"VAN" (Sports Desk - 05.10.2025) :: Day two of the SPRY Spring Nationals and round four of the 2025/2026 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Series has been run and done, with Top Qualifier Medallions presented by New Gen Business Park decided and racing well underway for the Sportsman brackets at Dragway at The Bend.
As well as the ANDRA Series, the South Australian venue is also hosting an epic Top Fuel showdown this weekend, with racers in this ground-shaking bracket putting it all on the line in the hopes of laying down new national and world records. In these 11,000hp flame-throwing beasts, it was Wayne Newby who top qualified this afternoon before running the best pass of the first round of ‘all-run’ racing for Top Fuel (3.771/329.04mph).
At the same time, the PDRC Pro Drag Racing Championship Grand Final for Pro Mod, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle is taking the non-stop action to an even higher level, with Zoran Gajic, Rob Dekert, and Scott White top qualifying in their respective brackets before heading into their first rounds of all-run racing.
Also impressing was an exhibition run from John Ricca, who laid down what was Australia’s quickest (5.406s) sedan pass and also the fastest (270.94mph) blown Outlaw Pro Mod pass in the country this evening.
Taking out the ANDRA Top Qualifier honours in their respective brackets were Lucas Bergamin (New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike), Taylor Horton (Junior Dragster), Luke ‘Tex’ Griffiths (Goodyear Racing Super Street), Michael Riches (Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike), Rob Camilleri (The South Australian Drag Racers Association Super Sedan), Adriana Cartledge (Gallagher Modified), Edge Mallis (New Gen Business Park Competition Bike), Darren Whitford (Top Sportsman), Doina Day (New Gen Business Park Supercharged Outlaws), Connor McClure (Super Comp) and Venice Mameledzija (Three Dimensional Construction Super Gas).
The Super Sedan, Modified Bike, Super Street, Junior Dragster, Top Sportsman, Supercharged Outlaws, Modified, and Competition Bike competitors then launched into racing across the afternoon and evening, while the remaining brackets will enjoy their first battles in the fight for ANDRA Christmas Trees from tomorrow morning.
SuperComp Top Qualifier Connor McClure’s weekend is off to a great start with a major milestone achieved, leaving him with plenty of confidence heading into race day Sunday.
“That was insane,” grinned McClure.
“We came to Adelaide to chase this sort of nice weather and really good surface, and it has been everything that we set out for it to be.
“It just gave us the opportunity to really open the car up – we can’t do that back home in our regular season as we need to be a bit smarter there (with the championship).
“We came here to wring this thing’s neck and we have always had our sights on being the quickest door car with a small block in it and we just did it! This is a huge bucket list item ticked off.
“Heading into Sunday now I am feeling really good. Knowing that the performance is there and we have made another step forward, I am really feeling confident knowing we have a good race set-up and a good car set-up to go out and pump Top Qualifier like that. So I am definitely feeling really good.
“I have to thank Blaze Hansen first and foremost – he is the brain and the man who thinks up all these crazy things to make it go so fast. I couldn’t have done it by myself – he is just an absolute wizard when it comes to race cars, so a huge thanks to him.
“I also want to say a huge thanks to my dad and the whole family, and to our awesome sponsors – BDR Industries who have come on board for this South Australia trip, as well as Haltech, Garrett, Race Craft, Allfast and Applied Automotive Engineering, and of course the whole crew – they are legendary.”
Venice Mameledzija took out his first Three Dimensional Construction Super Gas Top Qualifier Medallion presented by New Gen Business Park, even while being under the weather this weekend.
“I am pretty rapt with that, it is my first TQ in Super Gas and it feels good – especially as I am actually really, really sick! I have been struggling with a really bad cold and I am a mess, so I must get sick more often as it seems to be working for me!” he laughed.
“We managed to get closer to the index and the car is working well. We did a few changes to the car before the meet and the way the car is working right now is excellent for Super Gas, hence the numbers (9.903 to the 9.900 index).
“Thank you to all of the Bergamin Bros Racing crew, especially Frank and Robert Bergamin, and my crew Liam, Dominic, and George. Thank you also to my wife Dayni and my daughter Miami, and my sponsors: B&I Earth Works, RMS Performance, SA Chassis, and Bergamin Bros Racing.”
The day started rocky for New Gen Business Park Competition Bike Top Qualifier Edge Mallis, before tuning changes turned it all around in Q3.
“I am feeling a lot better now than I did after the first two qualifiers – they were shockers, I feel like I forgot how to ride!” Edge grinned.
“Seriously, they were shockers – I was heading for the wall both times, and we have seriously taken so much power out of it, it is not funny.
“Then with the temp of the day ahead of Q3 with the track showing 47 degrees we thought oh wow, okay, let’s put a really soft tune in to just get me down the track, and that is all it took to go number one.
“We are really happy with that, and we have also been through our first round and got that as well, so everything is buttoned up and running good,” he added, while thanking his crew Mick Donohue and Luke Stone, his tuner Blaze Hansen, and Leticia.
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