CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS – A SUCCESSFUL SYNOPSIS
For many individuals, the 2006 Castrol EDGE Winternationals proved a portrayal of personal success as racers dug deep in the pursuit of one final defining moment to round off the 2005/06 season.
Magic milestones and on-track triumphs littered the entire Group One drag racing categories and these efforts were duly backed by some outstanding statistics recorded by many drivers and riders in support categories.
In total there were 20 track records smashed during the Castrol EDGE Winternationals and nine National records reset.
While a crowd figure for the three day event would be misappropriated due to Saturday’s rained out qualifying period, the general consensus was Friday’s attendance would have exceeded all previous opening day figures.
A total three day figure of 34000 was viewed as impressive by Raceway officials particularly under the circumstances.
Sunday saw the onset of glorious Winter sunshine at Queensland’s home of drag racing and again there was a packed house at Willowbank Raceway to witness a fitting finale to the 2005/06 season.
There’ll be little time for drivers and riders to regroup as the 41st Australian Nationals will host an identical program to the Winternationals on September 15-17.
Keep an eye on these competitors who certainly enjoyed great fortune at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals and will hope to maintain momentum when the Australian Nationals launches the new season.
Athol Williams – Morgan and Wacker Top Fuel Bike
New Zealand Top Fuel Bike star Athol Williams surprised even himself with the performances he managed to put together at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals.
The Kiwi rider was most complimentary of the Willowbank Raceway surface as he set career best times en route to a narrow loss in the final against Brett Stevens.
Leading into the Castrol EDGE Winternationals Williams had been regularly running 7.50 seconds over the quarter mile in his homeland, but during the event, he continually slashed that figure, consistently under 7 seconds and saving his best for last in the final where he recorded 6.623 seconds at 338.41kph(210.32mph).
Steve Stanic – Jack Daniel’s Top Doorslammer
By virtue of a fifth placing in qualifying and his progression through to eliminator rounds, Steve Stanic managed to secure a maiden ANDRA Australian Top Doorslammer Championship.
In one of the most hotly contested and sought after prizes in Group One drag racing, Stanic became just the fifth driver in the past decade to have their name engraved on the coveted silverware.
Victor and Ben Bray, Brett Stevens and Peter Kapiris are the others to have sampled success in Top Doorslammer.
This season marked a changing of the guard and a dramatic tempo increase in Top Doorslammer competition as John Zappia won through in the contest to record the World’s first, class-legal five second pass in the bracket.
Only Brisbane’s Aaron Lynch has since achieved the feat at Willowbank Raceway during the QT Tin Top Titles and in the process claimed the World’s fastest mark from long time record holder Victor Bray.
But it was Stanic showing remarkable consistency and sheer determination to win through for his maiden championship.
Fans can expect to see more World class action in season 2006/07 as Stanic puts together a worthy defense of his crown.
Watch for an accelerated challenge by Team Bray as they nut out new set up combinations and start a rejuvenated campaign to win back the title they have enjoyed a mortgage on for some time. Victor’s efforts to win through for back-to-back Castrol Edge Winternationals titles could be just the start of things to come.
Dave Rogan – Travelaire Tours Pro Stock
After a lengthy lay off from the sport to focus on business and family commitments Dave Rogan has made every post a winner in Australian drag racing.
With proven pedigree, Rogan enjoyed a dream return by claiming last year’s ANDRA Pro Stock Championship and backed that up again this year to take the title on the back end of a Castrol EDGE Winternationals gold Christmas tree.
The Noosa Heads racer did however need to produce a National record run to clinch back-to-back Australian titles following the challenge of fellow Queenslander Shane Tucker.
Twenty-one year-old Tucker may have lost out to Rogan for the Castrol EDGE Winternationals title, however he’s done enough in season 2005/06 to warrant special mention.
An ANDRA Australian Championship was also on the line during the final of Travelaire Tours Pro Stock, yet the poise and maturity shown by Tucker allowed him to put together a worthy challenge.
The second generation drag racer missed out by less than a tenth of a second on claiming a maiden Group One championship in his debut season of professional drag racing.
There’s no doubt Travelaire Tours Pro Stock honours are high on the priority list for Tucker, so this contest will be one to watch out for during the 41st Australian Nationals.
Team Bray – Deno’s Cranes Top Alcohol/Jack Daniel’s Top Doorslammer
Six-time Australian champion Victor Bray brushed aside the disappointment of failing to qualify at his past two events to claim back-to-back Castrol Edge Winternationals titles.
It was Victor’s fourth ‘Winters’ crown and came on the back end of a tidy pre-event test day. Team Bray appears to be dialing in the Castrol Edge ’57 Chevy well, with the new lock-up clutch system that other teams have been using now for quite some time.
A series of low six second passes did the trick for Australia’s most revered quarter mile drag racing specialists.
His finals victory against Maurice Fabietti, who was contesting his first Top Doorslammer final, proved Victor Bray will again be at the pointy end of the field when racing resumes during the 41st Australian Nationals on September 15-17.
As fans have come to expect from 22 year-old Ben Bray he was again setting new parameters in the sport, having claimed his maiden ANDRA Australian Championship title in Top Alcohol, by winning through to the final of the Deno’s Cranes supported category.
Bray Junior may have been beaten by Brett Stevens in the Castrol Edge Winternationals showdown, but during the event he powered his way to a new lowest elapsed time record of 5.52 seconds. It was the third quickest Funny Car pass in world Top Alcohol history.
An ANDRA Australian championship during his debut season in the category will be added to the trophy cabinet that already boasts two Top Doorslammer crowns.
Three National Championships, across two brackets, during four years of competition in the professional ranks makes Ben Bray an absolute phenomenon of International drag racing.
Brett Stevens – Morgan and Wacker Top Bike/Deno’s Cranes Top Alcohol/Jack Daniel’s Top Doorslammer
Brett Stevens secured 50 career group one finals appearances at the Castrol Edge Winternationals and celebrated in fine style by claiming event honours in Morgan and Wacker Top Bike and Deno’s Cranes Top Alcohol.
Along the way Stevens mastered an Australian Harley Davidson Record time of 6.50 seconds at 344 kph (214 mph) to capture a runner-up position in the ANDRA Australian Top Bike Championship and did likewise in the ANDRA Top Alcohol chase with his win over Ben Bray.
Daniel Peatey – QT Pro Stock Motorcycle
Gladstone’s Daniel Peatey was all smiles after winning back his ANDRA Australian Pro Stock Motorcycle championship by virtue of his top qualifying effort in the QT supported category at the Castrol Edge Winternationals.
The North Queenslander red lighted in his semi final leaving a Winternationals crown again out of reach.
But as one of the more likable figures in competition, the 2005/06 season success would have gone some way in erasing the disappointment of last year’s Winternationals finals loss, where Peatey also relinquished the championship.
For the first time the Australian Nationals will fill the more appropriate September 15-17 timeslot for this country’s oldest drag racing event.
Again all six Group One categories will be featured and gauging by the performances at the Castrol Edge Winternationals, the realm of possibilities at this year’s Nationals is endless.