Fastlane Magazine Special - 17/18 Championship Preview

MARCH 2 ND 2018

championship

update The

THE OFFICIAL UPDATE OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DRAG RACING ASSOCIATION

battle

is on.

The 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series is speeding towards its conclusion with only two rounds left to run – the MacTrack Westernationals (Perth Motorplex, March 3-4) and the Grand Final (Adelaide International Raceway, March 23-24).

Unsurprisingly, the battles for the prestigious ANDRA Xmas trees have been fierce across the year, with no signs of that abating as the championships come down to the wire.

With the penultimate round being held this weekend, we caught up with some of the racers ‘at the pointy end’ to get their thoughts on the season that has been and the battles ahead.

SUPER STOCK South Australia’s Jim Ioannidis leads the way in the Super Stock standings with 250 points ahead of Tom Dimitropoulos (200), Alex Panagiotidis (170), Daniel Camilleri (160) and Rob Dekkert (120).

Ioannidis has had a strong season with two event wins and a record-breaking performance in Portland. Also taking Super Stock wins this season have been Camilleri, defending champion Jamie Chaisty and Craig Geddes.

“Group two hasn’t had as many rounds as some others this season, so that has shortened it up and made the points championship a bit harder for us. I also missed Adelaide as we were away for a family holiday, which put me a little bit behind, but at the rounds we have raced, we have done very well. The

numbers show that with where we are in the points,” says Ioannidis.

“With the position that we are in after Portland and with the guys that are behind me, I think (the final championship battle) is going to be interesting. It is going to be ‘on’, and I have to be honest and say that I will be giving everything I have got – I know that in Perth on the quarter-mile and also at Adelaide we can go plenty under the index. Of course, you can’t count your chickens before they hatch, but at this point I am still in the box seat.

“This wasn’t something I was planning, but as it has unfolded, we will be giving it a red hot go – we have the car to do it, so why not?!”

TOP SPORTSMAN The competition in the Top Sportsman bracket has been fierce, with three racers on max points ahead of the penultimate round and no less than six different winners found from the six finals run so far.

Jason Arbery (Hidden Valley), Greg Damiani (Alice Springs), Chris Theodorakopoulos (Mildura), Paul Russo (Adelaide), Glenn Henley (Calder Park) and Darren Nichele (Portland) have all taken victory across the season, while Vlado Turic, Jeff Lewis and Paul Downe have joined Damiani, Nichele and Theodorakopoulos in also taking out runner-up spots.

Thanks to their strong seasons to date, Arbery, Turic and Damiani are all on max points heading to Perth (300 points), while Nichele (260) and Theodorakopolos (200) are not far behind.

“It has been a good season for us so far – we had an early win in Darwin, and some strong results in Adelaide and Melbourne so I was able to accumulate some points early on,” Arbery said.

“We are sitting confidently now, with two good results behind us and a runner-up result in Portland just a few weeks ago. We also went back to Portland for another meeting there in early February and we managed to win that as well, so we feel that we are in a good position.

“But at the same time, the competition is very tough. With the likes of Greg, Darren and Vlado, (who wins) is going to be a toss of the dice.”

SUPERCHARGED OUTLAWS An intense battle has been underway in the Supercharged Outlaws bracket all season long, so it is no surprise to see that there could be as many as five racers on 300 points by the time we get to Adelaide.

“We did have a hiccup at the last round in Portland where we hurt the engine, but since then we have rebuilt it and had a test back at South Coast Raceway and tried some things, and everything is now back to square one for us leading into the end of the championship.

With two wins and a runner-up result each so far this season, Tim Stewart and Justin Russell are at 300 points, as is Jason Keily who has thrown down one win and two runner-up performances.

“We won’t be going to Perth, and I think before we get to Adelaide we will see the number of racers on max points grow by at least two with Adam Murrihy and Alan Mahnkoph, and I think there is a chance Mark Hunt and Shane Kramer could be in the hunt as well.

With one win each, defending champion Adam Murrihy and Alan Mahnkoph are not far behind on 270 points each, while Shane Kramer (240) and Mark Hunt (180) can’t be counted out of the finals show either at this stage.

“It has been a really good season so far for us, and to have the two wins and the runner-up result at the right end of the season has given us the consistency in the car,” Stewart said.

“With maybe five drivers including myself on max points and possibly another two in the hunt heading to the Grand Final, there is no room to be confident – there never is in drag racing. You could go out in the first round!

“Our car (at the test) was straight back onto the numbers, so what we do have confidence in is the consistency of the car. It will all come down to what happens on the day.”

MODIFIED Matt Czerny leads the way as he continues to hunt his maiden Modified victory, coming oh-so-close twice already this season with runner-up results in Adelaide and Portland. Czerny leads the points tally on 300 points ahead of Alice Springs winner Sergio Bonetti (250), two-round winner Jess Turner (220), Bradley Hicks (180) and Adam Mundy (170).

Joining Bonetti and Turner in the winners’ circle so far this season have been Dean Radcliffe (Hidden Valley), Wade Kisyma (Mildura) and defending champion Craig Baker (Portland).

“The season has been pretty fun, a lot of fun! I have never done a full season – previously I have only ever raced a few meetings here and there. Doing a full season is logistically challenging trying to get the car everywhere, but it has been fun racing with my mates, it

has been a real blast!” Czerny said.

“My crew guys Ray and Dave and myself are loving it, we are always talking about the next race and what we have got to do, and they have been an awesome help. Being able to race at every track on the calendar with my mates and meeting great people at every place we race has all been great. If we can keep the points lead going into the Grand Finals, we will be partying for days!

“Technically we are chasing the championship, but what we are doing really is doing all of the rounds and trying to win a few, and if we come out the other side with enough points to take out the trophy that will just be a bonus. A championship would be cool to win, but we are racing to have fun and do as good as we can at the end of the day.”

SUPER SEDAN Just 10 points separate the leaders of the Super Sedan bracket as we head to Perth, with Peter Tzokas (300 points) leading from Johnny Kapiris (290), Ned Karanovic (210), Leon Davies (200), defending champion George Tipouikidis (200) and Alex Gkroidis (200).

The competition has been very close all season long, with seven different winners found from the seven rounds completed to date – Kapiris (Hidden Valley), Tzokas (Alice Springs), Davies (Mildura), Tipouikidis (Adelaide), Nick Panagopoulos (Perth), George Hatzi (Calder Park) and Chris Lioulios (Portland).

“This has actually been an awesome season, we have done pretty well at every round, gotten points at every round we have been too, and we maxxed out two rounds ago – watching everyone

catch up to me has been the sad part!” laughed Tzokas.

“I don’t know what will happen (with the championship), on the outside I am very confident, on the inside maybe not so much!

This is only my second season of racing and I came third last year, so even to come second would be a step forward – but then again, they say if you’re not first, you’re last don’t they?!

“We are going to Perth just to experience the track, I have never been there before. This is something I couldn’t achieve without my crew and my sponsors, so I need to say a big thanks to them – especially to my major supporter Marz Civil Construction who help me travel all around Australia.”

SUPER STREET Harry Harris is leading the way in the DENSO Super Street bracket after early season success at Alice Springs, but he expects that the competition for the title will come down to the wire.

With 250 points, the South Australian leads Graeme Cooper (220), former champion Johnny Kapiris (190), Tim Bryan (170) and Michael Bridges (170) ahead of the penultimate round.

Joining Harris in taking victories this season have been Bryan (Hidden Valley), Cooper (Mildura and Calder Park), defending champion Chris Tatchell (Adelaide) and Mick Piscioneri (Portland). Cooper was the first to take a victory following the announcement of DENSO’s support for the category in September, with he and his fellow victors each receiving a voucher for a set of spark plugs from DENSO. “Apart from going out in the first round to Greame Cooper in Mildura,

this season has surpassed all of our expectations,” Harris said.

“I am not sure if we are going to Perth as yet, but Johnny Kapiris will be going as he has a car already over there, so you have to assume he will do well and he will get some points back on Graeme and myself.

If I can hitch a ride, maybe I will go over too!

“You can never be confident about it – of course you never go to a race to lose, but if you take a look at the people I am up against: Graeme Cooper with 40 years of experience in the one car and then four-time back-to-back Super Sedan champion John Kapiris, you know that nothing is assured.

“As long as we go rounds, we should be right, but nothing is assured in this game – you can prep yourself all you like, but race day is a different day to any other day.”

MODIFIED BIKE Gordon Crawford and Johnny Ireland currently sit atop the points standings for Modified Bike on the maximum 300 points apiece, leading defending champion Bryan Finn (250), Dan Dycer (230) and Shane Walker (220).

Crawford has been a dominating force this season with wins at Hidden Valley, Mildura and Portland, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the popular racer.

“It has been a very tumultuous season with a lot of ups and downs,” Crawford said. “I started the season with one bike, one of my Harley Destroyers, and now I am finishing with another bike.

“The problem was I have been trying to use the same settings that worked well on one bike and they have not worked as well on the other bike. Even though it is the same make and model, no two bikes are the same.

“It has certainly given me some heartache trying to get the bike to perform. I have been very fortunate to win at Mildura and then at Portland, as I have been limping along a bit!

“I know I say it over and over, but I consider myself extremely lucky to be where I am and to take out a few of these events.

Because I have been on maximum points for so long, all I can do now is try and slow down some of the other guys from catching up to me!

“There are some good players out there, and all of the balls are in the air. It is going to anyone’s win in Adelaide. I know a few of the boys are going over to Perth from Adelaide to compete at the Westernats and try and pick up some points, such as Danny Rickard, Bryan Finn and Dan Dycer – they are all in the mix and if they do reasonable well in Perth then it is going to be on for young and old in Adelaide.

“Thanks has to go to ANDRA and the promoters, that is part of the reason I travel as much as I do – to try and give as much support as I can in my own small way.”

JUNIOR DRAGSTER From first-time winners to sibling rivalry at its best, the 2017/2018 Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster action has sure been interesting to watch.

Bradley Bishop leads the way on 300 points as the bracket heads to Adelaide, while Tommy Turic (270), Baillie Ponton (260), Brodie Zappia (240) and Jackson Perri (230) are not far behind.

With two round wins (Mildura and Adelaide), Bishop is one of five victors found in the six finals completed for the bracket this season, with Jackson Perri, Jake Berias and Baillie Ponton all making trips to the winners’ circle.

“We started the season off fairly well in Darwin and at Alice Springs – that was a great trip for my family and I, it was more of

a holiday than anything and we got some very good points there too,” Bishop said.

“Then we came to Mildura and Adelaide and it was pretty smooth sailing through there, and we were able to pretty much tie up the max points there.

“It has been really good travelling around with dad again, doing some overnight trips and seeing and being with all of my racing buddies – that is why I went to the Portland round even though we didn’t need the points. Some people thought we were going just to block, but it was more to say g’day to everyone as I don’t have many more races left in Junior Dragster.

SUPER GAS With two round victories (Mildura and Calder Park) and a runnerup performance (Portland), Graeme Spencer is out in front in the Super Gas bracket on 300 points from Warren Bull (220), Bailey Datson (160), Adrian McGrotty (160) and Colin Griffin (140).

“If I go out in the first round and Warren Bull wins the meeting in Adelaide, then I will be the runner-up and it will be over for me.

Warren is coming really good lately, he is giving me a headache now, and after all the help we have given him too!” he laughed.

Joining Spencer in hoisting the winners’ trophies this season have been Datson (Adelaide) and Anthony Panetta (Portland), while Roy Romeo, Warren Bull and Colin Griffin have all enjoyed runner-up results.

“You don’t know who you will come up against, and you can make your own mistakes on the day as well. We will just have to wait and see what comes of it. We will be disappointed if we lose, I can tell you that, and floating on clouds if we win after all this work we have done.”

“It has been a really good season with two wins and a runner-up – it has been quite enjoyable, but it can’t last forever!” Spencer said.

COMPETITION Shane Baxter leads the way in the Competition bracket, with the Victorian racer currently on 125 points ahead of defending champion Craig Geddes (100), Ralph Lewis (90), Matt George (80) and Adrian Vella (70).

“It has been a bit of an up and down season for me, I have only had really the one good finish at Portland which has got me (to the top of the points ahead of Perth),” says Baxter.

by ear. Craig (Geddes) will be over in Perth and he will take the lead from there I would say, so it will be tough run to the finish line – but we are not laying down!

“We are trying to power up at the moment, and if everything goes to plan we should be running okay over in Adelaide and be in with a show.”

“We haven’t done a lot of travelling and we won’t be going to Perth, so we will be hard pushed to win but we will be giving it a crack, that is for sure. We will go and do our best and play it

COMPETITION BIKE Tony Frost put himself on the top of the points ladder (110 points) with victory at Adelaide International Raceway in October, but the Victorian isn’t alone up there at the pointy end. Snapping at his heels are Phill Paton (90), Robert Cassar (80), Justin Townson (80), Daniel Natalotto (60) and Jim Hanlon (60).

“We have only had the one round in Victoria for Competition Bike, and we also raced in Adelaide – of course we would have liked a few more rounds but I was lucky enough to win in Adelaide and hopefully we can have a good field for the Grand Finals,” Frost said.

“The bike is broken at the moment, but we are hopeful it will be fixed in time for Adelaide and hopefully, we can do well again!

“I think the championship will probably go to a West Australian, but we will see!”

FEATURING: » COMPETITION

» SUPER STOCK » COMP BIKE » SUPERCHARGED OUTLAWS » TOP SPORTSMAN » MODIFIED » SUPER SEDAN » MODIFIED BIKE » SUPER STREET