The capacity crowd stood up, with an ovation which could be heard over the 3,000-horsepower, alcohol-burning supercharged engine. It didn’t matter what 6-time Australian Top Doorslammer champion Victor Bray ran in his first pass back following a courageous battle against an aggressive form of skin cancer.
Bray, who was rushed into emergency surgery last year on this same weekend, was a shell of the stature he once carried, down 110 kilos (210 pounds) following a year-long regimen of radiation treatment.
This was the Australian’s emotional comeback, the equivalent of John Force returning from his Texas crash, or Shirley Muldowney’s 1986 battle back to the cockpit.
Every pain and overwhelming moment culminated at the moment when the door on his iconic 1957 Chevy slammed shut, and he pushed down the throttle to begin his most-emotional burnout ever.
“The moment was really good,” Bray said. “I was a bit nervous on Friday. I felt much better on Saturday.”
Bray was besieged on Friday with an overwhelming number of fans in his Gulf Western-sponsored pit area as his crew thrashed feverishly to rebuild a car which had been used essentially as a parts car for his teammates, son Ben Bray and Frankie Taylor.
“I love the fans, but it just takes a lot for me to make sure no one is left out,” Bray admitted. “Then working on the car to get it ready, and all the while feeling a bit crook (sick).”
Rain began to fall during Friday’s Q-1 session, providing a reprieve for a beleaguered Bray. On Saturday, an unexpected engine issue kept the team in the pits for the day’s opening session.
In a moment where the clouds dissipated, and the sun broke through, it was as if the Q-2 session was a destined moment.
“I felt really comfortable; it didn’t bother me that we didn’t make it out for the earlier session,” Bray said. “When I finally got in the car, strapped my belts and settled in, I felt right at home again. It just what we do as racers.”
Bray only ran a 6.40, but it didn’t matter. In those 6.4 seconds, his loyal following gained a glimpse into the heart of the man.
“Even if you are healthy and have no medical issues, and you’ve been out of the car for a year, it will take you a while to get back in the routine. I guess I was more afraid the car would break or stop because it had been all rebuilt.”
‘It all came back, rushing into my mind of all the treatments and surgeries; taking those medications that don’t do you any good,” Bray explained. “At the end of the day, I still feel like I have a five-second run left in me. The support has been overflowing, complete and I feel blessed.”
