Mark Belleri will arrive at Calder Park just in time for the Southern Nationals presented by Fiat Professional & Essendon Chrysler Jeep Dodge on April 4-5, 2014.
During Round 2 of the ANDRA Drag Racing Series for Top Doorslammer at the 43rd Westernationals in Perth, Belleri qualified seventh before going on a tear and ousting Gary Phillips on a 5.95 pass, good enough to place the 67 Camaro in the A Final of the three round format against Peter Kapiris.
Unfortunately Lucky Belleri’s luck deserted him as a rod failure ended his campaign allowing an out of shape Kapiris to pedal five or six times for the win in one of the more bizarre finals seen in recent times.
“We had a rod failure and broke two rods which banged the blower putting a couple of holes in the sump and it caught on fire,” said Belleri.
“We had a spare engine to put in for the Sunday but the carbon fire diaper was too badly burnt to run again and we didn’t have a spare and a few other bits and pieces we would have needed to borrow.”
Since returning from Perth, the team has had their work cut out to get the car race ready by sending the damaged engine overseas to be repaired.
“It’s been a bit of a thrash to get all the damaged engine all boxed up and sent back to the USA to get fixed and the diaper repaired, fire bottles filled and other bits and pieces fixed or replaced. But it’s coming together in time to load and get to Calder Park for our next race.”
“If we have a good outcome at Calder we should be able to make up the points that we lost by not racing on Sunday (in Perth).”
Belleri will get his chance to do just that in cut throat elimination racing once the action gets under way next week.
The Southern Nationals presented by Fiat Professional & Essendon Chrysler Jeep Dodge at Calder Park Raceway begins Friday April 4, 2014 and recommences for a full day of racing on Saturday April 5, 2014.
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Image courtesy: Phil Luyer / High Octane Photos