ANDRA Celebrates Successful Return To Sydney Dragway
ANDRA Celebrates Successful Return To Sydney Dragway
The inaugural ANDRA Drag Racing Masters have brought the Australian National Drag Racing Association back to Sydney Dragway for the first time in years
As more than 150 racers from all across the country descended on Sydney Dragway on Saturday (January 24) for the ANDRA Drag Racing Masters, it marked not only the latest exciting hunt for ANDRA Gold Christmas Trees and championship points, but also the return of ANDRA drag racing to the NSW venue.
New Gen Business Park Competition Bike
Winner – Michael Riches
Runner-up – Cheryl ‘Ms Vrod’ Beddoes
#1 Qualifier – Edge Mallis
In New Gen Business Park Competition Bike it was Suzuki vs Harley when eventual winner Michael Riches lined up against runner-up Cheryl ‘Ms Vrod’ Beddoes. Running the Chicago Shootout format this weekend, both racers enjoyed wins in each of the preceding rounds, with Beddoes getting the best of Riches in round two. Before that, Beddoes enjoyed a bye, while Riches took a win over New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Medallion recipient Edge Mallis, who did not continue after round two today. In round three, Beddoes pipped a red-lighting Nathan Stone while Riches had a bye.
“Honestly, it feels amazing to win the New Gen Business Park Competition Bike class – it is my first finals win, and to take home a Gold ANDRA Christmas Tree is an amazing feeling,” Riches said.
“Getting a Gold ANDRA Christmas Tree is the pinnacle of drag racing for us, and (I did it) in only my second Competition Bike race, after stepping up from Modified Bike. So, I am extremely proud to be taking one home.
“The event ran flawlessly for us and I can’t thank ANDRA and the ANDRA staff enough for making this event happen, and I can’t wait to keep racing at more ANDRA events in the future.
“I also want to thank my partner Kristy for all of her help and support, the Formation Riders Social Motorcycle Club, Crux Leathers, Team Digga Motorsport, and Leonard and Deanne Azzopardi at Azzopardi Racing.”
Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike
Winner – Gareth Wilcox
Runner-up – Matthew Jones
#1 Qualifier – Dean Jamieson
In Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike Matthew Jones started the elimination runs with a bye, before sailing through to the final, where he faced off against winner, Gareth Wilcox, but not before ousting Rob Church in round two. Before dispatching Jones in the final, Wilcox had earlier defeated New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Medallion recipient Dean Jamieson in round two after Jamieson’s bye in round one. Before that, Wilcox sent Derryn McGregor packing in round one.
Extreme Motorcycle Masters
Winner – Alex Borg
Runner-up – Ryan Franks
#1 Qualifier – Alex Borg
In the feature brackets, the two-wheeled titans of Extreme Motorcycle had $3k on the line.
The Extreme Motorcycle Masters were absolutely rocking on Saturday as Alex Borg (6.972s/214.25mph) took the A Final win over Ryan Franks (7.111s/207.78mph). With nothing between Borg’s .062 and Franks’ .064 reaction times, it was anyone’s race from the outset, but Borg would go on to make it three from three in the final pass, while claiming the $3k prize as well as the Gold tree.
Borg’s two wins in each of the previous rounds over Brant Gilliver (7.066s/216.00mph v 10.857s/147.09mph) and Darren Foley were more than enough to send him through to the main event. Borg was also the first racer in the bracket to dip into ‘the sixes’ during the round two win (6.927s/215.44mph) over Foley (12.585s/53.53mph). Franks likewise had a solid run across the day, with a round one victory over Mike Lawson (7.124s/207.08mph / 8.291s/174.51mph) and again in round two (7.341s/202.82mph / 11.303s/82.73mph).
Jake Hamilton-Moderate also had a competitive outing of three seven-twenty passes and a comfortable win over Foley in round one and a solo pass in round two, capped off by the B-Final win (7.283s/200.83mph) over Brendan Miglionico, who struggled at the start line and wasn’t able to drive out of it. Leonard Azzopardi took the C-Final win in a solo run, while Tony Frost (7.350s/179.73mph) was going, going, gone in the D-Final to claim victory over Foley (7.966s/190.48mph) who had a troubled launch and ran close to the wall.
“I would like to thank ANDRA and Sydney Dragway for a great event, I really enjoyed the entire day and how smoothly everything ran for us and all of the other categories,” Borg said.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better day, and I really appreciate everybody for being so accommodating towards us; Extreme Bike is our family.”
New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike
Winner – Aliza Harris
Runner-up – Cooper Plummer
#1 Qualifier – Bailey Paul
In New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike Aliza Harris and Cooper Plummer both had multiple wins going into the final Chicago Shootout round, but it was Harris who got the job done to take the win over runner-up and New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Medallion recipient Plummer.
The final round was the second time the pair faced off across the day, with Plummer first taking the win over Harris. To start the day in round one, Harris took the win over Austin Walpole, while Plummer won over Bailey Paul. In round two, the pair switched things up, with Harris winning over Paul, and Plummer over Walpole, before meeting in round three and again in the final.
For full ANDRA Drag Racing Masters results, please visit https://www.andra.com.au/series/results/
ANDRA thanks Sydney Dragway 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), Shinko Motorcycle Tyres (Competition Bike), and Maxima Racing Oils Australia (Competition Bike).
Attention now turns to the 2025/2026 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Championship Grand Final on April 18 at Dragway at The Bend. It all comes down to this epic one-day show where racers across the 12 sportsman brackets will fight to see who will rejoice in all the championship glory.
For more information, please visit thebend.com.au/dragway
For more from ANDRA, visit andra.com.au
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