Champion Dragway Competition Opening Opener – 12 December 2004
Meremere, New Zealand
After a dry but very windy test n, tune on the Saturday, Sunday the 12th dawned fine(ish!), and a little less windy. The weather threatened all day, but it never rained, and the air was nice and dense.
With Ian Wilkins’ new ex USA Pro-mod rocket only just missing out on attending (due to engine reassembly problems), and Richard Maunder’s ex Canada Kawasaki turbo funny bike still having sticking butterfly problems, Only 4 bikes in the Super Bike bracket, being Ken Stolpman’s 1498cc 1982 Suzuki Katana A/Pro bike, Trina Hilton’s 1203cc Buell A/PCB bike, Chris Mackrell’s 1498cc AA/Pro weapon, and flying over from Brisbane for the weekend especially to ride the Hays Racing AA/PCB Harley Fueller was ex-pat Kiwi Ross Buchanan. However, we were to be treated to some exciting racing just the same.
With so few bikes, there were 3 qualifying rounds, and only 2 Elimination rounds. First Qualifying round saw Ken Stolpman’s crewman (me) set Ken up a bit crooked in lane 1, and Ken launched hard in the direction he was pointed…straight toward the center line, which Ken reached in about 4.5 seconds. Unfortunately Ken also crossed it, but straightened up, returned to his lane and carded a 9.75 @ 149mph all the same.
So hard to get good crew these days…..(what’s wrong with a 9.75 anyway?? - IDH).
Ken went on to card a best qualifier of 8.544 (straightness is a wonderful thing), which also put Ken a clean half a second under his index, leaving him at #1 qualifier…...nice!
Second qualifier was Havelock North’s Chris Mackrell, on board his “MacBloor” dragbike. For those of you that don’t know, this machine was hand built by Roger Boor and Chris in Roger’s shed in Hamilton. If you get the chance, take a look (at the bike, not the shed – that’s nothing special)……...they have done a great job! Chris is out to prove a point this season, and started off in the right direction, with a best qualifier of 8.435 @ 152 or so, enough for #2 qualifying position. Must have been set up straight….
Third in line was Ross Buchanan on the Nitro burner, who’s first run was a 8.199 @ a little over 150mph. Not bad for the first off the trailer run for the season! Ross’s Crew managed to convince drag racing record addict and team owner Doug Hays that 8.199 was good enough, and they should save the motor for real racing, which they did – one qualifier was enough for them. Doug – since when do you listen to your crew??
Forth place went to Pukekohe’s Trina Hilton, who is brand new in Pro bike division this year, and this meeting was Trina’s first on a wheelie barred bike. Trina’s best was a 12.723, a little off the pace but Trina you have to start somewhere – all you need is seat time….
Eliminations:
Round 1 of 2…the race for a place in the final.
Factored racing at it’s best, and first up was Ross Buchanan on the Hays Racing Harley Fueller, against Chris Mackrell’s nitrous Suzuki.
Chris was out first on an 8.59 factor, reaction time of 0.172 (and we all know what colour light that produces on a .400 tree), with Ross running a 8.24 factor.
Chris carded a very respectable 8.462 @ 149.95, but Ross took the win from the start with a lightning quick 7.794 @ 177.79mph!! Ross mate….. I hope you paid Chris a fair bit for that red light……..with a reaction time of .868, you would have been a gonner (and I told you before, put your cigarette out BEFORE you move into stage!!!).
Next pair up was Ken Stolpman and Trina Hilton. With Trina being a little off the pace, this should have been an easy win for Ken, but he did red light in qualifying…….
Trina carded a reaction of 0.817, but slowed to a 13.085 @ 97.93 on a 9.65 factor.
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Ken left on the green (reaction time 1.059), and won with a 8.505 @ 151.32mph.
Round two - Final:
Chris Mackrell was up against Trina Hilton for the runoff for 3rd and 4th place.
Chris got the jump on Trina at the start with a 0.447 reaction to Trina’s 0.519. Chris carded a slowing 9.602 @ 142.31 (“not enough NOS pressure Mackrell” they call him) to take the win against Trina’s 13.464 @ 99.60.
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The race for first place was last up, Ken Stoplman’s Suzuki against Hays Racing’s Harley with Ross Buchanan on board. Both these guy’s last runs put them down at 0.500 under their factors….the race promised to be close.
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Ken got the green first and left straight and hard with a 0.498 reaction. Ross forgot what I told him about the putting out the cigarettes and staging sequencing thing, but still cut a 0.558 light. But Ken was gone, reaching the finish line first with a die-straight 8.600 @ 153.39mph, with Ross thundering past Ken at the end of the speed trap with a 7.988 @ a healthy 172.19mph –good enough to take second place!
Whilst numbers were down, great racing was had by all, and on a very sticky track……thanks to the hard work of the Champion Dragway track crew.
It is worth noting that all the above numbers were run with a stiff breeze blowing at about 45 degrees head/cross wind at about 20 knots. We’re all looking forward to the next meeting on 2nd Jan 2005!
Cheers