Following a successful showing at the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 Friday Night Drags last week, husband and wife racers Grant and Debbie O’Rourke are preparing for the final rounds of their respective ANDRA championships.

This weekend, both Grant and Debbie will be on-track at Sydney Dragway for the Australian Nationals – the final round of the 2014 ANDRA Championship chase. 

Grant is currently third on the point’s ladder for the Top Doorslammer bracket, and needs only to qualify and make a round one appearance to secure the position; while Debbie will be doing all she can to secure a top five berth in the Top Alcohol standings. 

“Sydney hasn’t always yielded the best results for me, before my seven year break I wrote a car off there and at another event I pushed a rod out of the motor during a pass which saw the car catch fire,” said Grant O’Rourke.

“Then earlier this year at the X-Champs I couldn’t qualify, it was my worst meeting of the year, so I am dearly hoping that my past bad luck in Sydney stays there – in the past – and this weekend can be a good one for me and the team!

“Securing third in the title in my comeback season is really important to me, so we will be doing everything we can to make that happen – with 13 Doorslammers entered, it is sure to be a great event.”

While her husband has struggled at the Eastern Creek facility, Debbie has had better luck with multiple semi-finals appearances at the venue.

“I am currently fifth in the title standings but with Jon Sting nipping at my heels there is going to be a fair bit of pressure there this weekend as I look to lock-down that top five spot for 2014,” said Debbie O’Rourke. 

“I have had better luck in Sydney than Grant, so hopefully I can keep that going and maybe lend him some of my good luck at the same time, so we can both have a successful weekend at the last round of the year. 

“After last week’s appearance at the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 we are both ready and rearing to get back on the drag strip and really unleash our hot rods for the crowd!” 

The Australian Nationals is the final round of racing for the 2014 ANDRA season, with qualifying for all group one brackets set to hit the track from 12.00pm on Saturday 1 November, with eliminations racing from 11.00am on Sunday 2 November.

Image courtesy: O’Rourke Motorsport Facebook