WAINUIOMATA drag racer Darren Richies is the proud recipient of four trophies after competing in the Port Road Drags over the weekend.
Richies won awards for best engine and fastest closed car, as well as taking out the top class and scooping the trophy for overall winner on the day.
There were 64 cars to compete with.
“It was a big surprise,” says Richies. “I’m actually quite rapt with how the day went.”
Richies top time of 6.79 seconds for the 1/8th mile strip is his best time so far.
“It’s a great car, running really good,” he says of his 1953 green and purple Ford Popular with flames painted up its side.
“It all boils down to reaction time and nothing going wrong with your car.”
The “hard luck” award went to Peter Maka and his 1930 Ford pickup, which spun out after snapping an axle.
The crowd of more than 5,500 enjoyed a full day of racing, burnouts and vehicle admiration.
Steve Reid, who is one of this year’s organisers, says, “It was raining when we were setting up on Saturday but the weather gods came right and it was sunny on the day. There have been no cancellations of the races in 43 years.”
Reid’s been involved with the Port Road drags for about four years and in hot rodding “a long time”. He’s competed in the races before, but never won.
In the junior dragsters “race” all competitors leave with a trophy.
The youngest racer this year was just seven, and while juniors must have their miniature drag cars checked over by the New Zealand Drag Racing Association, they needn’t sit a test themselves.
“Most of their parents are well involved in it, so no doubt they’ve had plenty of testing. But there’s no age limit, if they can touch the pedals they’re alright,” laughs Reid.
Official drag racing is on a quarter mile track, and the closest one to Wellington is the Masterton Motorplex.
The Masterton season hits off with its Christmas meet and burnout competition on January 8 and 9, or you can take a family trip to Wanganui for the street drags on Wellington Anniversary weekend, January 22-24.