ALTHOUGH it had to be delayed two weeks due to bad weather, Pro Signs Grudge Kings 2019, held at Sydney Dragway on Saturday, was a fantastic meeting, with over $100,000 in prize money on offer and some of the most bad-arse cars to hit the drag strip throwing down.
The Pro Mod and Pro Street categories were stacked thanks to each carrying a $50,000 purse for the winner, while the Small Tyre Fighter class was divided into Radial and Pro sub-classes. Then there was all the action in Pro Elite, Pro Modified, Outlaw and Street Outlaw, making for an awesome day of super-diverse racing.
The Pro Mod final rolled around to see Steve Ham’s Camaro Pro Slammer up against Greg ‘Mauler’ Tsakiridis in the ex-Moits twin-turbo Mustang. While both cars were absolute rockets, the Mustang’s 5.63@271mph chopped the Slammer’s 5.69@253mph to take the win and $50,000.
| Read next: Kenda Tires 660 Drag Radial Series at Benaraby Dragway
The Pro Street final had a classic turbo-versus-blower fight, as Jeremy Callaghan’s Pro Line-powered ’69 Camaro took on Craig Hewitt’s blown Hemi-powered CV8 Monaro. In the end the turbo car’s top end saw it fly by at 4.11@186mph to pocket the $50,000.
Brendan Cherry & Josh Ploeger had a killer day in their VL. Finishing runner-up in the Outlaw class, he ran a bunch of mid-eights – and a monster wheelstand – before finally breaking into the sevens with a 7.94@174mph.
Mark Drew’s Crusty Torana turned a new PB the day before Grudge Kings kicked off, with a 7.58@188mph signalling him as a real threat for Drag Challenge 2019. He entered the Small Tyre Fighter class at Grudge Kings with his 427ci LSX combo all-new for this year.
| Read next: Wild Bunch Wars at South Coast Raceway – Gallery
Craige Lewis’s awesome TC Cortina took out the Pro-Tyre Fighter class with a cracking PB of 7.34@192mph.
Steve Bezzina’s insane XW Falcon recently nailed a 6.72@215mph while still packing a single-leaf-spring set-up out the back. He had fun in the Outlaw class at Grudge Kings, moving to grudge racing once he was knocked out in the second round.
Kai McPhee’s built 5.3-litre LS-powered VC Commodore had teething problems at Drag Challenge 2018, but with the help of Mark Drew it looks like he has them licked, running a 7.97@170mph in the Small-Tyre Fighter class at Grudge Kings 2019.
| Read next: King Of The Hill drags at Calder Park, 13 April – Gallery
RESULTS
FUELTECH PRO MOD
Greg Tsakiridis
TURBOSMART PRO STREET
Jeremy Callaghan
GAS RACING/ROTORMASTER PRO ELITE
1st Michael Haimandos
2nd George Rehayem
RGM CIVIL PRO MODIFIED
1st Daniel Camilleri
2nd Steve Athans
TODARELLO’S FRUIT OUTLAW
1st Adam Attard
2nd Josh Ploeger
RC MASTERS PRO SMALL-TYRE FIGHTER
1st Craig Lewis
2nd Danko Knezevic
RC MASTERS RADIAL SMALL-TYRE FIGHTER
1st Moose Salina
2nd Luke Purdie
PLOT CLOTHING STREET OUTLAW
1st David Muscat
2nd Cameron Sleeper
URBAN LIFE CONSTRUCTIONS EXTREME BIKE
1st Darren Foley
2nd Ian Smith
SPEED FOR SALE WILDEST RIDE
Steve Athans
HAYES CRANES BIGGEST BURNOUT
George Rehayem
Comments