TOP FUEL STAR LEADS NOSTALGIA FIELD TO WILLOWBANK
15 February 2011
Top Fuel standout Andrew Cowin will lead a field of 180 nostalgia racers at Willowbank Raceway this weekend.
The NITRO! Magazine Nostalgia Drags will hit Queensland’s premier drag racing facility this Saturday February 19th for a full day and night of ‘old school’ action.
Cowin is making his comeback to Aussie Top Fuel this season, but he hasn’t been limiting his standout performances to the ANDRA Pro Series ranks so far, with he and the Cowin family Nitro Express Nostalgia Funny Car blowing apart the Nostalgia Elapsed Time record in November.
A 5.89 second pass at 241 miles per hour on his birthday saw the 31 year old completely jump the ‘5.9s’ on his way to being the first in Australia to set a nostalgia ‘five second pass’ and the first to break the 240 mph barrier, after earlier in the day crashing through the previously standing 230mph mark.
“They (Nostalgias) are a different beast that requires a different driving style with its shorter wheelbase and engine up in front, you have a better feel of the car in comparison to the dragster and they are a handful of fun to drive,” said Cowin, who will be competing at Willowbank Raceway this weekend thanks to World Classic Muscle Cars.
“What a Birthday present November was, running Australia's first 230 mph, first 240 mph, recording the first five second run in the final and winning the event, all on one day!
“I couldn’t thank my parents and the crew enough for making that day possible, and we will be doing everything we can to set a new Australian record this weekend at Willowbank!”
Joining Cowin on Queensland’s premier quarter-mile will be a wide variety of racers, including vintage gassers, hot rods, muscle cars, slingshots, nostalgia outlaws and bikes.
Fans can also get in on the action themselves with entry to the Pit Lane Car Show, sponsored by Shannons Insurance, included in general admission. Those wanting to be involved need only to come along in their cool classic, nostalgia car, bike or hot rod and ask to be parked in the car show area to be in the running for prizes.
Among those that are eagerly anticipating the Nostalgias are members of CanTeen, an organisation for young people living with cancer, thanks to Queensland Street Car Magazine who have donated the admission tickets to the event and to the great guys from the Mustang Owners Club who are bringing them out to Willowbank.
Gates open at Willowbank Raceway at 7.00am, with qualifying from 9.00am and racing from 4.00pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and children 12 and under gain free entry. For more information on the Nostalgia event please visit www.nostalgiadrags.com.au or
www.willowbankraceway.com.au
Willowbank Raceway will be a constant hub of activity over the coming months, with Nostalgia, Pro Street, Sportsman, Top Fuel, Top Bike and Pro Stock Motorcycle racers all set to head to Queensland’s premier drag strip.
This weekend's Nostalgia action will be followed by the opening round of the 2011 Queensland Street Car Magazine Eighth Mile Drag Racing Series on February 26.
March will then see the return of the Pro Street Shootout on March 12, before ANDRA Pro Series drag racing hits the Ipswich quarter-mile across March 25 and 26, bringing with it Top Fuel, Top Bike and Pro Stock Motorcycle action.
April will then get underway with the all-new Queensland Auto Spectacular, to be held at Willowbank Raceway on April 10. All the while, test and tune events, bracket events and street series events will be run as usual, seeing Willowbank Raceway a hub of constant activity.
Willowbank Raceway's official website - www.willowbankraceway.com.au - is the place to go for more information on ticketing and upcoming events, including the season-ending Castrol EDGE Winternationals.
The Queen’s Birthday long weekend event will take place across Friday June 10 – Monday June 13. Featuring all of the ANDRA Pro Series brackets as well as the Rocket All Stars Racing Series making their final fights for their championships, fans are guaranteed non-stop action.
Upcoming events at Willowbank Raceway:
February
9th – Masters Drags
9th – Test n Tune
12th – Test n Tune
18th – Test n Tune
19th – Nostalgia Drags
23rd – Test n Tune
26th – 2011 QLD Street Car Magazine Eighth Mile Series
March
2nd – Test n Tune
5th – 2010/2011 Street Series
9th – Masters Drags
9th – Test n Tune
12th – Pro Street Shootout
19th – Test n Tune
25th – 2011 Top Fuel Championships – Day One
26th – 2011 Top Fuel Championships – Day Two
April
2nd – 2010/2011 Street Series
6th – Test n Tune
9th – Test n Tune
10th – QLD Autospectacular
13th – Test n Tune
16th – 2010/2011 Bracket Event
22nd – Test n Tune
27th – Test n Tune
30th – Test n Tune