Doorslammers, Not Just Racing.

Doorslammers, Not Just Racing.

By Mark Humphrey

Mention the word Doorslammer and instantly race fans think 2500hp monsters that pull mid 6 second passes at more than 230mph. Whilst to race fans that’s what it’s all about, for the teams themselves it’s a whole different story.Team Bray 

Yes these awesome machines put on a spectacle for the fans when they hit the strip but much more goes on behind the scenes to keep these teams viable. One crucial part of a Doorslammer team is the corporate backing of businesses that range from local outlets to national organisations. It’s the financial backing of these corporate partners that allow the teams to invest heavily in research and development in the bid to find that extra 50 horsepower or shave tenths off their elapsed times.

A quick walk around the pit area at any major meeting demonstrates the importance of backers to these teams with sponsor boards and signs flanking sign written race cars. For the big dollars categories like the Doorslammers, the teams go to extraordinary lengths to accommodate their corporate sponsors. Whilst mechanics go to work preparing and maintaining race cars during a race meeting, corporate sponsors are treated to complimentary beverages and meals in makeshift dining areas adjacent to the race cars. For the backers it’s an event that only the privileged get to taste and demonstrates the importance teams put on their financial partners.Team Bray expects to entertain up to 70 guests over the 2-day event.

I caught up with one of the icons of the sport Victor Bray from Team Bray and started by asking Victor about the team set-up, “Yeah today we have 20 or 30 guys helping out to prepare the two cars. On the national events we usually have around 50 crew members helping out” he said. 

Starting off his drag racing career in 1996 I sat with Victor reminiscing the good ol' days that consisted of ½ track burnouts and hero status performances. Returning to Calder Park I asked Victor about his time at Calder Park, “I have had some good results here and a lot of great memories from back in the day when 50,000 fans would rock up to a nationals. Back then we used to be called the wild bunch and we pretty much had a licence to do whatever we could to entertain the fans” he said. Bray was famous for sending his Castrol 57 Chevy down the strip laying a half track burnout much to the delight of the fans. Even his competitors would sit in the staging lanes waiting for Bray to start reversing back to the start before they did their burnout. This was a show these guys were putting on and there was no better showman than Victor Bray.

Now in a team with son Ben, I asked Victor how the sport had changed over the years, “well the equipment is much more sophisticated these days and you need to be right on top of your game. The mechanics of a race car are improving all the time with new technology being introduced into the sport on a regular basis’ he said.

Team Bray. Ben's Monaro (above) is being prepared while Victor's 57  waits for the final touch up.

And with new technology comes added expense to keep these machines on par with the pack. A crucial part of the team is corporate sponsorship. I asked Bray how important the corporate deal was to the team, "well it’s everything. Every team here is financed by corporate money with some teams lucky to have extensive backing. We are by no means the biggest backed team here today and no doubt we couldn’t put on a show without these supporters” he said. A quick glance into the service area and you can’t help but notice dining tables and chairs set out to treat the sponsors. I asked Victor what sort of involvement the team had with sponsors over the weekend, “we try to encompass them in the atmosphere of the team and racing as much as we can. Over the weekend we will most likely entertain around 70 people in the VIP area. These guys are so important to the team and we try to make them feel part of the team as much as possible” he said.

Who would have thought from the days of the ½ track burnouts with the Wild Bunch that Victor Bray would go on and be one of the first full professional drivers in Australian drag racing. The man has legend status written all over him and is just a small part of a sport that is Doorslammer Drag Racing. With the likes of Zappier, Kapiris and co, duking it out in Doorslammers is a tough but enjoyable business for Victor Bray.

Team Bray is at Calder Raceway this weekend to contest the Southern Nationals presented by Essendon Chrysler in conjunction with Fiat Professional. Racing starts today 1.00pm and Saturday from 12 noon. For more details go to http://www.calderparkdragracing.com.au/

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Street meets are a great way to try out drag racing and test the performance of your everyday street vehicle in a safe and legal environment.

Calder Park will be hosting ANDRA sanctioned street meets through the second half of 2013 so you can experience the thrill of Melbourne's own quarter mile.

Entry cost: $65 (includes $5 ANDRA divisional day licence)

Spectator entry: $25

To go racing at street meets, all you need is a street vehicle that passes basic safety checks on tyres, brakes, steering and liquid leaks. If you race a vehicle with a manufacture date of pre 1 January 2008 you can run up to 11.00 seconds without the need for a tech inspection or ANDRA licence. Vehicles manufactured post 1 January 2008 can run to 10.00 seconds without the need for a tech inspection or ANDRA licence. Check www.andra.com.au for specific information on safety and licence requirements.