Thursday July 11, 2019 at 4:17pm
With good weather over the weekend, the STP Summernationals had a couple of ACU records set and many personal bests recorded over the weekend. Funny Bike. Eric Richard ran a personal best during qualifying 6.734-198.90 for number one qualifier. Kars Van Den Belt was Richard nearest challenger 7.043 with a p/b speed of 198.08. Dave Batcheler is getting quicker with every round he enters and qualified with a p/b of 7.263. Two former ACU Top Fuel Bike Champions Rene Van Den Berg and Kevin Charman competed in the class. Richard ran personal best figures of 6.651 and his first 200mph. Batcheler ran another p/b 7.242, but had no answer to Belt 6.992-200.67 (his first six second and 200mph). Richard ran 6.637 to set a new ACU ET record of 6.651 and ran a personal best speed of 204.23 to win the event. Comp Bike. There was a surprise number one qualifier at the end of the day. Newcomer to the class Yannick Richard ran personal best figures of 7.499-194.61 ahead of Reigning ACU Comp bike Champion Margot Schmidt who also ran p/b 7.513-189.01. Sam Sykes also ran a p/b 7.574-180.68 for third spot. Round one and Schmidt turned the wick up and ran a stunning 7.355-193.04 against Chris Neary. Sykes ran 185.11 against John McLean Jr. Louis Davies won on a holeshot 7.576 to a quicker but losing personal best of Paul Hambridge 7.436-193.06. The final was Davies against Schmidt and could Davies win his third race of 2019. Schmidt ran 7.400 to take her first win of the season. Davies ran a p/b of 7.501-174.42 and leads the championship at the half way stage of the season. Super Street Bike. Reigning ACU Super Street Bike Champion Steve Venables set a new ACU Speed Record during qualifying of 212.86. Garry Bowe ran a p/b of 6.954. Graham Balchin just edged Rick Stubbins for third 7.086 to 7.089. Mark Dainty had a new transmission set up and ran personal best of 7.347-195.56. In the semi-finals a rare red light by Venables saw Stubbins reach the final. Venables reset the speed record again 212.89mph. In the other semi-final Bowe slowed at mid-track, while Balchin ran 7.126. Balchin stormed down the track in the final and ran a p/b of 7.012 at 204.19 to win the Summernationals against Stubbins 7.342-200.78. With both Steve Woollatt and Allan Davies unable to compete in Top Fuel Bike at the Summernationals. Neil Midgley did some testing and ran a best of 6.679-179.94. Report Steven Moxley.