The penultimate round of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship has been run and done and the scene has now been set for the season-ending Australian Nationals at Sydney Dragway.
This season’s Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship has seen more rounds and more tracks than ever before, with regional locations playing a big part in the growth of the series.
Expansion of the series into new venues has allowed more racers than ever before to take part, with 570 drivers and riders having scored points so far this season, compared to 448 last season.
The points system also changed this season with the removal of the ‘two best rounds’ rule, prompting racers to travel and commit to more rounds of the series. The cap has also been lifted from 200 to 300 points and the result has been a very fair championship where the best and most dedicated racers are being rewarded.
In Competition, five racers will go into the Australian Nationals with a shot at the title. Craig Geddes, Wayne Cartledge and Greg Clayton will all enter on the 300 point cap, with Jason Maggs just behind on 285 and still well and truly in the hunt. Shane Baxter on 210 points will need a lot of results to fall his way. With points available in Group Two for top qualifying and setting national records, many of these racers have said they are going to hold nothing back with indexes set to be thrashed.
Super Stock also has five racers in contention. Mario Barbon and Darren Parker will both be on the 300 point cap, with Daniel Camilleri (245), Jason Simpson (240) and Steve Norman (220) needing Barbon and Parker to go out early in eliminations.
No racers reached the cap in Competition Bike so with Paul Harrison leading on 260 points three other racers have a chance at the title. Ross Smith (250) and Corey Buttigieg (245) will be the most likely contenders while Corey Scholes (170) has a small chance as well.
Super Compact has seen small fields this season and six racers will be able to vie for the championship. Michael Baghdadi leads on 170 points, followed by Rod Harvey (160), Scott Porter (130), Joe Signorelli (100), Po Tung (80) and George Rehayem (80).
Luke Marsden enters as a favourite in Supercharged Outlaws after a season that has seen him score 600 points, well over the 300 cap. Such is the success he has had that he has already wrapped up the John Storm Memorial trophy, awarded to the sportsman racer who scores the most points overall for the season. However Grant Fraser also comes into the Nationals on the 300 cap. Darryl Walford (270), Matt Watts (240), Paul Stephen (240) and Chris V’antHof (240) remain possible championship aspirants.
Three drivers in Modified will be at the Nationals with maximum points including Tony Littlewood, Craig Baker and Leanne Braggs. Last year’s champion Kenny Stewart is not out of the race yet with 280 points, nor are Jess Turner (220) or Simon Barlow (200).
Six Super Sedan racers have title shots. With a win at the Lady Daly Hotel Springnationals, Johnny Kapiris shot to the top of the standings with 260 points, tailed by fellow South Australian Roc Puccini on 240. Steven Fowler (180), Chris Farrell (170), Jim Denaro (160) and Mark Harding (160) could play spoiler roles for the crow-eaters.
Gavin Dohnt and Tony Frost have done battle all year in Modified Bike and will start from 300 points at the Nationals. Tasmanian Shane Walker is on 280 after a solid second half of the season while Geoffrey Stewart (210), Niki Zakrzewski(210) and Brendan Sanders (200) retain title chances.
Many categories seem to have exactly six teams in contention and no different is Super Street. Mark Phillips carries the lead on 240 points, with Rod Kerr (180), Graeme Cooper (180), Kylie Tanner (170), Joe Jurkovic (170) and Carl Taylor (140) the remaining hopefuls.
Eight drivers in Junior Dragster can still win the title and out of all categories they have the most on the 300 point cap with Toby Austin, Brock Hodgson, David Roberts, Hayley Mackay, Brayden Naylor and Luke Cartledge all beginning from an even keel. This makes the Australian Nationals the most critical round of the season by far. Matthew Matulovich (260) and Jake Cartledge (240) both have shots at a championship as well.
Finally in ANDRA’s only Group Four category Super Gas, reigning champion Simon Isherwood is poised to do it again with 280 points in the bank. Hoping to spoil the double up will be Darryl Stephen (240), Kym Oberauer (220), David Gauldie (220), Matthew Forbes (240) and Roy Romeo (180).
The Australian Nationals takes place from November 1-3 at Sydney Dragway and is the final round for both the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship and the ANDRA Drag Racing Series.
Click here to see the points.