News

• Chris Johnston dominating Mount Shop Top Alcohol at the NZ Nationals: 16th Mar 2013

Chris Johnston top qualified at the 2013 IHRA New Zealand Nationals held in Meremere.

Johnston set the pace, in the Vernon & Vazey sponsored Harcourts Hauler dragster, to open the first round of qualifying in the Mount Shop Top Alcohol bracket, with a 5.674 at 249 mph. In the other lane, Anthony Marsh in the Marsh Motorsports / Mount Shop injected nitro dragster spun the tyres.

Next up was Dave Gauld and Simon Fowke. Dave's car bounced around, while Simon recorded his first six, a 6.992 at 207.08 mph, to be in second place, in the EzUp funny car.

The second round of qualifying saw Fowke fail to improve, with a 7.274 pass. Grant Briffault, in the Scrap Palace dragster, came out with a 6.681 pass at 205.60 to claim second spot. Anthony Marsh again failed to get down the track in a representative time and Chris Johnston recorded a 5.71 at a slightly better 249.81. Dave Gauld got down the track with an 8.724 at 151.15.

With showers predicted for the Sunday, round one of eliminations was conducted during Saturday evening. Chris Johnston recorded a 5.681 at 248.16 on the top qualifiers bye run. Fowke improved upon his qualifying time with a 6.864 at 202.70 to defeat Gaulds 8.612 at 146.65. Marsh showed what his car could do, with a 5.527 at 242.23 to beat Griffault who had problems and failed to get down the track.

The semi finals will be betwen Chris Johnston, Simon Fowke and Anthony Marsh.

Simon Fowke recorded his first six, a 6.992, in the EzUp funny car

Despite failing to get down the track in qualifying, Anthony Marsh set low ET in round 1