JUNIORS SET WILLOWBANK ALIGHT AHEAD OF WINTERNATIONALS

7 June 2010

In excess of 80 junior speedsters lit up Willowbank Raceway this weekend for the Cosmic Enterprises Junior Dragster Challenge.

The second annual running of the special Junior only event provided the perfect lead up to the largest drag racing event outside of the US - the Castrol EDGE Winternationals – which will hit the Ipswich quarter-mile next weekend (june 10-13).

The pint sized racers aged eight to 17 years of age enjoyed a full days of action on Saturday June 5 over a range of brackets, including categories based on age, as well as a boys category and a girls category with a boys versus girls final, and an ‘all-in’ final bracket.

In the age brackets, it was Scott Walter (Winner) and Jayden Plant (Runner up) (8-10 years), Emily Mullins (W) and Michelle Donnelly (RU) (11-14yo), and Jake Roney (W) and Jakin Wong (RU) (15-17yo) who made it to the finals.

In a bracket that had many of the racers excited, boys versus girls racing saw Michelle Dean representing the girls (RU – Simone Paine) and Dylan Leo the boys (RU – Eden Ward) with Michelle taking the win from Dylan in an exciting final.

Finally, in another win for the girls Hayley Mackay took the ‘All-in’ bracket, with Dylan Leo runner-up to close out the day’s action.

The annual challenge, held the weekend before Willowbank Raceway’s Castrol EDGE Winternationals, is organised by Cosmic Enterprises and is strongly supported by Willowbank Raceway and Lifestyle Australia.

Willowbank Raceway Managing Director Steve Bettes said 2010’s event had provided another opportunity for junior racers and their families to enjoy a day just for them.

“I was immensely happy to see how this year's Junior Dragster challenge has gone, there was a 30% growth from 2009’s inaugural year and plenty of smiling faces at the end of a big day’s racing in a relaxed atmosphere created especially for them,” said Bettes.

“The event is run on a not-for-profit basis with all sponsorship going to provide prizes, gift bags, catering and entertainment for the competitors and their families, and it was great to see everyone getting amongst it and enjoying themselves this weekend, and Willowbank is really pleased to be able to be involved in this great concept."

The Castrol EDGE Winternationals is the largest drag racing event outside of North America and is expected to host around 500 racers at the season-ending event.

The Thursday June 10 to Sunday June 13 event will host the championship ANDRA Pro Series final rounds for Top Fuel, Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer, Pro Stock, Morgan & Wacker Top Bike and Morgan & Wacker Pro Stock Bike as well as final championship rounds for all of the sportsman brackets. For more information, schedules or to purchase tickets, please visit www.willowbankraceway.com.au