02 AUG 2011 - The New Season Opens With Stunning Weather and Awesome Performances

Sean Mifsud found plenty of traction at half track and still went a 6.18 while still sorting the new combo. (Photo courtesy Shane Sharp)

The weekend of July 30-31 saw Round One of the NSW Championship Series burst into life under perfect blue skies and light winds and as good as the weather was the racing from all brackets out shone that big time.

From the time the gates opened on Saturday morning there was a buzz around the whole venue with everyone eager to have a shot on the newly ground racing surface. This would be the first actual race meeting run on the track since the upgrade with only a Test n Tune being run a few weeks earlier.

The event ran on time or slighly ahead all weekend with mimimal stopages and quality and closeness of the racing was awesome to watch. Unfortunately Jason Both had something let go on his Mazda RX3 and had a nasty roll over in the top end after Top Qualifing in the Super Comp bracket. Jason was taken to Westemead Hospital for a precautionary check up and we are happy to report he was released that night.

Sunday dawned with another perfect day and we had the added bonus of the Cowin Family Racing Nitro Nostalgia Funny Cars with Andrew Cowin in Nitro Express 57 Chevy and Shane Olive in the Fast Company Plymouth Satelite. Also Norm Longfield had his WW2 AA/FD and Mark Mariani was driving Steve & Wendy Turner's Black Widow AA/FD.

The Nitro cars came out three times during the Sunday afternoon putting on a great display of Nitro racing with one of the highlights being the 5.90 to a 6.08 side by side pass from the two Nostalgia Funny Cars. It was also good to see Steve & Wendy Turner's Black Widow AA/FD run 6.39 at over 225 mph showing they are getting a handle on the tune up.

There were personal bests run from many racers in all Brackets over the weekend and it was great to see all the smiling faces in the pits and on the spectator mound.

Check out MADMAN PRODUCTIONS highlights from  SATURDAY ON YOU TUBE HERE and SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS HERE

The Cowin Family Racing Team was out in full force fielding two Nostalgia Funny Cars with Andrew Cowin in the Nitro Express 57 Chevy going 5.90 to Shane Olive's 6.08 in the Fast Company Plymouth Satelite in the second round.

Mark "the Shark" Mariani had a good outing in the Steve & Wendy Turner's Black Widow AA/FD running 6.39 at over 225 in the final round.

Jeff Penton picked up from where he left off last season taking the win in the High Performance World Supercharged Outlaws Bracket.

Shelly Davies went out in the semis of High Performance World Supercharged Outlaws but came back later to record a very respectable 7.03 @ 201 mph!

Corrine Zammit took the family wagon all the way the semi finals in the Drive to Survive Street Fighter Bracket.

Jason Both Top Qualified in Super Comp and then had a big one in the top when something let go in his Mazda RX3. Thankfully Jason is ok however his Mazda is a little second hand. As can been in the photo the car had not finished rolling over and the Sydney Dragway Safety Crew were already on there way.

Norm McCormack had a good day out with his Mr Filter backed Front Engined Dragster running straight down the groove on every pass but he just couldn't catch Jeff Penton in the Final of High Performance World Supercharged Outlaws!

After her crash in the Top End last season Coral Dyer came back and won Timic Hot Rod Supplies Modified in fine style!

Chris Papadopoulos is always a crowd favourite in his high stepping XW GT and made it to round three in the very tough Pro Comp Motorsport Super Sedan Bracket.

Evan Murray was liking the Sydney Dragway startline and took out the Screamin' Eagle bracket on his 1200 Nightster.

Greg Fowler was in the sixes again with his new Pontiac GXP and was looking good until a problem in the third round saw the Pontiac get pushed back from the start line. He did manage to reset the Track Record though!

Steven Dimech decided to give Group Two racing a go and took out the Super Comp bracket running over 4 tenths under the CC/SM Index.

Johnny Briscas Camaro is one tough unit going 6.54 @ 222 mph to qualify number two in the Top Sportsman Bracket.

Robert Campisi Top Qualified in Top Sportsman with a peddling 6.29 at a whopping 242 mph!!! However a siezed Turbo ended his day early.

Michael Little stepped up from Super Street to Pro Comp Motorsport Super Sedan and won the final over another ex Super Street racer Joe Zammit.

Robert Simmonds qualified in the eights and used a string of 9.0 second passes to go all the way to a Final Round win in the Rapid Bikes Magazine Modified Bike Bracket.

Defending Champion Ricky Dudek showed everyone he means business and took out Wilclean Services Super Gas.

Toby Austin had his A/JD dialed in all day and won the Skips/JC Mowers Junior Dragster Bracket over a red lighting James Hazzard in the Final.

Check out all the Qualifying and Eimination Results HERE Thanks to MADMAN PRODUCTIONS see all the FINALS ON YOU TUBE HERE Round two of the NSW Championship Series is on August 20-21 and will feature NSW v QLD Nitro Funny Car Match Race!

Check out our Photo Gallery for more photos from the event thanks to our friends at Cackling Pipes Photography