Simon Lekias - Outlaw Winner
The ANDRA Drag Racing Series presented by the Territory Government and 7mate was not just about the big boys, it was also the first chance for a lot of Territory racers to compete in such a historical event.
While there has been some forms of ANDRA Drag Racing in the 1990’s this was the first time the new ANDRA Drag Racing Series had been hosted at Hidden Valley Drag Strip and the first time both Top Alcohol and Top Bikes categories had ventured to the Top End.
Alongside the Group 1 teams were a host of entrants from Western Australia who travelled in convoy through Alice Springs and up to the Valley.
Simon Lekias made the trip worthwhile, pushing through to the Outlaw finals in his Modified Dragster against local Territorian Todd Knight. Knight was the bridesmaid for the fourth time in a row after finding himself snoozing on the line. Lekias finished with a 7.918 on a 7.87 dialin. All was not lost for Knight though, he is now edging closer to the points leader, Dieter Herrmann who sat out the event, instead crewing on the Top Alcohol Funny Car of Steve Ham.
Top Sportsman also went to the West Aussies with the Modified Dragster of Norm Butler defeating Allan Arthus with a near perfect 8.282 pass on an 8.280 dialin.
The WA contingent vowed to be back even bigger next year.
David Denner and Clive Mainland had an extremely close race in the Modified Bike final with only 0.037 seconds separating the rivals as they crossed the line. Mainland started with a slightly better reaction and carried that lead through to the finish line, running an 8.639 on an 8.60 dialin against Denner’s 9.116 on a 9.10 dialin.
Super Sedan was a re-run of the Round 3 finals with Daniel Foreman again defeating Grant Rowe and making it three in a row for the white Torana. Both competitors had near identical speed, both pulling 131mph, but Foreman was too quick running 9.879 on a 9.85 dialin against Rowe’s 10.366.
Super Street saw Shaun Boyer notch up his third win of the season, defeating Brett Francis in the Beat the Heat Commodore and extending his lead over Troy McGregor in the point score.
In other brackets, Bob Czernaiwski defeated Ellen Musk in the Street Car finals which now sees him gain a comfortable 30 point lead with only two rounds left in the series.
Josh Schuit got revenge on Mark Tattingham taking out the win in the Street Bike class after Tattingham relegated Schuit to second place earlier this month at Round 4 of the series.
Travis Hagen took out the automatic win in the Super Toyworld Junior Dragster bracket after Maddison Sperrer broke out, running 8.317 on an 8.50 dialin. Hagen ran a very respectable 8.061 on an 8.0 dialin.
The event will be telecast on Speedweek on SBS on Sunday 25 August
TOP ALCOHOL WINNER STEVE HAM
TOP ALCOHOL RUNNER UP JOHN CANNULI
TOP BIKE WINNER GREG DURACK
TOP BIKE RUNNER UP CHRIS PORTER
OUTLAWS WINNER SIMON LEKIAS
OUTLAWS RUNNER UP TODD KNIGHT
TOP SPORTSMAN WINNER NORM BUTLER
TOP SPORTSMAN RUNNER UP ALLAN ARTHUS
SUPER SEDAN WINNER DANIEL FOREMAN
SUPER SEDAN RUNNER UP GRANT ROWE
MODIFIED BIKE WINNER CLIVE MAINLAND
MODIFIED BIKE RUNNER UP DAVID DENNER
SUPER STREET WINNER SHAUN BOYER
SUPER STREET RUNNER UP BRETT FRANCIS
STREET CAR WINNER BOB CZERNIAWSKI
STREET CAR RUNNER UP ELLEN MUSK
STREET BIKE WINNER JOSH SCHUIT
STREET BIKE RUNNER UP MARK TATTINGHAM
JR DRAGSTER WINNER TRAVIS HAGEN
JR DRAGSTER RUNNER UP MADDISON SPERRER