CRACKER DRAG RACING SEASON ANNOUNCED BY WILLOWBANK RACEWAY

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As the 2007/2008 ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Season speeds to its climax at the 2008 Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway on June 5-8, the Ipswich facility's management committee has announced an exciting new calendar for 2008/2009.

The new calendar, the largest ever seen at Willowbank Raceway, will fe=ture five major championship events and commence with a brand new September hit-out, followed by a two-round New Year Series, the Tin Top Titles and the Castrol EDGE Wintenationals.

In total, the new calendar will see 18 individual rounds of the ANDRA =hampionship Drag Racing Series, at least two rounds of the Rocket Industries All Stars Drag Racing Series and an International Nitro Funny Car Series.

Opening the Group One festivities at Willowbank will be a brand new Ev=nt - the 2008 Spring Top Fuel Championships - held on September 26/27 and featuring Top Fuel, Top Alcohol, Pro Stock and Top Bike.

From there, the re-birth of the New Year Series will hit the track ove= two massive events with the first featuring International 7000hp Nitro Funny Car Competition and rounds of the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series for Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock Motorcycle on January 2/3.

The second round of the New Year Series on January 16/17 will see the =000hp Nitro Top Fuel Dragsters and 1500hp Nitro Top Bikes hit the strip to complete the two-round hit-out and a combination that has not been seen in Australia for years.

USA Nitro Funny Car Legend Gary Densham will provide one of the intern=tional components to the USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car Tour which will form the lynch-pin of the New Year Series, with his Chevrolet Nitro Funny Car exclusively booked at the Ipswich drag strip alongside a growing list of nitro funny cars from Australia and potentially New Zealand.

There is no doubt there will be a new performance standard set for Nit=o Funny Cars in Australia when Densham arrives in this country and Australian teams will be stepping up to the mark with names that could surprise racefans.

From January the season then moves to the 2009 Tin Top Titles, where i= is planned that the recently debuted 16 car fields for Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock will return to provide plenty of action ahead of the season-ending 2009 Castrol EDGE Winternationals.

The Castrol EDGE Winternationals is the largest drag racing event outs=de of the United States, and will continue to provide the closing curtain for the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing season as it has for the past 8 years.

Managing Director of Willowbank Raceway Steve Bettes said the 2008 / 2=09 ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Season across Australia is set to be the biggest and best ever seen in this country.

‘I am delighted that Willowbank Raceway is playing such a huge role =n what will be an amazing season with some of the most outstanding events ever seen at our facility,’ said Bettes.

‘The new September Event, the massive twin-event New Year Series in =anuary featuring the return to Australia of Gary Densham in his Nitro Funny Car, the ever-growing Tin Top Titles in April and the incredible Castrol EDGE Winternationals in June means race fans are going to see the best Championship Drag Racing ever seen at Willowbank Raceway ˜ it is going to be a cracker season.’

In other Willowbank Raceway news, to kick the new season off with a fr=sh look Willowbank Raceway will be launching its brand new website featuring electronic ticketing and entry to allow fans and racers to purchase tickets and enter every event on the calendar at Willowbank Raceway from July 1st.

The new and improved www.willowbank-raceway.com.au will also feature access to all important Willowbank Track Championship and ANDRA Championship information as well as a merchandise shop, a forum capability for fan and competitor input and some big surprises for the Elapsed Times - providing services and information to fans, competitors and sponsors like never before.

WILLOWBANK RACEWAY MAJOR EVENT CALENDAR 2008 / 2009 SEASON <=b>

2008 SEPTEMBER ˜ 26 / 27 ˜ SPRING TOP FUEL CHAMPIONSHIPS
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Fuel ˜ Top Alcohol ˜ Pro Stock ˜=Top Bike PLUS Rocket Allstar Racing Series Round ˜ Group 2,3,4

2009 JANUARY - 2 / 3 - NEW YEAR SERIES - ROUND ONE
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Alcohol - Top Doorslammer ˜ Pro Stoc= Motorcycle - PLUS USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car

2009 JANUARY - 16 / 17 - NEW YEAR SERIES - ROUND TWO
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Fuel ˜ Top Bike - PLUS USA vs AUST N=tro Funny Car

2009 APRIL ˜ 17 / 18 ˜ 2009 TIN TOP TITLES
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Doorslammer ˜ Pro Stock ˜ Pro Sto=k Motorcycle

2009 JUNE - 5 - 8 CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Fuel ˜ Top Alcohol ˜ Top Doorslamm=r ˜ Top Bike ˜ Pro Stock ˜ Pro Stock Motorcycle ˜ PLUS Rocket Allstar Racing Series Round ˜ Group 2,3,4

UPCOMING EVENT: 2008 CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS ˜ JUNE 5-8, 2=08

Racing Includes: Top Fuel, Top Alcohol, Jack Daniels Top Doorslammer, =Travelaire Tours Pro Stock, Morgan & Wacker Top Bike, Morgan & Wacker Pro Stock Motorcycle, Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyl Competition, Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyl Super Stock, S&S Competition Bike, Carpenter Ford Supercharged Outlaws, Bailey's Brake & Clutch Modified, Slick Industries Super Sedan, Crossroads Freightlines & Car Carrying Super Street, American Rides Modified Bike, Queensland Diesel Spares Junior Dragster, High Impact Promotions Super Gas, Perfect Print Perfect Light

Schedule
Thursday
Gates Open at 9am
Qualifying from 1.30pm - Group 2, 3 & 4;

Friday
Gates Open at 6am;
Qualifying from 8am - Group 2, 3, & 4;
Feature Qualifying from 5pm - Group One

Saturday
Gates Open at 6am;
Qualifying and Racing from 8am - Group 2, 3 & 4;
Feature Qualifying from 11.30am - Group One

Sunday
Gates Open at 6am;
Racing from 8am - Group 2, 3 & 4;
Opening Ceremonies 11.30am
Feature Racing from 12noon - Group One

Seating and Admission Prices
General Admission (includes Pit Access)
Adults
Thursday - $20
Friday - $42
Saturday - $48
Sunday - $48
Three Day Pass - $130

Students with ID
Thursday - $20
Friday - $32
Saturday - $38
Sunday - $38
Three Day Pass - $100