New Zealand Record Holder John Neilan 5.846 @ 242.93mph (390.87 kph) 

The Digga Southern Nationals is looking to have a great line-up of group one racers from the North Island hit the Powerbuilt Dragway on the 30th January. With just 56 points separating the Digga Dragster of John Neilan from his nearest rival Shane Lodge in the Service Engineers entry.

 Lodge who just won the last Century Yuasa Power Series event at Taupo by taking out Todd Vincent in the final is on a charge. The Vincent family RPM entry is a mere 1 point behind Lodge in the Castrol Edge division going into this event and would like to change that.

Fourth place getter Chris Johnston suffered major engine damage at the Taupo event and could not make repairs to make the trip south, this making a championship repeat imposable for the team.

 Dave Gould in the volatile little Kiwi Sheds Topolino will not be the fastest vehicle in Top Alcohol but I’ll bet it will have more mainlanders on there feet than a wet seat in winter.

Although the Teng Tools Funny of McMillin & Sheldon did not make the Taupo event they are keen to move up the point’s ladder, their ever reliable combination from last year now seems to be giving them some trouble, time for a real race engine?

For more event info:

http://www.nzdra.co.nz/event-information-entry-list.html

Doorslammer has the best line-up ever for this south island round and as we know mainlanders love V8 sedans, especially when they are overpowered by 2500hp monsters! I believe this is the first time the Wittz Automotive Ferrari has ever ventured to Ruapuna and is hoping to retain his lead on the fast approaching Parry Hunt in the brand new Hunt Enterprises Camaro. Another car new to the Powerbuilt track is the only Ford powered entry in Doorslammer the STA XP Falcon of Squig Miles, other than some niggly issues (with non Ford parts) this racer should be much higher in the points.

The welcome return of Mark Thomas aka Mr Blobby confronted us at Taupo and now he has re-acquaintance himself with the little used Ford Customline he will round out the foray of vehicles never been down the Powerbuilt track.

These Top Doorslammers can be very inconsistent and with more to go wrong than any other vehicle as last years series winner Ross Taylor can validate, an oil leak putting him out in the first round at the Fram Autolite meet and not giving him a good start, the team then having trouble adapting to the surface at the Kumeu event at Taupo. The Taylor & Taylor entry will be looking to make a strong comeback within the last three events.

The one lone south island doorslammer racer Steve Batey has had limited time to pursue the championship this season but his team of helpers are working on getting the Kiwi Eftpos 55 Chev to the Digga event to represent the mainland and working towards the low 7 second times the car is hoped to run.

 Wayne Hussey had pushrod trouble at Taupo while winning his first round against Bob Owens and not being able to front for the second round cost him. Wayne will be expecting to work his way up the points ladder at this event if he is to have any chance at all. With qualifying starting at 12 noon and racing starting at 4.pm there is no reason not to check out the 390kpm action @ Powerbuilt Dragway, Ruapuna Park, 30^th January 2010!

Competition has been a little weak in the north island this year but it would have to be the mainstay of comp type vehicles in the south with all pre entered racers coming from the mainland. The entry of interest here is long time B/Altered racer Simon Fowke who has, after a lengthy build, entered his brand new 57 Chevy Funny Car. This Darbi Accessories sponsored beast is powered by a supercharged 526 Hemi and why he would not enter in Top Alcohol is anyone’s guess but once he has a few runs under his belt who knows. With Alan Ryder leading the entries and Fowke not far behind maybe Simon does have a reason for staying in competition! 

  Top Street as the name implies must look like street cars, no big wings, no wedged bodies and although they do generally have something protruding through the bonnet they do look like street type vehicles. None more so than the Brave Design Duster of Sam Levien or the Odyssey Hemi Barracuda of Wayne Grimmer, not to say point’s leaders Roger Binnema or the Pertik Camaro of Jeff Dobson do not fit the bill, but the two Chryslers will gain many more fans in the south after their wheels up side by side action at the Digga Nationals and the bonus points for doing a round out side their residing island will help their points tally too. 

Comp Bike has become a well supported division during the Century Yuasa Series with every event filling the 8 available spots race day.Generally full of Suzuki’s and Kawasaki’s, Harley Division is making a mark with the factory race bread Destroyers like Spike Allen’s Chassis Line entry being more popular, and with recent imported machines like Brett Goodwin’s A/PCB Scrap Palace Harley entry more may add diversity to the division. Still leading the field is Dean Veal, and it’s not his first time there, with 2 previous championships under his belt he’ll be trying hard for a third but local rider Phil Nunn will defend the south’s honour on his AA/DB Suzuki and the home town advantage will definitely be his, but is it enough? 

Photos supplied by  http://www.dragpixs.co.nz/