NO EXCUSES #2 BROUGHT HEADS-UP RADIAL RACING TO BALLARAT
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Just before COVID-19 hit, we got a big dose of radial action at Ballarat Airport
FOLLOWING the success of the inaugural No Excuses event back in December 2018, organiser Paul Sera and the Radial Life team knew they were onto a good thing and returned with No Excuses #2 in late February. Thankfully, the gloomy Victorian weather decided to give it a rest for a day and provided blue skies, sunshine and comfortable temperatures. The Ballarat Drag Racing Club blocked off one of the Ballarat Airport runways and the racing was on!
No Excuses is a radial tyre-only event with four classes (235, 275, 325 and AWD) and extra prizes awarded for various performances like the obligatory Best Burnout. As the title implies, No Excuses doesn’t involve winning with dial-ins or best average times – when the light goes green, the first car to reach the other end of the eighth-mile track gets the chocolates. There were 69 entrants in all sorts of crazy-fast machines, ranging from 60s muscle to VF Clubbies, along with a significant number of Supras and Skylines lining up to stick it up the V8s.
The classes at No Excuses are based on tyre width. The 235 class is aimed squarely at quick street cars, with limitations like full exhaust to the diff, no methanol and only one power adder allowed. Once you step up to 275, the only limitation is a maximum of two power adders, and in 325 and AWD the only rule is that those tyres have gotta be radials! The icing on the cake is the promise of cash prizes for class winners, not to mention the coveted bragging rights – anyone quick enough to take the flag on a windy Ballarat airstrip would certainly be a formidable opponent on a more forgiving track.
THERE WERE 69 ENTRANTS IN ALL SORTS OF CRAZY-FAST MACHINES, RANGING FROM 60S MUSCLE TO VF CLUBBIES
IT’S ABOUT WHO CAN DELIVER THEIR POWER THE BEST, NOT NECESSARILY WHO HAS THE MOST POWER. YOU HAVE TO DRIVE SMART
ANYONE QUICK ENOUGH TO TAKE THE FLAG ON A WINDY BALLARAT AIRSTRIP WOULD BE A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT ON A MORE FORGIVING TRACK
Even with its difficult surface, Paul loves the airport track. “The best part about Ballarat is it’s about who can deliver their power the best, not necessarily who has the most power,” he said. “You have to drive smart.” The event isn’t no-prep, so at least there’s some sticky stuff covering the first 60 feet, but that doesn’t mean it’s a doddle. There were more than a few hairy moments at the deep end that might have necessitated a change of undies for some drivers, but thankfully nothing worse than some premature tyre wear resulted.
Unfortunately, not everything went to plan, with the timing gear suffering an altercation with a car during the middle of the competition, but the team found a way around it. “We had officials at the finish line, and we had some races that were so close the drivers couldn’t even tell who won,” said Paul.
With 1000 spectators through the gates and a fantastic grassroots atmosphere, No Excuses #2 was a great day’s racing for all involved and so successful that planning for #3 is already underway. Make sure you check it out!