Winternationals 2008 Drag Racing
Winternationals 2008. Drag racing finals held at Willowbank Queensland 5-8 June 2008.
Gallery 1 of Winternationals pictures : click here
Gallery 2 of Winternationals pictures : click here
Now a four day event with over 500 entrants, the 2008 Winternationals were held at Willowbank Queensland from the 5th to the 8th of June 2008. Four motorcycle classes are run, and the Australian championship finals are decided here. Despite threatening weather, the event ran thru in near ideal conditions.
Top Bike
Brett Stevens
West Australian Jay Upton did not compete at this event after a disatrous season, leaving Kiwi Athol Williams the favorite pre event. After qualifying Williams held number one spot from Jack Daniels Racing Brett Stevens, the Kiwi’s 6.45 at 211mph topping Steven’s 6.59 at 209mph. Both made it through to the finals, with Williams defeating Stevens both slightly off pace, Williams 6.73 too strong for the Queenslanders 6.92.
Pro Stock Bike
Lee vs Cochrane
A small field of 5 bikes after qualifying was headed by another Brett Stevens bike, the S&S Buell ridden by Pete Cochrane. His 7.20 second effort clearly ahead of second place Jason Lee’s 7.27 on Trevor Birrell’s Dutch Master Suzuki. Again the number one and two qualifiers met in the finals. Cochranes Buell ran over the top of Lees effort, a .414 light and a meeting best of 7.15 stopping the Suzuki’s 7.23. Cochrane wins the Australian championship as well.
Comp Bike
Dave Rundmann
Another large Comp Bike field, this time headed by a wheelie bar equiped bike, with Geoff Redgrave running a superb 7.49 on his nitrous equipped Suzuki BB/CB. Following on was five street class bikes, including the championship points leader Pennington. A range of upsets through rounds one and two saw the two points leaders out, leaving 3 riders a chance at the win and the Australian title. When the smoke cleared after 4 rounds, it was Queenslander Dave Rundmann on his Suzuki GSX-R B/Street bike who collected the gold, winning both the Winternationals, and the Australian championship with a 9.43 second run over a red-lighting Craig Hartman.
Mod Bike
Bob Shaw
42 bikes fronted for the first round, and six rounds later, Bob Shaw and Peter Bartlett faced off in the final. Victorian Bartlett takes the win, with an unlucky Shaw losing courtesy of a 8.975 breakout on a 8.98 dial-in.
