Top Doorslammer racer Sam Fenech can’t wait to get to the Desert Nationals this weekend (16 and 17 July) in what will be his first ever trip to Alice Springs Dragway.
The West End Performance Engine Builder and Business Owner is a rookie in the Doorslammer ranks, and heads to Alice Springs just days after competing in Darwin’s Nitro Up North event.
“I am probably the rookie of the whole Top Doorslammer group – I have the least amount of laps under my belt and this is my first full season,” said Fenech, who thanks team owner Steve Sarkis of MegaTilt Heavy Haulage for his support.
“As such it is no real surprise that we struggled a little bit with the track set-up in Darwin, but we are still pretty happy with how we went.
“Things started off well, with us qualifying sixth fastest in what was a competitive race day field, and then come the first round on race day we faced off against eventual event winner and 19-time champion Gary Phillips.
“We spun the tyres at the 100 foot mark and lost that round, but even so, we are still very happy with how we went and our progress.
“We are not expecting to rotate the earth in our first season – I started out crewing for Louie and Santo Rapisarda in Top Fuel back in the 1990s and just recently we have stepped up from two and a half years of successful Outlaw 10.5 racing (including two Australian championships) to the group one ranks ourselves as racers, and it is a big deal for all involved.”
As not only a rookie in the Top Doorslammer ranks but also a first-time visitor to Alice Springs, it is no surprise that the New South Welshman is unsure of what to expect this weekend.
“We haven’t been to Alice Springs Dragway before at all – we have the car ready but at the same time we don’t really know what to expect,” said Fenech.
“What we do know is that we are very excited to head there for the first time, and we are hearing good things about the track. So we will get there, see what we are working with, make adjustments and go from there.
“We all have enough horsepower when it comes down to it, it is just about trying to adapt to the conditions as quickly as we can – the guys who are able to get on top of it quickly are the ones that make their race day successful, so that is what it is all about.
“Aside from that, we will be looking to surpass our personal best results as everyone does in a sport where we get excited about thousandths of a second and half a mile per hour,” laughed Fenech.
“Our PB is 5.94 seconds, and we certainly want to go quicker, we want to advance – we are very hungry for more and are ready to make a dent. We definitely respect all of the guys that have been here for years and we are just keen to be a part of it.
“We have all the gear, and now we just want to get in there and have a go!”
The Desert Nationals will be held at Alice Springs Dragway across Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July, 2016. The event will feature racing for Top Doorslammer, Super Stock, Supercharged Outlaws, Super Street, Super Compact, Super Sedan, Super Gas, Comp Bike, Modified, Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster, Competition, Top Sportsman and Mod Bike. Also on-show on Sunday will be an exhibition pass from Top Fuel Motorcycle defending champion Chris Porter. On-track action will be held from approximately 11.00am to 5.00pm each day. For more detailed event information, please click here.
Image credit: Grant Stephens / Drag News Australia