Racers Come From Far And Wide For Springmount NDRC Honours

Entries for the first ‘Eastern Conference’ event of the new national title chase don’t close until 6.00pm on Wednesday the 16^th of August, but already a growing list of both local and travelling racers have put their hands up to fight it out for valuable points at the north Queensland facility. 

One such long-distance competitor is Tony Whyatt of Ipswich, who will travel some 20 hours to compete in the August 18/19 event in the Top Sportsman category in his custom grey Holden Calibra. 

“When I first heard about the NDRC and the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship I was excited for the sportsman racers to have an opportunity to compete nationally as our sport tries to move in the same direction and reunite – as racers we need to support this to ensure the strength of our sport moves forward,” said Whyatt’s, whose locally-built full-tube chassis Calibra runs a 414 small block Chev with mechanical injection, on a methanol/powerglide transmission.  

“We will be trying to compete in as many of the Eastern Conference meetings as we can to support the new concept, starting with Springmount Raceway next weekend, as we try and go for the championship both in the Eastern Conference and Nationally. It is a big commitment for all racers competing for the championship, so to be able to win it and come out on top would be a really great achievement.”

That championship chase for the fifty-year-old National Defence Service Manager for Cargotec begins with the Springmount Raceway event next weekend.

“We are super excited to race at Springmount Raceway, as it will be our first time racing there,” Whyatt said.

“As a racer we all compete and expect to do as well as we can, so we are hoping to be the team that is holding the winner’s trophy at the end of Saturday night! 

“It is always a tall ask considering the calibre of racers competing at national events, but we will be giving it our best shot to do so and make sure we have the maximum points moving forward also.”

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.