 Phil Read (near lane) totally dominated Top Fuel. Here he runs Terry Sainty in the final. |
Obviously the money was on Read to win the race but no one told Terry Sainty, with both cars staying pretty much together until the 660 mark. From then on, however, the superior power of the Read juggernaut saw him back up the semi final numbers for both ends of the record when his 4.616/324.12 more than covered Sainty’s 5.60. His 4.616 was just one thousandth short of Darren Morgan’s all time quickest 4.615 and was one of the 14 records set on the weekend.
On the way back from his winning run Read stopped and was congratulated by his father Jim and spoke to the assembled crowd. “It’s the driver who receives all the credit for the win but in this case it was my crew who got the win tonight. There is no ‘I’ in team and I’d like to dedicate this win to a friend of the family who passed away, Ian Kleeman, and to my father for Father’s Day (down under that is),” he emotionally stated.
The Top Alcohol bracket was also over subscribed with 14 cars trying for the 8 car field. Damien Harris in his funny car was the surprise top qualifier which cranked out a solid 5.618 but on his last qualifier he suffered engine damage and when he came out in the first frame his mount slowed to a 12.70 to allow first alternate Dean Oakey’s dragster through with a 6.06 (Aaron Lynch couldn’t come back for eliminations)
Oakey lost in the next round when he faced Aaron Hambridge in an all dragster tussle. He shut his car off at half track to allow Hambridge through to the final. Hambridge had run a personal best in the first frame with a 5.73/248.71 but in the semi in slowed to a 6.06 and had done some damage as he couldn’t come back for the final.
Debbie Reed became only the second woman to attain an ANDRA Group 1 trophy by soloing in the final round of Top Alcohol.
He should have faced Debbie Reed, wife of fellow qualifier Steve, who had qualified sixth with a 5.83 in her Nulon dragster. She faced defending Australian champion Ben Bray in the first round and after an even leave Bray had her measure until the 1000 foot mark where the little lady took the lead and her 5.80 was too much for a second best 5.88.
For the first time in a long time the semis saw four dragsters left and in this match up the little lady faced the very tough Wayne Newby who had qualified second with a 5.68. As it turned out both drivers had their troubles as Mrs Reed went very close to the centre line while Newby swerved to miss her and then the two set sail for the finish-line with Reed’s 7.82 enough to cover his second best 8.52. With Hambridge out Reed automatically became only the second woman in Australian drag racing history to take out a Group 1 win (Rachelle Splatt being the other) and a 5.79 showed that she wasn’t hanging around.
Earlier in the night her son, Daniel told the assembled crowd that all the family’s efforts would be taken “to get mum (mom) to the bracket win” after his father lost to Newby in the first round, and they did. Debbie later said, “there are feelings of elation and relief in finally proving to everyone that after 30 years of racing I could do it.” ‘Nuff said.