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Collin Matiza : Sports Editor

DRAG racing action returns to Donnybrook Raceway in Harare this Sunday with the staging of the third event of the 2016 Telecel Drag Racing Series. The last event held on July 3 saw the usual fanfare associated with this ever popular motorsport, even in the nippy July weather. Over 60 competitors and nearly 3 000 spectators converged at Donnybrook to be part of the racing action.Fans were in for a treat at this last event as they witnessed hardcore racing and new records set in what could only be described as one of the most exciting day’s racing at Donnybrook this year.

In the bike department, Les Carlsson pulled out all the stops on his (Transerve) Suzuki GSXR1000 and achieved not only his personal best, but also a club record with an Elapsed Time of 9.9966 seconds at 226.65kph, making him the fastest man on two wheels and overall winner of the Bike Eliminator event.

Les is the only competitor to have broken into the elite nine-second bracket at Donnybrook in decades!

Runner-up in the bikes, also riding a GSXR1000, was Angelo Pereira, coming in with a best time of 10.367 seconds at a speed of 220.63kph.

Third place biker Darryl Carlsson, ironically also on a GSXR1000, with a time of 10.634 seconds at a speed of 216.87kph, is not far off the pace and the top two should keep their eyes on him in future as he promises to be a threat to them.

In the four-wheel department, Alan Cacace once more proved his driving skills and consistent record in his nitrous powered Cobra V8 winning his class and claiming the title of Top Car Eliminator of the day with a time of 11.429 seconds at a speed of 192.00kph, beating runner-up Mano Zevgolis in the (hp lubes/Castrol) Toyota MR2 who fouled his start in the most important race of the day.

Zevgolis had been battling traction and handling issues in 1.6 litre turbo-powered MR2 since last year, but a change in suspension set up and rear tyres enabled the little monster to tear up the strip in a best time of 11.008 seconds at 210.73kph, setting the fastest time of the day for the cars earlier in the event.

These two top competitors are currently the only two cars in the 11-second bracket, have been at loggerheads for over a year now and the fight is set to continue between the pair to see who will be the first to dip into the elite 10-second bracket.

Motorsport fans in Zimbabwe have not witnessed a 10-second pass since the late Patrick O’Hara’s yellow Nitrous powered V8 Beach Buggy back in 2013, so the pressure is on to match or beat Patrick’s best time.

Top Bulawayo competitor Terry Allberry (who has been absent from this year’s series while he revamps is V8 AC Cobra), with the only other 11-second car in the country, will be back in the mix soon and promises to shake things up at the top.

Third place for the cars went to Adam Saiyad in the R34 GTR Skyline who ran a best time of 12.305 seconds at a speed of 187.17kph, narrowly ahead of the Audi RS4 driven by Nabil Ebrahim with a time of 12.453 second at a speed of 182.74kph.

Drag racing competitors have had seven weeks to tweak their vehicles, but only “elapsed” times on the day will tell.

The 2016 Telecel Drag Racing Series is proudly supported by Telecel, hp lubes/Castrol, Nemchem, Financial Gazette, Skyscape Aerial Imaging & Survey, Turbo Solutions Africa and Glass Creations.

Competition is open to members of the general public with registration from 10:30am to 2:30 pm. Spectator admission on Sunday is $5 per person with free admission for children under 12 years accompanied by an adult.

Racing starts at 11am and runs through until around 5pm.

There will be the usual full bar and catering and entertainment for the kids.