ANDRA: Racers Ring In New Year At Portland with Christmas Trees

The first ANDRA Christmas Trees of 2026 have been hoisted in celebration this evening as round six of the 2025/2026 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Championship – the South Coast 660 at South Coast Raceway – came to a close.

A record event field of more than 170 racers signed up for the two-day event, and while the performances on show from this exciting line-up were thrilling, at the end of the day only 11 could claim the ultimate winning honours.

MODIFIED BIKE

Winner – Matt Jones
Runner-up – Bryan Finn
#1 Qualifier – Dean Jamieson

In Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike, the win went the way of Matt Jones – with the Koo Wee Rup (VIC) resident celebrating after a successful final against Bryan Finn. Jones ensured his spot in the final stand at the South Coast 660 with earlier victories over Peter Brunton (round one) and Derryn McGregor (round two) before a semi-final bye, while Finn had taken wins from Rob Church (round one), David McGinn (round two) and Jason Rattray (semis). By being the winner of Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike at South Coast 660 – which saw him take home his first ever ANDRA Christmas Tree – Jones also claimed the Phil Parker Memorial Trophy.

“It is an honour to have my name on a trophy for a bloke like that, a local to Portland, a Top Fuel Bike legend,” Jones said referring to the Phil Parker Memorial Trophy. “And my name will be at the Portland club forever now, which is a pretty big achievement for me for having been racing only 12 months. And to get my first ANDRA Christmas Tree as well – I don’t think it has all sunk in yet, but I am rapt.

“I have been to the semis a few times but never been able to get the job done, and then I was runner-up at Mildura to Dean (Jamieson) and that was my first time going to a final.

“I am just stoked to do this in my first 12 months of racing. Joe Khoury has mentored me and built the motor in the bike – without him I wouldn’t be where I am now. And I so thankful too for the whole Modified Bike family that have been here too. Dean and everyone have been so helpful, and it is just such a great thing to be a part of – I wish I had started drag racing a lot earlier than 51 years of age! But here we are, and we will see what Sydney brings now in three weeks’ time.

“This for sure gives me some confidence heading there, and it is a good spot to be in. We will let this sink in overnight and into the next day or so, and then it will be time to get set for Sydney,” he concluded, while thanking his partner Georgie, stepdaughter Reagan, Joe Khoury, Cheryl Beddoes, Edge Mallis, Dean Jamieson, Rob Cassar, and Rob Church, noting, “they have all been great and everyone has had advice and helped along the way.”

JUNIOR DRAG BIKE

Winner – Riley Kilvington
Runner-up – Aliza Harris
#1 Qualifier – Cooper Plummer

In New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike, it was another WA racer taking the spoils, with Riley Kilvington taking the win over Aliza Harris in the final, having earlier taking the win from New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Cooper Plummer in round one ahead of a round two bye. Harris had lined up against Lawrence Raschella in round one, before defeating Austin Walpole in round two.

COMPETITION BIKE

Winner – Cheryl ‘MsVrod’ Beddoes
Runner-up – Michael Riches
#1 Qualifier – Cheryl ‘MsVrod’ Beddoes

In New Gen Business Park Competition Bike, top qualifier Cheryl ‘MsVrod’ Beddoes took the win over runner-up Michael Riches in the final. The pair faced off following three previous rounds of racing utilising the ‘Chicago Shootout’ format, with New South Wales rider Beddoes taking three from three wins over Riches (round one), Joe Khoury (round two), and Nathan Stone (round three), while Riches was successful in round two over Stone and round three over Khoury.

For full South Coast 660 results, please visit https://www.andra.com.au/series/results/

ANDRA thanks South Coast Raceway and all of its volunteers and sponsors for an outstanding racetrack and a well-run event.

ANDRA also thanks the participating companies of the ANDRA Racer Support Program, who rewarded the winners and runners-up of their sponsored brackets with gift vouchers today: Ballistic Performance Parts (Modified Bike, Junior Drag Bike), Atlantic Oils (Super Sedan), Powerplus Racing Fuels (Supercharged Outlaws, Super Gas), Speedflow Products (Supercharged Outlaws, Super Street), Shinko Motorcycle Tyres (Competition Bike), Maxima Racing Oils Australia (Competition Bike) and Race Parts Melbourne (Modified).

The next round of the 2025/2026 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Championship will be held at Sydney Dragway on Saturday January 24. The one-day spectacular will mark the return of ANDRA racing to the NSW venue for the first time in many years and will see sportsman and group one racers alike doing battle for more than $70k in cash and prizes. Entries for this event close on 12 January 2025, with almost 100 entries already received as of 9.00am Friday 2 January. For event info and to enter, go to www.sydneydragway.com.au

The final round will then be held at Dragway at The Bend, with all 11 championship brackets to contest a one-day final stand for ultimate championship glory on April 18. For event information, visit www.thebend.com.au/dragway

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The Australian National Drag Racing Association Ltd, or ANDRA for short, is the drag racing sanctioning body of Australia. The organization was created in 1973 from a more drag racing oriented faction of the Australian Hot Rod Federation. Today ANDRA sanctions races throughout Australia and throughout the year at all levels, from Top Fuel to Junior Dragster, on everything from temporary regional tracks to international standard facilities in capital cities. ANDRA and its members make drag racing a family-friendly, safe sport. So come along as a spectator or bring your street car to an “off-street” event and enjoy the excitement that is Australian drag racing. www.andra.com.au