1 March 2011
Australia is recognised for boasting some of the toughest Top Fuel teams outside of North America.
This reputation has been further cemented after the latest round in the 2010/2011 Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) Pro Series Top Fuel Championship. Described by many as a showcase for one of Australia's best Top Fuel performances, this event saw no less than five side-by-side four second passes in the seven elimination races.
January was a busy month for the Australia’s Top Fuel racers with two Championship rounds held on opposite sides of the country. The first of these, and third round of the Championship, was the New Year Series event hosted by Queensland’s Willowbank Raceway. Steve ‘The Pom’ Read was a surprise top qualifier at the event, running a 4.785s/302.21mph pass. Unfortunately for the drivers, teams and fans a down pour of rain as the Top Fuel dragsters lined up for their first round of eliminations saw an end to the session and the event. Top qualifier Read banked the low ET points while Andrew Cowin’s 306.21mph qualifying pass earned him the event’s top speed points.
The teams then travelled from the east coast of Australia to the Perth Motorplex on west coast for the second round of the year and fourth Championship round. The three Top Fuel qualifying sessions of at the event kept fans on the edges of their seats with six dragsters running four second passes to secure their spot in the eight car field. After these sessions it was Championship contender Cowin who was on top of the timesheets with a blistering 4.770/318.02mph pass.
In a shock upset the top qualifier was eliminated in the first round with Cowin’s 4.991/276.07mph not quick enough to defeat Phil Lamattina’s 4.828/312.50mph. This was one of three side-by-side four second passes during the first round of eliminations, with Phil Read defeating Mark Sheehan with a 4.891s pass and Terry Sainty defeating Damien Harris with a 4.892s pass. Championship leader Darren Morgan was the final entrant into the semi-finals, defeating Martin Stamatis with a 5.024/263.15mph.
The side-by-side four second passes continued in the semi-finals as Morgan defeated Sainty with a 4.818s pass to the latter driver’s 4.892s pass. When it came to the race between Lamattina and Read fans could scarcely tell who crossed the finish line first as the drivers ran passes of 4.806s and 4.808s respectively. This setup an exciting final between Morgan and Lamattina, the two top fuel drivers from Mildura. In the end it was Morgan who took the win and the bonus Championship points, running a 4.832/313.58mph.
This saw Darren Morgan, who is chasing his first Championship win as a team owner, extend his leading margin in the Championship to 74 points. Keeping him in check is second placed Andrew Cowin, who in spite of his first round defeat at the latest event did score the low ET and top speed points his top qualifying pass.
The Australian Top Fuel racers return to Willowbank Raceway for the next round of the 2010/2011 ANDRA Pro Series Championship on March 25-26. With three rounds left in the Championship fans can be assured that there are plenty of thrilling races still left to be run.
By Chelsea Woods