Darren Saliba is confident his team have worked the bugs out of the system when he visits Mildura Sunset Strip to contest Top Sportsman in Round 5 of the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series presented by Mildura Rural City Council this weekend (Dec 4-5). 

Since stepping into the GTO from his Super Sedan Camaro, Saliba has endured a run of bad luck. But he feels the team are now finally poised for a breakthrough in Mildura. 

“I am hopping for a breakthrough soon, I’ve had some bad luck,” he said. 

“It has been a learning experience but the team is getting there. We’re hoping for a win to get the confidence up. 

“I bought the car in February this year through a mate of mine. He was not confident in driving the car so he approached me if to see if I was interested in buying it. I said let me think about it and if I sell the Camaro I will.” 

Saliba couldn’t resist and soon bought the 665 cubic inch GTO built by Wally Stroupe in the USA. 

“On my first meeting in Adelaide something went wrong with the engine. At the time I was getting my 598ci refreshed from the Camaro that I kept. We put that engine in for the Winternationals.”

Unfortunately more bad luck was to follow in an incident that saw the car hit the wall in the breaking area at Willowbank Raceway. 

Following repairs, the team regrouped and made a return at the East Coast Nationals in Sydney with a quarter final appearance followed by a first round exit at South Coast Raceway one week later. 

“We stripped the car and went to Craig Burns from SCF race cars to repair the chassis. We got it back and are on the road again after a lot of money and hard work so we hope we go a long way this time.” 

The Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series presented by Mildura Rural City Council visits Mildura Sunset Strip this Friday and Saturday December 4-5. 

Qualifying begins from 5:30pm on Friday December 4 and continues through Saturday December 5 from 11am. Eliminations commence from 5pm Saturday with special guest cover band KEG entertaining racegoers following the completion of racing on Saturday night.

For more information please visit www.sunsetstrip.org.au

Image: Grant Stephens / Drag News Australia