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.

Phillips began eliminations with a win over a red-lighting John Cannuli to advance to the semi finals against series leader, Steve Reed.

In a contest mirroring the countless match races between the two rivals over almost three decades, both drivers launched hard before the unfolding of a bizarre series of events.

Off the start line, one of Reed’s parachutes deployed, before his fire bottles discharged, seemingly ending his race, and just as Phillips had the battle ‘in the bag,’ the Hillcrest hard charger wrestled his Lucas Oils Chevy Monte Carlo down the quarter mile to eventually cross the centre line at the 660 ft mark to hand back the win, leaving the crowd dazed and confused, but thoroughly entertained!

“Straight after the run, we went back to the pits to look for the big black cat that must have walked in front of the car,” said Phillips, suffering the virus of Saturday’s bad luck. “We haven’t found it yet, but it’s out there for sure!”

From Perth, the Top Alcohol circus has only a twelve day turnaround before the Summernationals at Western Sydney International Dragway on February 13-14, and to add to an already hectic schedule, the devastating Nullabor train derailment 600km east of Kalgoorlie has forced the team to find other means of transporting the racecar to Sydney.

“We’re were very fortunate that Matt Treasure’s sponsor, ‘K-Trans’ has organised a semi at very short notice to get us to Sydney with Robin Judd’s car in time for the race,” said a southbound Phillips, as the Lucas Oil Products Racing Team will sport not only the Funny Car but also the 1953 Studebaker in the Top Doorslammer category where he also holds third position in the series with five rounds left to be contested.

With three rounds remaining, Phillips now sits in third in the Championship with 346 points, behind husband and wife team, Steve and Debbie Reed on 380 and 370 points respectively. 

Story by Bennie Bishop of Benzpress – 0433 112 959