The last time Steve Norman competed in the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series at South Coast Raceway, he clean-swept Super Comp at the 2021 South Coast 660 event – taking out the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Medallion, the winning ANDRA Christmas Tree Trophy, and a national record.
Now, the racer from Whyalla in South Australia is preparing to return to Portland for this weekend’s South Coast Nationals, fresh from a top qualifying effort at the Perth Motorplex’s Goldenstates.
“We are looking forward to heading to Portland this weekend. We will be doing a class swap as we have pretty much belted the Super Mod class over the last couple of years and there is not a lot left on that, so we are going to run C Super Mod,” Norman said.
“The class change involves putting a bit of weight in the car and setting it all up again, but I am confident we can handle all of that okay. We have nowhere to test it before the weekend, but I am sure it will be fine, and this will give us another class to play around with for a little while.
“Portland has been pretty good to us in the past, and I really do like racing at the short tracks. You have to be so on your game as there is absolutely no margin for error as it all happens so quickly.
“It really is a beautiful place as well, always immaculate and the locals are so good to us. We are really looking forward to it, and to returning again in January for the South Coast Nationals.”
Norman heads to the popular Victorian facility less than two weeks after arriving back in South Australia from Perth’s Goldenstates event.
“Portland is no short trip for us either, but it is only about a 1,000km trip one-way, so that is still a lot shorter than the 2,500km to Perth,” he smiled.
“With a tight turnaround, we were very happy that we left Perth with the car still shiny and with nothing broken, that is always helpful.
“The Goldenstates event for us went okay, we did have a few issues with starting in the first qualifier and then it got really ugly in the second round of eliminations and crossed the centre line – luckily I was able to save the car from the wall, but it did see us disqualified.
“At the same time though, we had two great qualifying passes of a 8.26 and a 8.24 which saw us claim the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Medallion.
“It was good to be the number one qualifier at least, and we also picked up a reasonable amount of points which is a core purpose of travelling to Perth, alongside the fact that in my opinion it is the best place in Australia to race by far.
“We love going to Perth, the facility is amazing, and all the locals treat us so well – it is a great place to race.
“My thanks goes to my long-suffering crew, Reg and Ryan Lee, Ryan’s partner Hayley and my eldest grandson Connor, as well as RT Race Craft, for all of their support.”
The South Coast Nationals, featuring the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, will be held at South Coast Raceway across December 11 and 12. For event information, go to www.southcoastraceway.com.au
For more from ANDRA, go to www.andra.com.au
IMAGE THANKS TO HIGH OCTANE PHOTOS