CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATS EVENT NOTEBOOK
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RERUN NOTEBOOK - RAMPING UP AGAIN FOR THE CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS
THE GOLDEN OLDIES - While most of the on-track action at the resumption of the Castrol EDGE Winternationals this weekend July 15-17 will be focused on cutting edge technology, a
Several pieces of drag racing nostalgia will allow fans to take a step back in time. The machines that will be on display are significant both here in Australia and in many cases in the United States as well.
Leading the way – before it returns to the United States potentially for good – will be Ash Marshall’s Scorcher AA/FD. It has become available at the last minute to be displayed at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals and in a special treat, will be fired up across the weekend.
The Scorcher was the first car to do a 200mph pass in Australia at the now defunct Castlereagh drag strip. A ground up rebuild of the machine saw it return to the track in 2008 at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California.
Australian nostalgic drag racing enthusiasts Dennis Young and George Bukureshliev campaigned the car in the USA before shipping it to Sydney in April 2010. Following the Castrol EDGE Winternationals, this special piece of world drag racing history will be shipped back to Young’s home in Los Angeles.
It was campaigned by many in Australia, including legendary Speedway racer from the ‘sixties, Blair ‘The Lair’ Shepherd – who tried his hand at drag racing in the car.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to put this car on display and to start it up one more time in Australia,” said Bukureshliev. “The Scorcher is historically significant to Australia and we’re delighted that Willowbank Raceway is allowing us to give Australian race fans one last opportunity to see it up close. The sound of it and the Bob Keith dragster ‘cackling’ together will be one that everyone just has to see.”
The Bob Keith dragster that Willowbank Historian, Lex Swayn arranged for display at the original time of the Winternationals will be back. It got the attention of fans when it was started for the first time in decades across the June Long Weekend – and Swayn hopes to revive the glorious ‘cackle’ with the Scorcher alongside this weekend.
The car is significant in that it possesses the original body and chassis from the period it was campaigned – the 1966 Dragfest tour that kickstarted drag racing in this country. The original craftsmen that built the car got together and re-built it to what it is today.
The Castrol GP-50 car was a star of the Wild Bunch category – the fore-runner to today’s Top Doorslammer – and Bray was it’s mercurial leading light, his long smoky burnouts delighting crowds all over the country. The car that Bray started his career in will also be on display.
Darren Morgan Racing will once again be giving Castrol EDGE Winternationals race-goers the opportunity to drive the world’s first ever Top Fuel Simulator. Fans have to register their details at the Castrol EDGE eXcellerator Zone behind the grandstand to have the opportunity to get their own quarter-mile smile.
The 2011 Castrol EDGE Winternationals is the 44th running of the event and has attracted racers from all over Australia, New Zealand and America – with the inclusion of current World #3 – Cory McClenathan in the ANDRA Pro Series Top Fuel field.
The event is the culmination of the 2010/2011 drag racing season for all ANDRA Pro Series and Rocket All Stars Series categories. The Castrol EDGE Winternationals is the biggest event of its type outside North America.
Action will resume with testing for all Rocket All Stars Series classes on Friday, July 15, before the resumption of ANDRA Pro Series Qualifying on Saturday. Eliminations will take place on July 17.
COMING BACK - Cory McClenathan plans to finish what he started in Australia.
McClenathan will return to Brisbane for the completion of the Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich, from July 15 to 17.
The original event, scheduled June 10 – 13, postponed when persistent rains blanketed the area.
McClenathan, joined by longtime associate Tony Shortall, is driving for the Sydney-based Rapisarda Racing/Titan Cranes team. He was fifth quickest in Top Fuel when the rains began to fall on Saturday evening.
McClenathan has two remaining sessions to improve his position.
“We shook the tires hard in the first qualifying session,” said McClenathan. “I was looking forward to the second session. I think we would have run a good time, but it rained just before we were to run. The rain certainly put a dampener on everything.
“After Willowbank announced the event had been postponed to July, (team owner) Santo (Rapisarda) looked at me and said ‘are you going to come back’ and I said, ‘Yes, I want to come back.
“I have unfinished business at Willowbank. I would really like to win the Australian Winternationals. So, yes, I jumped at the chance to come back.”
The decision to return was a no-brainer for McClenathan.
“I love coming to Australia and the Aussie folks are very nice,” McClenathan said. “And Mr. Rapisarda is a great host. I am really looking forward to coming back.”
McClenathan feels fortunate to be in the fifth position at this early stage of the game considering this is the first time he has worked with the Rapisarda Racing crew and their long-term US-based tuning consultant Glenn Mikres. There were no test sessions or practice runs. He simply suited up and drove.
“It generally takes some time for things to come together when working with a new team for the first time, however, I thought everything went really smoothly last month,” McClenathan said. “Santo Jr. and Santino are very bright young men and I have known Glenn Mikres for years, but I've never had the chance to work with him. The whole crew are really on top of things and are doing a great job. I think we will be a very competitive the team.”
McClenathan finished third in last year’s (NHRA) championship and, in an ironic twist, had his chance of winning his first championship dashed when, now teammate, Mark Mariani, beat him in the first round of eliminations at the 2010 NHRA penultimate Las Vegas Nationals event.
Top Doorslammer racer Robin Judd doesn’t like his view at Willowbank. The veteran drag racing is on the outside of the eight-car field looking in with two sessions remaining in the completion of the event.
The Perth-based Judd is currently in the tenth position.
“Sure there will be a lot of pressure on the team, but we have been down this path before and managed to come through.
“If we can get a handle on the (track) conditions early, I would like to think we can qualify in the top-half of the field, go (elimination) rounds, reach the final and hopefully end the season on a high note.”
Judd has qualified for 23 consecutive Top Doorslammer championship events and has reached the Castrol Edge Winternationals final round in the last two seasons.
“To have a chance at winning the event, we need to qualify well. That means running two five-second passes, with at least one in the 5.8-second zone,” Judd concluded.
SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - MOTHER NATURE CLOSES THE DAY UNBEATABLE
RAIN, RAIN, DOES IN THE DAY – After threatening clouds and cool temperatures blanketed Willowbank Raceway for much of the day, halfway into the second Top Doorslammer qualifying session, the skies opened with sprinkles before giving way to full-fledged rain.
Sunday’s forecast calls for the same weather. Eliminations are now scheduled for Monday.
HE’S THE CHAMPION – Darren Morgan’s title clinching run might not have scored high in style points but in terms of emotional gratification, there was no equal.
Needing only a green light to secure his crown, Morgan apparently double clutched on the starting line and eventually coasted to an 11-second championship parade during the first day of professional qualifying at the ANDRA Castrol Edge Winternationals.
“I’ve done it before but to do it under our own steam, with a group of volunteers, the most bucks-down team … and to make it through is pretty cool,” Morgan said Saturday evening following the cancellation of Saturday’s activities due to rain.
Morgan couldn’t say for certain what happened to the car off of the starting line but did confirm the car suffered some damage on the run. The car will be repaired and ready to run for Sunday’s continuation of qualifying.
“We wanted to go up there and find out [if we fixed it] but the rain stopped that,” Morgan added.
Morgan needed only 20 points to clinch his title, a requirement he said, should have come one race earlier during the Nitro Champs meeting staged in Sydney two weeks ago.
“We’ve got the No. 1 on the car for next season and that’s what matters after what we went through to get to this point,” Morgan said.
Morgan is the confirmed champion for this evening but next season is unconfirmed. There’s currently no named major sponsor for the dragster.
“We haven’t got a sponsor for next season and the dollar is very tight,” Morgan revealed.
HE’S THE YOUNGEST - The championship also confirmed Ben Patterson, a Lance Larsen protégé, as drag racing’s youngest ever championship winning nitro tuner.
“He might be the youngest, but he’s also the hardest working too,” said Morgan.
The young Patterson will be traveling to the United States in July where he will accompany Larsen in the nitro pits.
BOAT ANCHOR FLIES - In the grand scheme of motorsport aerodynamics, a 1957 Mopar has as much aerodynamic advantage as a boat anchor. On Saturday 
afternoon at the ANDRA Castrol Edge Winternationals, a boat anchor has never been more proficient.
Peter Kapiris, a mainstay in Aussie Top Doorslammer competition, drove his lumbering beast to the top of provisional first session qualifying with a 5.859 second pass at 246.44 miles per hour.
Kapiris beat out 18 other drivers looking to find a spot in Monday’s eight-car final eliminations field.
“It’s pretty tough just to qualify in the show and this event, the Castrol Edge Winternationals is the biggest meeting of the year,” Kapiris said. “It’s just a big honor even to qualify because the competition is so tough.”
Many of the seasoned veterans within Top Doorslammer are predicting an all-five second field for the first time in the history of the eliminator. The quickest field of doorslammers has been 6.06 seconds.
After the first session, three of the eight provisional first session qualifiers were in the fives.
As great of an accomplishment as qualifying for a Top Doorslammer field is, there’s no replacement for lifting the Christmas Tree trophy at the end of the meeting.
“One you pat yourself on the back, the other, you get hammered and celebrate for months.” Kapiris said with a smile.
Winning with a boat anchor qualifies as a reason to celebrate.
ANDRA rules mandate all cars must finish a session. When rain interupts qualifying those runs made are eliminated as if they didn’t happen.
HOME DOWN UNDER – In the United States, Shane Tucker is recognized as one of the talented drivers in Victor Cagnazzi’s stable seeking a full-time ride in the 
tough 500-inch Pro Stock division.
Tucker, who calls Carbrook, Queensland, Australia home, has been racing in ANDRA’s Pro Stock division for the last six years. He’s the driver of the Monster Energy Drink-sponsored Holden [GM equivalent] Monaro.
“Tried for a while to get a ride with Victor [Cagnazzi] but the economic climate just didn’t allow it to happen,” Tucker admitted. “I’ve returned to my roots here.”
Tucker enjoys the differences between the two styles of Pro Stock. The least obvious difference outside of driver location is the fact the Aussie Pro Stock cars displace only 400-inches and weigh in at a svelte 2300 pounds with driver. The Aussie Pro Stockers generate an estimated 1,100 horses and cover the quarter-mile at 7.0-seconds.
Down under, Tucker epitomizes the Pro Stock image with his youthful look and tattoos. In the States, he might be mistaken for a racer coming from the ANDRA’s Top Doorslammer fraternity.
“I’ve grown up around Pro Stock my entire life,” Tucker explained. “My dad has raced the class for about 30 years and I grew up around it. I’ve always loved the naturally-aspirated small block cars, and even though I love the big block cars, this kind of racing has always fascinated me.”
Tucker describes the U.S. Pro Stockers as badass and pure power. He credits the experience abroad with helping him to become a better driver at home.
“Absolutely made me better,” Tucker said. “While I was in the United States I had the opportunity to hang out with Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Dave Connolly. I had some great teachers and certainly taught me great techniques.”
HEY YOU, FOREIGN GUY – Cory McClenathan made his Australian debut during the ANDRA Castrol Edge Winternationals after many connecting flights. Making 
the connections might have been a more challenging experience than driving the Sydney-based Rapisarda Racing Top Fuel dragster down the Willowbank Raceway quarter-mile.
“I went from Indianapolis to Chicago, then Chicago to San Francisco and Frisco to here – about 20 hours of flying time,” McClenathan said.
The Willowbank Raceway fans made the long journey worth its weight in gold.
“The people here are awesome,” said McClenathan. “I’ve raced over here before and it’s a lot of fun. This is relaxing. Back home it’s about the sponsors. Here it’s about the fans. You come over here and it’s like you are a rock star.”
McClenathan is tuned this weekend by veteran Glen Mikres and assisted by Tony Shortall.
“It’s been fun,” Shortall said with a smile. “I’m probably going to put on 15 pounds eating with these guys.”
The conditions McClenathan and the Top Fuel contingent face are similar in atmospheric conditions to what they might face in a fall race staged in Reading, Pa.
“Right now the temperature is so cool, and the track is so tight, it grabbed ahold of the tire and struck hard,” McClenathan said of his first pass on Saturday, an aborted qualifying attempt which was still good enough for fifth quickest in the program.
“You have to get wheel speed in these cars. I am just happy to be here in Australia and in a car again. My biggest worry for the weekend is in being dumb and looking for the 1,000 foot mark. I kind of picked a place on the track and I’ll tell you, that extra 320 feet will be a nice ride.”
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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK -
AM I MY SISTER'S KEEPER? - Kelly Corbett, the defending ANDRA Modified National champion, crashed her NSANE.net.au dragster during qualifying for the 
penultimate round of the Rocket All Stars Racing Series chase. She emerged from the accident uninjured. The car, however, was a total loss seemingly ending her bid for back-to-back championships.
This was a tough pill to swallow as Corbett was also leading the championship points at the time.
“After the crash, I couldn’t race at the Nitro Champs, and my place on the points table went from leading to equal second – by the end of the event, I thought it was all over for the season, and that was pretty upsetting,” she said.
Kelly’s brother Scott wouldn’t allow her to throw in the towel.
Scott was no longer in contention for any kind of a championship and approached her with an offer she couldn’t refuse. He provided his dragster she could race at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals and defend her title.
“It was a very special and emotional moment and such a shock, it is such an amazing opportunity for Scott to offer me,” she said. “I am still quite emotional about it to be honest, and I am just so grateful to him for his sacrifice so that I can race and hopefully take back to back championships for our team. I know it will mean the world to both of us!”
Scott’s unselfish act was not only one fitting of a loving sibling but also a good sportsman.
“Once I knew I couldn’t win the championship, I just couldn’t bear the thought of her sitting on the sideline watching her chance for back to back titles slip away – so it just made sense and I can’t wait to help her to what will hopefully be a victorious Castrol EDGE Winternationals,” he added.
GONNA BE A QUICK/FAST ONE - In the week before the Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway, the facility located outside of Brisbane, annually hosts a test session to ensure teams are ready for what could be incredible racing conditions. The air conditions often drop to below sea level adjusted altitudes.
If last week’s test session is any indication of the racing which is to come during the first day of the winter, the event promises to be a record-setting affair.
Second-generation Top Doorslammer star and son of the iconic Victor Bray, Ben Bray drove his Sidchrome Monaro to an impressive 5.88 at 244.52 mph pass in less than perfect air. The current Top Doorslammer record is a 5.80 set by John Zappia.
The Australian Pro Stock record could be in danger as well. Last weekend, these competitors pulled within .03 of the record held by John Barbagallo at a 7.03. Andrew Stavroulakis (Dodge) and Jason Grima (Ford Mustang) both established 7.06 second runs during the session.
Gary Phillips ran a 5.56 second run at 250 mph to lead the Top Alcohol Funny Cars.
LOOKS EASY ON PAPER - Aussie Top Fuel racer Darren Morgan understands his challenge looks simple on paper. All he must do to clinch the series 
championship is stage his AEG Powertools/Hungry Jacks Mildura dragster in Saturday’s first round of qualifying.
“I’ve never been so nervous about placing the car in stage for the first qualifying session – ever,” Morgan said. “Knowing that is what we have to do makes those two little white lights seem so important, yet in context that is only the beginning of the weekend.
“When we started Darren Morgan Racing, many people said we’d never make a go of it, they said we’d fail and wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Well, here we are three years later and about to win the Championship. That’s a great feeling.”
If Morgan pulls off the feat, he will become the first owner-driver since Jim Read in 2006 to win the ANDRA Pro Series Top Fuel Championship.
In addition, crew chief Ben Patterson, at 22 years old, stands on the cusp of becoming the youngest crew chief in history anywhere in the world to have won a Top Fuel Championship.
“I look at someone like Ben (Patterson) who will become the youngest crew chief in the world to have won a Top Fuel Championship – that’s exciting. All my crew, all my family and everyone to be there with us is tremendously exciting, especially when we own the deal.
Winning the ANDRA title is something Morgan has longed for, if only to repay those who have shared the same vision.
“It’s a huge payback to everyone that has ever assisted us,” Morgan said. “Whilst I’m the one that goes down the track and has all the fun, I never remember a run once it’s done. It’s all the people in the background that assist us in getting down the track that it’s for. It’s not just me, there are lots of people that make up DMR and celebrate our wins or commiserate our losses.”
AN HONOR DUEL - It’s being billed as a match race for drag racing’s honor, at least down under.
During the ANDRA Castrol Edge Winternationals, Current Porsche Carrera Cup Championship leader – Steve Richards - will be taking a Porsche Turbo road car onto the Willowbank Raceway quarter mile drag strip to race against a fully-fledged ANDRA Pro Stock racer at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals (June 10-13).
The Castrol EDGE Speed Challenge will take place on Sunday at approximately 5.30pm (at the conclusion of ANDRA Pro Series qualifying) before being repeated on Monday following round two of eliminations for the ANDRA Pro Series brackets (approximately 2.15pm).
Richards, who loves racing regardless of series, said taking on the quarter-mile drag strip would provide a new challenge for him:“Drag racing isn’t something I have had the chance to have a go at as yet, so I am pretty excited to be taking on the Willowbank Raceway drag strip, and in a Porsche no less!” Richards said.
“I think it will be pretty cool, the Porsche will surprise a few people with its performance, although I expect I will get left in the dust by the Pro Stock drag car, those guys are insanely quick.”
Richards and his Porsche will take to the track for the speed comparison facing SS Commodore driven by Shane Tucker, often rumored to drive in the United States for Victor Cagnazzi.
Willowbank Raceway Managing Director Steve Bettes said the concept was done for entertainment purposes.
“We are always striving for new and interesting things to do here at Willowbank Raceway, we like to keep it new and exciting,” said Bettes.
“A Porsche on a drag strip is somewhat unique…especially racing against a professional Pro Stock racer and their high powered machines, so I think the fans will really enjoy the action!”
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE - Top Doorslammer drag racer, Robin Judd, hopes to finish the 2010-2011 (Australian National Drag Racing Association) ANDRA 
Pro Series the same way he started, with a win.
Perth-based Judd won the season-opening Australian Nationals, for the second year in a row, at Sydney Dragway last September. This weekend, Judd is now looking to win the season-ending Winternationals at Willowbank raceway.
Judd, who has been runner-up at the past two (2009 and 2010) Winternationals, is keen to make his third successive Winters final and that the third time will be lucky for him.
At last year’s Winternationals, Judd was also vying for the Australian Top Doorslammer championship with arch-rival John Zappia, which came down to the last race of the series – the Winternationals final – and which saw Judd losing the championship by 16 points.
While Judd concedes he can not win the 2010-2011 Australian Top Doorslammer championship, a win at the Winternationals could see him again runner-up in the ANDRA Pro Series and go some way in avenging last year’s loss.
“It has been a mixed season for the Aeroflow/Mickey Thompson/William Buck team. We made a good start to the (ANDRA) Pro Series with a win and points lead, but then struck some issues with the car that we have had rouble overcoming. The car’s performance has been inconsistent, which has really tested our brains trust all season,” Judd said.
“We made several changes to the car throughout the season, most of which did not work. We have decided to go back to our old Willowbank track baseline tune-up – we hope the track is as sticky as usual – which has seen us run in the 5.8-second zone. Our objective is to run consistent 5.80 (seconds) this weekend.”
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ARE YOU READY FOR THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER?
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