Tom Dimitropoulos (Super Stock), Peter Everett (Competition Bike), Matt Lisle (Super Compact), Peter Byrne (Supercharged Outlaws), Neale Constantinou (Top Sportsman), Rocco Romano (Modified), Sean Maher (Super Sedan), Phil White (Modified Bike), Samuel Franzen (Super Street), Brooke Farrelly (Junior Dragster) and Joe Catanzariti (Super Gas) have all taken wins in Round 2 of the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series at the East Coast Nationals in Sydney.
Competition Bike winner Peter Everett came within inches of a perfect weekend almost setting the D/SB speed record to go with top qualifier, winning the final and resetting the national elapsed time record from 9.679 to 9.639 seconds.
Despite just missing out, Everett was excited to bank points and take home the ANDRA Gold Christmas Tree defeating second qualifier Matthew Walker in the final. His 9.668 on the 9.97 index in the final was enough to back up his qualifying time for the new record.
“I’m really happy with it, this bike is a little trooper,” said Everett. “What it’s done for me since I’ve had it – I’ve put a lot into it but it’s just a trooper of a little bike.
“I’m really happy for the conditions we had. It would have been nice to take that speed record too but a Gold Tree, a record and top qualifier what else could you ask for?”
Unlike Everett, Super Compact top qualifier and subsequent event winner Matt Lisle did secure the perfect weekend adding the ET and speed record to his earlier efforts.
Fresh off his Winternationals win in June, Lisle reset the AA/DM ET record from 7.656 to a new mark of 7.567 and increased the speed record from 193.68 mph to 197.48 mph.
In doing so Lisle defeated Rod Harvey and Philip Karpathios following a first round bye to take home maximum points and the Gold Tree.
“I set both ends of the record and got top qualifier for the trifecta (added to the race win), I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend,” said Lisle.
“It’s the first time we’ve had the car in Sydney, it’s a Queensland car. I usually fly up to Queensland and race it at Willowbank but we’ve wanted to get it down here for a little while and it’s good to do it at your home track.
“It’s what we race for, everyone wants a Gold Christmas Tree and once you get one, you don’t stop there.”
Driving the ‘Underdog’ 90’ Chevy Camaro, South Australia’s Tom Dimitropoulos lived up to the name to get the job done in the Super Stock final against Clint George.
With two solo passes in Round 1 and the semi final, his only other paired pass was to come against Jodanna Pullen in Round 2 but her Holden Monaro was shutdown at the startline giving
Dimitropoulos a clear path to advance.
Once in the final George had the reaction advantage but Dimitropoulos held on to record a 9.164 ET on a 9.58 index and claim victory over the 7.362 ET and 7.83 index to score an impressive upset.
“I was the underdog today!” laughed Dimitropoulos. “It was a good win and for the boys too, it’s not just me. The boys do a good job and thanks to my family and my wife, it was a good day in the office.
“We went to Queensland twice this year and had bad luck. We broke the diff at the Summit event in April then deep staged and red lit in the semi finals of the Winters so it’s nice to have the luck swing the other way.
“Big thanks to PM Engines for building me a good engine and to all the guys.”
Sydneysider George had some consolation at least by resetting the B/APA national ET record from 7.332 seconds to the new mark of 7.328.
In Group Three action, Peter Byrne driving the Pontiac Funny Car, took the win in Supercharged Outlaws with a final effort of 6.909 on a 6.88 dial in to defeat Kane Finn driving his Pontiac Firebird to a 7.311 on the 7.20 dial in.
The team of top qualifier, Rob Coote, was awarded the Gridstar by YBI Best Presented Award for their professionalism and overall presentation. The team received the Best Presented trophy, six Gridstar Best Presented caps and a $50 Summit Racing Equipment voucher.
Following a staging duel in Top Sportsman, Neale Constantinou took the honours driving his Ford Mustang to a final round win of 7.772 seconds on the 7.75 dial in from Mitchell Sammut in the Chevy Corvette with a 7.441 on the 7.38 dial in.
In Modified Rocco Romano overcame the reaction time to drive around Michael Braggs in the final with a winning effort of 7.923 on the 7.87 dial in. Braggs slowed to an 8.500 on a 7.42 dial in after he looked to have the upper hand from the start line.
Also in Modified, Rob Bailey achieved a perfect .000 light in Round 1 of eliminations. As the first racer to register a perfect light during eliminators, Bailey is the recipient of the Perfect Light Award.
Agonisingly the .000 reaction time was for naught as Bailey broke out by .001 to end his weekend.
A big -.150 red light to Enio Marrocco allowed Sean Maher in the HB Torana to claim the win in Super Sedan running a 10.030 on a 9.57 dial in following earlier wins over Paul Foley and Danny Bucella.
Modified Bike Winternationals winner Ace Edwards was looking for his second Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series win in a row but fellow Queenslander Phil White proved too good on the day. White had the reaction advantage and crossed the finished line first with a 9.399 ET on a 9.29 dial in from Edwards’ 8.812 and 8.81 dial in.
Much like Edwards, Robert Winterburn was hoping to win his second Summit Series event in a row following his own Winternationals win but he couldn’t overcome Samuel Franze in the Ford ZC Fairlane in a double break out. Franze stopped the timers for an 11.567 ET on the 11.58 dial in from Winterburn’s 11.231 and 11.25 dial in.
Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster ended in all smiles for Tasmanian Brooke Farrelly making the trip across Bass Strait worth the effort. Farrelly recorded a 9.250 on a 9.15 dial in following a -.061 red light from opponent Josh Leonello.
And finally in Super Gas, a breakout from Roy Romeo running a 9.859 ET as he chased to make up for the reaction time, handed victory to Joe Catanzariti who recorded a near perfect 9.903 that would have been tough to beat in any race.
The Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series now moves on to regional Victoria for the South Coast 660 at Fuchs South Coast Raceway in Portland.
For more information please visit www.southcoastraceway.com
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