After one of the most intense finishes ever to a Top Doorslammer championship, or any ANDRA championship for that matter, the two Top Doorslammer finalists have taken some time to reflect on just what their efforts at the Australian Nationals meant to them.
John Zappia, who won both the event and the championship, said it went from mission impossible to dream come true.
“Coming into the event, it seemed like an impossible assignment – having to win the event, and Peter having to either not qualify or lose in the first round,” he said. “But we stayed positive and focused and the fairy tale did come true.
“This is our first event win this season, and to do this against my old mate Victor Bray and equal his six straight championship wins was a highlight. We both pioneered Doorslammer racing in this country and to make that final pass together was historic.
“Our deepest commiserations go to our good mate Peter Kapiris who led the series all year and just fell 19 points short to run a valiant second for the second year in a row.”
Zappia did worry in the final when Bray launched with the holeshot advantage.
“Victor got me on the tree, but the Crusher surged ahead until the dreaded tyres started to rattle hard. I thought ‘Not again!’ – so I punched second quickly and the car went crazy,” he said. “I could not see Victor in my peripheral vision and tried to steer the car straight and ran through for a 6.071 – not a very good time – but considering I had to pedal twice and pull the car away from the wall, I was happy to get the win.
“The feeling of jubilation after winning was just amazing. It has been a long and hard season, and to finally get a win and take the ANDRA Gold Christmas Tree home to all our Perth sponsors and supporters was priceless.”
Zappia’s final round opponent Victor Bray said it was a full on weekend with 19 Top Doorslammer teams all at full throttle.
“With just eight race day positions available and challenging hot conditions during qualifying this event demanded everything of its racers from the very beginning and it didn’t get any easier from there,” he said.
“Facing off against my friend and then championship leader Peter Kapiris in the first round set the tone for an intense day of racing and by taking the win I ensured that for Zappia to equal my record titles he would have to do no less than win the entire event.
“While I may not have taken the win, this has been one impressive event with a fantastic field and some great crowds and I must send my congratulations to Zappia on his win and also to my friend Kapiris on a hard-fought season – if I had won the final he would have taken home the title by one point, so I am sorry I couldn’t get it done for you mate!
“It has certainly been a rewarding season for Team Bray and myself with three finals appearances and I have certainly felt that my friend, the late Mick Atholwood, has been riding along with us all year long, so everyone at Team Bray was very happy to see him announced as one of the first to be inducted into the ANDRA Hall of Fame in recent weeks.”
The 2014 ANDRA Top Doorslammer championship begins at Perth Motorplex on January 31-February 1.
Image courtesy Dave Reid/dragphotos.com.au.