The Finals of round two of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway had the crowd on their feet , with both the Top Fuel category and USA v AUS Nitro Funny Car Showdown seeing ‘underdogs’ giving it their all down the quarter-mile.

Top Fuel comeback racer Darren Morgan and Australian Nitro Funny Car rookie Mark Sheehan faced off against the current Top Fuel championship leader Phil Lamattina and US Nitro legend Gary Densham respectively – and while the odds-on favourite took the win in both categories, each was fought closely and to the very end.

In Top Fuel, Morgan – whose presence at Willowbank Raceway this weekend is itself an achievement after a massive crash three weeks ago - lined up against fellow Mildura resident Lamattina, who incidentally this time last year was making his own comeback from a massive September incident.

With both leaving the line hard, Morgan and his Rocket Industries/Wicked Quick dragster had the faster 'mile per hour' at the half-track before spinning the tyres and needing to pedal it to the line, with Lamattina and his Fuchs racer taking advantage to take the win and extend his championship lead with a 4.83 second pass at 308.86mph (approx 494.17km/h) over Morgan’s 5.03 second run at 281.94mph (approx 451.10km/h)

“To have the three top qualifier results in a row and then to take out the win today and extend the points lead in the championship – yeah we are pretty happy,” said Lamattina.

“Taking the low elapsed time, the top speed, the top qualifier and the win – we got the maximum points and that is a good result.

“I want to give full credit to the team and to Theo my crew chief for putting together the tune-up to get us down the track in tricky conditions, and also to Willowbank Raceway and its staff, ENZED, our sponsor Fuchs and of course the fans.

“Lining up against Morgan, who is also from Mildura, was good and it is great for him to come back from the accident and get to the final, but at the end of the day it is a job no matter who you are up against and I was after the win.”

Morgan’s result sees him remain in fifth place in the championship chase while closing the gap substantially to the fourth placed Allan Dobson, who went out in the first round to Phil Lamattina.

“To make it to the Finals, especially against a fellow Mildura resident, was great with a brand new car - the incremental times (of the run) were good, and if we hadn’t shaken the tyres we may have got him,” said Morgan.

“The crew have done a great job to get the car here, this is the first time in the brand new car, and the support of my wife Natalie, my partners, my team, Ben Patterson, and the whole Mildura district, has just been amazing.

“As a privateer team we really rely on that support and without them we wouldn’t have been here, so I really just want to thank them for everything."

In the USA v AUS Nitro Funny Car showdown Gary Densham walked away with the win after Sheehan knocked out a timing block in the lower end of the track – seeing him disqualified. The West Australian rookie of Nitro Funny Car would have had the win, crossing the line two thousandths of a second ahead of Densham, however it wasn’t to be.

“I want to do a big thank you to the sponsors ENZED and Willowbank Raceway, and most of all to all of the other racers and of course the fans who have just made our trip fantastic,” said Densham.

“It has been 12 years since I was last out here and everyone has just been spectacular, I am a little disappointed we were only able to do one four second pass this weekend and we were lucky to win – we know that, but it has been fantastic and the Australian guys in Funny Car have done a tremendous job – I just hope it doesn’t take as long for them to invite me back here next time!”

While Densham acknowledged the hard charge of Australian rookie Sheehan, the West Australian was contemplating ‘what ifs’.

“I am definitely struggling - I feel like I have let the team down, they do the hard yards to do the job and they do it exceptionally well to get me to the start line, and I just feel like I have let them down,” said an obviously disappointed Sheehan.

“I just clipped the centre cone and, you know, what do you do? Although when you think about it I can’t really complain – I mean, I was running against Densham! These things happen – but there is always the ‘what ifs’.

“Everyone else is stoked - the team and everyone are happy that we got there and think what we did was excellent, but I am a bit sad.

"I want to thank the team for all of their hard work and also my wife Sharon, as without her support I wouldn't be doing this."

In the Top Bike final New Zealand competitor Athol Williams took the win from Kim Stevens – seeing him and his Stud Welding NZ machine leave Willowbank Raceway with the win, top qualifier, the lowest ET and the top speed for the meeting.

“It has been a great weekend for us, we took the win and reset the track record in both speed and time,” said Williams.

“The hard work is for my crew chief and his second in charge and so the thanks really needs to go to them, Rodger and Bruce, who are relying on me to do my job properly and get it down the track, thankfully it all worked out today.

“Also a big thanks to the track and all of my sponsors, especially Chris Thornton from Organic Coffee King who has been giving us a big hand this weekend, along with all our other sponsors including Gates Racing, Jetson Electrical, Spinifex, Hilton NZ, APS Toolroom supplies, Rocklea Mercedes - without the help of these guys we wouldn't be able to get out there."

In other racing, victory went to Ross Lemberg in Custom Central Competition Bike, Colin Lloyd (Lifestyle Floorcoverings Super Stock), Tim Caswell (Crossroads Freightlines Supercharged Outlaws), Andrew Pinkstone (Modified), Allan Grimsey (Super Sedan), Adam Hackett (Ipswich and District Welding Super Street), Rick Rogers (Californian Image Modified Bike), Zane Radford (Queensland Diesel Spares Junior Dragster) and David Gauldie (Super Gas).

For full results please visit www.results.willowbank-raceway.com.au.. Next up for Willowbank Raceway is the April action of the Tin Top Titles, which will see ANDRA championship racing from Top Doorslammer, Top Alcohol and Pro Stock Motorcycle on April 18 and 19.

ANDRA GROUP ONE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS FOLLOWING THE ENZED INTERNATIONAL NEW YEAR SERIES AT WILLOWBANK RACEWAY - TOP FIVE
Top Fuel
1 Phil Lamattina - 425 points
2 Phillip Read -310
3 Martin Stamatis - 305
4 Allan Dobson - 280
5 Darren Morgan - 270

Top Bike
1 Athol Williams - 315 points
2 Jay Upton - 270
3 Kim Stevens - 220
4 Sam Parker - 170
5 Phillip Parker - 160

Top Alcohol
1 Steven Reed - 260 points
2 Gary Phillips -240
=3 Debbie Reed - 220
=3 Wayne Newby - 220
5 Rick Gauci - 160

Top Doorslammer
1 John Zappia - 290 points
2 Robin Judd - 260
3 Gary Phillips - 195
4 Ben Bray - 155
5 Deno Brijeski - 145

Pro Stock Motorcycle
1 Jason Lee - 150
2 Michael Gilbertson - 120
3 Rhett Lougheed - 110
=4 Luke Crowley - 60
=4 Lachlan Ireland - 60
=4 Damien Muscat - 60

Pro Stock
1 Tyronne Tremayne - 160 points
2 Aaron Tremayne - 120
=3 Scott Porter - 100
=3 Lee Bektash - 100
5 John Barbagallo - 80

WILLOWBANK RACEWAY MAJOR EVENT CALENDAR 2008 / 2009 SEASON

SEPTEMBER 26/27, 2008 – 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

JANUARY 2/3, 2009 - ENZED INTERNATIONAL NIGHTFIRE NEW YEAR SERIES - ROUND ONE
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Alcohol - Top Doorslammer – Pro Stock Motorcycle - PLUS USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car

JANUARY - 16 / 17, 2009 – ENZED INTERNATIONAL NIGHTFIRE NEW YEAR SERIES - ROUND TWO
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Fuel – Top Bike - PLUS USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car

NEW DATE - APRIL 18/19, 2009 – TIN TOP TITLES
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Doorslammer – Pro Stock – Pro Stock Motorcycle

NEW DATE - JUNE 4/5/6/7, 2009 - CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS
ANDRA Championship Rounds - Top Fuel – Top Alcohol – Top Doorslammer – Top Bike – Pro Stock – Pro Stock Motorcycle – PLUS Rocket Allstar Racing Series Round – Group 2,3,4

images courtesy of www.blacktrack.com.au