The first ANDRA Championship Drag Racing season under the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series banner is in the books.
Huge crowds, great racing and plenty of action thrilled fans across the four-day extravaganza as ANDRA Gold Christmas Trees were handed out for national championship glory and prestige of the biggest drag racing event outside of the US.
Alistair McClure has secured his second consecutive Competition Eliminator championship with a semi final win over title rival Craig Geddes. The Victorian turned on the red light, allowing McClure to protect his index for the final where it was Wayne Cartledge who lifted the trophy for the Winternationals victory.
Cartledge overcame Louis Galea, Ash Hamblin, Robert Coleman and then two-time champ McClure in the final to wrap up a solid weekend for the veteran.
“We’re absolutely stoked,” said Cartledge. “We struggled for the last season or two, we’ve got a new combination we’re trying in the car and it looks like it’s going to pay off for us.
“There was a lot of heavy hitters here this weekend. We weren’t expecting to come this far this weekend, but we’re absolutely stoked.”
Newly crowned Super Stock champion Steve Norman could only watch after switching on the red light as Rob Nunn secured the Winternationals win for Tremaniac Racing in the final. Nunn’s journey involved wins over Rodney Moore, Jai Schluter and Jim Ioannidis.
“I’ve got to thank The Hose Shed and Tremaniac Racing,” said Nunn. “I didn’t know what to expect, I crashed the car about six weeks ago and we got back just in time for the Winters. Thanks to those guys that helped out financially as well. It still hasn’t sunk in yet.”
The Super Stock championship was decided in Round 2 when Steve Norman made a perfect pass, leaving Brett Glover at the line when his Mazda failed to fire. In doing so Norman built an unassailable lead to wrap up his first ever-national championship.
Just by qualifying, Ross Smith wrapped up his second consecutive Competition Bike championship. He then enjoyed some good fortune with red lights in the other lane to take home his second Gold Tree of the weekend by wining the final over Rob Cassar after eliminating Tony Frost, Andy Roberts and Niki Zakrzewski.
“This is the first Winternationals tree, we were glad to get it,” said Smith. “Earlier in the day we took out the national championship again, so that’s awesome! I’ve got to thank my wife and my young bloke for their support, without them, none of this would happen.”
Domenic Rigoli had already sewn up the Super Compact title coming in, but unfortunately he couldn’t double up for the weekend as he found himself back on the trailer after Round 1. It was left to Matt Lisle to take the event win in a solo final after he dispatched Chris Hall, Rod Harvey and Michael Baghdadi earlier in the day.
Daniel Morris took home the first ever Top Sportsman Winternationals trophy when he defeated Tony Agius in the final. Morris defeated Troy Daniel, Harry Somer then Steven Somer to set up his final win.
Steven Fowler is the first ever ANDRA Top Sportsman champion despite a Round 2 loss to Harry Somer. Stuart McBain was ousted in Round 1 and the only other driver who could catch him, Graham Hargrave, eliminated himself at the tree with a red light against Neil Maxwell.
“When we started the year, my crew, my family said we want to be the first ones to win Top Sportsman,” said Fowler. “It’s a bracket we’ve wanted to get up and running for the last three or four years, so we’re absolutely over the moon.”
Supercharged Outlaws was a tight contest all day but Josh Fletcher came away with the event win when newly crowned champion Donald Freind pulled a red light in the final. Fletcher negotiated round wins over Peter Wilson, Wade Wagstaff and top qualifier Adam Murrihy in the semi finals.
Doina Day and Donald Freind faced off in an early championship showdown with Freind coming out on top in a tight match-up. Paul Stephen still harboured title hopes as he lined up in the race immediately after but unfortunately he red lit, handing the championship to Freind at the Round 2 stage.
Rob Harrington got a popular win in Modified, defeating Mark Allan, championship hopeful Kenny Stewart and Modified newcomer Matt Forbes on his way to a final victory against Paul Doeblein.
Despite elimination in Round 1 on Saturday, Michelle Osborn took home the Modified championship when the last remaining challenger, Kenny Stewart made his exit in Round 3 against eventual winner Harrington.
A relieved Andrew Saliba beat out his fellow South Australian, John Kapiris, in the final of Super Sedan following round wins over David Duncombe and Tony Rogers.
David Yanko and Stephen Griffin, one and two in the championship points eliminated themselves with red lights in Round 3 while George Tipoukidis red lit in Round 2. John Kapiris took full advantage to claim his third consecutive championship on the way to a runner-up event finish.
Ace Edwards scored an emotional final round win as he took home the Gold Tree with wins over Jessie Barbeler, Tammy Goldthorpe, Brian Alvisio and newly crowned champion Ian Read in the final.
Joe Khoury and Ian read went round for round all day in their hunt for the Modified Bike championship. In the end Khoury defeated himself with a red light in the quarter final, allowing Read to claim the championship with a win over Karl Pacey in the same round.
Robert Winterburn is the Super Street Winternationals winner for the second year in a row after defeating Mitchell Bauer, Philip Armstrong, Ben Dreyer and finally Daryl Freeman.
South Aussie Enzo Clemente clinched the Super Street championship early in the day when he advanced through Round 2 against Rebekkah List. Fellow croweater Harry Harris fell by the wayside on a red light in the same round, meaning Clemente could not be caught.
Defending Junior Dragster champion Toby Austin, in his last appearance in the category, pushed all the way to win his second championship in a row, but Eden Ward went round for round the entire way. Fittingly, they met in the final with two trophies on the line and it was Ward who triumphed with an 8.089 ET on an 8.07 dial-in from Austin’s 8.010 ET on an 8.00 second dial-in.
David Gauldie was the beneficiary of a .004 red light from Simon Isherwood in the Super Gas final, following early round wins over Dale O’Dwyer, Michael DeRose and Patrick Barron to take home another ANDRA Gold Tree.
Two-time defending Super Gas champ Matt Forbes was a surprise elimination in Round 1 thanks to a red light, leaving Graeme Spencer, Colin Griffin and Michael DeRose to settle the championship. Last man standing was Graeme Spencer with a quarterfinal loss enough to guarantee the number #1.
To view the full results from Day 4 of the Fuchs Winternationals please click here.
Images courtesy: dragphotos.com.au
New national records:
BB/FCA – Al McClure
6.375 ET, 221.16 mph
B/D – Craig Geddes
7.287 ET, 186.12 mph
BB/GA – Robert Coleman
6.949 ET
C/APA – Steve Norman
7.834 ET, 173.78 mph
B/AP – Rob Nunn
7.152 ET, 190.83 mph
D/G – Kim Fardella
8.248 ET
RR/API – Brett Glover
7.446 ET
B/MSA – Jim Ioannidis
9.203 ET
C/AB – Blair Pennington
8.219 ET
AA/OM – Matt Lisle
193.68 mph
To view the previous records please click here.