NDRC Sportsman Racers Deliver In Darwin At Top End Nationals

The two-night program saw racers across eight brackets fight it out at the popular Darwin facility, with winners, runners-up and top qualifiers all celebrated at the end of night presentations on Saturday the 15^th of July. 

In Junior Dragster, Pinjarra (WA) racer Seth Jarvis took the victory over Top Qualifier and event runner-up, Cooper Plummer.

“(On race day) it was all feeling good, I didn’t think I would win the final, but it felt really good and to get my first event win was just wicked!” Jarvis said. 

In Modified, Ilparpa (NT) racer Cody Hodgins took out the A-Final win over Top Qualifier, Ashley Johnson. 

“It was very exciting to take the win. The final was a good race. It was very intense. As I got up to the line, I was a bit nervous, but once I got into stage it was no worries,” Hodgins said. 

In Top Sportsman, reigning ANDRA Series Champion Leon Davies took out the Top Sportsman win over Rick Smith. Dean Cleary was the Top Qualifier. 

“I am absolutely ecstatic to be honest. It is never easy when you are racing in Top Sportsman, but the car was running the numbers and I just had to put it down there,” Davies said.

In Super Street, Valley View (SA) racer Michael Jennings ran right on his dial-in aboard his Chevy Nova to take the victory over Top Qualifier, Tony Antonino. Shaun Kerkman and Tony Miskelly both turned Top Qualifying results into event victories, taking the wins in Supercharged Outlaws and Super Sedan respectively.

There was no runner-up for Supercharged Outlaws as last year’s winner, Butch Morrison, was unable to front for his bye-run in the semi-final. In Super Sedan, it was reigning ANDRA series winner and John Storm Memorial winner Lance Larcombe who was awarded the runner-up trophy.

Maddington (WA) racer, Louise Ridgway, was another to go from Top Qualifier to event winner when she defeated last year’s Modified Bike winner, Mark Tattingham. Also on two wheels, Wayne Patterson of Bunbury (WA) took the Competition Bike win over James Low, while Leith Darrach was the Top Qualifier. 

The NDRC Western Conference points chase now heads to Alice Springs Inland Dragway, where the Desert Nationals event (part of the NDRC Western Conference) will be held this weekend (July 22 and 23).

The Aeroflow Sportsman Eastern Conference kicks off at Springmount Raceway on August 18 and 19, with competitor entries on sale at www.ndrc.tv from 2PM tomorrow (Tuesday 18 July).

Photography by Ed Forman - HighRPM