Red lights were a theme throughout eliminations including the finals to decide a string of Westernationals titles in Round 3 of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship.
The Westerns are a huge event so its understandable competitors would feel a little jumpy but one man with ice running through his veins is Ross Smith who secured his third straight Westernationals crown on the Suzuki Hayabusa.
Smith qualified second and took out Stan Lisle, Ross Green, Ryan Learmonth and finally Kevin Gummow to lift the ANDRA Gold Christmas tree yet again.
Smith, who looks to have provisionally set new records for mph and ET along the way, said the humidity arriving around semi-final time didn’t affect his speeds despite ETs suffering.
“The semi-final with Ryan (Learmonth) it was both of us just on the tank and the same again in the final with Kevin (Gummow) I was just on the tank and he didn’t come past.”
“It was a top weekend! A huge thanks goes out to Barry.”
Rounding out Group 2 action, Alistair McClure took the honours in Comp Eliminator as both his semi-final and final opponent Andrew Katavatis and Damien Dequen left the cherry on the tree allowing the BB/FCA to secure the ANDRA Gold Christmas tree with a final run of 6.450 on the 6.75.
Jake Chaisty was another who suffered at the hands of the red light after going fast all weekend leaving Errol Quartermaine to take the Westernatioanls Super Stock title with a 7.850 on the 8.13.
In other results Frank Taylor won the title for Supercharged Outlaws with a 6.820 on the 8.24 against a red lighting Ian Foster.
Modified was decided by Jamie Nelmes with an 8.678 on the 8.24 leaving a malfunctioning Paul Ryan at the line.
Ethan Hort defeated Lorenzo Gullotto in Super Sedan with a 9.797 on the 9.78 from 8.098 on the 8.09.
Lindsay Wood took the Modified Bike honours with 9.392 on the 9.15 from Brian Hotker with 10.638 on the 9.93.
Scott Jeffreys left the cherry on the tree as Darran Bakranich won the Super Street final with 11.123 on the 11.15 and Kyle Higgins took home the title for Junior Dragster with 8.166 on the 8.20 from another red light at the hands of Rebecca Ewing.
The Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship now moves onto to Adelaide in two weeks on March 14-15.
For full results from the 43rd Westernationals please click here.
Image courtesy: Phil Luyer / Hich Octane Photos