people have come up to help me and the
family were here with me. It has been a
great team effort – everyone has a team but
you can’t do this without a great team and I
certainly have a great team. Thanks also to
my sponsors of course, they help get me here,
I just have to thank everyone for backing me;
I am stoked.”
Like Karamanidis, Voigt was another first-time
winner, claiming the victory in the Modified
bracket during her maiden trip to the Hidden
Valley Drag Strip. The South Australian took
on local racer Bull in the final after having
earlier dispatched Ashley Johnston (semi)
and Mick Bowden (round one) while enjoying
a bye run in round two.
Bull had his own bye run in the semi-final after
having earlier faced off against Sergio Bonetti
(round two) and David Hutchen (round one).
The victory came as quite a surprise for Voigt,
who confessed she had not been expecting
the result. For more on what she had to say,
click here.
Earlier in the racing proceedings, Modified Top
Qualifier Medallion recipient Farrell continued
his speedy work of Friday to reset the national
A/MA speed record to 188.17 miles per hour –
becoming the first to set a national record at
the Hidden Valley Drag Strip in the process.
“I was pretty confident we would be able to
set the record in Darwin as I tested at Swan
Hill Dragway three weeks before the event
and I ran a 188.97mph p ass as well as a couple
of ‘188s’,” Farrell explained while thanking
Daniel Collings Auto Electric, Craig Carrison
Race Engines, Matt Despirit Transmissions,
his wife Jenny, nephew Joshua and his whole
family for their ongoing support; as well as
Steve and Leanne Braggs and his South Coast
crew who travelled with him to the event.
“As long as the air was good I was pretty
confident we could do it, and it was. The track
was brilliant too of course and I knew the car
could do it.
“When we ran that pass on the Saturday in
the first round of eliminations I could feel that
we had nailed it. We launched it hard, with the
track being good we knew we could wind it up
a bit and traction wouldn’t be a problem.
“After that we switched our focus to the racing
in round two, but unfortunately, I missed the
light – my visor fogged up a bit and I struggled
with a light shining on the tree, but that is
racing and you just have to learn and be ready
next time.”
For Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster
racer Berias it was a good weekend from start
to finish with the Victorian youngster claiming
the Top Qualifying honours before going on
to take the win in the final over local racer
(Marlow Lagoon) Aiden Abel.
On his way to the victory Berias also raced and
won against Madison Harris (semi) and one
of Aiden’s sisters, Danielle Abel (round one),
while also taking in a bye run in round two.
Aiden meanwhile defeated his sister, Michelle
Abel (round one), before going on to take the
win over Zara Board in round two ahead of a
bye in his semi-final.
“From the start of the weekend it was good,
we came out a bit slow but from the second
qualifier we were a bit faster and we stayed
number one,” said Berias, who thanked Harley
Heaven Melbourne, Berias Vegetable Farms
and Werribee South Farm Supplies as well as
his mum and dad.
“As it got cooler, we tried going a bit faster and
went a bit too fast; and then (Saturday) was
just brilliant. All day was good, we won the first
round and had a bye into the semis, and then
we won that and the final was that close you
couldn’t even see it.”
In the Modified Bike bracket the spectators
were on tenterhooks for what was an all-NT
final when Tattingham (from Leanyer) and
Heath Costello (Howard Springs) faced off for
the event honours.
Winner Tattingham and his Kawasaki ZX12R
had booked his ticket to the final stand-off
after earlier defeating Mick Day (semi) and
Edge Mallis (round one) and Leith Darrach
(round two).
Unfortunately, the race against Darrach
saw the Top Qualifier come off his bike in
the braking area and he was transported to
hospital for observation. The racer was soon
on social media assuring everyone that he was
going to be A-okay.
Costello meanwhile had an easy ticket to the
final aboard his Harley Davidson with a bye-
run earned courtesy of earlier wins over Colin
‘Baldy’ Sainsbury and Johnny ‘Hog’ Ireland.
To hear what Tattingham had to say about
his break-through win, click here.
It was an all-South Aussie final in Super Sedan
with reigning champion and event winner
Tzokas and runner-up Todd putting on a show
for the fans. Todd had earlier taken wins over
Mick Fenton (semi) and Bill Ausling in his
Holden Gemini after earlier enjoying a bye run
in round one.
Meanwhile on his way to what was a back-to-
back Nitro Up North victory, Tzokas had taken
victory in his Holden Torana over Michael
Dureau (round one) and Ned Karanovic (round
two) before taking a bye run in the semi-final.
In the Supercharged Outlaws bracket, South
Australian Hunt found himself in the final
against New South Wales’ Stephen after
having defeated Mike Evans in the semi-final
and Butch Morrison earlier in the night in his
1956 Ford Customline.
Stephen and his 33 Dodge meanwhile took a
semi-final win against Troy Wittner who had
the chutes out early and also Adam Murrihy
(round one), who had earlier this weekend
taken out the Top Qualifier Medallion for
the bracket.
ANDRA thanks the Hidden Valley Drag Racing
Association as well as all of the volunteers and
sponsors for an outstanding race track and a
well-run event
For full results from Nitro Up North at the
Hidden Valley Drag Strip, please click here.
Images thanks to HighRPM