Nitro Funny Car returns to Calder Park Raceway
The Nitro Express and Fast Company Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars ready to roar down Calder Park RacewayI’ve got some good news and I’ve got some bad news for you.
Let’s start with the bad news. Top Fuel and Top bike won’t be running at Calder Park Raceway on November the 10th. With only 3 Top Fuel teams committed, the decision was made amongst all the parties, including ANDRA, Calder Park Raceway and the racers not to proceed with the scheduled round.
With the ANDRA Nationals at Sydney Dragway a week before the event, many teams couldn’t make the financial commitment to turn the cars and bikes around in 5 days and head down to Calder Park Raceway. And as most crew are volunteers, few could afford the time off work or time spent away from their families.
The rush to switch to a new calendar and include additional rounds in the various championships has caused some headaches for administrators, promoters and race teams.
Now for the good news. Nitro Funny Car will be headlining the meeting on November the 10th at Calder Park Raceway. 6 of the short wheel-based nitro burners are booked to wow the crowed and bring the cackle back to Melbourne.
Nitro Funny Car returns to Calder Park Raceway
Christine Steffens - the 1st Lady of Australian Nitro Funny Car (Photo courtesy www.dragphotos.com.au) “While we’re disappointed that the Top Fuel event isn’t going ahead as planned, we’re delighted to announce that Nitro Funny Car will be headlining the show,” said Calder Park general manager Ian MacArthur.
On the card for the evening will be 4 modern Nitro Funny Cars including local Darren Difilippo, Rodney Bailey’s 2 cars and Christine Steffens, the 1st lady of Nitro Funny Car in Australia. One of Rodney’s cars will be piloted by Anthony Begley while the other driver is yet to be announced.
The Nitro Funny Cars will make at least 3 passes each throughout the days racing, finishing with a highlight line-up around 9.00pm.
And if that’s not enough nitro for you, Graeme Cowin will be bringing his two Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars down from Sydney for some match racing action. Shane Olive and Rick Gauci (to be confirmed) will be going head-to-head behind the wheels of the ‘Fast Company’ 71 Plymouth Satellite and the ’Nitro Express’ 57 Chevrolet Bel Air.
| Car: | Nitro Express | Fast Company |
| Driver: | Rick Gauci (TBC) | Shane Olive |
| Model: | 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air | 1971 Plymouth Satellite |
| Specs: |
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| Best ET: | 5.77 @ 255mph (410kph) | 5.88 @ 248mph (400kph) |
Calder Park Drag Racing Points Series
While the headliners may have changed, the rest of the event will proceed as planned. The sportsman brackets at this event also will be part of a brand new points series that will include the following eligible brackets:
- Super Sedan (10.99 and faster DYO)
- Super Street (11.00 to 12.99 DYO)
- Extreme Street (index system)
- Nostalgia (12.99 and faster DYO)
- Modified Bike (12.99 and faster DYO)
According to Ian, “This will be the 1st round of a new points series we're running at Calder Park Raceway. We'll start it off for say a 12 month period with good prizes and give-aways for Victorian drag racers, other than what's on the table at the moment."
Bracket info and the official release of the major sponsors will be made public early next week. Qualifying will begin in the afternoon and eliminations will take place later on in the day as part of a huge day of drag racing.
The sportsman brackets will not be sanctioned by ANDRA at this event. Sportsman competitors will therefore not require an ANDRA licence or ANDRA technical inspection.
ANDRA Tech Inspections at Calder Park
As a sign that ANDRA groups 2 through 4 may be returning to Calder Park Raceway however, 2 tech inspection days have been organised at the track on the following dates:
- 8th of September from 12.00 pm to 4.00 pm
- 20th of October from 12.00 pm to 4.00 pm
From my understanding there are 8 to 10 vehicles booked in for tech inspections on the 8th.
"What we were doing in the lead up to this event is actually looking at ways to create a two way street between Calder Park and ANDRA racing nationally,” said Ian MacArthur.
“For practicality reasons we had to look at ways to help out the Victorian racers to make it easy and fair on them, and have the Victorian ANDRA officials then start to look at the possibilities of adding another couple of brackets into future events which we're looking at doing.”
For more information you’re encouraged to pick up the phone and call Ian MacArthur at Calder Park Raceway on
03 9361 0700.
