Local Heroes Ready To Take The Battle To Springmount Visitors This Weekend

Part of the newly established National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC), the August 18/19 event is expected to host a talent-filled roster of racers from both near and far as they look to secure not only prestigious Christmas Tree trophies, but also valuable national championship points. 

Competitor entries close at 6.00pm on Wednesday August 16, but already there is a long list of local racers who are hoping a home track advantage will play in their favour against the visitors this weekend. 

Amongst the line-up are Springmount regulars, Kay Swenson (Real Street), Mike Sutherst (Performance Bike) and Daniel Parisotto (Super Comp). 

“We are hoping to see lots of visitors this weekend. It is always great to meet all the different racers who travel up,” said Swenson, who hails from the Lake Barrine side of the Atherton Tablelands.  

“Our group is really keen; we are all ready to go! We are all so excited for this event and the whole NDRC concept, it cannot come fast enough!” Swenson said. 

52-year-old Speewah racer Mike Sutherst grew up racing in Brisbane before relocating to North Queensland. 

“I always had a thing for motorbikes. By the time I got a bike to go racing I moved to North Queensland, and when I realised there was a drag strip in Townsville, it closed!” Sutherst laughs.

“When I found out Springmount Raceway was becoming a reality I bought a V-Rod Drag Bike from a guy in Brisbane and spent a couple of years racing locally and making some trips to the Winternationals.

“By then I had well and truly caught the bug, so I decided to turn it up a bit and imported a nitro Harley from America. We have spent the last two to three years learning the ropes and after some great advice from others at the All Bike meet at Benaraby last year, we are really getting on top of it now. 

Mareeba racer Daniel Parisotto is another looking forward to taking on the visitors in his HQ Sandman Ute with a 565 big block Chev and two-speed powerglide.

“Springmount Raceway really is an awesome facility and I think it is great to have the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship coming to the track. It (the NDRC concept) is a great thing for everybody I think, combining it all and making it a whole lot more interesting, and you can race anywhere and still gain points. I think it will bring some excitement,” said the 55-year-old builder and owner of Shed Alliance Tablelands, who has been involved with drag racing for more than three decades. 

“We are planning on running more NDRC events, but I don’t want to say which in case I jinx myself and break something!” he laughed. “We will definitely do Willowbank and also others; Sydney is on my bucket list for sure. 

The August 18/19 event at Springmount Raceway is the first Eastern Conference event of the newly established Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship, which is part of the National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC). 

Friday August 18 will host a three-hour test ‘n’ tune from 6.00pm to 9.00pm, before Saturday August 19 hosts a non-stop program of qualifying and racing action. Gates open at 9.00am, with on-track action from 10.30am. As part of Saturday’s action, the Nitro Wheel Standers ‘Pit Party’ will be held at 3.00pm, with the Aeroflow Wheelstanders to be on-track at 4.30pm, 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Entries and tickets are on-sale now, with competitor entries closing on August 16.