Current ANDRA Top Doorslammer Champion John Zappia has just returned from the East Coast and reports on his invitation to complete exhibition passes at Dragway Tasmania’s “Tassie Nationals”.
“We had a great time down in Tassie – grass roots drag racing at it’s finest” said Zap, “Jamie Peck put on a good show for the Launceston locals, despite many other events on the same weekend in Tasmania. The track was never going to be like the three major Championship Tracks, but surprisingly the first sixty feet were dynamite!”
“My old mate Victor Bray has the record down there at 6.44 @ 227mph on a very well prepped track, so it was going to be interesting to see how the Striker Monaro went. First pass caught me out big time – with the first 60 feet being so good, then the tyres turning, shaking and rattling all over the track with a few pedals thrown in, I managed a 7.1 pass.”
“We had a bit of a think about how we could get down the track better for the crowd – put some power back in, changed some ratios and went back out for pass number two. The Rat took off like a scolded cat, blew the tyres off a little after the 60 foot mark – forcing me to take a big half a second pedal – then ran it out the door for a 6.52 @ 227mph! Not too bad actually on a track like this.”
“With a bit of confidence we hotted her up for the final pass, and it was a little too much for the track, and took about four pedals and two lanes to get it down to the end at 6.63 @ 219mph. A wild ride for sure, but one the local seemed to enjoy.”
“We appreciated the hospitality of the people down there, and our merchandise was a hit with the fans too.”
Zappia Racing are now in Perth for the Top Alcohol Round on 30 - 31st Jan 2009 at the Perth Motorplex, before heading back to Sydney on 13 – 14th Feb for the Summernationals and Round 4 of the ANDRA Top Doorslammer Championships.
