I’d read something about the drags’ in the
newspaper.
Next
thing I’m doing the rounds in Todd Street Mall,
and I overhear fans enthusiastically telling folks
all about it at popular cafe, Red Dog.
Being
a new local I had to find out more, and this young
fella happy to tell me all about it.
Why
wouldn’t he be enthusiastic to spill his guts,
with the news that Chief Minister Adam Giles recently
given a green light of funding to the Northern Territory
motorsport sector in region at nearly $5 million.
Just
10 minutes later and this chance meeting with Joel
Bester (Team No BMW) had got me a ride and media accreditation
for the first Alice Springs Drag Racing event for
the season.
Drag
racing is one of those sports you either love or hate,
and I’m starting to love it.
Bester
has loads of talent as I soon found at, big dreams,
and a considerably lower budget than most, however
that’s tipped to change, should his current wave
of success on the Australian drag strips continue.
He
drives a slightly modified Holden Barina, which can
do the quarter mile in 18 seconds, and on this day
he defeated a Nissan Z coupe worth over $100,000.
“It’s
the fastest and best Barina in the entire Northern
Territory,” Bester said.
Bester
competed five times for four victories which saw him
finish second overall and best in class.
Mark
‘Yak’ Probst of YAK Racing (Supercharged
Outlaw) has a considerably higher budget than Bester
at present, and his rocket on wheels is valued in
the $90,000 region.
The
year 2015 is shaping up to be a banner for drag racing
in Australia, and Alice Springs is in the thick of
the action.
There’s
big plans to turn the sport into a full blown entertainment
extravaganza with live music, fashions on the field
and more.
