Team Bray Racing is currently putting the final touches on their preparation for the biggest drag racing event of the year – the FUCHS Winternationals.
With team principal Victor Bray – a six-time back-to-back Top Doorslammer champion born in 1957 – recently celebrating his 57th birthday after a lifetime of racing ’57 Chevs, the team is hoping this is a sign the ‘stars will align’ for the biggest event on the Australian drag racing calendar.
To be held at their home track of Willowbank Raceway across Thursday the 5th of June to Sunday the 8th of June, the FUCHS Winternationals will host a 16 car Top Doorslammer field for only the second time in Australian drag racing history.
“Everyone has been saying the stars have aligned this year to see me – a true lover of the ’57 Chev – turn 57 years old after being born in 1957, so I am hoping that alignment can continue to our Winternationals campaign!” said Victor Bray.
“We have enjoyed some positive steps with our new set-up in the Sidchrome Top Doorslammers in recent times, so we are hoping for some solid results – while we are not expecting to be running 5.70’s down the quarter-mile, anything can happen in drag racing – especially at the Winternationals.
“That is even truer when you consider that we have a 16 car field for this event, meaning that there is double the amount of spots in the eliminations field than usual!”
Victor will be joined on-track by son and three-time ANDRA champion Ben Bray in Top Doorslammer and the Factory Xtreme bracket, and son-in-law Dean McClennan in Supercharged Outlaws.
Both Ben and Dean took to the track at the weekend’s Winters Warm-Up, with Ben experiencing a wild Sunday ride aboard his Sidchrome Nissan Altima when a split radiator pushed three litres under the wheels at half-track; while McClennan achieved a 6.40 second pass on Saturday before rain put paid to any further runs.
“Sunday brought an experience I certainly wasn’t looking for, with a split radiator pushing three litres of water under the wheels which saw me with a car skating backwards and forwards across the race track,” said Ben Bray.
“I was so happy to keep it off the walls, but even so once that happened it was time to pack up and go home to make some repairs and start the final preparations for the Winternationals.”
The Queen’s birthday long weekend event will mark the last event for the team under the Sidchrome banner, with the 20 year relationship to continue into the next season with the business to remain on-board as a tools and technical assistance sponsor.
“The Sidchrome – Team Bray partnership is probably one of the longest running sponsorship relationships in Australia,” said Victor Bray.
“I have greatly enjoyed my role as an ambassador for Sidchrome in the three and a half years since they stepped up to become our team’s naming rights sponsor, and I am pleased that they will remain a part of our team as a tools and technical assistance sponsor as have been previously.
“I really hope we can put on good show at the Winternationals for them in thanks for all of their support over the years, and for the support to come.”
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