36 fastlane
SUNSET STRIP NATS A
STUNNER
Following its conclusion on September 22, racers heralded round three of the 18/19 Summit
Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, the Sunset Strip Nationals, as a huge success.
Particularly pleased with their weekends
in Mildura were the event winners who
took home ANDRA Christmas Trees: Adrian
McGrotty (Super Gas), Jake Berias (Summit
Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), David
McGinn (Modified Bike), Rodney Kerr (Super
Street), Robert Camilleri (Super Sedan),
Kenny Stewart (Modified), Justin Russell
(Supercharged Outlaws), Jason Arbery (Top
Sportsman), Danny Rickard (Competition
Bike) and Alex Panagiotidis (Super Comp).
Runners-up were Warren Smith (Super Gas),
Chelsea Sammut (Summit Racing Equipment
Junior Dragster), Bryan Finn (Modified Bike),
David Brae (Super Street), Peter Tzokas (Super
Sedan), Craig Baker (Modified), Tim Stewart
(Supercharged Outlaws), Glenn Henley (Top
Sportsman), Jase McFarlane (Competition
Bike) and Adrian Vella (Super Comp)
Records aplenty were set amidst the
SuperComp ranks as the racers battled it
out for victory, with winner Alex Panagiotidis
(E.GA – 5.514s and 123.59mph), runner-up
Adrian Vella (B/APA – 4.667s and 148.52mph)
and Craig Geddes (E/D – 5.519s) all resetting
national markers.
To hear what Panagiotidis had to say about
his weekend, click here.
Competition Bike was another category with
its share of records, with event winner and
TileCo-TheShowerPeople and KC Tools Top
Qualifier Medallion recipient Danny Rickard
(V/CB – 5.615s and 123.41mph) and Rob Cassar
(AA/CBN – 139.15mph) both resetting national
records. The Competition Bike bracket ran a
round robin format at the Mildura event for
the first time, with Rickard taking on and
defeating Jase McFarlane in the final to take
out the event victory.
Also on two-wheels, David McGinn impressed
in Modified Bike, taking victory from two-
time champion Bryan Finn after having
earlier dispatched Derryn McGregor (semi-
final), Edgel Mallis and Nicholas Thompson.
Meanwhile, Finn had faced off and won
against Shane Walker (semi-final), Mario
Baker and Dan Dycer.
“The bike didn’t seem to be running that well
so I was trying to adjust the clutch between
runs. We had a bit of help along the way with
a couple of guys breaking out and so on. On
each run it seemed I was able to get in front
of them and make it over the line, and I was
just backing it off and saving my dial-in,”
McGinn said.
“In the final I was up against the flying Finn
and everyone reminded me he was a back to
back champion so I was thinking ‘oh crikey’,
but my reaction times had been ‘point zeros’
all day and in the final it was pretty much a