Steel City Opener

Photos by TAD Photography (Tracy)                                                                                    Report by TAD Photography (David)

It was more than the start of the racing season at the Steel City Raceway in Whyalla South Australia. It was the grand opening of the new pits after three months of upgrading. With minor work still been completed on race day things fell into place and worked well. (The work was well received by the racers and spectators). The timing system has had an upgrade with 60 foot timers and dial in boards added. With major upgrades completed and some still yet to start the quality of the facility is improving with the quality of the racing. The club is proud of that it does most of the work by its members for its members, even the timing system is all in house made. It was decided to run every bracket as a Chicago Shootout format, with a best of three races.

Modified had only three entries and it was decided to run a mixed bracket with Super Sedan. The top Qualifier of the ten car field was Graham Shiell in his now supercharged Hemi Dodge Challenger with a 5.551 at 124 mph. With Mark Kuhn in the EK Holden Ute with a 5.778 at 120 mph and Bruce Pain in the Holden Gemini on the bump spot. Moving his way to the finals it was Robert Datson in the Holden powered Torana with Breakout in round one with a 6.743 on a 6.8 DI against number 2 qualifier Mark Kuhn who ran a 5.836 on a 5.7 DI. In round two was the top qualifiers Graham Shiell turn to breakout with a 5.492 on a 5.551 DI to Roberts also under 6.773 on a 6.8 DI. Round three it was Guy Watts in a 23 T Bucket turn to breakout with a 6.357 on a 6.4 DI to Datson’s 6.787 on a 6.7 DI.  Robert Datson had to face of his first round competitor Mark Kuhn in the semi final as number of racers had won two rounds and these two racers been nearest to their dial in. Datson having a one second head start it was a 0.09 reaction time from Datson, but not to be outdone Kuhn had a 0.013 blinder reaction on the tree but a 5.998 on a 5.75 DI  Mark Kuhn lost to Robert Datsons’s closer 6.749 on a 6.7 dial in with a 0.122 at the line difference to Datson.

The other finalist it was David Murray in a 23 T Altered winning 3 from 3. What made this impressive was David Murray was still doing his licensing passes during time trials and has never driven anything quicker than a street car or bike on the strip occasionally.  The first round it was the Cortina of Andrew Cole with a 6.914 on a 6.875 DI with Murray’s better reaction time and a 6.338 on a 6.2 DI taking the win. Matt Dickeson had a blinder reaction time of .016 but a major engine failure mid track put a end to his run. Round 3 was Bruce Paine breaking out with a 7.083 on a 7.1 DI giving Murray a place in the finals.   Robert Datson lost it on the start line with a .410 reaction time to Murray’s .228 reaction and a safe 6.79 on a 6.7 DI for Datson to Murray’s 6.389 on a 6.2 DI for the win and a 0.086 at the line difference.

Non club member are non-eligible for the Charlie Dennis Series but eligible for the season bracket champion only.

Winner: David Murray

Super Street it was Craig Marshall with a 7.002 on a 7.000 as the top qualifier in his Chev powered Torana. With the immaculate 65 fastback Mustang of Ray Baney second spot with a 7.041 with Peter Frost in his 350 Chev HQ on the bump spot with a 10.837 (this car and driver has not changed in the last 20 years). At the semi’s it was 3 racers with 3 wins a peace. Ray Baney made his way to the finals with hole shot 0.097 reaction time over Kenneth Grillet in round one. A bye run in round two made things easy. The closest  race of the night it was Kylie Wagener in the early Torana got a killer 0.041 reaction to Baney’s 0.058 but it was Baney’s  0.027 over 7.007 to Wagener’s 0.089 over 8.389 to make it a 0.062  win margin. The semi finals it was again another close race with two killer reaction times 0.049 from Baney to Hernan Tosti’s 0.082 but both going under the dial in, Tosti’s 0.037 under gave Ray Baney 0.003 under the final berth.

Ricky Datson made the finals with a bye first round. Round two it was Kenneth Grillet car with problems on the line giving a second solo to Datson. Round three Datson pushed Brendan Lynch to a -0.012 Breakout,  with a safe 7.676 on a 7.6 dial in from Ricky Datson. Sam Azzopardi with a so close -0.004 red light putting Datson into the finals. Ray Baney was killer on the lights all night and in the finals it was no different by pulled an 0.06 light to Datson’s sleeping 0.342 (0.742 old tree) light but Baney didn’t back off at the line for a 0.004 Breakout giving Datson the winners Trophy

Winner: Ricky Datson

In the bikes it was Robert Knox on a Kawasaki ZX12 with a 6.535 at 115 mph as the top qualifier spot with the Yamaha R1 of Si Heaslip with a 6.781 for second spot and Alex Wicks on the Motor Guzzi Le Mans on the bump with a 8.756. Andy Zang made the finals by defeating Derrick Hughes with a 8.754 on a 8.7 DI for Zang to Hughes 7.194 on a 7.15 DI in the first round. The second round it was Zang turn to come off second best with a mid day snooze 1.562 reaction time (that’s almost 2 seconds on the old 0.4 tree) with a 8.835 on a 8.7 DI to Si Heaslip’s 7.446 on a 7.0 DI. The third round Zang was given the win by Robert Knox -0.103 red light. Andy Zang got to meet his first round opponent Derrick Hughes in the semi final as both racers had two wins apiece. Hughes had the start covered with a 0.123 reaction to Zang’s 0.276 and both riders going just that too quick with a double breakout and going to Zang by the smallest of margins -0.005 to a  -0.116.

Si Heaslip made the finals by defeating Kieren Belamarie with a 0.78 over 7.078 to the loosing breakout 6.644 on a 6.65 dial in. In round two it was the run against Andy Zang with a 7.446 on a 7.7 to Zangs 8.835 on a 8.7 dial in. Round three it was a bye run to make it three from tree and into the finals to meet his second round opponent Andy Zang. Zang tried a bit too hard to make up for the 0.361 reaction time and broke out with an under 8.632 on an 8.7 dial in, Heaslip’s better 0.169 reaction and 7.157 on a 7.0 dial in got him the winners trophy.

Points Season 2007 - 2008

Winner: Si Heaslip

Steel City runs an entry bracket called The S.A. Street Challenge and it’s for a cheap entry and aimed at true type street cars not wishing to go against the quicker Super Street guys. The bracket has the Day license cut off of 7.7 and the day license is included in the entry fees. Top qualifier it was Marion Rix in her Corvette with a 7.725 with Glen Scott in the XY GT with an 8.05 and the Ford XR8 of Ron Matthews on the bump with a 10.088 time slip. Carl Kittle in his big 460ci LTD smoked the tires off the line and about ¾ track the car turned sideways and into the guard rail hard, Kittle came out with minor cuts and bruising but cant say the same for the LTD. Ron Matthews made the finals by losing to Terry Hoskins with a 10.246 on a 10.088 dial in. Round two it was a solo. Round three it was Glen Scotts circuit car but a too early -0.103 light. In the semi’s it was the top qualifier Marion Rix and the so close +0.003 under 7.697 on a 7.7 dial in put Ron Matthews into the finals.

 Lia Kuhn made the finals with a hole shot 0.08 reaction time on Glen Scott’s GT. Round two it was a -0.008 Breakout from Marion Rix. Round three it was Lia Kuhn turn to breakout but Terry Hoskins going 0.006 under to Lia’s 0.004 under giving Lia the win and a place in the finals. It was a Holden; Ford final with Lia getting the better reaction 0.175 to a 0.236 from Matthews, but 0.026 under from Lia Kuhn gave Matthews the win with a safe 10.244 on a 10.088 dial in.  If you think this bracket is a bit of a walk in the park you will think again with the best reaction time coming from this bracket with a 0.001, and a few racers in the 0.1’s and close to dial ins runs makes this just as hard as any other bracket to win.

Points Season 2007 - 2008

Winner: Ron Matthews

Michelle Donnelly was the only Junior Dragster to enter with a best run on the night of a 10.73 at 60mph.

      The Steel City Drag Club wishes all the entrants in the first round of the Max Cranes Tri Series the best of luck. The next meeting for Whyalla is on 12^th January 2008 for the Charlie Dennis Memorial Trophy round 2.