Wsid Nitro Thunder Awaits Gulf Western Racing (9 Top Fuel Cars)

SpoolMan · 22-12-2005, 09:58 PM

The Nitro Thunder USA Top Fuel Invasion will invade Western Sydney International Dragway (WSID) on December 26 & 27 and Gulf Western Racing hard chargers of Terry Sainty and Bob Shepherd are optimistic about their chances heading into the event.

It has been over 10 years since there has been an American Top Fuel competitor race on Australian soil but for the Nitro Thunder event there will double the dose in the form of Scott Kalitta and Dave Grubnic.

Both Sainty and Shepherd are looking forward to the chance of competing against the two American imports and they firmly believe that this will be a huge boost for the sport in this country.

"Without doubt having two first class American Top Fuel drivers racing here is only going to boost the sports profile in general and that's got to be a good thing," commented Shepherd.

While Sainty, who resides in Oakville (NSW), echoed his team mates views, but believes that they are just another challenge.

"I'm not taking any respect away from the two Americans when I say that they will just be another two rivals in the field," expressed Sainty. "I've just got to focus on the job at hand and not get too worried about whom I am running up against."

For quite a while Shepherd has put a big enthuse on breaking into that 4 second bracket, but for this meeting the veteran is taking his focus away from that.

"I have been tearing my hair out trying to break into the 4 second bracket, but now we will be looking to get some consistency laid down first and foremost," said the Bringelly (NSW) based Shepherd.

Leading up to this event the Shepherd team has been forced to rebuild their car after a mishap last month at WSID during Bob's son, Matt, licence test. Shepherd Jnr was in the process of aiming to get his licence when his throttle jammed wide open and this saw a wild run down the track.

"The damage to the car after Matt's off track excursion was more than we first thought, but our team have worked hard to repair the car and everything is in order for our appearance at WSID," said an upbeat Shepherd.

With a total of nine nominated Top Fuelers and only eight spots into the elimination events both Sainty and Shepherd are aiming to not be that one driver to have a premature exit from the event.

"I cannot remember the last time that we had more than eight Top Fuelers for one event," Shepherd admitted. "I just hope, like the rest of my rivals, that I am not the driver to miss out, but that's just another added challenge to the weekend and we will have three chances to make a go out it."

Meanwhile, Robert Ambruosi is primed for battle in the Norm Sainty owned Gulf Western Oil support Top Alcohol Funny Car.

The Diggers Rest (Victoria) based racer and his Sainty team are awaiting their cam shafts after damaging them during the last meeting at Willowbank Raceway early last month.

"Currently we are awaiting our cam shafts and hopefully they will be ready for WSID, but our worst case scenario is that will be put in some foreign cam shafts," said Ambruosi.

Ambruosi' objective for the weekend is to firstly qualify and then make it past the first round of eliminations.

"I'm pretty confident we can achieve our aims for the meeting and anything after that will simply be the icing on the cake for us," Ambruosi enthused. "I know we are capable of doing well, it all just come down to a bit of luck. Our team is still in the early process of its development, but so far things have been very encouraging for the future."

THX to NMD for the story

wsidfan · 23-12-2005, 07:03 PM

Anyone who misses this must be crazy.

We haven't seen a 9 Car Fuel field for years.

Bring it on !!!

XRQTOR · 26-12-2005, 12:16 PM

Should be a big day, my mate is taking his torana out today to race. Would love to watch him pull another 5 ft wheel stand and still run a 8 but i'm going down the river for some fun, might head out tomorrow.

Quadcams · 26-12-2005, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRQTOR

Should be a big day, my mate is taking his torana out today to race. Would love to watch him pull another 5 ft wheel stand and still run a 8 but i'm going down the river for some fun, might head out tomorrow.

I will be out there Leigh also Chris(MYV8) and Craig(Phantom) should be plenty of action.

SpoolMan · 26-12-2005, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowride260

I will be out there Leigh also Chris(MYV8) and Craig(Phantom) should be plenty of action.

Did anyone go today?

hot460 · 26-12-2005, 10:24 PM

Huge crowd. Dave Grubnic ran 4.82 at 304mph.
Unfortunatly i had to leave at 7. bugger.

302donk · 27-12-2005, 12:48 AM

gubnic 4.65 @321mph AWSOME breet stevens no1 in t/a with a 5.64 @255mph under the f/c national recored , old man smoked clucth's just got back to the motel room after putting new clucth's in car hope to go faster on tuesday. how in good is wsid boys!!!!! it rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SpoolMan · 27-12-2005, 01:00 AM

4.65 awsome, yes WSID keeps getting the top numbers....

Quadcams · 27-12-2005, 11:28 PM

The top fuel was awsome final fastest ever side by side in oz 4.79/4.80 bloody awsome!

SpoolMan · 28-12-2005, 12:49 AM

4.78 win over 4.80 would break your heart, thats racing....best spectacle you could hope to watch..
###edit###
Scott Kalitta 0.086... 0.873... 4.788... 298.21
Dave Grubnic 0.104... 0.858... 4.805... 259.66

The dream Top Fuel final is now set, American invaders Scott Kalitta and Dave Grubnic left to fight it out for the title. Grubnic, the number one qualifier, has taken the right lane in this final, and will look to reset the national elapsed time record on this run. The modest crowd at Western Sydney International Dragway are right behind the expat on this run. Kalitta is out of the blocks first, and this is a great side by side race. Grubnic falls away at the end, and Kalitta takes the win, a 4.78 at 248 M.P.H., to Grubnic’s 4.80. This is the quickest side by side pass in Australian Drag Racing history.

Story from dragster.com.au......

PhantomXR8 · 28-12-2005, 08:51 AM

I didn't get to see the final, although I did see 2 legends in Wade and Chris..... Managed to see both semi finals of all of the fields in the lead up to the final, got a 4sec pass on video, it's all great stuff. Watching them on the start line and mid track is so loud and awesome. Seeing them coming to you from behind the finish line is another perspective, you sort of realise the real performance of these special cars, sedans included.

Quadcams · 28-12-2005, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomXR8

I didn't get to see the final, although I did see 2 legends in Wade and Chris..... Managed to see both semi finals of all of the fields in the lead up to the final, got a 4sec pass on video, it's all great stuff. Watching them on the start line and mid track is so loud and awesome. Seeing them coming to you from behind the finish line is another perspective, you sort of realise the real performance of these special cars, sedans included.

Craig I watched there semis from the finish line there's nothing like 14000hp roaring past at 500kmph.
It had been a long time since I last seen them first pass nearly fell off the back of my seat lol crazy piece of machinery.

Quadcams · 28-12-2005, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRFPV8

4.78 win over 4.80 would break your heart, thats racing....best spectacle you could hope to watch..
###edit###
Scott Kalitta 0.086... 0.873... 4.788... 298.21
Dave Grubnic 0.104... 0.858... 4.805... 259.66

The dream Top Fuel final is now set, American invaders Scott Kalitta and Dave Grubnic left to fight it out for the title. Grubnic, the number one qualifier, has taken the right lane in this final, and will look to reset the national elapsed time record on this run. The modest crowd at Western Sydney International Dragway are right behind the expat on this run. Kalitta is out of the blocks first, and this is a great side by side race. Grubnic falls away at the end, and Kalitta takes the win, a 4.78 at 248 M.P.H., to Grubnic’s 4.80. This is the quickest side by side pass in Australian Drag Racing history.

Story from dragster.com.au......

Hey Mark not to shabby 60'

XRQTOR · 28-12-2005, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowride260

I will be out there Leigh also Chris(MYV8) and Craig(Phantom) should be plenty of action.

Well i didn't make it out, went out on the boat again with some lovely young ladies

:. I was intending to head out but when you got chicks in bikinies knocking at your door at 8am how do you say no.

Heard the crossroads torana went 7.4@???, awsome effort.

Craig · 28-12-2005, 07:57 PM

Great Top Fuel action from the Yanks it's a pity our home town boys couldnt keep up though.

302donk · 28-12-2005, 08:58 PM

what an awsome couple of days those two yankie cars did sound diferent than our fuel cars. we took out comp and ran under the a/a national record. we did have some first out prolems but it was awsome. now were home for a week before heading back up to the summernats does it get any better???

SpoolMan · 28-12-2005, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 302donk

we took out comp and ran under the a/a national record. we did have some first out prolems but it was awsome. now were home for a week before heading back up to the summernats does it get any better???

Congrats any pictures?

302donk · 28-12-2005, 09:18 PM

no i am not realy a camera man plus to busy,mum probley took some but there still up there till summernats.there is a pic of the car in my avatar plus i seen one on dragster dot com man.

PhantomXR8 · 28-12-2005, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRFPV8

Congrats any pictures?

I've got videos of some Top Fuel passes, I'll see if I can get them loaded up hey!

Quadcams · 28-12-2005, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 302donk

what an awsome couple of days those two yankie cars did sound diferent than our fuel cars. we took out comp and ran under the a/a national record. we did have some first out prolems but it was awsome. now were home for a week before heading back up to the summernats does it get any better???

Well done mate!

rodderz · 31-12-2005, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowride260

Hey Mark not to shabby 60'

lol, i think us BA boys will need more than a race clutch to grab a 0.8 60 footer!

More like a nato up the keister! :gren: