RANDALL MORTIER

RANDALL Mortier brought his silver VK Commodore back to Drag Challenge 2017 for another tilt at the K&N Dial Your Own class. While he finished ninth in the DYO standings this year, the real story was all the help he offered fellow competitors on the road stages, which won him the sought-after Spirit Of Drag Challenge award.

“You see mates pulled over by the side of the road, so you pull over and lend a hand and see if they’re okay,” explains the proprietor of Headzup Performance Engines and engine builder for Competition Engines. Randall actually put together the 2100hp 601ci donk in Paul Hamilton’s Turbosmart Outlaw Blown-winning XA Falcon.

“We helped people on the side of the road, in caravan parks, wherever. I know what it’s like – you spend the whole day driving these cars around, so it is really hard and taxing on you.”

Randall Pbed his aspo 355ci VK at Drag Challenge, running a 10.00@135mph, even managing a 10.14 in the searing heat of Adelaide on Day One! But the event is about so much more than numbers on a timeslip for him.

“At the end of the day everyone is there for a bit of fun and camaraderie, and I’d love to see everyone finish,” he says. “I had an absolute ball, drove there and back, hung out with my mates, and raced my car. I love the experience and atmosphere, the cars, the people – the whole thing is awesome!”