Weather was mostly dry, but overnight rain on Sunday, delayed the start of eliminations.
Top Fuel Bike.
Reigning Champion Neil Midgley led the small field 6.148-199.88. Steve Woollatt had a clutch issue, new friction discs were thicker and some machine work had to be done to allow clearance. Best run of 6.402-203.36. Al Smith had a rotor arm break and caused the crankshaft bearings to get damaged. The team changed the block, ready for race day. 6.995-134.15.
Midgley had a bye run to the final and ran 6.095 (low et of the meet). Smith had launch problems over the weekend and that happen again against Woollatt, who ran 6.612. It was a great race in the final. Midgley put a holeshot (rt162 to 174) over Woollatt, but started to have traction issue at the 250ft mark and got back on the power to take the win light 6.311-222.22 to Woollatt 6.314-220.38.
Funny Bike.
Eric Richard debut his bike last year and had low boost in the opening qualifying session 6.83 at 201 (first 200 for the bike). After some tuning Richard ran 6.583-205.12 (best figures for the bike). Lorcan Parnell suffered low boost on the big turbo and ran a best of 6.802-204.25. Springspeed Nationals winner Dave Peters was having clutch issues and ran 7.716-157.38. Jordan Kenway found mixed parts at home to rebuild the motor for this event, resulting with a best of 8.164-164.24. Roger Moore had a small fuel leak and managed 8.905-104.56. Maarten Zijlstra ran 8.00 in testing and had shift issue. In qualifying he suffered a broken nut in the clutch and electrical faults (awaiting new wiring harness) 8.938-126.86. Zijlstra was a no show, so Richard had a bye run 6.667-206.11. Parnell was a no show, Moore had a bye. The only race was Peters powering around Kenway 7.326-177.79 to Kenway first seven-second pass 7.942-173.07. Richard had a bye run and stormed down the track only cross the centre line at ¾ track. Peters led from start to finish against Moore 7.288-176.39 to 7.486-179.25. Only Peters came to the line in the final and took his second win of the season.
Comp Bike.
Garry Bowe had an oil seal fail on his oil filter as he was doing a burnout. Ran 7.202-202.45 on a later run for number one spot. Paul Hambridge ran personal best figures of 7.267-202.34. Graham Dance had Stuart Crane rebuild his motor with a crankshaft that has 200 passes and has been on a shelf for four years and ran 7.289-198.87. Danny Cockerill had a injury hand and rang team mate Dan De’ath 8.50 Bike Champion, if he would ride his bike. De’ath ran career personal best of 7.574-188.82. Next was John McLean Sr 7.679-175.06 followed by Reigning Champion Chris Neary who had his rear shock repaired 7.756-185.85. Adam Burns completed his licence run with 8.13 and then ran jaw dropping times of 7.834-182.74 at the expense of a head gasket and was out of the show. Jasmine Cordelle ran her first seven second pass 7.94-156, but then had transmission damage and another transmission was fitted and qualify 7.925-162.56 another p/b. Mick Winyard was next 7.976-178.53 followed by Len Paget 8.043-159.08, Sean Mills 8.307-177.10, Dave Thomas making his first appearance of 2023 8.572-171.72 and Anna Sasiak 8.638-159.65. Matt Jones had entered ET Bike for this meeting but ran his first 8 second pass and moved over to Comp Bike and had a chain issue 9.065-148.62 and did a temp repair.
Round one and Bowe eased pass Jones 7.413 to 9.419. De’ath beat Mills 7.575 to 9.457. McLean had a huge wheelie at the 100ft mark against Paget. Both Hambridge and Cordelle went to the next round. Dance beat Thomas but had smoke coming from the motor in the shutdown area. It was a close race between Neary (rt357) 7.960 and Winyard (rt215) 8.151. Round two and Bowe ran 7.106-203.34 bye run. Paget red lit against De’ath. Cordelle just edged Hambridge off the start line and ran another personal best 7.630-164.89 to beat Hambridge who drifted towards the wall 7.685-171.75. Neary had a bye run. Semis and Bowe slowed at ¾ track against De’ath. Neary red lit against Cordelle in the other semi-final.
So what a debut start for De’ath in his first ACU event final and it was Cordelle first final as well. It turned out to be the best race of the weekend. Cordelle holeshot (rt041 best rt on race day) De’ath (rt189) who chased down Cordelle and took the win light with a personal best of 7.513-185.90 to Cordelle 7.661-163.11 with a MOV 0.0006 1.72inches.
Super Street Bike.
With Reigning Champion Steve Venables not racing. Alan Morrison Jr led the small field just edging Jake Mechaell 6.815-220.36 to Mechaell 6.816-216.14. Mechaell was testing some ideas for the Main Event. Dave Smith made his first appearance 7.333-194.72 still tuning the ECU. Ross Morrison had changed to Methanol and fuel system for this meeting and fitted MAXX ECU 7.377-179.23 and then changed the swing arm for race day. Alan Morrison had Richard Stubbins alter the front end and lower the front, resulting with a personal best of 7.651-186.66. But then had engine problem (valve clearance) but was ready for the eliminations the following day.
Morrison Jr had a bye run 6.801-219.07. Smith was a no show against Ross Morrison. Mechaell ran a p/b speed 218.01 to trailer Alan Morrison. The Morrison brothers lined up on the start line only for Alan Jr to be shut down due to an oil leak. So Ross was in his first ACU event final to face Mechaell. Mechaell took the win light 6.893 to 7.570.
Report by Steven Moxley