Robin Judd is now the outright leader in the 2009/2010 Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) Pro Series Top Doorslammer Championship after winning the 38th Goldenstates at the Perth Motorplex on November 14.

Judd, a Perth-based Chartered Accountant, has now won back-to-back major national events after winning the Australian Nationals in Sydney in September.

Going into the event, Judd was locked on 165 points after two rounds with archrival John Zappia and buoyed after recording Australia’s quickest-ever Doorslammer pass – 5.822-second – at the Perth Motorplex on October 31.

However, Judd’s desire to win an Australian Top Doorslammer Championship almost came unstuck when he was in danger of missing the Goldenstates’ eight-car field. Judd’s William Buck/K & B Exclusive Studebaker over-powered the track in the first two qualifying sessions, failing to complete the runs, which saw Judd in 12th and last place during the Friday 13 qualifying.

38th Goldenstates at the Perth Motorplex on November 14.

Judd, a Perth-based Chartered Accountant, has now won back-to-back major national events after winning the Australian Nationals in Sydney in September.

Going into the event, Judd was locked on 165 points after two rounds with archrival John Zappia and buoyed after recording Australia’s quickest-ever Doorslammer pass – 5.822-second – at the Perth Motorplex on October 31.

However, Judd’s desire to win an Australian Top Doorslammer Championship almost came unstuck when he was in danger of missing the Goldenstates’ eight-car field. Judd’s William Buck/K & B Exclusive Studebaker over-powered the track in the first two qualifying sessions, failing to complete the runs, which saw Judd in 12th and last place during the Friday 13 qualifying.

Under enormous pressure to make the elimination field, Judd’s team was forced to change an engine after the second session.  

Judd’s fortunes turned around in the final qualifying session when he recorded a 5.857sec at 244.56mph, his fourth quickest-ever pass, moving him from 12th to second in the qualifying order behind Maurice Fabietti (5.844/242.58) and ahead of Zappia (5.858/243.24).

“We struggled to get a handle on the track (conditions) in the first two qualifiers. Over the winter we made quite a few changes to the set-up of the car, which worked for the three major events in the Eastern States but when we raced back to Perth we had to start again. Every track is subtly different,” Judd said.

“On the second (qualifying) pass we smoked the tyres again and over-revved the motor, breaking a valve and causing some other damage. Easiest thing to do was to change the motor, which we did in less than one hour. Stuey (Crew Chief Stuart Rowland) softened the combination so the car would get down the track. We just wanted to qualify so the 5.85sec was a bonus.”

Judd said the team stayed focused and it was a great relief when he did qualify.   

“The whole team just stayed focused and each did their job as normal. I did not think about the ramifications (of not qualifying), as you cannot afford to get distracted. We had confidence in ourselves as a team and it worked out.

“Qualifying for this race was more exciting than running the (record) 5.822sec pass a couple of weeks earlier. We were in the show and that’s what mattered.”

In round one of eliminations, Judd (5.900/243.24) defeated local racer Adam Crocker (12.471/66.71). Judd (5.909/243.90) then beat sixth qualifier, Brisbane racer Ben Bray (9.042/100.33) in the semi final.

The final was a solo for Judd as he powered his William Buck/K & B Exclusive ’59 Studebaker to a 5.872sec at 243.90mph easy win after Fabietti shut his car down in pre-stage with an engine problem.

Judd was not aware of Fabietti’s problem until reaching the other end of the track.

“Fab (Fabietti) and I were both in pre-stage. I brought my rpm up and dropped into full-stage. He seemed to be taking forever when suddenly I saw my (start) light flash to green so I just took off not knowing what happened.

“I knew I had won (the race) because Fab had not fully staged and I didn’t see him at all during the run.”  

Judd, who prior to the Goldenstates saw the event as the most important in his 10-year drag racing career, earned 150 points for the win and leads the Top Doorslammer Pro Series Championship Series with 315 points, 50 points ahead of Fabietti (265pts) with fellow Western Australian Zappia 82 points behind (153pts).

“Winning this event is perhaps the most satisfying of my career to date. The fact that we came through, qualified then showed consistency in the eliminations, even though the car was moving around and shaking a bit, was just fantastic.

“There is still a long way to go (to win the Championship) and we need to stay on our game. They (Championship contenders) have to chase us, which they will, but we’re out in front in the Championship and that is exactly where we want to stay until the last round,” Judd said.

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