Buoyed by the imminent return of championship drag racing to Melbourne, the Victorian Drag Racers Club (VDRC) has donated a set of vehicle scales to the Australian National Drag Racing Association’s Victorian/Tasmanian division.
ANDRA Championship Drag Racing makes its long awaited return to Australia’s sporting capital with the Fuchs Nitro Thunder presented by Crow Cams at Calder Park Raceway on Saturday, 19 October.
It will be the first championship event held in Melbourne since the 2001 Australian Nationals.
VDRC president Michael Bibby presented an Intercomp SW650RFX™ Wireless Quik Weigh Scale set to stand-in ANDRA Victorian Division Director and Calder Park Drag Racing promoter Peter Pisalidis at the club’s October monthly meeting last week.
“The Victorian Drag Racers Club believes that after an absence of 12 years, that it is vital ANDRA Championship Drag Racing’s return to Melbourne is a resounding success,” Bibby said.
“We felt it important for the club to make a donation that assisted in the success this month’s event, continued to be of use to the sport, and was in the true spirit of the VDRC and previous donations.
VDRC donates portable weigh scales to Victorian/Tasmanian ANDRA division
Club also recognizes considerable effort of member Alec Berias
“It would be fair to say weigh scales are little thought about pieces of equipment, but are vital for racers, event organisers, and the correct administration of competition.
“The VDRC’s members and committee have thrown their full ‘weight’ behind the occasion and we are proud to present ANDRA’s Victorian/Tasmanian division the Intercomp weigh scale set.”
The Intercomp scales were purchased from club supporter Motorsport Connections and incorporate fully integrated wireless weighing technology, have a 2,800kg system capacity, and are certified to be accurate to within 0.1 per cent. They will be used at Calder Park and other Victorian tracks.
Bibby also used the occasion to officially recognise longtime club member Alec Berias, paying tribute to Berias’ efforts in organising a fleet of semi-trailers to transport 146 concrete safety barriers to Calder Park late last month.
“The concrete safety barriers are required to line the Calder Park strip but each one is was 4.2 metres long and 4.5 tonnes, presenting quite a considerable dilemma in transport logistics and cost,” Bibby said.
“Alec stepped up and arranged everything, with the transport operation, which took place on September 22nd, going smoothly. Without Alec’s efforts, the racing distance for the event may have been restricted to only 1/8th mile instead of the ¼ mile for most categories.
The Fuchs Nitro Thunder presented by Crow Cams will feature rounds of the Australian Top Fuel, Top Bike and Pro Stock Bike Championships, along with support categories including Super Comp, Supercharged Outlaws, Modified, Super Sedan, Modified Bike, Super Street, Junior Dragster and Super Gas.
Qualifying for support categories begins at 9:00am, with Pro qualifying sessions at 11:00am and 1:30pm. Pro eliminations are at 5:00 and 7:00pm with finals from 9:30pm.
General admission is just $35, with concession and children aged 12-16 $20, children under 12 admitted free. Gates open at 6:00am for competitors and 8:30am for spectators.
About the Victorian Drag Racers Club
The VDRC was formed by a group of racers and owners in 1970 at the Masonic Hall in Barkley Street, Footscray, on the need to demonstrate a united voice in negotiations with track owners. Its history is one of being a drag racers club, not a drag racing club. The VDRC meets at 8:00pm on the first Tuesday of each month at the Williamstown RSL, located on the corner of Ferguson Street and Melbourne Road, Williamstown.
