Tremayne tops as rain intervenes

AARON Tremayne was the big winner at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals, taking his fourth straight ANDRA Pro Series Pro Stock Championship at Willowbank on Sunday.

Tremayne secured the title despite being knocked out in the semi-finals and the finals not taking place due to a freak shower.

Tremayne became the first driver in history to win four successive Pro Stock Championships.

That is no mean feat, given the Australian Pro Stock ranks are the strongest they’ve been and some of the toughest racing in the world.

“It’s just fantastic, unbelievable actually,” Tremayne said.

“Despite winning the title, we haven’t had the best of years so to wrap up the championship this weekend is a great feeling.”

Before the rain came, the racing had been stunning in front of a healthy crowd.

The first round of Top Fuel featured a monster match-up between American NHRA star Cory McClenathan and Darren Morgan.

Morgan, whose car was undergoing its first run, steamed down the track with a 4.726 lap at 309.34mph (497.83kmh) over McClenathan’s 4.903.

The new Australian champion then knocked out Mark Mariani in the other Rapisarda Racing car with a 4.790 at 300.00mph (482.8kmh) versus Mariani’s 4.916.

Mariani left with dual four-second passes in the event. The final was set to be a classic between Morgan and Damien Harris.

The Jamie Noonan fairytale looked likely to come true in Top Alcohol.

The engine builder for Brad Jones Racing in the V8 Supercars top qualified back in June and then had a glorious run into the finals, accounting for Rick Gauci and Rob Pilkington.

He was due to line up against Steven Ham who took out Wayne Newby during their semi-final match-up.

Newby was declared the Australian champion during the course of the event.

Top Doorslammer was going to be a battle between quick time man Peter Kapiris and Mark Belleri. Belleri claimed the massive scalp of John Zappia, who was uncharacteristically untidy in his semi-final run. It wasn’t all bad news for Zappia, who was awarded with the Australian championship.

Kapiris knocked out Ben Bray and earlier accounted for Russ Pavey. Bray earlier accounted for Gary Phillips.

Chris Matheson’s sensational Top Bike season continued making it through to the final. He set the lowest elapsed time for the category with a 6.357 second run in round two and was due to meet Troy McLean in the final.

Matheson was declared champion.

Pro Stock Motorcycle became the only ANDRA Pro Series category without a confirmed champion by virtue of Andrew Badcock’s qualification for the final.

Badcock was due to take on Glenn Wooster in the final.

A number of Rocket All Stars Series classes still had championships to be decided, with Willowbank Raceway officials and ANDRA officials meeting to determine winners.

Top efforts

Confirmed ANDRA Australian champions for 2010-2011:

ANDRA Pro Series

Top Fuel: Darren Morgan

Top Alcohol: Wayne Newby

Top Bike: Chris Matheson

Top Doorslammer: John Zappia

Pro Stock: Aaron Tremayne

 

Rocket All Stars Series

Super Stock: Jim Ioannidis

Competition Bike: Kevin Gummow

Super Compact: Rod Harvey

Modified Bike: Daniel Selki

Super Street: Robert Harrington

Junior Dragster: Jake Donnelly