The biggest event on Australia’s annual Drag Racing calendar, the 42nd Castrol Edge Winternationals was run over our Queen’s Birthday long-weekend (June 4th-7th) at Willowbank Raceway in rural Queensland.

Apart from being the biggest event of the year, it’s also the finale of the Australian 2008-2009 Drag Racing season, which drew in a record 530 competitors, saw some championship categories decided right at the wire.

The biggest stories from the event included Western Australia’s Damien Harris becoming the first Aussie to run a 4 second pass in his Nitro Funny Car, and in Top Alcohol, Debbie Reed was tragically robbed of becoming the first female Group 1 Champion in Australian history after being disqualified for a safety violation in the finals when her opponent had red-lighted the start, leaving the door wide open.

In Australia, all the Top Alcohol competitors run in a combined class, which makes for interesting racing. Crowd favourite, Queenslander Garry Phillips was within 5 points of fellow local boy Steve Reed going into Winternationals where the championship would be decided. Close on both their heels and also in serious contention was Steve’s wife Debbie Reed. If she could pull of the upset win, she’d become the first Female Top Alcohol champ in Australia.

Pro Stock was coming down to a battle between the brothers, with the Tremayne brothers having only 45 points between them. With Aaron leading in the points but with john Barbagallo only 5 points behind Brother Tyrone Tremayne.

Phil Lamattina only needed to qualify in the field for the Castrol EDGE Winternationals to secure the ANDRA Top Fuel Championship for himself and his team, but the Melbourne based outfit made it a double celebration by taking the final event of the season. Lamattina met West Australian Allan Dobson in the Castrol EDGE Winternationals final. Both cars left the line very evenly but Dobson suffered engine damage as they reached half track leaving Lamattina to take the final with a 4.70 second pass at 320.28 mph.

In Top Bike - Athol Williams had a season to remember in ANDRA, simply obliterating the opposition with the speed and consistency that has become the trademark of the Stud Welding Team. And just to add an exclamation point to the team’s success, they took home another Winternationals Gold Christmas Tree.

Day 1 started off to a flying start crunching through the rounds of qualifying but only to be held up by Day 2 with a light mist of fog hovering over the track then the heavens opening up with rain causing a 2 hour delay.

TOP FUEL FINAL
PHILLIP LAMATTINA 4.704ET 320.28mph / ALLAN DOBSON 6.914ET 113.41mph

TOP ALCOHOL FINAL
AARON HAMBRIDGE 5.598ET 249.86mph /DEBBIE REED 8.789ET 89.89mph

TOP DOORSLAMMER FINAL
JOHN ZAPPIA 5.909ET 242.85mph /ROBIN JUDD 5.943ET 245.63mph

TOP BIKE FINAL
ATHOL WILLIAMS 6.777ET 202.89mph /CHRIS PORTER 6.777ET 202.89mph

PRO STOCK FINAL
SHANE TUCKER 7.134ET 190.60mph / LEE BEKTASH 7.136ET 192.80mph

PRO BIKE FINAL
PHIL HOWARD 7.290ET 180.65mph /PETER COCHRANE 7.535ET 176.33mph


NITRO FUNNY CAR EXHIBITION
DAMIEN HARRIS 4.989ET 297.03mph /ASHLEY BAILEY 6.520ET 148.03mph

John Zappa has been a driving force all year setting new records. John went in to the Winternationals well in front of the championship and won this event to cap an undefeated season in ANDRA Top Doorslammer!

PHILLIP LAMATTINA wrapped up the ANDRA Top Fuel Championship and his final round 4.704 secs 320.28 mph secured the Winter Nationals TF title.

Gary Phillips won his 13th Australia Championship Top Alcohol Championship title

DAMIEN HARRIS was credited with Australia's first ever 4-second Nitro Funny Car run (4.989 secs-- 297.03 mph) during the Winter Nationals exhibition.

This sky diver helped to celebrate the ANDRA Winternationals event program.

A capacity crowd of 39,000 packed Willowbank Raceway.

(Photos by: Daniel Ward : www.danielward.com.au )