Sydney Top Fuel drag racer Terry Sainty hopes a focus on keeping all eight cylinders lit and full of nitro will pay dividends next weekend at Sydney Dragway when he competes in round five of the ANDRA Pro Series – the Nitro Champs.
Sainty, who currently sits ninth in the ANDRA Pro Series, said the family-run team has overhauled the fuel system, hoping a new system of valves will improve their performances.
“Dropping cylinders (when a cylinder ceases firing in the motor) has been a big problem for us. If we can get it to run on all eight cylinders it will go fairly quick,” he said. “People don’t like to see Top Fuel cars shut off, but dropping a cylinder can cause tyre shake or make the car throw a blower belt which means an abandoned pass.
“We are trying everything we can to keep cylinders alive. We’ve changed some things in the fuel system with the guys from Speedflow machining up some new check valves and we hope that will tidy a few things up at the start and keep the motor at even temperatures.”
The Top Fuel dragster team has been a labour of love for the Sainty family and their business Sainty Engineering. Terry’s father Stan and uncle Norm developed the 7000 horsepower nitro engine entirely in Australia.
The chassis too was built in house, but this may soon change with a new dragster soon ready to go. Sainty said the Nitro Champs may be a last blast for their ageing car.
“We’re sticking with the chassis we know for this event as we want to test some things with the engine first; it’s easier to test one or two new things rather than 20 at once,” he said. “We want to make the motor run and run well, then the new chassis should take us to the next step.”
The last time Sainty competed was in September and he said getting back into the saddle takes some getting used to.
“Obviously you can’t just practice in the shed at home and it takes a couple of runs to get back into the groove; it takes you by surprise,” he said.
Sainty will be a potential spoiler in the Top Fuel field, where Victorian Darren Morgan is aiming to conslidate his championship lead and hold off close rivals Andrew Cowin and Damien Harris.
The Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway takes place on May 4, 5 and 6 featuring ANDRA Pro Series rounds for Top Fuel, Top Doorslammer, Top Alcohol, Pro Stock, Top Bike and Pro Stock Motorcycle as well as the Rocket Allstars Racing Series for sportsman racers.

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For more information on the Nitro Champs click here.

Current Top Fuel points

1 Darren Morgan 384
2 Andrew Cowin 371.5
3 Damien Harris 357.5
4 Phillip Lamattina 335.5
5 Mark Sheehan 149
6 Cory McClenathan 102
7 Mark Mariani 88
8 Bob Shepherd 43
9 Terry Sainty 41
10 Phil Read 20