Sheehan smashes records

Mark Sheehan came back to race at the Westernationals, held last weekend, for one reason – to destroy the AA/Dragster record.
With Jaspal’s Transport bringing the car back from NSW where it has been competing in Top Alcohol championship rounds, the Sheehan team wanted to make sure there record was safe, especially from hopeful Adam Croker.
As it turned out Croker and Sheehan met in the final of the Competition category, Sheehan taking the win when Croker red lit (foul start).
Sheehan said he couldn’t be happier after resetting the record to 5.88sec.
“We had a plan and it came to fruition perfectly,” he said, “There’s still more there for AA/D, there’s a 5.7sec. in that car.”
Sheehan is waiting on more parts to arrive and won’t be racing this weekend but hopes to make the last event of the season.
He says the team will be back racing in Western Australia in one way or another next season.

Easson back in form

Ray Easson’s comeback through mid-season in Comp Bike has been something to really watch and he didn’t hold back at the Westernationals, winning the event and running under the elapsed time record.
Easson is happy with the way his Suzuki has returned to form.
“It’s back to where it should be,” he said, “We broke the transmission and missed two meetings and it has taken a bit to get a handle on the clutch again.
“It was a good meeting, I was quite pleased. The rain was a concern but after that the track was magic.”
Easson qualified third behind the two CC/Competition Bikes of Greg Durack and Glen Higgins.
“It was good to win from number three, there was no easy path through.
“Those blown (supercharged) classes are a problem, I was banking on them being unreliable. They’ll get their act together, you don’t treat anyone lightly.”

Lloyd ‘burns’ to win

Colin Lloyd came over from Queensland to compete at the 34th annual Westernationals with his gorgeous Pontiac Firebird Super Stocker and went home with plenty of reward, a win in the event and a Best Presented Car and Crew award.
“We came over two years ago and made a mistake in round two so there was some unfinished business,” said Lloyd, “It (the final) was a good clean race and I was rapt.”
Lloyd’s win didn’t come out without problems, not the least of which was burning his hand quite severely, necessitating a visit to St John Ambulance first aid volunteers.
“I slipped in some oil and fell in on a header (exhaust pipe). It was pretty bad.
“Then we had a seized oil pump in qualifying so I only got one shot. But we had a blast, it’s a great place to race.”

Super victory for Bakranich

Super Street racer Alby Bakranich took his first ever Westernationals win last weekend, taking his 355 cubic-inch Holden Commodore to victory over Matt Treloar in the final.
The Commodore Service Centre-prepared car runs a mild combination and is readily streetable.
Bakranich is now tossing up whether or not to travel to the Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway, Queensland, in June to chase the national championship.
The strong racer now leads the local championship.
He says he has no plans to change categories next season, enjoying ‘foot pedal’ racing in Super Street as opposed to the computerised world of Super Sedan.

Hi-tech comes of age

Jeremy Ball’s win at the Westernationals represented many firsts. His first Westernationals win, his first final in the car and the first time a ‘hi tech’ combination has taken out the Modified category.
Ball’s car runs a Nissan SR20 four cylinder turbo, a set up more commonly found in boy racer Silvias.
However the approach has paid dividends with Ball running a new PB of 8.62sec. during the weekend to go with his win.
He was fortunate to take the win in the final over Neil Gannaway, who red lit and handed over victory, Ball’s car cutting out intermittently as it struggled to get down the track.
He says the team now plans to head for the Winternationals.

Vale: Steve Igglesden

Steve "Iggy" Igglesden passed away peacefully on Friday evening after a ten year battle with leukaemia.
A legend of drag racing in Australia, Igglesden had raced competitively for 35 years in brackets from Super Street to Top Comp.
He was well known for his contributions to the drag racing and street rodding scene and worked for over 30 years in the automotive industry.
A true gentleman with a mischievous streak, he would never let the truth get in the way of a good story. But he was always there to lend a hand.
He will be sorely missed.
His legacy will proudly live on in the form of Steve Igglesden and Daughters Racing.
And as was his catchcry, “Remember... Life is a Drag!”