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2018/19 Kiwi Thunder Series. Round 2
2019 Auckland Invasion

Masterton Motorplex, 16-17 February, 2019. Results. Round 2 Points

The Auckland Invasion meeting, at Masterton Motorplex on February 16 & 17, incorporated round two of the Kiwi Thunder Group One National Series.

Top Alcohol

Top Alcohol saw eight competitors front to attempt to gain round two points in the Kiwi Thunder Series. Anthony Marsh in the Mountshop A/Fuel Dragster lead qualifying with a 5.531 at 264.91. Chris Johnston debuted his rebuilt dragster after his engine destruction at the same meeting last year. Chris now has Marsh Motorsport and Mount Shop as major sponsors along with Redline Oils and long term sponsors Vernon and Vazey. Now with Noonan hemi power, Chris qualified second with a 5.938. Johnny Alsop, in the Alsop Joinery T Bucket Altered, was third with a 6.064. In fourth spot was Bryan Norman, all the way from Alexandra, in his front engined dragster with a 6.249.

All four won their first round races, the highlight being Anthony Marsh's 5.349, at 274.11 mph, defeat of Simon Fowke. It was the quickest and fastest Top Alcohol pass in Australasia.

In the second round Marsh lite the tyres and coasted to a 10 second pass as Norman stormed off to a 6.222 win. Johnny Alsop advanced with another 6.0, a 6.098 this time at 228.60 mph, after minor issues prevented Johnston from fronting.

The final was between two cars from the South Island, Johnny Alsop in the altered and Bryan Norman in the FED. Alsop used a better reaction time and a quicker ET to win the race 6.119 to 6.244.

Top Doorslammer

Nigel Dixon recorded a 6.478, in the Kruzin Kustoms Falcon, to top qualify out of the five Top Doorslammers present. Adam Prestney in the Pirtek Grand Am was second with a 6.770. Barry Plumpton's 6.812 saw him in third spot, in the Focus Construction Group Camaro. Gavin Green in the 68 Firebird was next with a 7.345, followed by Rod Benjes in the Childs Play Beretta after breaking the blower belt on the launch.

Benjes found that his injector hat was starting to collapse as the blower tried to suck it in, so he was out, allowing Prestney to cruise to a 7.9 round one win. Green improved to a 7.087 but it wasn't quick enough to defeat Plumptons 7.072. Dixon got low ET of round one with a 6.362 bye.

Rod Benjes found that his injector hat was starting to collapse as the blower tried to suck it in.

Nigel Dixon and Barry Plumpton opened round two. Nigel got the start and his 6.287 accounted for Barry's 7.330 run. Adam Prestney had a 7.185 bye to advance to the final.

In the final, Adam Prestney won the start line battle 0.091 to 0.181, but Nigel Dixon drove around him to take the win with a 6.258 at 230.78 over a 6.774 at 202.30. The Kruzin Kustoms Falcon's pass was low ET and top speed for the meeting.

Nigel Dixon wins round two of the 2019 Kiwi Thunder Series at Masterton and set Low ET with a 6.258 [Photo by: SV Photos]

Gavin Green had two testing passes behind the bracket. His first pass was a 6.562 at 201.87. His second was a 6.305 PB at 223.82 mph.