Lamattina Does The Double In Perth

Phil Lamattina has had the perfect start to the 2014 ANDRA Drag Racing Series by clean sweeping the Nitro Max event at the Perth Motorplex.

Lamattina backed up Friday's night's victory with a 4.747-second win over local hero Martin Stamatis in tonight's final round, the Mildura driver heading home with maximum points and two of ANDRA's new silver Christmas tree trophies.

The Fuchs dragster top qualified with a 5.038/217 in the searing afternoon heat, then improved to record the low elapsed time of the day, a 4.666/324, in the elimination round to secure Lamattina's spot for the final.

Conditions were so hot with the track temperature hovering near 60deg Celsius that Motorplex officials took the unusual, but proved to be extremely effective, step of drenching the entire racing surface - the water cooling the track somewhat in time for Top Fuel qualifying.

After missing the B Final last night, 2010 ANDRA Top Fuel Champion Stamatis bounced back, qualifying third in the Billview dragster with a 7.02 before beating Rapisarda Autosports International's Allan Dobson with a 4.83 in the elimination round.

Stamatis led Lamattina off the line in the final and was quicker to the 60ft marker but the race was all over by the 330ft beams when the Billview car overpowered the tricky racetrack.

"It couldn't get any better, winning both races, setting low ET, top speed and grabbing the maximum points on qualifying," Lamattina said.

"It was a lot tougher day today, but hats off to the track crew, they kept at it and [the track] came around ... they have a "never say die" attitude which is great.

"The '66' was pretty stout considering the time of day, but the '74' in the final was turning the tyres on the top end. It just goes to show it's easy to slip up."

Lamattina said consistency was the key to winning races and championships.

"We want to get from A to B – it's consistency that wins races, which is what we proved this weekend."

Stamatis' crew chief, veteran Jim Read Racing team-member Rob Cavagnino said he took a chance at the tune-up in trying to beat Lamattina.

"We knew we had to go on kill-mode to beat [Lamattinas] so that's what we did," Stamatis' crew chief, Rob Cavagnino said.

"The track was excellent tonight, not quite what it was yesterday but (it was) great considering the incredible heat. We will be back for the Westernationals with 4.50s in our step."

The victory stretched Lamattina's Perth winning streak to four events, the first two dating back to last year.

After finishing runner-up to Mark Drew last night, Mark Ashelford went one better tonight to take out the final of Top Fuel Motorcycle and give himself a strong lead in the championship.

Ashelford saved his best to last, setting low ET in the final with a 6.58 in his win over reigning Australian champion Chris Porter, dedicating the win to his mother.

"My dear old mum recently passed away so this weekend was for her," Ashelford said.

"Last night I had a shakedown and it was my first two full passes in a couple of years.

"Tonight I had a hiccup in the seeding round and was lucky to get in the field.

"I faced Drewy again who I raced last night for the final and then Chris Porter, he's not the Australian Champ for nothing so I really had to put my A cap on."

Winners of the first round of the 2014 Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship were:

Top Comp - Murray O'Connor def Pino Priolo
Super Comp – Jake Chaisty def Colin Mortimore
Competition Bike – Ross Smith def Stan Lisle
Supercharged Outlaws – Gregory James def Craig Gerdes
Modified – Sam Treasure def Michael Lanigan
Super Sedan – Leigh Fallon def Lorenzo Gullotto
Super Street – Craig Caton def Nicholas Wroe
Modified Bike – Luke Nieuwhof def Justin Townson
Junior Dragster – Makenah Begg def Jasmine Slamar