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Brett Stevens Racing team
rider Pete Cochrane has literally stormed to the lead of the Australian Pro
Stock Bike Championship aboard the S&S Powered Buell with a victory at
Willowbank Raceway’s Nightfire Spectacular over the weekend
(4th-5th January).
With all of Friday night qualifying having to be
abandoned due to torrential rain, the sky’s cleared up on Saturday and a new one
day schedule was devised to complete the event.
 Cochrane began well with a
Top Qualifying effort in the morning before getting down to business in the
evening Elimination rounds to convincingly take home the winners trophy and
claim back to back round victories.
By taking the Championship
lead, Cochrane has also put the Brett Stevens Racing team atop of an amazing 3
professional Group One Drag Racing brackets, with Stevens himself leading Top
Alcohol and team mate Troy McLean showing the way in Top
Bike.
“We have been putting a lot of time and effort into
making sure that I am running the S&S Buell consistently at the top of the
field after a couple of early season issues, so to win back to back rounds,
collect all available bonus points and take the Championship lead is a
sensational result for us,” Cochrane said.
“The level of professionalism of the entire Brett
Stevens Racing team is second to none and it really shows both on and off the
race track, I am just glad I am able to reward both S&S and Brett (Stevens)
with my racing results.”
“Now I am going to be concentrating all of my efforts
on making sure that we have every chance of continuing this form through the
rest of the season.”
“With just two rounds remaining in the National Pro
Stock Motorcycle Championship, my goal is to take home the Title for the team
just like they did last year.”
Also competing at the
Nightfire Spectacular, Stevens managed to extended his Australian Top Alcohol
Championship lead in his Kitten Car Care Products Funny Car despite being
devastatingly knocked out in his Semi-Final clash by a mere 3 thousandths of a
second to reigning Champion Wayne Newby.
Ironically, the encounter
was very similar in circumstances to Stevens win over Newby during the
Eliminations of the last round of the Championship in Sydney, but with the roles
reversed.
The win in both instances
was taken on a hole shot, with the racer recording the slowest Elapsed Time
claiming victory due to their superior reaction time making up the
difference.
“Wayne (Newby) got a slight start line advantage on
me but I had just about caught him already by the 100ft mark before my tyres
shook and I had to peddle the throttle,” Stevens said.
“I was able to get back on the power but it was just
not enough. I actually did a quicker time but he got me on a hole
shot.”
“I am very happy with the Kitten Funny Car’s
performance though, I managed to run the quickest ET and equal fastest MPH of
the meet and extend my Championship lead.”
“With just three rounds
remaining I am in a good position but there is a pack of very fast chasers not
too far behind that would love to knock me off the top, so we will be really
trying to turn it up over the next few months.”
“I would also like to congratulate Pete Cochrane on
his recent performances for the team on the S&S Buell, I am extremely
excited about now currently leading three Group One brackets out of the four we
compete in.”
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