Final Qualifying for the Winternationals delivered in spades on day three, with numerous national records broken across the day.
History was made in Top Fuel Funny Car, with Morice McMillin and Brandon Gosbell logging the first side-by-side four-second run at Willowbank raceway, which McMillin then backed up with the quickest run in Australian Funny Car history with a 4.74s blast at over 502km/h to cement the first qualifying position heading into race day.
Gosbell slotted into the second starting position, in what was the quickest Funny Car field in history. Adam Murrihy missed his first four-second run by only three hundredths of a second, logging a 5.02s to sit third. Justin Walshe had issues with his Harts Paint Supplies car dropping cylinders and coasted to an early shutoff 5.14s, with Anthony Begley bouncing back from a disastrous first day of qualifying to run a 5.15s to round out the field.
McMillin said after the run, “That’s pretty much what we were aiming for. I’m so stoked for the team. How about the Aeroflow Boys huh? I say it every time, I’m just a one cog in this wheel, I’m just the lucky dude who gets to sit in the seat”.
Pro Alcohol was another standout, with two Pro Alcohol Dragsters running under the existing national record.
Cheyne Phillips was the first, who went from the bottom of the field after struggling with relentless tyre shake, to the top with a sensational 5.39s – the first time a dragster has gone into the 5.3-second zone in competition in Australia. The son of 21-time Australian Champ Gary Phillips had his hands full over the finish line with the car making a hard move towards the wall, but Phillips calmly guided the car back to the centre of the lane.
“It was skating around down there, I really had to drive it,” said Phillips said after the run.
“It got close to the wall, I nearly got off it, but I knew it was fast as soon as I got it through the shake zone [just off the start line].
“This thing has been fighting us for the last 15 runs, no matter what we tried it just wouldn’t stop shaking the tyres.
“We changed everything before this run, I just can’t believe it. It’s awesome.”
Tim Clifton was also under the Pro Alcohol Dragster National record with a 5.41s that backed up his previous 5.44s from Friday. Steve Reed was unable to improve, and the Champion Elect will start race day from the number three qualifying position.
Pro Slammer was again the Paul Cannuli and Ben Bray show, with the two putting on a clinic. Bray’s car was so aggressive at quarter-track that it went into a power wheel stand and rode the wheelie bar (the bar designed to keep the front wheels close to the ground on launch) to the extent that it actually separated the wheel from the car. Cannuli ended the day number one with a 5.68s in the third session and will have the bye run in the first round of racing.
Bray will race Russell Pavey in Round 1 on Sunday morning.
Pro Stock will see now eight-time Australian Champion Aaron Tremayne start from the pole, securing the bye run in Round 1. With little more than four hundredths of a second covering the remainder of the field, Round 1 of racing promises to be a mouth-watering prospect.
Pro Stock Bike saw the so-far undefeated this season Luke Crowley take first spot with a 7.08s, with his three other runs all marred by clutch issues dragging the bike through the start line without recording a time.
Newly crowned 400 Thunder Pro Mod Champion Zoran Gajic led the way in Pro Mod, with his 5.88s enough to secure the number one position and the bye run for Sunday’s elimination race.
Racing kicks off at Willowbank Raceway on Sunday at 09:00 local time/AEST, with official opening ceremonies from 10:00 followed by Round 1 of the 400 Thunder Aeroflow Drag Racing Championship Series.
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