NDRC points leader Justin Walshe moved into an advantageous position with only one race remaining for the XPRO Nitro Funny Car division of Australia’s NDRC (National Drag Racing Championship) series.

Walshe, from Queensland, scored his third event victory of the season – coming at Sydney Dragway’s Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs.

In Sunday’s concluding A-Final round it was Top Qualifier Brandon Gosbell who lined up against Walshe, with the latter looking for a critical win in his championship aspirations, before heading into the finals in June at Willowbank Raceway.

Walshe then did what he needed to do, besting his opponent with a 4.114 secs 511.19 kph pass to Gosbell’s 5.140/235.70kph effort.

Walshe and Gosbell each recorded wins across the day – Gosbell in round one (5.011/244.53kph) over Anthony Begley (16.841/99.10kph) and Walshe in round two (4.147/509.51kph) over Adam Murrihy (4.858/313.87kph) – to find their way to the A-Final.

“What can I say!” Walshe enthused. “This is the fourth round of our season & the fourth final for the Harts Paint Supplies team, and we now have three Gold Trees and one silver one! “These guys in the blue shirts (gesturing to his team) are just killing it, the way they hold themselves under pressure is just second to none.

Some NDRC Nitro Funny Car history was also made during Saturday morning’s first qualifying session when Gosbell recorded the first – and only so far – 1000 ft Nitro Funny Car 3-second pass.

The Sydney local set the tone for the remainder of the qualifying sessions and then eliminations with the 3.971 secs at 516.55 kph effort in the Rocket Enterprises Ford Mustang – more than enough to claim the Top Qualifier position.

Heading into Sunday’s racing, Gosbell #1 was followed by Justin Walshe at 4.097 secs and Adam Murrihy 4.179 secs. Also making the program were Nitro Funny Car debutante Josh Leahy #4 – 4.494 secs, Morice McMillin 4.992 secs and Anthony Begley 5.830 secs.

Class eliminations included a rather harrowing high speed close encounter during round one when newcomer Josh Leahy raced his Aeroflow teammate Morice McMillian (sequence below).

In that match Leahy’s XPRO Toyota moved across the lane immediately behind the Aeroflow Performance Ford Mustang of McMillin — when his vision was obscured due to a clutch dust containment malfunction — right as McMillin deployed his chutes. Leahy took evasive action just in time to avoid a potentially serious accident. He managed to haul his car back across into his lane but did tag the wall at highspeed in the process.

The NDRC’s XPRO Funny Car final season round will occur during the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals (June 7-9).

Posted with files by Jigsaw Communications & Bruce Biegler
Photos buy Bruce Biegler

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