TBR gets set for nitro fever in Sydney this weekend
Photo courtesy ANDRA.
This Friday, Saturday and Sunday (3-5 May 2013) at Sydney Dragway, Team Bray Racing's Victor and Ben Bray will line up amongst a field of more than 20 Top Doorslammers for the infamous Nitro Champs event.
The Nitro Champs is one of the most popular professional drag racing events in Australia, and draws the best competitors from across the country for all of the ANDRA Drag Racing Series pro categories as well as sportsman brackets, and a few extras as well.
"This weekend at the Nitro Champs I hear two-time Pro Modified World Champion Mike Janis and his co-crew chief Kevin Peters are going to be coming out from the States to debut Sean Mifsud's new Doorslammer; that is pretty exciting!" said Victor.
"Sean is still recovering following his incident at the Slamfest Portland round earlier this year and everyone at Team Bray Racing certainly sends their best wishes to him, and while it is unfortunate he will miss the Nitro Champs it will be great to be able to potentially line up against someone like Janis this weekend.
"I am sure the entire field will be looking to give him a run for his money – he will have to look out for Peter Kapiris, he has been the in-form racer at the moment, and I like to think Ben and I will be able to give it a good shake as well!"
With just an eight car field for race day for the Top Doorslammer bracket and such a large entry list, the stakes will be high during qualifying on Friday and Saturday, before the Pro brackets get racing on Sunday.
"I have gone to the final for the last two events and both times I have faced off against the reigning champion on my way there – we are definitely moving in the right direction and that is a great feeling," said Victor.
"Neither Ben or I have really great form here in Sydney, but that won't stop us doing our absolute best and hopefully my recent form will continue this weekend.
"When you look at the stats, at the last meeting my friend Kapiris qualified eighth and then went on to win, while in the event before I also won off the back of qualifying eighth – so maybe the bump spot is the place to be!
"With so many competitors and so few race day berths, whether it is 'lucky' or not the competition for that last spot on the eliminations sheets is going to be high, that is for sure."
Victor's son Ben heads to Sydney with strong results at Sydney Dragway just weeks ago for the Sydney Jamboree in his Nissan Altima, where he secured two round wins before rain saw the event left unfinished.
"It is good to have some real recent track time under my belt at Sydney Dragway, but having said that we were here for the Jamboree in my four-cylinder Nissan, not the Sidchrome Top Doorlammer," said Ben.
"Even so, to have recent track time and solid results under your belt is a good preamble to any race meeting, and especially so for an event like the Nitro Champs where the pressure will certainly be on to even qualify for eliminations day.
"It is certainly going to be a big event – as well as the entertainment of our own Top Doorslammer bracket there will be Nitro Funny Cars, Top Fuel dragster and Nitro Harleys, and I am told that Sydney Dragway's own chairman Stephen Dupond is even going to debut a new Doorslammer at this event – so there is going to be plenty going on all around us!"
On-track action at Sydney Dragway's Nitro Champs will kick off from 10.00am each day, with Top Doorslammer on track for qualifying on Saturday at midday and enjoying their eliminations from midday on Sunday. For full event information and schedules, please visit www.sydneydragway.com.au.
