Toowomba drag racer Denis Whiting could achieve a significant milestone, being the first Pro Stock car into the six second zone for the quarter mile, when the ANDRA Pro Series hits Sydney Dragway on March 24 and 25.
The first “six” has been hotly chased over the past two seasons and for Whiting the target was brought clearly into focus when a new engine package allowed him to power to a new national record of 7.022sec in Perth during the second round of the championship, perilously close to the magic mark.
With many Pro Stock teams changing to the newly legal VP PSX-AU racing fuel for the event, Whiting predicts the extra horsepower the fuel provides could be the difference.
“I think the “six” will be on if the track can hold us in Sydney,” Whiting said. “On our 7.022sec run I clicked it at 6.8 seconds into the pass. There is a bit left to come.
“The new fuel should provide an extra 20 horsepower, that’s what the figure that is going around. It’s better in some motors than others.
“But it’s also dependent on the conditions. We need track temperature at optimum. If we can survive through first and second gear it is on, we have a good chance of running a six.”
Whiting’s attack on the last round of the championship resulted in him seizing every point available as he won the event, top qualified and was awarded bonus points for low elapsed time and top speed.
It was a long time coming for the 62 year old Toowomba company director, who says the shift to imported USA engines has been the difference.
“The engine package is pretty stout, it has a lot of torque which is the secret to these things,” he said. “That’s what you need to get through the gears, it recovers very well on the gear shift.
“Up to two years ago we were doing our own engines but I am a manufacturer and that is what I should stick to doing. We got two years behind and got lost and blamed everything except that we just didn’t have the power.
“This (new engine) has been in the pipeline for us for 12 months or so, we have been creeping up.”
Whiting is wary of the challenge that points rivals Michael Ali, Tyronne Tremayne and Jason Hedges are ready to throw at him.
“There’s only one way to go when you’re in number one, but we hope to stay there, we just need to keep our nose clean in Sydney,” he said.
“I know Dave Newcombe is throwing a fair bit at it for Sydney and the Tremayne family will always be there.
“Anyone could do it and if I fall over early in Sydney I’m back to where I started from in the championship.”
The ANDRA Pro Series featuring Pro Stock, Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock Motorcycle divisions, plus the Rocket Allstars Racing Series, will be held over March 24 and 25 at Sydney Dragway.
Qualifying (Saturday) and racing (Sunday) both begin from 10am and tickets cost $35, with two days passes available for $60.
ANDRA Pro Stock points after two rounds
1 Denis Whiting 243
2 Michael Ali 202.5
3 Tyronne Tremayne 152
4 Jason Hedges 150
5 Dave Newcombe 120.5
6 Aaron Tremayne 108.5
7 Shane Tucker 94
8 Lee Bektash 91
9 Bill Perdikaris 82.5
10 Emilio Spinozzi 72
