Judd aims to finish season with a win
Posted: Monday, June 6, 2011. Photo by: Grant Stephens

Top Doorslammer drag racer, Robin Judd, is looking to finish the 2010-2011 (Australian National Drag Racing Association) ANDRA Pro Series the same way he started, with a win.  

Perth-based Judd won the season-opening Australian Nationals, for the second year in a row, at Sydney Dragway last September. This weekend, Judd is now looking to win the season-ending Winternationals at Willowbank raceway.

Judd, who has been runner-up at the past two (2009 and 2010) Winternationals, is keen to make his third successive Winters final and that the third time will be lucky for him.

At last year’s Winternationals, Judd was also vying for the Australian Top Doorslammer championship with arch-rival John Zappia, which came down to the last race of the series – the Winternationals final – and which saw Judd losing the championship by 16 points.

While Judd concedes he can not win the 2010-2011 Australian Top Doorslammer championship, a win at the Winternationals could see him again runner-up in the ANDRA Pro Series and go some way in avenging last year’s loss.

“It has been a mixed season for the Aeroflow/Mickey Thompson/William Buck team. We made a good start to the (ANDRA) Pro Series with a win and points lead, but then struck some issues with the car that we have had rouble overcoming. The car’s performance has been inconsistent, which has really tested our brains trust all season,” Judd said.
  
“We made several changes to the car throughout the season, most of which did not work. We have decided to go back to our old Willowbank track baseline tune-up – we hope the track is as sticky as usual – which has seen us run in the 5.8-second zone. Our objective is to run consistent 5.80 (seconds) this weekend.”

With 21 Top Doorslammer racers vying for a spot in the Winternationals’ eight-car championship field, Judd admits just qualifying for this weekend’s event will be tough.

Judd is also keen to keep his qualifying streak intact, which has so far seen him make the field at 23 consecutive Top Doorslammer championship events. The most since the ANDRA Pro Series came into play.  

“Willowbank Raceway is one of our favourite tracks and we have performed well there.  We have had some good results at that track and if we can get a handle on the conditions early, I would like to think we can qualify in the top half of the field and then go (elimination) rounds. Our goal is to win it (the event) and finish the season on a high note.”

Robin Judd quick facts

Quickest-ever pass; 5.822sec at Perth Motorplex, October 31, 2009. 

Fastest pass, 249.31mph (401.13kph) at Willowbank, January 3, 2009.

Won Top Doorslammer at the 2009 and 2010 Australian Nationals (Sydney Dragway) and 2009 Goldenstates (Perth Motorplex), Adelaide 2001 and 2000 Tin Tops (Willowbank). 

Former Top Doorslammer National Elapsed Time record holder – 5.868sec set at Perth Motorplex, November 16, 2008. 

Has held the National Elapsed Time record on three occasions. 

Has recorded 55 five-second Top Doorslammer passes, including 22 in the 5.8sec zone. 

The first Top Doorslammer racer in Australia to run a 6.1-second pass – 6.179sec at Willowbank, June 9, 2000 

The fifth Top Doorslammer racer in Australia to run a 6.0-second pass – 6.095sec at Perth Motorplex, December 3, 2004 

The sixth Top Doorslammer racer in Australia to run a five-second pass – 5.947sec at Willowbank, June 7, 2008. 

The first Top Doorslammer racer in Australia to run a 5.8sec pass – 5.868sec at Perth Motorplex, November 16, 2008. Only five racers have recorded 5.8sec passes in Australia. 

One-half of Australia’s first-ever side-by-side five-second pass (Judd 5.946/242.20 – John Zappia 5.858/246.58) at Willowbank, April 19, 2009. 

One half of Australia’s fastest side-by-side Top Doorslammer pass (Robin Judd, 249.21mph – Mark Belleri, 249.07mph) at Willowbank, June 12, 2010 

Competed in 77 of the 103 championship series events staged to date. 

Third on the all-time Top Doorslammer Championship point’s ladder with 4702 points. 

Three-time winner of Willowbank Raceway Best Paired Run by an Out of Division Racer. 

Has so far qualified for 23 consecutive ANDRA Pro Series Top Doorslammer championship events.