EASTER THRILLS RETURN TO WILLOWBANK RACEWAY FOR 2014
10 March 2014
Easter thrills are again guaranteed at Willowbank Raceway this year with the return of the Santo’s Super 3 Extreme Drag Race, presented by Uplift Cranes and Titan Cranes.
The second running of the event will again feature two rounds of ANDRA championship racing each for the brackets of Top Fuel and Titan Cranes Top Alcohol in the emerging ‘three-round’ format, with the Top Fuel pilots also set to once again fight it out for the added honour of the Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel Trophy.
Each night from 5.00pm to 9.30pm (approximately) these national show-stoppers will be supported by a fast-paced and action-packed program of entertainment including Top Fuel Motorcycles, Top Doorslammers, Pro Street and three closely-matched invitation categories amid a flurry of on-track light and audio-visual theatrics.
Willowbank Raceway CEO Tony Manson said the event format offered by the Santo’s Super 3 Extreme Drag Race seeks to deliver more racing in a fast-paced and entertaining schedule.
“Through last year we saw the three-round race format employed at the Santo’s Super 3 Extreme Drag Race gain some serious traction across the country, and the reception for our own running of this approach during Easter was extremely well received,” said Manson.
“A year on, the format is really taking off, simply due to the fact that it delivers to the fans exactly what they want – more racing from their favourite professional drag racing categories in a fast-paced environment complete with high stakes to ensure emotions run high.
“With the pressure of two rounds of the ANDRA championship combined with the fact that only the top two ‘winners’ from the elimination round have a chance to take the round victory, all of the racers will be looking to lay absolutely everything they have on the line each and every time they head out on the track - what can be better than that for those sitting in the stands!”
Racing for the Top Fuel and Titan Cranes Top Alcohol brackets will begin at approximately 5.00pm with the first pass for these classes followed by an elimination round for all Top Fuel and Titan Cranes Top Alcohol entrants later in the evening. From this round, the third and fourth quickest winners will proceed to the B Final while the two quickest winners battle it out in A Final, as per the Special 3 Round Format ratified by ANDRA in 2013. Once the winner of each class is crowned on Friday, the full field for each bracket will get ready to do it all over again on Saturday. The Top Fuel racer with the most points across the weekend will be awarded the Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel Trophy - a special commemorative trophy in honour of Top Fuel racer Louie Rapisarda – son of Santo Rapisarda – who passed away in 1990. For all other brackets, qualifying will be held on Friday ahead of racing on Saturday.
Entries for the Santo’s Super 3 Extreme Drag Race presented by Uplift Cranes and Titan Cranes will open at 10.00am on 11 March 2014 at www.willowbankraceway.com.au and will close at 3.00pm on 28 March 2014 (or when entry number caps are reached, whichever happens first). Spectator tickets are also now available at www.willowbankraceway.com.au with tickets starting at just $35.00 for adults and $30.00 for students/concession card holders with ID, while children aged 13 and under gain free admission. A special pre-purchase only two-day admission pass is also on offer until 16 April 2014. For more information, click here.
Willowbank Raceway is Queensland’s premier drag racing facility, located 45 minutes from Brisbane or just a short drive from Ipswich, offering a year-round program of events for the entire family. For more information including a full event calendar, please visit www.willowbankraceway.com.au
UPCOMING EVENT INFORMATION: SANTO’S SUPER 3 EXTREME DRAG RACE, PRESENTED BY UPLIFT CRANES AND TITAN CRANES – 18 and 19 April, 2014
Featuring racing from: Top Fuel, Titan Cranes Top Alcohol, Pro Street, Fixed index categories – 8.9 seconds, 7.9 seconds and 6.9 seconds, plus demonstration racing from Top Fuel Motorcycles and Top Doorslammers
For more information, full race schedules or to purchase tickets please visit www.willowbankraceway.com.au
Spectator entry -Please note: Concession = age and disability pension holders only
Good Friday – 18 April 2014
- General Admission (Adult) - $35.00
- General Admission (Student/Concession) - $30.00 – must show ID
Easter Saturday – 19 April 2014
- General Admission (Adult) - $35.00
- General Admission (Student/Concession) - $30.00 – must show ID
Two day passes (available for pre-purchase via www.willowbankraceway.com.auuntil 16 April 2014 only)
- General Admission (Adult) 2 day pass - $60.00
- General Admission (Student/Concession) 2 day pass - $50.00 – must show ID
Schedule
Friday and Saturday 18 and April 2014 (All times approximate and subject to change):
- Gates open to public – 3.00pm
- On track action from 5.00pm until approximately 9.30pm each day
Race format
Top Fuel and Titan Cranes Top Alcohol
The Super 3 Extreme Drag Race concept will operate on the idea of two individual championship rounds in one event, with a winner to be crowned on both the Friday and the Saturday of the event. Racing will begin with the first pass for all cars at approximately 5.00pm followed by an elimination round for all cars later in the evening. From this round, the third and fourth quickest winners will proceed to the ‘B Final while the two quickest winners battle it out in ‘A Final’, as per the Special 3 Round Format ratified by ANDRA in 2013. Once the winner is crowned on Friday, the full field for each bracket will get ready to do it all over again on Saturday.
All other categories
All support categories will complete three qualifying passes on Friday 18 April, before Saturday 19 April sees all support brackets run a Chicago Shootout format with all competitors to race three rounds with the two best performing racers to make it into the final. At the completion of the bracket rounds, a count back will be made to establish the finalists.
The Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel Trophy Race
The Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel Trophy Race is open to all Top Fuel competitors at the Santo’s Super 3 Extreme Drag Race event and is in honour of Top Fuel driver Louie Rapisarda, son of Santo Rapisarda, who passed away in 1990. The special commemorative trophy will be awarded to the Top Fuel driver who at the end of Saturday’s racing has the highest accumulative points across Friday and Saturday’s proceedings. If there is a tie, the Trophy will go to the driver in the tie with the lowest elapsed time of the event. In 2013, the Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel Trophy was awarded to local Top Fuel veteran Steve Read of Raceview, who also emerged victorious on both the Friday and Saturday of the event’s ANDRA championship rounds.