Keys locks up championship

Wayne Keys won the Top Comp championship this season in the supercharged StaffTek Monaro.

It was Keys’s second championship win and he showed that to be successful was a matter of being there and every race and being able to run some numbers when counted on.

“Everyone in the field is on the pace,” said Keys, “I think’s it a big achievement for the whole team, I only drive the thing.”

Keys found his most satisfying moments in the season being able to prove his worth against the heavy hitters in Australia’s toughest sportsman bracket and running under his own national record along the way.

“Everyone was on the money at the end of the season,” he said, “There were times when you think you’re behind the eight-ball but I never go into a race thinking I can’t win.”

Keys struggled early in the season when he banged rods out of his main motor, meaning he had to run a spare for three events while it was being repaired.

But it was his doggedness and determination to be at every event that won him the championship.

“We chipped away at it and got it to go better each time, we made steady improvements through the year,” said Keys.

The StaffTek team will now travel to Sydney for the Nitro Champs in May before heading north to Queensland for the Winternationals where they hope to take a national championship.

Brown takes first run

Brad Brown made his first run in the ex-Brenton Baxter Super Sedan at last week’s Fast Friday event at Quit Motorplex.

Brown ran a 9.67sec. pass he said he was pretty happy with.

“Brenton built a good car,” he said, “I’m ready to build the next motor to go faster!”

Brown will have to make do with 220kmh runs for the time being, he will campaign next season with the current combination before stepping up.

Brad Brown is actually the nephew of Ken Brown, the one on the previous page who writes about that dirt track oval stuff.

The drag racing fraternity will be proud Brad made the right choice!

Baxter shifting gear

Brenton Baxter will be bringing in a new car from the US to compete in Australia, having sold his Super Sedan.

The car will be designed to race in the Competition category but Baxter is unsure which class he will be chasing.

He plans to have the car on track for 2006.

Wilson comes west

Keir Wilson will be bringing two Nissan Skyline GTRs to compete at Drag Combat this weekend.

Wilson will have his full race-prepped machine that runs in the 8sec. zone at well over 240kmh as well as his average, run of the mill street car that just happens to make 9sec. passes!

Both are awesome four wheel drive, turbocharged machines and should be something to see.

Carey ready for Combat

Paul Carey’s supercharged 3-Rotor RX-7 is ready to take on the best of local high tech four cylinder, six cylinder and rotary racers in the upcoming BFGoodrich Drag Combat event.

 “At the last national open meeting we set a personal best of 9.11sec at 240kmh, with a lot more changes and development left,” said Carey, “The car is such a buzz to drive and the unique sound of the blown rotary is something to hear first hand.

“We have made some gearing changes and hope to dip into the eight second zone at this meeting.”

Carey will be racing in the Combat Xtreme class featuring the quickest high tech cars in WA and even a couple of interstate entries to spice things up.

McClure chases title

Newly crowned WA Super Sedan champion Al McClure is packing his bags and will head to Queensland in June for the Winternationals.

McClure plans to take advantage of his current lead in the Australian Drag Racing Series.

“The number one plate would look great on the awesome SS ute and would top off a good season,” said McClure.

Also filling the container will be brother Tim's 9.1sec. Suzuki Hayabusa Comp Bike, the quickest naturally aspirated Hayabusa in the country, Australia's fastest Ducati owned and ridden by Wayne Patterson and a 2004 model 748 Ducati ridden by Todd Patterson who is keen to build on his Westernationals runner up.

“We are all looking forward to representing WA with four of its best,” said McClure.

Buchanan moves on

John Buchanan has announced that he is selling his Top Fuel dragster.

Buchanan stressed that despite selling his current operation, he is not getting out of Top Fuel racing and plans to return very soon with a top level car.