|
Bishop makes a speed comeback at Willowbank Raceway |
|
|
|
|
Saturday, 19 April 2008 |
Stuart Bishop has enjoyed a successful return to the drag strip at this
weekend’s Castrol EDGE Tin Top Titles at Willowbank Raceway, setting the third
fastest Australian speed record on his way to a semi-finals berth.
The world’s fastest jeweller set down the third fastest official speed (set at
an official ANDRA event) by a Doorslammer in Australia ever with a 246.04mph
(393.66kmh) pass in his quarter-final run against Brett Stevens on his way to a
semi-final berth with Sean Mifsud – the event winner.
“It is great to be
back in the driver’s seat this weekend,” said Bishop.
“In my last pass,
after running the speed in the quarter-final we tried to put a little bit more
into the car to try and make the mile (speed) record where we should have just
left it alone.
“We were just five and half miles off the speed we needed
so it was still a good result and I guess we will just keep on chipping away –
we were happy to set the third fastest but we have our eye on going faster.”
Incidentally, Bishop also holds the top spot in this record list, with
Australia’s fastest pass of 246.30mph (394.08kmh), while Steve Stanic holds the
second fastest at 246.21mph (393.93kmh). The unofficial fastest pass in
Australia and the world is held by Peter Kapiris (247mph - 395.2kmh).
Bishop lined up against Kapiris for an amazing side-by-side pass in last
night’s qualifying action, setting his best qualifying result of the event with
a 6.54s before this afternoon’s final qualifier saw him forced to contend the
rest of the Castrol EDGE Tin Top Titles without third gear.
“In the
third qualifier this afternoon the tyre shake was so bad that it smashed the
third gear, but we just did our best to work around it,” said Bishop.
“Really, it is all credit to them (the Stuart Bishop Racing crew), they
have really done a fantastic job in getting us out there and getting the results
we did with the situation we were faced with.”
Bishop had no shortage of
nail-biting runs this weekend as the Castrol EDGE Tin Top Titles saw his
category enjoy 16 car fields for the first time ever in Australian history.
“I think we should keep the 16 car field idea - it is a great thing for
Top Doorslammer, for the competitors, for the spectators and really it is a
great concept all round,” said Bishop.
“This weekend has certainly been
very interesting and competitive with all the cars, but we still have a lot of
work to do and we will just keep on working at it and look to get better as we
go.”
While the Castrol EDGE Tin Top Titles served as Bishop's comeback
event, it also acted as the final event from which images can be submitted for
the second-running of the Wallace Bishop Jewellers National Photographic
Competition.
The Wallace Bishop Jewellers National Photographic
Competition provides amateur and professional photographers the opportunity to
win more than $20,000 in cash and prizes, simply by taking photos of the on and
off track action at their local drag racing strip and entering them online at
www.stuartbishopracing.com.au
“There are two categories available, one
for Stuart Bishop Racing and one for drag racing across the board, and I
sincerely hope that anyone interested in drag racing takes the chance to be
involved and possibly win some great prizes,” said Bishop.
The overall
winning entry selected from all winners of each category will be awarded a half
carat 50-point diamond. This is an identical diamond to the one encased in the
roof of Stuart Bishop’s Diamond Doorslammer, which is situated somewhere among
the configuration of 540 cubic zirconia.
Five finalists in each category
and subject area will be selected to be involved in a unique public art
exhibition at the Ipswich Art Gallery. Images will be exhibited leading up to
Willowbank Raceway’s 2008 Winternationals and extended through to the end of
July.
Full details of the Wallace Bishop photographic competition are
available at www.stuartbishopracing.com.au as is all the new up to date
information relevant to the SBR team and the ’67 Camaro Diamond Doorslammer.
Entries officially close at 5.00pm Friday April 25th, 2008.
STUART
BISHOP RACING RESULTS – 2008 CASTROL EDGE TIN TOP TITLES
Semi-Final
Maurice Fabietti def Stuart Bishop
(6.43s/199.20mph/318.72kmh def 6.57s/241.68mph/386.68kmh)
Quarter-Final
Stuart Bishop def Brett Stevens
(6.33s/235.97mph/377.55kmh def 7.85s/115.38mph/184.60kmh)
First
Eliminator
Stuart Bishop def Ray Bernard (6.33s/235.97mph/377.55kmh def
14.33s/66.98mph/107.16kmh)
Combined Qualifying – Three Runs
Qualified 12th in a 16 car field – 6.54s/237.34mph/379.74kmh
|
News