilight Nationals – we have got the car for it, and hopefully the driver can drive well,” he laughed.
“It should be a really good event with a good turn-out of racers.”
The Victorian racer from Taylor’s Hill is a frequent competitor at the Mildura facility.
“I like the Mildura track and the facilities are good, it has a real family sort of feel and I go to practically all of the events there,” he said.
“Calder Park is my closest track and then South Coast Raceway, but we go to Mildura all the time and really, we travel everywhere, all over Australia – we are even going to Perth this year as we look to try and clinch the title.”
Vella is currently third on the points ladder of Super Stock, however, he is the effective championship leader with 20 points over his nearest rival as he sits behind two racers who have not travelled outside of their home division (WA) this season, and therefore are not eligible for national title honours.
“I am really hoping that we can win the championship this year, that is definitely my aim,” Vella said.
“To win a championship has certainly been my dream, I haven’t won one yet, I have won a few events, but no championship as yet. Hopefully we can do it this year.
“In the meantime, I would like to thank WA Fuels for coming on board for the upcoming events, and also my crew and Plucka’s Race Craft, Outlaw Images, ProTrans, Ridgeway Motorsports, JC Race Stuff, Comp Engines, A1 Performance Converters, Gold Class Towing, Race Parts Melbourne, ETS Racing Fuels Australia and TM Line Boring and Engineering for all of their support of my racing.”
The penultimate and next round of the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, the Twilight Nationals, will be held at Mildura’s Sunset Strip across February 17-18. For event information, visit www.sunsetstrip.org.au
For more from ANDRA, visit www.andra.com.au
