Willowbank's Tony Wedlock profile

Wedlock Wants Winning Ways To Continue At Willowbank

The bridesmaid tag may finally be loosening its grip on Queensland Pro Stock drag racer Tony Wedlock as he aims to move closer towards a maiden Australian Championship victory, during Willowbank Raceway's Tin Top Titles featuring Top Doorslammer and Travelaire Tours Pro Stock on April 24/25.

For more than 20 years Wedlock has wrestled to gain the top spot in the National ANDRA Pro Stock Championship but has consistently fallen just short.

Now with three wins from three starts this season it appears the demons of the past may have finally been laid to rest and the seasoned campaigner can finally capture that which has eluded him for so long.

"I've been runner up about six or seven times now and although things are going well at present we're far from being home free," said Wedlock who a fortnight ago secured his third straight victory of the season at Western Sydney's International Dragway.

"This season the crew and I are just out there having a great time and we haven't encountered any dramas.

"I've been racing long enough to know that you ride out the wins because it only gets tougher to maintain that winning formula especially when everyone else is looking to knock you off.

Wedlock's career best run began with victory during last season's Willowbank Winternationals and he has since savoured an uninterrupted campaign in 2003/04.

Further success during the Tin Top Titles will push his undefeated record to five straight championship victories and three straight at Willowbank Raceway.

"It'll be great to get back to Willowbank Raceway because we are moving into a period where I think everybody involved in Australian drag racing will realise the potential of Willowbank following the major resurfacing project undertaken last year.

"The weather is growing cooler in Queensland and that'll mean all cars will be quicker than what we saw earlier this year.

"The Championship has never been the focus for us and we've always concentrated on the next round so if we can capture further success in the Tin Tops then everything else will take care of itself.

Despite his impressive statistics, Wedlock only holds a 50-point advantage over Victoria's Peter Ridgeway, while fellow Toowoomba driver Denis Whiting remains in the title hunt a further 55 points away in third.

And while the Championship front-runner is happy with the performance of his Ultimate Financial Services Pontiac he is counting on some good fortune to counter a common variable in the Pro Stock series.

"Aerodynamically we're at a disadvantage to some of the other competitors and put simply we just don't have the fastest car.

"This is a problem that has plagued us in the past but if we manage to also pick up some speed or elapsed time bonus points from the Tin Tops that could finally tip the scales in our favour."

The Tin Top Titles serves as the major preliminary event to the Willowbank Winternationals to be held on June 11-13.

The Ipswich City Council is fully committed to motorsport in the region and is an active member of the Carnival of Horsepower promotion that seeks to encourage the general public to attend three major events on the Ipswich sporting calendar.

The Willowbank Raceway Winternationals will be held on June 11-13, the Ipswich Turf Club will host the Ipswich Cup on June 19 while V8 Supercars are featured during the 6th round of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship series at Queensland Raceway on July 2-4.

Tin Top Titles April 24/25, 2004 -- Featuring Top Doorslammer and Travelaire Tours Pro Stock

Other racing includes: iTEL Community Telco Supercharged Outlaws, Lifestyle Carpets and Vinyl SuperComp, Morgan and Wacker Competition Bike, Quarter Motive Modified, Ultimate Financial Group Super Sedan, Ian Boettcher Race Parts Super Street, Whale's Motorcycle World Modified Bike, Queensland Diesel Spares Junior Dragster, Morgan and Wacker Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson

-www.willowbank-raceway.com.au