Feb 1, 2009

IN A SHATTERING END to a promising weekend, Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Gary Phillips crossed the centre line to give away a finals berth at the Perth Motorplex on Saturday.

Kicking off the weekend with a dominant display of experience, Phillips qualified in the number one spot by posting both the quickest elapsed time and top speed for the meeting with a 5.697 at 252.80mph, stamping his authority on the event from the outset earning bonus points that could have an impact on the championship outcome at the end of the season.

In what has been hailed as the Biggest Drag Racing event held in Victoria in years, Gary Phillips has claimed the Top Doorslammer crown in the inaugural True Blue Drag Racing Championships at Calder Park Raceway.

Enjoying the fruits of a successful season so-far in Championship Drag Racing in Top Doorslammer and Top Alcohol alike, Phillips took his Lucas Oils1953 Studebaker to Melbourne to race at the ADRL (American Drag Racing League) style event.

January 21, 2009.

AS WEST AUSTRALIAN drag racing fans savour the thought of the upcoming round of Top Alcohol at the Motorplex, spare a thought for Queenslander Gary Phillips and his Lucas Oil team, who’s initial planning for the event is a distant memory.

Already engaged in wrestling with the logistical nightmare of trans-continental motorsport, Phillips has had to learn more than how to tune and drive a three thousand plus horsepower racecar to compete and win at the elite level of drag racing.

Every morning, Phillips heads down to the home-based workshop, with his first stop being the day by day calendar, already full of scribble before the season began.

Australian Drag Racing stalwart Gary Phillips is back in the winners circle posting his first win of the season in the Top Alcohol Lucas Oil Products Funny Car. In an all out domination of the category,

Philips not only won the event, but took a clean sweep of the round posting the fastest time and subsequently personal best of 5.59 sec for the 400m journey and top speed of 254mph (408km/h) elevating him to second on the national points table.

Lucas Oil Products of Australia is proud to be the major sponsor of Gary Phillips Racing. Pilot of the Lucas Oil Products ‘53 Studebaker Top Doorslammer and Top Alcohol Funny Car, Gary Phillips is part of the furniture of the Australian Drag Racing scene and an Australian drag racing legend with over 39 seasons and multiple championship wins under his belt.

Gary Phillips Profile

Age: 55

Resides: Hillcrest, Queensland

Top Alcohol Results

ANDRA Championships: 12

ANDRA Wins: 31

Career Highlights: 2005 Results - 1st in Top Alcohol Australian Championship - 2nd in Top Doorslammer Australian Championship - Australia’s most successful driver - 12 Time Australian Top Alcohol Champion (1991, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005) - First Australian drag racer, in any class, to win 7 consecutive Australian Championships. - 12 Time Australian Winternationals Winner (1978, 1982, 83, 84, 85, 88, 90, 95, 98, 2000, 2003, 2004) - 9 Time Australian Nationals Winner (1984, 88, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2001, 2002, 2004)

Car: Chev Monte Carlo Funny Car

Engine: BAE 511

Top Doorslammer Results

ANDRA Championships: 1

ANDRA Wins: 1

Career Highlights: To be completed

Car: 53 Studebaker

Engine: 511 ci BAE FAT Head Hemi

Gary Phillips Top Alcohol Dragster YouTube Video

Gary Phillips graphic supplied by Bennie at Benzpress - www.benzpress.com