AUSTRALIAN FUTURE NHRA RACER IS TIN TOPS BOUND

 SUBSCRIBE TO RSS FEED

SEND TO FRIEND

Australia's future NHRA Pro Stock driver Shane Tucker will fly to Queensland, Australia next week to throw his support behind the 16 car fields at Willowbank Raceway's Tin Top Titles on April 18 and 19.

For the first time ever in Australia, a 16 car Top Doorslammer Field and for only the second time ever in the country a 16 Car Pro Stock field will be hitting the track at Willowbank Raceway for the 2008 Tin Top Titles.

Twenty-three year old Tucker is now based full-time in North Carolina after moving to the US in June last year to join top-level NHRA team Cagnazzi Racing, and will jet home with the support of major automotive parts mail order company JEGS.com to race his father Rob Tucker's 2007 Holden Monaro in the Pro Stock category.

‘For coming back to Australia, while it is always good to catch up with friends and family and race with my mates in Pro Stock, my main motivation has been to support the 16 car field concept being run by Willowbank Raceway,’ said Tucker, who originally hails from South Brisbane's Carbrook in Queensland.

‘Dad and I have always been strong supporters of the idea and Willowbank and ANDRA have put a lot in to make it happen, and the best chance of making sure it sticks around is for everyone to get behind the idea so it is prominent and successful.

‘With dad having extra parts available, a car available for each of us to drive and JEGS.com willing to support my trip over here there was no way I couldn't come over to support the concept.’

Tucker burst onto the professional scene in two impressive seasons on his home soil - leading the points for most of his rookie season before settling for second, followed by a respectable third-place in '06-'07 before he went ‏stateside' to pursue his ultimate dream of racing NHRA Pro Stock. Overall, he raced to three national event wins in five final-round showings, and is now waiting patiently to field the third Pro Stocker for Cagnazzi Racing in the NHRA.

"I can't wait to drop the clutch," said Tucker, the 2005-2006 ANDRA Rookie of the Year.

"I've recently scuffed some tires for the boys over here (in the US) but I haven't made a full pass since last June. I'm more than ready to give it a go."

As a teammate to Tucker under the Cagnazzi Racing umbrella, Jeg Coughlin and his brothers at JEGS Mail Order, an industry leader in the high-performance mail order parts business, will use their support of Tucker at the history-making Tin Tops to boost their sales in Australia.

"People certainly know of JEGS back home but we felt the need to get the message to consumers (in Australia) that JEGS can fulfill their orders in four days or less," said Tucker.

"They can reach anywhere in the world and that's a service people need to know about. I'm honoured they're backing me for this event."

Racing in full yellow-and-black JEGS.com livery, Tucker will pilot a brand-new Holden Monaro, powered by a 400-inch block motor capable of turning 7.1-second passes at 190 mph. Tucker's father will be racing the Pontiac Grand Am Shane drove in the past.

Following the Tin Tops Tucker will quickly head back to the US in time for the Atlanta NHRA race, where he will take part in sponsor activities for his world championship winning team Cagnazzi Racing.

‘I am really fortunate that Victor (Cagnazzi) has taken the time out to give me a shot at this, Cagnazzi Racing is a top running team ˜ they are the reigning world champions with Jeg Coughlin Jr., who along with Dave (Connolly, driver) has welcomed me to the team with open arms,’ said Tucker.

‘Really, they have given me the chance of a lifetime ˜ when I was back in Junior Dragster this was the dream, albeit one I thought was a long-shot as how often do these kind of chances come up, so I really am so appreciative of the chance Cagnazzi Racing has given me and as soon as we get some sponsorship to run the car, which is ready to go, hopefully I can repay them with some results.’

For the first time ever in Australia, a 16 car Top Doorslammer Field and for only the second time ever in Australia a 16 Car Pro Stock field will be hitting the track at Willowbank Raceway for the 2008 Tin Top Titles.

In a usual event, fans would see eight competitors line up against each other for the first round eliminations, but at the Tin Tops they will get to see the top 16 competitors in two of Australian Drag Racing's powerhouse Group One categories duke it out for the win ˜ effectively giving them twice the amount of racing than ever before.

This will be the first time ever that Top Doorslammer has had such a large competitive field, and will be only the second time for the Pro Stock category in Australia and the first time for Queenslanders to see so many Pro Stockers up against each other.

The April program will feature the penultimate round of Group One activity in Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock categories as drivers enjoy one final hit out prior to the season-ending Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway on June 5-8.

Four wheels and a roof to boot will be standard for most entries in this quarter mile extravaganza, which brings together many traditional drag racing categories coupled with a selection of unique race cars that enjoy cult following among their loyal fans.

TIN TOP TITLES - ENTRY LIST ˜ TOP DOORSLAMMER AND PRO STOCK CATEGORIES

Top Doorslammer
Mark Belleri
Ray Bernard
Stuart Bishop
Victor Bray
Ben Bray
Steve Dupond
Maurice Fabietti
Robin Judd
Peter Kapiris
Aaron Lynch
Sean Mifsud
Steve Packman
Russ Pavey
Gary Phillips
Brett Stevens
Kath Stevens
Andrew Sutton
John Zappia

Pro Stock
John Barbagallo
Lee Bektash
Rick Chilton
John Galea
Jason Grima
Bruce Leake
Dave Newcombe
Frank Nirta
Joe Polito
Scott Porter
Brian Pursell
Troy Quelch
Aaron Tremayne
Tyronne Tremayne
Shane Tucker
Rob Tucker
Denis Whiting

CURRENT ANDRA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

Top Doorslammer ˜ Following round five of seven
1 John Zappia WA ˜ 518 points
2 Brett Stevens QLD - 375
3 Ben Bray QLD - 335
4 Steve Stanic NSW - 315
5 Gary Phillips QLD - 260
6 Robin Judd WA - 248
7 Peter Kapiris VIC - 235
8 Victor Bray QLD - 230
9 Maurice Fabietti NSW - 200
10 Stuart Bishop QLD - 185
11 Aaron Lynch QLD - 130
12 Steve Packman QLD - 120
13 Kath Stevens QLD - 100
14 Dino Brijeski NSW - 80
15 Gary Stevens WA - 60
=16 Sean Mifsud NSW - 40
=16 Steve Dupond NSW - 40
=16 Brett Gillespie NSW - 40
=16 Peter Blake NSW - 20
=16 Joe Cutelli NSW - 20
=16 Joe Schembri NSW - 20
=16 Peter Blake NSW - 20
=16 Kim Petterwood QLD - 20


Pro Stock ˜ Following round four of six
1 Aaron Tremayne QLD - 355
2 Tyronne Tremayne QLD - 255
3 John Barbagallo QLD - 250
4 Scott Porter QLD - 240
=5 Jason Grima NSW - 200
=5 David Newcombe QLD - 180
=7 Nick Xerakias VIC - 100
=7 Bruce Leake NSW - 100
=7 Frank Nirta SA - 100 =11 Lee Bektash VIC - 40
=11 Rob Tucker QLD - 40
=11 Wayne Daley QLD - 40
=14 Joe Polito NSW - 20
=14 Brian Pursell QLD - 20
=14 Dennis Whiting QLD - 20
=14 Andrew Stavroulakis NSW - 20
=14 John Galea QLD - 20


TIN TOP TITLES (April 18 & 19) ˜ Round of the 2008 Itel Community Telco Track Championship featuring Jack Daniel's Top Doorslammer and Travelaire Tours Pro Stock

Other racing includes: Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyl Super Stock, Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyl Competition, S&S Competition Bike, Carpenter Ford Supercharged Outlaws, Bailey's Brake & Clutch Modified, American Rides Modified Bike, Slick Industries Super Sedan, Crossroads Freightlines & Car Carrying Super Street, Queensland Diesel Spares Junior Dragster, High Impact Promotions Super Gas, Perfect Print Perfect Light. Also racing are Sport Compact & Pro Street brackets.

TICKETING: All ticket prices include paddock admission

Friday
Adults $20
Student (must show ID) $10
Ladies FREE ENTRY Friday Night

Saturday
Adults $30
Student (must show ID) $20

Children 13 & under are admitted FREE

SCHEDULE
Friday: Gates Open 3pm; Qualifying from 4pm; Feature Qualifying from 6pm
Saturday: Gates Open 9am; Qualifying from 10am; Feature Racing from 4pm

LOCATION
Willowbank Raceway
Champions Way (off Cunningham Highway 5km past the Rosewood turnoff)
Willowbank QLD 4307