Super Street racer Luke ‘Tex’ Griffiths will be making his comeback to national ANDRA competition at this weekend’s Sunset Strip Nationals (September 21 and 22).
The event marks the third round of the 2019/2020 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series and will be hosted by the Sunraysia Drag Racing Association at Mildura’s Sunset Strip.
While it has been a long time since Griffiths competed in a Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series round, the self-employed motor mechanic says he is really looking forward to making his comeback with his 1968 Tex’s Automotive Plymouth Satellite.
“I think the last national event I competed in would have been the Calder Nationals back in 2016,” he explained.
“As a self-employed motor mechanic who drives my Plymouth to and from the racetrack, the decision making around which events I can compete in all comes down to time and money.
“I really love racing and have been enjoying all of the local track championship events and nostalgia-style events I can get to over the last few years. After racing at Calder back in 2016 I have always wanted to do a few more Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series rounds, but the timing just hasn’t been right.
“Now, I am really happy to say that we have been able to make it work to head to Mildura’s Sunset Strip for the Sunset Strip Nationals and I am really looking forward to it! Hopefully in the future we can head over to Portland as well.”
The Sunset Strip Nats will mark the Brookvale (NSW) racer’s debut at the Victorian venue, for which he has a simple goal.
“Don’t do anything stupid!” he laughed.
At the same time, Griffiths – who has always raced his cars he has built himself including a 1932 Ford Coupe and now his 1968 Plymouth Satellite – isn’t looking to be a back-marker either.
“I am not going to make up the numbers. Mildura is a bit of a mystery at the moment to me as I have never raced there, but we will be doing all we can to make sure we get some good results,” he said.
“We won’t be doing anything too crazy in preparation, we will just do what we usually do to prepare the Plymouth and give it a good wash and wax too and then see what we can do come the weekend.
“As we look towards that, I have to send a thank you to my wife Julie and my son Jett who have supported me through thick and thin, as well as St Mary’s Engines for the machining and set-up of my short motor and ProTrans for my transmission.
“There isn’t much else to say about it, except, let’s go racing! I can’t wait,” he grinned.
Griffiths will be one of more than 150 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series racers to hit the Sunraysia Drag Racing Association’s Sunset Strip across September 21 and 22 for the Sunset Strip Nationals, round three of the 2019/2020 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series. For more information, visit www.sunsetstrip.org.au or www.andra.com.au
PHOTO CREDIT: GRANT STEPHENS, CACKLING PIPES PHOTOGRAPHY