Victor Bray Again World's Fastest Sedan Drag Racer

Blasts Through 240 MPH Barrier at 245.23!

by Rob Oberg

Victor Bray firmly cemented his position as the world's fastest sedan drag racer with a stunning performance at Perth's Quit Motorplex during the opening round of the 2002-2003 Australian Top Doorslammer Championship. After top qualifying his Castrol Formula R Chevrolet with a strong 6.191 second time Bray opened proceedings in the first round of eliminations with a solid 6.280 time at a new world's fastest speed of 239.36 mph (385.13 kph) and a clear win over South Australia's Dave Koop on a 6.561. 

In the semi final Bray was even faster leaving Gary Phillips' 6.560 well in his wake with a 6.150 at 245.23 mph (394.57 kph) to clearly become the first sedan drag racer on the planet to break the 240 mph mark and threaten the 400 kph barrier. Phillips had earlier taken a close 6.28 to 6.30 win in the first round over Ben Bray in the second Castrol '57 Chevy. Bray's near perfect start to the new season came to end in the final when a transmission failure while leading allowed Victoria's Marcus Chambers to claim a maiden win in his Holden.

Victor commented "This was most of the most challenging yet satisfying events I've ever run. The weather conditions were near perfect for producing big horsepower with the below sea level air but although the start line and bottom end of the track was providing excellent traction it was very tricky through the middle. Look at how much tyre shake we saw. Every body was having trouble and I had to lift off the throttle on every run. We kept chasing the tune up to calm the car down through that part of the track without sacrificing the launch and nearly had it right for the semi. Despite a little lift early in the run the new Castrol Formula R Chevy produced what we've been working on in the off season. I can tell you I knew it was fast down the bottom end when I pulled the chutes." 

"We made some more small changes for the final and actually got through the loose part of the track without lifting and I thought here we go when the trans broke. Too much on and off the throttle maybe, who knows. I've no doubt it was on the way to a solid 6.0. Still we picked up a swag of points and it's good to see Marcus get his first win. Where back here in two weeks for the next event and maybe we can pick up where we left off." 

Before contesting that event Victor and his team will be crossing back over the country to for a performance in his Castrol Formula R burnout car at Shepparton in Victoria next weekend.

The 2002-2003 Australian Top Doorslammer Championship then continues at Perth's Quit Motorplex on November 29th and 30th. With another round at the Marlow's Westernationals in March, it is the first time the West Australian track has hosted three rounds of the Top Doorslammer Series. When releasing the new season's calendar in July with the extra event, the Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) announced that the November 29-30 event would not carry the usual 50% points bonus allocated to the other two rounds. Bray's runner-up finish combined with additional points for low elapsed time and high speed of the event and 50% bonus give him a strong start as he attempts to gain a seventh Australian Championship title.

Australian Top Doorslammer points after Round One

1 Marcus Chambers Holden 150 
2 Victor Bray Castrol Formula R Chev 135 
3 Robin Judd Studebaker 90 
4 Gary Phillips Studebaker 90 
5 David Koop 1955 Chev 60 
6 Peter Kapiris Studebaker 60 
7 Brett Stevens Studebaker 60 
8 Ben Bray '56 Customline 60 
9 Grant O'Rourke Monaro 30 
10 Wayne Keys VX Monaro 30 
11 Maurice Fabietti VX Monaro 30