Barry Plumpton wins Top Doorslammer at round 3 of the 2014/15 Meremere Dragway Track Championship

January 31, 2015

Seven competitors fronted for the Top Doorslammer bracket at the third round of the 2014/15 Meremere Dragway Track Championship. Wayne Yearbury drove the KC Tools 1953 Studebaker straight to the head of the qualifying list with a 6.523 at 228.11 mph, in the first qualifying session. Barry Plumpton, in the Focus Construction Group 2005 Monte Carlo was second with a 8.030.

The second session saw Mark Bardsley move into second position with a 6.635 at 216.90 in the Rislone 68 Camaro and Trevor Smith put the Earthmover 73 Stateman into third position with a PB of 6.900 at 210.83 mph.

The first round of eliminations saw Wayne Yearbury with the top qualifiers bye, but he dropped a valve during the burnout and his day was done. Mark Bardsley used a 6.697 at 197.22 defeat Gary Benham's 8.534 in his 51 Holden Ute. Barry Plumpton recorded a 7.523 to defeat Nigel Dixon's troubled 10 second pass. Russell Lowe used a 7.137, in The Toy Shed 69 Camaro, to defeat Trevor Smith's 7.456.

With Yearbury out and Bardsley stripping a sparkplug seat, the second round became the final. Barry Plumpton won the bracket in his 2005 Monte Carlo with a 12 second pass when Russell Lowe did not stage.

A number of drivers then came out for test runs. Trevor Smith improved upon his qualifying PB with a 6.774 at 207.46. Gary Benham also set a PB at 8.171 at 154.69. Both came out again only to set PB's again. A 6.729 at 213.30 for Trevor and a 8.090 at 162.67 for Gary. Cess Miller was also on hand to complete his licensing passes, which he did successfully.