The Riverbend Nationals may as well have been renamed the PB nationals with 6 of the 11 drivers on the property setting a PB throughout the weekend.
Rob Dekert:6.863 (Friday)
Rick Chilton:6.926
Ray Oxley: 7.090
Darryl Stephen:7.092
Gerry Parente: 7.191
Shell V-Power Motorsports Park Dragway At The Bend is clearly a fast track. Whilst not the record setting bonanza that was the 2010 Winternationals, the April Air at the bend has potential for Pro Stock national records to fall in future events. Tyronne reset the ANDRA record to a 6.861 in qualifying. Pro Stock will be eager to return to the bend that’s for sure. President of the APSOA Peter Ridgeway said “We as a group put on a awesome display from the moment we tested on Friday to finishing of the Sydney round during Qualifying to racing on Sunday”. Adelaide having a local National record setting track may bring some drivers out of the woodwork, we know there was some Ex Pro Stock Drivers that were present throughout the weekend who still have their cars.
From the moment Pro Stock hit the track 6 second passes were in full swing and everyone knew that Pro Stock and Dragway at the bend was a quick and fast combination. With a handful of teams coming out to test in both sessions they were either fast or did not get of the start line. Rick Chilton came out guns blazing with Pro Stocks first ever 6 second pass at the bend off the trailer with a 6.944.
Come Saturday’s racing and qualifying it was the usual front runners which headed straight to the pointy side of the field and it was clear as to who the team’s to beat would be leading into raceday. the two Tremaniac racing cars were up against the Ridgeway Motorsport cars of Chris Soldatos and Rob Dekert for top place. All with an equal chance of getting the pole. it was taken out by Tyronne Tremayne with a 6.861 which is as mentioned previously, a PB for the team and National Record. Next followed Rob Dekert with a 6.894 to split the two Tremaniac cars with Aaron following the two with a 6.909, falling just off an 80’s pass. The 4th spot was taken by Chris Soldatos who ran a 6.934, with the remainder of the field as follows;
5. Omar Sedmak: 6.956
6. Rick Chilton: 6.988
7. Mario Polito: 7.057
8. Tony Polito: 7.074
9. Darryl Stephen: 7092
10. Ray Oxley: 7.102
11. Gerry Parente: 7.296
In racing it was the return of startline games, something that we haven’t seen in Pro stock for a few years. As the cards fell, Chris Soldatos and Mario Polito faced each other in every round of racing on Saturday. Mario, knowing he is down on power knew he had to try something up against Soldatos which he tried double bubling him, to no evail however, when Chris Soldatos left on Mario and beat him to the line.
Saturday nights final was a one way affair with it going against 1 & 2 in the championship, Rob Dekert and Rick Chilton. Unfortunately Rick Chilton got off the loud pedal in the final allowing Rob Dekert to win the rained out Australia Day Nationals aswell as put his car into 2nd position come Sunday’s raceday. Still getting A final Points Rick Chilton stretched his advantage over Chris Soldatos on the Saturtday however, fell further behind Rob.
Qualifying number 1 Tyronne Tremayne was awarded the bye going into Sundays first round which automatically awarded him the win and good ET points with his 6.890. Similarly Rob Dekert’s 6.878 awarded him the win and high ET points over a stout 7.191 from the returning Parente Motorsports team.
Aside from the Chris Soldatos and Mario saga. Come Sunday, Rick Chilton knew he had to do something when he went against Tony Polito in the second round. The Teams have come across each other twice so far this season and were 1-1, both times Tony Polito leaving Rick Chilton on the tree with .00 lights. so when coming across Tony he double bulbed him as a means to throw him off his game. However, Cooler heads prevailed when Ricks .175 light was nowhere near Tony’s .037 leaving him on the start line almost allowing Tony Polito to cruise for the victory. However, Tony’s Escort rattled the tyres going into 5th gear causing him to clutch it, allowing rick to get the win.
Rob Dekert faced Darryl Stephen in round 2 in another strange drag race which Darryl rolled the beam’s with the staging lights still on. Even if it was clean greens on both sides of the track it would have been hard to beat the dominant Rob Dekert’s 6.909 which gave him a pass to the A final. Tyronne Tremayne came out for second round and ran a fast 6.894 against Mario Polito’s 7.074. Even with a .006 light It was not enough to beat Tyronne which gave him the required points to make the A final against Rob Dekert.
In the A final it was a summary of Pro Stock’s weekend as a whole, two red lights and fast passes with Rob running a 6.878 and Tyronne running a 6.873 almost identical times. The first or worst rule came into play with an uncharacteristic .041 red from Rob which was worse than the .004 red from Tryonne, giving the Tremaniac racing team the edge in the new rivalry forming between the two. “Congratulations to the winner at the Bend, #1 Qualifier and New ANDRA National record holder Tyronne Tremayne “Gold”, after not racing since last June at The Winter Nationals!!” said Peter Rideway.
“Lastly a Big Thanks to the NDRC for putting on a GREAT show and the TV show on 7 Mate was Great for our sport, Thank you” mentioned Ridegway
Pro Stock will back on track for the Nitro Champs on the 3rd, 4th and 5th May for what should be a continuation of what we saw at the bend, fast times and some startline drama, We will be joined by Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Car, Top Doorslamer, Pro Mod and the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship.
NDRC – National Drag Racing Championship
