Peter Pisalidis surprises with Competition performance at X-Champs
Peter Pisalidis proved that guts, determination and a 2002 Chevrolet SS Camaro can take you to the top, after he won his maiden ANDRA Christmas Tree of any colour in Competition at last weekend’s X-Champs.
The Victorian Sportsman cruised to his first ANDRA Championship win after finalist Alistair McClure withdraw with damage sustained in the semi-finals.
However, that did not dampen the spirit of Pisalidis – who beat both Mike Nola and Lyle Gilmore to progress to the semis.
“It feels surreal, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Pisalidis said.
“The last thing on my mind this weekend was getting to the final with such a tough field in Comp including the top nine cars in the country.
“And with the top four cars running so far under the index, coming out here I thought if I can qualify five or six, I’d be ecstatic but we qualified third.
“We ran really well. We were lucky to do that so what can I say? It’s surreal.”
The X-Champs, which marked Round 6 of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship, produced plenty of other thrilling results.
In Super Compact, Domenic Rigoli took home the honours with a final win of 6.85 on a 7.29 index after George Rehayem shut down prior to staging. In the process Rigoli reset the CC/SC ET and mph records to 6.851 and 198.03 mph.
Les Heintz took home the ANDRA tree in Super Stock defeating a red-lighting Clint George with an 8.46 on an 8.69 in the final.
Heintz reset the B/MP ET record to 8.398, while Darren Parker broke the B/APA record to establish a new mark of 7.342. Rob Nunn then claimed both records for B/AP pushing the ET to 7.213 and the mph to 188.81.
Darren Schuster broke the D/AB mph record in Competition Bike, with a 157.43. However, his 9.06 on an 8.82 was not enough to defeat Blair Pennington in the final thanks to a 9.36 on a 9.37.
The final records to fall were the ET and mph marks for AA/MA.
Andrew Musgrave put down a 6.375 and 219.22 mph but it was his round two opponent Peter Brown who would go on to claim the X-Champs title on a solo 8.29 on a 7.62.
In Supercharged Outlaws, Les Rodgie defeated a breaking out Rodney Hansen with a 6.80 on the 6.75 to win the final.
Steve Fowler took home the gold in Super Sedan, after he set a 6.92 on the 6.90 defeating current number one Johnny Kapiris in the process with a red light run of 9.86 on the 9.89.
Kevin Cleeve, who was consistent all day, won the Modified Bike final with an 8.62 on the 8.72. Cleeve beat Joe Khoury who left the line 0.042 seconds early – eliminating himself on a red light.
In Super Street, Stan Nikitaras claimed victory with a near perfect 11.13 on the 11.12. Oppoonent Joe Jurkovic would broke out with an 11.05 on the 11.12.
Dale Duffy defeated Toby Austin with a holeshot win thanks to an 8.11 on an 8.05 from an 8.07 on the 8.04 to win the Junior Dragster final.
Finally, reigning Super Gas champion Matt Forbes sent off his current ‘27 Ford roadster in style with a near-perfect 9.91. In doing so, Forbes preserved his current undefeated streak stretching back to September 2012.
The next round of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship will be at Willowbank Raceway, as part of the Fuchs Winternationals on June 5-8.
For full X-Champs results please click here: http://www.andra.com.au/series/results.html
Image supplied. © Fred Dwyer
