John Zappia was on fire at the Grand Final Meeting at the Kwinana Motorplex last weekend, and ran the quickest time in Australian Top Doorslammer history – with a mind blowing 5.833 @ 247.25mph. But just to prove it was not a “one off” quick pass, he rattled of a 5.848 and a 5.839 in eliminations, and just missed out on winning the local West Australian 2008/2009 Top Comp Championship in the Final.
“What an exciting car this Striker Monaro has turned into” said Zap after the event, “I was disappointed to red light against Pilko in the final, but that is racing. We normally run a Pro Tree in Doorslammer, and the Full Tree start occasionally catches me out”.
“But I want to explain to the fans what a 5.83 run was like. I have been drag racing for a long time, and rarely does the car take my breath away, but that first 5.833 was simply awesome. First gear after launch was so strong it carried the wheels for so long and simply scared the daylights out of me. I short shifted at 9,100rpm - instead of going to 10,000rpm, to get the wheels back on the ground, and second gear went very quick. In third the car usually levels off in g-force as I approach the finish line, but at about 1,000 feet the Rat hit me in the back with such force it was like a two stroke power band coming on – the finish line was a blur and our data logger tells us I went to 254mph before I got off it. One exciting ride I can tell you!”.
“Our testing and constant development of this Striker Monaro continues to produce good results for us. The second car is nearing completion, and soon Top Doorslammer teams will have to deal with two HQ Monaro’s on race day!. I reckon the second car will be quicker than mine eventually”.
The Grand Final was a chance for several teams to take the West Australian 2008/2009 Top Comp Championship, with three teams within reach. Zap managed a 6.005 @ 241.93mph with a massive pedal in the heat of the day in qualifier number one, and then rattled off his record run of 5.833 @ 247.25mph to place him third on the qualifying list 0.627 under his index handicap.
First round Eliminator was up against Aaron Deery in his TA/D Dragster, and despite a slower reaction time, a 5.848 @ 247.25mph from Zap was too quick for Deery’s 5.818 @ 243.24mph. Mathew Treasure was out of the championship race, having put his Altered into the beach and too damaged to continue racing.
The Final was a showdown for the Championship, with Zap up against the AA/FC of Rob Pilkington. Rob with a 5.806 index handicap, and Zap with a 5.839 index handicap – almost an even start. Both cars staged and bumped the second stage lights in at exactly the same time, and the starter wasted no time hitting the go button – both racers ended up red lighting on the start, Rob with the lesser amount. Zap passed through the finish line ahead of Pilko with a 5.839 @ 245.90mph to the Funny Car’s 5.806 @ 250.00mph, but the Championship was Pilko’s!
“This Striker Monaro was in Top Doorslammer trim for the weekend” said Southside Engine guru Graham Jones, “The car weighed 2,730 pounds after the run, was running our D Series PSI at the legal limit of 108% over, and all other regulations adhered to. The car is still a true “Tin Top”, with a steel body and wing, and the quickest and fastest one at that. Unfortunately the runs do not count as an official Australian ANDRA record, but we know not only are we the quickest, but the most consistent at each level we step up to”.
Zappia Racing now moves to the East Coast of Australia for the final three Rounds of the 2008/2009 ANDRA Top Doorslammer Championship. Round 6 is the Tin Tops at Willowbank on the 17-18th April, Round 7 the Nitro Champs at WSID on 1 – 3rd May, and Round 8 at the famous Winternationals back up at Willowbank on 4 – 7th June.
“We are excited about the new television deals secured by ANDRA” commented Zap today, “It means our Naming Rights Sponsors, and Major Sponsors get the exposure they deserve on television, and our sport goes to a new level in Australia in terms of audience exposure. We have our die hard drag racing fans, but more and more newcomers watching the sport. ANDRA Top Doorslammer racing is an exciting form of Motorsport, and even more of an experience live at the track”.
