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Stevens and Porter get behind 16 car fields PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
As the first ever running of 16 car Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock fields comes closer for April’s Tin Top Titles at Willowbank Raceway, Top Doorslammer veteran Brett Stevens and Pro Stock rookie Scott Porter couldn’t be happier as vocal supporters of the new concept. Australian Drag Racing legend Stevens of North Brisbane’s Narangba is currently second in the series standings and with his win at Perth’s Doorslammer round at the start of this month saw his championship aspirations kept alive.

“The 16 car Top Doorslammer field should really be something great for the fans and has the potential to really make some waves in the Championship with an extra round of Eliminations,” said Stevens.

“It will really come down to who can run fast consistently, as there are so many good cars and drivers out there now that can potentially pull out a number and an upset.”

Stevens and his crew, which run three Top Doorslammers in total as well as entries in Top Alcohol and Top Bike, have found the magic combination after a long road of development and are sure to be dangerous come April.

“I have had a few event wins in my Jack Daniel’s Racing Falcon, but in Perth we were really able to dominate to take home all of the bonus points as well as the win," said Stevens.

“My team is currently leading three out of the four Group One ANDRA Championship brackets we compete in with only Top Doorslammer missing off the list, which I am placed second in.

“To now be in with a potential shot at that title as well if results go our way is incredible, it really is a credit to my entire team that we are in the situation we are now.”

“We are always trying to go faster, to have any chance at the Championship we are going to have to win at Willowbank and take all the bonus points again so we won’t be holding anything back.

“I always enjoy racing back on my home track at Willowbank Raceway, but all of the top racers now have enough track time and data on all of the Championship tracks to know what they are doing no matter where they race.

“It really just comes down to who can dial their cars into the local track and weather conditions best. In saying that though, the Queensland teams always get great support from the fans back here which always encourages us to run better and perform well.”

Rookie Pro Stocker Scott Porter will celebrate his first Group One birthday at Willowbank Raceway’s Tin Top titles fresh from being one-half of the quickest side-by-side pass in Pro Stock in Sydney, and couldn’t be happier about the larger qualifying field.

“The 16 car field is a great idea for Pro Stock as it will encourage our bracket to grow – I fear that if we stay as an eight car field we will see those cars that don’t always qualify sell up and leave the category and that isn’t what we want,” said Porter.

“Where more than 17 cars have nominated for an event, having a 16 car field with more cars for better qualifying for the fans is the right way to go in my opinion.”

A 7.144s to 7.153s pass in the semi-final round in Sydney between second placed in the championship Tyronne Tremayne and Porter – who is now only 15 points adrift of the experienced competitor at fourth on the ladder – smashed the previous record on a night which saw the quickest ever Pro Stock field hit the quarter mile.

One shouldn’t believe this was a fluke result for the rookie either…with the 30 year old from Mackay smashing even his own expectations with his first season in any Group One category after six years racing Super Sedan and Street cars.

“When I started out we were treating the year as a learning year, aiming to qualify at every round we went to, and to finish in the top ten…so you could say we have done that pretty well!” said Porter.

“Originally Dad and I were just going to go to Willowbank and perhaps a Sydney round, but when we started doing well we chased the Series and now we are at the pointy end of the field with consistent semi-final appearances.”

With Tyronne one half of the notoriously experienced and fast Tremayne brothers duo along with series leader and younger brother Aaron, Porter’s results are by no means a small feat and his team was ecstatic at the results in Sydney.

“It was great for me and Dad and for the team to see our run in Sydney against Tyronne, as even though he took the win we made him work for it and for us to be able to do that just makes us really proud,” said Porter.

“He only just got me with a 7.144s over our 7.153, and then went on to set a 7.125s time which was a new Elapsed Time record for the category while our pass was a new record for the fastest side-by-side, so I was just stoked at how it went down for all of us.”

Now with a familiar track and a pumped up crew and driver, Porter is hoping to see some top results come for his Porter Home Building Centre/JB Automotive Ford GT500 Mustang when the team heads to his home track of Willowbank next month.

“Hopefully we can head to Willowbank now and put in some good results, qualify well and aim for that top two spot in the championship, I would really like to do it to thank Dad – he’s the man when it comes to the team and the car, I am just the goose who gets in and drives really,” added a laughing Porter.

“I would also like to send a thankyou to (fellow Pro Stock competitor) John Barbagallo, for all his help as we looked to get our Pro Stock operation off the ground.”

The April program will feature the penultimate round of Group One activity in Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock categories as drivers enjoy one final hit out prior to the season-ending Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway on June 5-8.

Four wheels and a roof to boot will be standard for most entries in this quarter mile extravaganza, which brings together many traditional drag racing categories coupled with a selection of unique race cars that enjoy cult following among their loyal fans.

For the first time ever in Australia, a 16 car Top Doorslammer Field and for only the second time ever in Australia a 16 Car Pro Stock field will be hitting the track at Willowbank Raceway for the 2008 Tin Top Titles.

In a usual event, fans would see eight competitors line up against each other for the first round eliminations, but at the Tin Tops they will get to see the top 16 competitors in two of Australian Drag Racing’s powerhouse Group One categories duke it out for the win – effectively giving them twice the amount of racing than ever before.

This will be the first time ever that Top Doorslammer has had such a large competitive field, and will be only the second time for the Pro Stock category in Australia and the first time for Queenslanders to see so many Pro Stockers up against each other.

TIN TOP TITLES (April 18 & 19) – Round of the 2008 Itel Community Telco Track Championship featuring Jack Daniel’s Top Doorslammer and Travelaire Tours Pro Stock

Other racing includes: Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyl Super Stock, Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyl Competition, S&S Competition Bike, Carpenter Ford Supercharged Outlaws, Bailey's Brake & Clutch Modified, American Rides Modified Bike, Slick Industries Super Sedan, Crossroads Freightlines & Car Carrying Super Street, Queensland Diesel Spares Junior Dragster, High Impact Promotions Super Gas, Perfect Print Perfect Light. Also racing are Sport Compact & Pro Street brackets.

TICKETING: All ticket prices include paddock admission

Friday
Adults $20
Student (must show ID) $10
Ladies FREE ENTRY Friday Night

Saturday
Adults $30
Student (must show ID) $20

Children 13 & under are admitted FREE

SCHEDULE
Friday: Gates Open 3pm; Qualifying from 4pm; Feature Qualifying from 6pm
Saturday: Gates Open 9am; Qualifying from 10am; Feature Racing from 4pm

LOCATION
Willowbank Raceway
Champions Way (off Cunningham Highway 5km past the Rosewood turnoff)
Willowbank QLD 4307
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 March 2008 )
 
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