Aaron Hambridge Winternationals wrap up

Record Finish for Australian Top Alcohol Dragster’s Number 1 Gun

A lot has been said about the recent record breaking Castrol Edge Winternationals and the incredible performances of some of the country’s top race teams. But one stands out above the rest for fans of the underdog – the new Top Alcohol national ET record set by Aaron Hambridge in the Team APM dragster.

With the team’s performances earlier on in the season showing that they can mix it with the best of them despite their relatively small budget, the decision was made to take their new machinery and know-how north to the biggest racing event of the year – the Winternationals. As has been reported elsewhere, the track was in killer condition and with the air slowly coming around to suit the blown cars, the tune-up was set to kill and Aaron strapped into the driver’s seat.

The support from Fire Service Plus that had got the team to the event in the first place drove them to achieve more than they ever had before and while Aaron’s first pass down the Willowbank quarter mile ended prematurely, there was still much to come from the satin black dragster. The air was measured, the crew made the necessary changes and once more the 3500hp rocket rolled onto the starting line.

The burnout was a strong one and it put the already excited crowd on the edge of their seats – the atmosphere buzzing with the kind of electricity that only the Winternationals and ANDRA Championship Drag Racing can produce. The revs came up, the car was bumped into full stage and in the time it took for the green light to flash, the Team APM dragster was gone. The result - a 5.609 second run – under the national record and a new PB for the likeable young driver. It was also enough for the number two qualifier’s spot in the toughest Top Alcohol field in ANDRA Championship Drag Racing history.
The first round of eliminations saw a theme emerge that would see Hambridge put two of the best known names in Top Alcohol racing back on the trailer. The first scalp was that of Ben Bray whose funny car went up in tyre smoke as Hambridge drove his dragster out the back door, backing up the new national ET record with a 5.619 and going on to the next round to face off against friend and fellow dragster pilot, Wayne Newby. Newby had gotten the better of Hambridge when last the two had met but with the determination born from a desire to put on the best show possible for the fans at the track and those watching and listening around the world, Hambridge roared off the line with a near-perfect reaction time and in doing so, left the reigning champion in his wake – recording another sub-national record performance.

While the record books will record a red light finish for the Fabre Australia/Fire Service Plus backed Team APM dragster, no-one can take away from the phenomenal effort of both car and driver in the final with Aaron’s final words to his crew heard to be, “Watch this!” The fans who had seen the amazing weekend’s racing unfold before them were ready for just about anything and sure enough, as Aaron pulled both ‘chutes on the Team APM machine, an almighty cheer went up as those lucky enough to be there had just witnessed one of the quickest Top Alcohol passes in history. The timeslip read 5.572 seconds and 253.24mph – more than enough to add another note to the ‘to-do list’ of the ANDRA record keepers.

With the season now ended and the points tallied, Team APM are weighing up their future in the sport. They’ve achieved so much this past season and having only raced at the Sydney rounds of the series bar one, a sixth place finish including two finals performances and one national event win is an amazing accomplishment. The support of Advanced Performance Machining, Fabre Australia, Fire Service Plus and Steve’s Speed Shop has been invaluable and Aaron can’t thank them enough. Likewise, the tireless efforts of his hard working crew must be acknowledged at this point with the late nights and weekends too numerous to count. The outlook is a positive one for Team APM and should the right sponsor come along, Aaron would love nothing more than to take his record setting machine to every corner of the country to continue his winning ways.

Lastly, Aaron and the rest of Team APM would like to thank the fans of ANDRA Championship Drag Racing for making all the effort worthwhile. As the fan base grows, so too does the number and type of opportunities to expose sponsors to a massive viewing audience who are dedicated to the fastest and most spectacular motorsport on the planet – ANDRA Championship Drag Racing.

For more info on how to become involved with Team APM for their attack on the ANDRA Top Alcohol Championship in season 2008/2009, please email info@teamapm.com

Thursday, 12 June 2008 - Posted by Rob Sharp