DENSHAM RETURNS TO OZ
Fri, 2008-11-14 09:00
Gary Densham will jet to Australia next month ready to compete in the
ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway –
but before he does he has the matter of the final round of the NHRA
season to contend with this weekend.
The two round January series will see Densham compete in a USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car showdown, as well as rounds of the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series for Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock Motorcycle on January 2/3, and Top Fuel and Top Bike on January 16/17.
While this weekend may be the final race of the NHRA season for Densham, there will be little time off for him and his team with preparations for his Australian trip which will see him compete against local Nitro Funny Cars on January 2 - 3 and January 16 - 17 – an experience he is very much looking forward to, although it won’t be his first trip to Australia. Gary Densham will jet to Australia next month ready to compete in the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway – but before he does he has the matter of the final round of the NHRA season to contend with this weekend.
The two round January series will see Densham compete in a USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car showdown, as well as rounds of the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series for Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock Motorcycle on January 2/3, and Top Fuel and Top Bike on January 16/17.
While this weekend may be the final race of the NHRA season for Densham, there will be little time off for him and his team with preparations for his Australian trip which will see him compete against local Nitro Funny Cars on January 2 - 3 and January 16 - 17 – an experience he is very much looking forward to, although it won’t be his first trip to Australia.
“In 1974 I was invited to come over to Australia and race, and I didn’t know much about the place and whether you had kangaroos delivering the mail or what, but it sounded like a great idea so I came across,” chuckled Densham.
“At that point I had had a Nitro Funny Car for a few years and on that same trip was John Force, who I had to help out a bit as he was new to his Funny Car at the time (this was the start of a long professional and personal relationship between the two, which included Densham racing for Force’s team for a number of years from 2000-2004).
“We were lucky enough to go very, very good at that time and were invited back a further nine times during the 70s, 80s and 90s, and I am really proud of what we have done in Australia - hopefully we were able to help a lot of racers.
“Back then we (the US arm of drag racing) were 10 years ahead in the sport and its advancements than the racers in Australia were at the time, although now with the world a much smaller place its more like 10 days if we are lucky!
“It is just so much easier to interchange information these days, which is why I think the two meetings at Willowbank are going to be so good because its not like we have the advantages we used to – its going to be close.”
While Densham is preparing for his race weekend in the US, the Australian Professional racers of Top Doorslammer and Top Bike will be readying themselves for what will be their second and third rounds respectively in the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series this weekend at the Perth Motorplex. It will be the last appearance by these two categories before they head to Willowbank Raceway in January.
The ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series is one of the jewels in the crown in the recently revamped major Event calendar for Willowbank Raceway – which kicked off with the new-for-2008 Spring Top Fuel Championships in September.
The two round January series will see Densham compete in a USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car showdown, as well as rounds of the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series for Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock Motorcycle on January 2/3, and Top Fuel and Top Bike on January 16/17.
While this weekend may be the final race of the NHRA season for Densham, there will be little time off for him and his team with preparations for his Australian trip which will see him compete against local Nitro Funny Cars on January 2 - 3 and January 16 - 17 – an experience he is very much looking forward to, although it won’t be his first trip to Australia. Gary Densham will jet to Australia next month ready to compete in the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway – but before he does he has the matter of the final round of the NHRA season to contend with this weekend.
The two round January series will see Densham compete in a USA vs AUST Nitro Funny Car showdown, as well as rounds of the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series for Top Alcohol, Top Doorslammer and Pro Stock Motorcycle on January 2/3, and Top Fuel and Top Bike on January 16/17.
While this weekend may be the final race of the NHRA season for Densham, there will be little time off for him and his team with preparations for his Australian trip which will see him compete against local Nitro Funny Cars on January 2 - 3 and January 16 - 17 – an experience he is very much looking forward to, although it won’t be his first trip to Australia.
“In 1974 I was invited to come over to Australia and race, and I didn’t know much about the place and whether you had kangaroos delivering the mail or what, but it sounded like a great idea so I came across,” chuckled Densham.
“At that point I had had a Nitro Funny Car for a few years and on that same trip was John Force, who I had to help out a bit as he was new to his Funny Car at the time (this was the start of a long professional and personal relationship between the two, which included Densham racing for Force’s team for a number of years from 2000-2004).
“We were lucky enough to go very, very good at that time and were invited back a further nine times during the 70s, 80s and 90s, and I am really proud of what we have done in Australia - hopefully we were able to help a lot of racers.
“Back then we (the US arm of drag racing) were 10 years ahead in the sport and its advancements than the racers in Australia were at the time, although now with the world a much smaller place its more like 10 days if we are lucky!
“It is just so much easier to interchange information these days, which is why I think the two meetings at Willowbank are going to be so good because its not like we have the advantages we used to – its going to be close.”
While Densham is preparing for his race weekend in the US, the Australian Professional racers of Top Doorslammer and Top Bike will be readying themselves for what will be their second and third rounds respectively in the ANDRA Championship Drag Racing Series this weekend at the Perth Motorplex. It will be the last appearance by these two categories before they head to Willowbank Raceway in January.
The ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series is one of the jewels in the crown in the recently revamped major Event calendar for Willowbank Raceway – which kicked off with the new-for-2008 Spring Top Fuel Championships in September.
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