Darren DiFillipo came up to the Nitro Champs to drive the second Santo’s Cranes digger. He only managed one qualifying pass that would have landed him in eighth spot but as he hadn’t done a familiarisation pass in the unfamiliar car he was shuffled down to non-qualifier status. In the end he came back out after the first round for this solo pass but the car broke traction in a most unique way before shutting down. Photo by Jon Van Daal.
TOP ALCOHOL
Going into the Nitro Champs points leader Wayne Newby had an almost unassailable lead and after the second round of qualifying his nearest rival, Brett Stevens hadn’t made it down the track due to electrical gremlins but oh how things change. No one was ready for Steven’s last qualifier when a 5.731 put him into second place – amazingly up against his nemesis – Newby.
In their first round match up Stevens was ruthless with his opponent strapping a hole-shot on him (.032 to. 046) and then running low ET and Top Speed of the meet with a 5.599/257.04 to 5.828/245.00. Could Brett end up putting his big foot into a Cinderella shoe when he faced Steve Reed in the final and make up the big ground on his rival?
While Stevens was clinical in march to the bracket final beating New Zealander, Tim Watkins off the line (by over a tenth) and then using a 5.825 to a 5.846. Final round opponent, Steve Reed damaged a motor in his semi-final win over top qualifier Aaron Lynch – a smokey 6.58 doing it to a lack-lustre 13.05. The Top Alky final was held to the very end of the event as the Reed team transplanted Debbie Reed’s engine from her dragster to husband Steve’s flopper. Despite a slight start line advantage (.049 to .057) Stevens was soon ahead of his rival and a 5.788 was too much for a second best 6.16. By meeting’s end Stevens was only 35 points behind Newby with just the Winternationals to go. Photo by Jon Van Daal.
