Procomp Electronics | Motorsport ~ Nationals a challenge for Zap

The 2010 Fuchs Nationals held last weekend at Sydney Dragway proved to be a challenge for three times National Champion John Zappia, when he failed to qualify in the ANDRA Top Doorslammer field. This was the first time in four years that the team failed to qualify.

“A small fitting failure in the clutch system cost us a place in the field” said Zap, “But as a team we acknowledge that our power levels did not match the track conditions this time of year, and a little more work is required to manage that situation.”

Most teams struggled with the conditions, with unrepresentative passes, and engine failures common place during the event. Fellow West Aussie racer Robin Judd went on to win the event on a solo from Maurice Fabietti, who was unable to make the start due to damaging his engine and car in his semi final win.

“We were pretty confident going into the event. After blowing the tyres off on the first two qualifiers, we backed the Procomp HQ Top Doorslammer down even more for the final qualifier and suffered the fitting failure on the hit of the throttle – essentially locking the clutch up one to one. If you watch the video of the run, after I pedaled, the HQ took off hard and was wheelstanding for most of the run. I could not see much out the windscreen – this car is making so much power now it’s unreal”.

“We tested the car on the Sunday, and managed a very tidy 5.837 @ 245mph with the tune backed off heaps and soft. This run would have top qualified us and if the air fitting didn’t snap we could have been contesting the final – but as they say “anything can happen in racing” “

“The event was disappointing from a winning perspective – we are used to being in finals. But the season is early, and another back to back Championship is still within reach – we won last year from behind and there are still six rounds to go to make up ground on Judd and Fabietti. We have started each of the last two years with a crash and recovered to win the championship, so to non qualify with a sound car and tune up gives us confidence going into the rest of the season.”

Round 2 of the Pro Series Top Doorslammer Championship will take teams to Perth in December for the Goldenstates Titles. Zappia Racing will present the Procomp Monaro at two local events prior to this event, where they will compete in the much coveted Top Comp blown alcohol championships.

Procomp Electronics | Motorsport
Zap all set in Procomp Top Monaro Top Doorslammer

Three times back-to-back Australian Top Doorslammer Champion John Zappia has secured new Naming Rights Sponsors for the new 2010/2011 ANDRA Pro Series, ready for the opening Round at the Fuchs Nationals in Sydney, Australia.

“Procomp Motorsport have come on board as our new sponsor” said John Zappia this week in Perth, “we will be showcasing the uniform Procomp Motorsport Tear-Off Logo on the Craig Pedley’s ‘Crusher’ HQ Monaro Top Doorslammer for the coming season, in which I will drive and tune”.

Procomp Electronics | Motorsport, established in 1980, is an Australian owned international company, who pioneer in manufacturing and wholesaling a diverse range of performance parts for the automotive industry. The company has rapidly expanded with huge sales and distribution worldwide.

I am excited to be working with Procomp this year, and appreciate them joining our winning team. They are no strangers to the sport of drag racing, currently sponsoring our mate Lindsay Strassburg from B & J Racing Transmissions in their NHRA Top Fuel Dragster, as well as other successful teams. I have been dealing with them for over a year or so, using their high performance parts on my street car, and now I am looking forward to further innovating and developing their products. In doing so, Zappia Racing and Southside Engine Centre is Western Australia’s Authorized Dealer.   

Zappia os confident that we will see a “five seven” (5.7 ET) this year. When we ran the 5.805 National Record at the Winters it still had some left in it. We have a disadvantage over more modern cars in the field with the brick like front end of the HQ, but we may do some aerodynamic work with the car to get some higher speeds”.

“But winning Championships is our major focus, and that means having a consistently quick car with the depth of data, inventory and experience. We have all those and it’s hard to beat, and that is something all our sponsors and supporters enjoy so much” said Zap.

“The crew and I just can’t wait to go drag racing again. Putting on a good show for our fans is something we enjoy. Smoking those big Mickey Thompson slicks in huge long burnouts still gets me going”.

For more information visit www.zapsrat.com.au

Procomp Electronics | Motorsport and John Zappia Partner

Procomp Electronics | Motorsport would like to congratulate John Zappia on his third consecutive ANDRA Pro Series – Top Doorslammer Title and welcome him to the 2011 team line-up. With three successive ANDRA Top Doorslammer championships under his belt, the Procomp Electronics | Motorsport Team are looking forward assisting Zappia with his attempts of making it four.

However, what makes the partnership exciting is the “shared commitment to strive for higher outcomes each time and do so from strength to strength” said the Procomp Motorsport - Chief of the Racing Development Program. As both teams have a long-term view of constantly contending for the ANDRA Top Doorslammer Pro Series CROWN.     

About John Zappia:
John Zappia has a long history of crushing his opposition with achievements such as 1990 Drag Racer of the Year, 1995 Top Doorslammer Champion, the World's first Super Stock car in the sevens, the first doorslammer in the sixes and the second racer in the 200mph club. John Zappia has defended West Australian honour against the Eastern States and America on many occasions. In the 1989-90 season Zappia won every time he staged the car. Serious domination! Zap's Rat was the 1990 National's winner and top qualifier in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1995.

John Zappia’s Latest Achievements:

• 2009/2010 Australia ANDRA Top Doorslammer Champion
• 2009/2010 Winternationals Top Doorslammer Winner
• 2009/2010 Winternationals Top Doorslammer Top Qualifier
• 2009/2010 Karcher Tri-state Shootout Winner
• ANDRA Top Doorslammer National Record Holder 5.805
• 2009/2010 Perth Motorplex Top Comp Champion

Procomp Electronics | Motorsport - ANDRA Nitro-Champs

Sydney Dragway will be ecstatic, as they will be presenting the Nitro Championships race meeting, as this prestigious three-day event will feature the ANDRA Pro Series showcasing the ‘Kings of the Sport’ - Top Fuel Dragsters, as well as, full fields in the other Group One categories - Top Doorslammers, Top Alcohol, Top Bike and Pro Stock.

However, Deno ‘the Lunatic’ Brijeski and the Procomp Electronics | Motorsport team were ready for a strong weekend, as the Top Doorslammer was ready to tackle the quarter mile, after attending the one eight mile at Mildura’s Slam-Fest weekend. 

Being a three day weekend, Friday was time for Deno to produce his first qualifying run, however, being a Western Sydney Autumn night, the temperature seemed to be lowering rapidly and the track conditions seemed to become a little greasy. So when it was time to set the first qualifying time, Deno was able to produce a:

- 7.2 seconds run which put him in 4th position

The Procomp Electronics | Motorsport team were pleased that the car set-up was correct, because due to the conditions majority of the field found to had a problem and trouble with the track conditions.

Saturday’s conditions were similar to Friday, with the weather being cooler than desired, as Crew Chief Noel Parker said that he is confident that he can set the car well enough to get Deno down the track quicker than his competitors.

- 6.360 seconds @ 228 run which put Deno in 5th position

- 6.5 seconds run which left Deno in 8th position and into the Finals

Sunday meant it was time to stage for the quarter finals of the Nitro-Champs race meeting. However, Deno wasn't happy with the gear-box in which he qualified with, as he had first gear problems, so the Procomp Electronics | Motorsport team, then replaced it for him. Further more, the Procomp Electronics | Motorsport team knew they were in for a tough race, as Robin Judd (currently in first position) was next inline for Deno to compete against. However when it was time to stage Deno had, for the first time in his Top Doorslammer career, red lit against Robin Judd, handing him the win.

Procomp Electronics | Motorsport team would also like to thank the fans and students from the University of Wollongong, who came to show their support.

Both Deno Brijeski, Craig Burns and Procomp Electronics | Motorsport Team take to Mildura, for the first time in Australian history, when Top Doorslammers compete in the Slame-Fest one/eight mile Meeting.

The Australian Doorslammer scene shifts into overdrive on March 20th with the richest ever Top Doorslammer showdown to be held in Mildura, Victoria at the Sunset Strip.

While Top Doorslammers may resemble easily identifiable car bodies as represented by the Holdens, Chevs and Studebakers, the massive power plant hanging out of the bonnet is a dead give-away that these cars are a bit more than your average motor vehicle. That 3500 horsepower engine can propel these cars up to 320 kph over the eighth mile, with elapsing times in the high three-second range.

Deno Brijeski takes 2nd Place in first event of the Karcher Tri State Challenge !
 
The Karcher Tri-State Challenge is a race within a race with the final three events of the Top Doorslammer season. this weekends Westernationals in Perth, the Nitro Champs in Sydney and the season final the Winternationals in Brisbane. Also the Procomp Electronics | Motorsport Team would like to congratulate Deno on his second place !

Due to the release of the Procomp Motorsport BLACK LABEL, from the 23rd Summernats Car Festival to the 2010 Summernational race meeting, Crew Chief, Noel Parker and the Procomp Electronics | Motorsport Team had worked around the clock in allowing Deno Brijeski and Craig Burns the ablility to race both Top Doorslammers for the Summernational weekend, in which will be based around promoting the new Procomp BALCK LABEL product range !