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Dates confirmed for 2009 Castrol Edge Winternationals |
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Friday, 13 June 2008 |
The Management Committee of Willowbank Raceway has announced today that the 2009
Castrol EDGE Winternationals event will be held from June 4-7, 2009 – running a
full Thursday to Sunday program.
Although originally slated for a Friday to Monday schedule, the Management
Committee decided to leave the final decision open until the running of last
weekend's 2008 Castrol EDGE Winternationals – which achieved a crowd 10 percent
larger than the 2007 event with 38,500 people coming through the gates over the
three and a half days.
Upon receiving feedback from the fans and the
race teams regards the proposed dates, the Management Committee has decided to
retain the new for 2008 Thursday to Sunday format.
“The concept we had
in play for the 2008 Castrol EDGE Winternationals really worked,” said
Willowbank Raceway Managing Director Steve Bettes.
“The support of the
Thursday start date and its affect on the whole weekend was fabulous, and the
attendances this year were 10 percent up on last year - if we hadn’t had the
threatening weather who knows how big it could have been.
“The bottom
line is the teams and competitors, the fans, the media and the general public
have all told us that a Thursday to Sunday program is what they want, and so
that is what they will have.”
The 2009 Castrol EDGE Winternationals will
again close the drag racing season, and round-out the revamped Willowbank
Raceway major event program.
“I can’t wait to watch the four day
Winternationals program round-out Willowbank Raceway’s expanded major events
program, which kicks off in September with the 2008 Spring Top Fuel
Championships,” said Bettes.
“All of us here at Willowbank Raceway are
also keen to see how the Australian Nationals go in Sydney this year – it will
be their first running since Willowbank Raceway decided to return the event to
ANDRA after playing custodian since the Victorian Calder Park Raceway closed
down for ANDRA Championship Drag Racing several years ago, so I will be keen to
see how the event re-adjusts to life down south.
“For us, with our new
five major events for the year including September’s event, the two-round
International Nightfire New Year Series and of course the Tin Tops and the
Winternationals – the 08/09 season is shaping up to be our best race program in
years, even decades!”
The 2008 Castrol EDGE Winternationals played host
to no less than four world records, the quickest Top Fuel,Top Alcohol and Top
Doorslammer fields and 27 Australian records over the three and a half days –
performances hopefully set to be repeated at the September Spring Top Fuel
Championships.
On track on September 26/27 will be Top Fuel, Top Alcohol
and Pro Stock, as well as the Rocket All Stars Racing Series.
WILLOWBANK RACEWAY MAJOR EVENT CALENDAR 2008 / 2009 SEASON
SEPTEMBER 26/27, 2008 – SPRING TOP FUEL CHAMPIONSHIPS
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Fuel – Top Alcohol – Pro Stock – Top Bike
PLUS Rocket Allstar Racing Series Round – Group 2,3,4
JANUARY 2/3,
2009 - INTERNATIONAL NIGHFIRE NEW YEAR SERIES - ROUND ONE
ANDRA
Championship Rounds - Top Alcohol - Top Doorslammer – Pro Stock Motorcycle -
PLUS USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car
JANUARY - 16 / 17, 2009 –
INTERNATIONAL NIGHTFIRE NEW YEAR SERIES - ROUND TWO
ANDRA Championship
Rounds - Top Fuel – Top Bike - PLUS USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car
APRIL
17 / 18, 2009 – TIN TOP TITLES
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top
Doorslammer – Pro Stock – Pro Stock Motorcycle
NEW DATE - JUNE
4/5/6/7, 2009 - CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS
ANDRA Championship Rounds -
Top Fuel – Top Alcohol – Top Doorslammer – Top Bike – Pro Stock – Pro Stock
Motorcycle – PLUS Rocket Allstar Racing Series Round – Group 2,3,4
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The Castrol EDGE Winternationals was a
record-breaking success, and will keep its new Thursday to Sunday format (Credit
- Angus MacMaster)
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