BRAY ON EDGE FOR NITRO CHAMPS

Victor Bray knows that his red and black Castrol EDGE 1957 Chevy is a better race car than its 08-09 season record might indicate. Unfortunately for the man who has competed in 164 rounds of racing with win/loss ratio of 110 wins to 54 losses, time is running out of opportunities to prove it.

In fact, this week-end Karcher Nitro Championships represents the last chance for the Top Doorslammer icon to enhance his resume before the season end Castrol EDGE Winternationals.

There was a time when Bray's success at a quarter mile dragstrip was virtually automatic. In one 10-year stretch, from 1995 through 2005, his Team Bray collected 8 championships, six of them in succession.

Unfortunately, that was then. In the now, the 17 time event winner has been a spectator after just one round at the last 2 events. It's a trend he hopes to reverse this weekend with a car he knows can do better.

Victor Bray 1957 Chevy "It used to be automatic but Top Doorslammer has become the most competitive group 1 ANDRA bracket. You make one mistake and you don't make the show. Every race, there is another full field of good cars not in there and a couple of times it's been us. Just look at my old mate Peter Kapiris, former world record holder - 2 meets ago over in Perth he ran his 1st 5sec pass, qualified in 2nd spot, runner up for the event- goes into the Castrol EDGE Tin Tops and doesn't make the field. But everybody is in the same boat. We just gotta do a better job!"

Ben Bray Monaro CV8Z "What can I say 19 Top Doorslammers fighting for 1 of the 8 spots in Sunday's eliminations. That is an event in itself. Dad has said quite a few times lately that back in 1995 when he was a big part of getting Top Doorslammer off the ground as a bracket that this is what he hoped it would become.

This event last year was not a Top Doorslammer meeting, but I did take part with my Funny car in Top Alcohol. One thing I do remember about it was that the track had lots of grip and the weather was prefect so fingers crossed it will be the same again. 19 Top Doorslammers, my adrenalin is already starting to speed up just thinking about it.

Mat Abel 1957 Chevy "This year I have learnt so much more than I did in my years of supercharged outlaws. In outlaws everything went right and I guess, I thought Top Doorslammers cannot be too hard.'
So many times this season I have thought back to last July when I was having dinner at Hogs Breath Café in Darwin with Victor. He said to me that anyone can drive a Top Doorslammer when everything's perfect. It's what you do when things aren't perfect that separates the drivers. I know exactly what he means.

I have shaken the tyres, smoked the tyres, dropped cylinders, broken wheel centres, ran to the centre line and to the wall. You name it I think I have done it.

Anyway this week-end if I can go straight down the track and get into the field for Sunday I will be happy."
Four Qualifying sessions are scheduled.
The first is at 7pm Friday May1st with a further
3 more set down for 3pm, 5pm and 7pm on Saturday, May 2nd.
Final eliminations begin at 12.05p.m. Sunday, May 3rd.

Follow Ben's results over the week end.....here