35,000 Race Fans Delight In NDRC Action at Dragway at the Bend
By the end of the grand-opening Spring Nationals at the brand-new Dragway at The Bend, more than 35,000 race fans delighted in an incredible weekend of racing thanks to the new National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC).
Across this ground-breaking event, the championship ledgers were opened in NDRC Top Fuel, Top Doorslammer, Top Fuel Motorcycle and Pro Stock Motorcycle, while more than 300 sportsman racers claimed valuable points in the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship.
Claiming the NDRC Gold Christmas Trees in the group one brackets were Benny Stevens (Top Fuel Motorcycle) and Scott White (Pro Stock Motorcycle), over runners-up Damien Muscat (Top Fuel Motorcycle) and Glenn Wooster (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
Danny Rickard (Top Fuel Motorcycle) and Luke Crowley (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed third place for their respective brackets by winning their B-Finals.
Top Fuel Motorcycle
In Top Fuel Motorcycle, Benny Stevens enjoyed a wheelstanding solo run in the A-Final when Damien Muscat was unable to front the starter. Stevens’ A-Final berth followed two wheel-carrying impressive races earlier in the day, with his event winning 6.409 second pass at 353.43kph coming after 6.483/355.05kph and 6.447/348.41kph passes in rounds one and two – both completed with the front wheel in the air for the majority of the runs.
Mark Drew and Danny Rickard were matched for the B-Final, however problems after the burnout saw Drew pushed back and Rickard racing through for a solo win with a 7.510 second pass at 272.2kph to claim third for the bracket.
In the C-Final, Rob Cassar and Les Holden did battle, and when Cassar suffered a misfire part-way down the track, it was Holden who claimed the win with a 8.302 second pass at 217.31kph. The D-Final saw Kevin Gummow matched with Corey Buttigieg, with Buttigieg a no-show to leave Gummow to run down the track solo.
The impact of the win on Benny Stevens was written clearly across his face as he accepted the Gold NDRC Christmas Tree trophy at the end of the track.
“I am a bit lost for words,” Stevens said.
“Thank you very much to all of my sponsors and everyone that supports us with the Dananni Hot Shots Top Fuel Harleys – they all went really well this weekend, and I am really happy with everyone’s efforts.
“Thanks to my crew and to Dragway at The Bend, I can’t wait to get back here. I am absolutely stoked, I am lost for words, to be the first winner here. Thank you to all the crew, the crowd, to everyone involved.
“Maybe I will fill the fake leg up with the champagne and enjoy a ‘leggie!’” he laughed.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Scott White took the win over Glenn Wooster in a very close side by side race, with White’s 7.170s pass with a 0.032 reaction time giving him the holeshot win over Wooster’s 7.080 ET with a 0.233 reaction time.
In the B-Final, Luke Crowley claimed third for the event with victory over Ryan Learmonth, laying down a 7.128 second pass to take the win over Learmonth who had a better reaction time, but couldn’t get it done with a 7.487 second ET.
In the C-Final, Tony Frost took the win over Locky Ireland, who suffered a flame out after the launch. Jason Lee meanwhile had a solo in the D-Final, with a early shut off.
For White, it was an emotional victory.
“I won this event 10 years ago at Adelaide at the old track and it seems I am doing a 10 year cycle,” he smiled.
“I didn’t even think I was in the final and to go on to beat Glenn, that is just so amazing.
“I want to thank Forcewear Group for looking after the bracket and Kads for being a part of it as well. Also, Vehicle Solutions NT and the enormous group of companies that have been on board with us for years and years – we have been doing this for 35 years and to get this win is so good, thank you very much.”
The National Drag Racing Championship now continues to Sydney Dragway, where the Sydney Nationals will fire up over Friday October 27 and Saturday October 28, led by Nitro Funny Car, Pro Alcohol, Pro Stock and FuelTech Pro Mod as well as continued racing for the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship.
For event information, visit www.sydneydragway.com.au
Sell-out Crowd Celebrates NDRC Spring Nationals Saturday
A sell-out crowd of 20,532 has revelled in the delights of the new National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC) today, with a similar sized crowd expected for tomorrow’s race day Sunday (22 October).
Saturday’s running hosted qualifying for the opening rounds of the NDRCTop Fuel Motorcycle and Pro Stock Motorcycle championships, as well as qualifying for more than 300 of Australia’s best sportsman racers vying for all-important Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship points.
In the group one ranks, it was Benny Stevens (Top Fuel Motorcycle – 6.759s/180.24mph) and Luke Crowley (Pro Stock Motorcycle – 7.217s/187.47mph) who took out the top qualifying honours in a weather-shortened on-track program, ahead of tomorrow’s racing.
Crowley says there is a lot of potential for his team heading into Sunday’s program.
“It was good to have a run down the track today, especially as we didn’t test yesterday,” Crowley said.
“We got from A to B, it wasn’t a really clean run, so there is a lot of potential in it for tomorrow. If the weather comes good, I reckon we could go 6.85 and run well under the national record.
“We also have a qualifying shootout within the Pro Bike Association, and I was lucky enough to win that too, so that was pretty cool to claim the $500 thanks to Kads Plant Hire.”
In the sportsman ranks, Sean Ricketts (Modified Bike) was the top qualifier of their brackets for today’s running, and will join with Competition Bike competitors in looking to bank valuable Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship points and battle for NDRC Christmas Tree trophies tomorrow.
The Spring Nationals action will continue tomorrow (Sunday 22 October) at Dragway at The Bend. For event information including updated schedules, entry lists and more, as well as tickets, please visit www.thebend.com.au
For more information about the NDRC, please visit www.ndrc.tv
