Haynes scorches into fours

American Chuck Haynes guided his jet-powered dragster to a 4.99sec. pass at Quit Motorplex on the weekend, the first time anything other than a Top Fuel dragster has run a ‘four’ in Australia.

Haynes tried to replicate the feat in the ‘Volcano’ dragster’s final run of the night at the Ford Dealer Team Grand Final but could only manage a 5.01sec. pass at a strong 513kmh (319mph).

The likeable Montana resident also took out the night’s match race 2-1, defeating Australian Gary Miocevich.

Miocevich was determined to take it up to Haynes, running best ever figures of 5.51sec. and 466kmh (290mph).

Miocevich was experimenting with a water injection system for his ‘Gravity Storm’ jet which showed some benefit while Haynes had fitted a new afterburner to his machine, helping to boost the jet to the record times.

Terrific Top Comp

Western Australia’s premier supercharged category Top Comp turned on fantastic racing at the Ford dealer Team Grand Final.

Four racers reset Australian bests for their type of vehicle while six had new best times at the Quit Motorplex.

Doug Bird’s Pigfish Racing BB/Altered made the first hit in qualifying with a 6.31sec. pass putting him in first position.

From there the numbers came thick and fast with John McSweeney running a 6.59sec. time in the BB/Altered Production class to emphasise the car’s title as Australia’s quickest Ford, George Separovich ran a 6.68sec. in his BB/Gas Torana and Mark Sheehan just missed becoming the world’s quickest small block racer with a 5.69sec. run in his final race of the night.

John Zappia was driving the Rentco Rat in Top Doorslammer guise and hit a new best of 6.11sec. while Peter Hamilton (featured last week) pushed the Street Quick Statesman doorslammer to a 390km/h (242mph), making him Australia’s second fastest Top Doorslammer after Victor Bray.

Atkins aches

Mark Atkins had a terrifying accident in the quarter finals of Super Sedan on Saturday when his Holden Torana flipped violently at over 230kmh.

After barrel rolling close to ten times the car came to rest against the safety barrier and emergency crews were on the scene soon after to come to his aid.

It is believed that when the parachute deployed it snapped the rear wheels off of the ground, turning the car on to its side.

Congratulations champions

The Grand Final event naturally saw all the championships decided for another season.

Wayne Keys took out Top Comp with his B Final runner up enough to defeat Trevor Morrison who went out in the elimination round.

Graeme Simms didn’t even need to show up for Super Comp, his tally of points also garnered him the Racer of the Year title.

Paul Nieuwhof won Comp Bike for a second year in a row and it was made all the more special when in a first for drag racing it was a marital double championship as wife Julie took out the Modified Bike title.

David James was able to secure the first ever Supercharged Outlaws championship despite a strong challenge from Steve McGrath in the later part of the season.

Mark Reaney had Modified quite easily tied up, Alastair McClure took the Super Sedan title and Matthew Johnson won the season’s spoils in Junior Dragster.

The best championship fight was between Alby Bakranich and Neil Scott for Super Street.

Going in tied on points the two met in the third round with the winner of the encounter to become state champion. In a fantastic race it was Scott who emerged the winner, his better reaction time on the start line forcing Bakranich to break out (run quicker than his handicap) and be disqualified.

Price on Stevens’ head

Australian drag racing icon Brett Stevens has had a price of $100,000 put on his head by the Kids With Cancer Foundation.

If the money can be raised for the charity, the Brisbane racer will be putting his head, or more to the point, his distinctive metre long ponytail on the chopping block.

Growing for over 20 years, Stevens ponytail has been his lifetime identifying feature.

Now, with the help of caring fans and businesses, he has agreed to give his ‘tail’ the snip to help out the children.

“I hadn’t planned to cut off my pony tail so when I agreed to do this it came as a bit of a shock to a lot of people,” Stevens said.

“The Kids With Cancer Foundation is an organisation that I have strong feelings for and I wouldn’t think twice about such a trivial sacrifice compared to what these poor children have to go through.

“I’m hoping to raise $100,000 to help them out and if I do before the Winternationals, my hair goes!”

The Kids With Cancer Foundation Australia is a totally non-profit organisation that provides funding for childhood cancer suffers as well as assisting doctors, nurses, families and support groups in their efforts in caring for these children.

For more information on how to become involved please contact Brett Stevens Racing on (07) 3888 3565 or visit www.brettstevensracing.com.