The Sunday News
Motoring with Lovert Mafukure This is the last drag racing event for the year and it’s set to fire up Bulawayo on 22 October. The previous public drags drew so much public support with the BMCs race legal campaigns. This event is set to bring top competitors from Harare to battle it out on the black tarmac.
The Top dragsters expected to race include Hussein Rahman, Darren Pragji, Zane Shah, Terry Allberry, Alan Cacaci, Mano Zevgolis and Tyron Ferreira just to mention a few. Terry Alberry and Darren Pragji whose times stand at 11,6 and 12,2 on the quarter mile respectively will once again try to improve their records. New players are expected and with the wave of fast cars coming out of the closets, who knows what is coming out to play on the 22nd, we just wait and see.
The AC cobra driven by Terry Alberry has had quite a bit of work done to it. A carburetted 5,7litre small block V8 Chevy is running the show under the hood aided by some nitrous oxide injection. In proper drag racing fashion, this monster has a 2-speed Chevy automatic transmission. All this madness is transferred to the Mickey Tomson drag slicks by a Jaguar differential geared for some cool 200km/hr. It is a proper drag racing car. The body-work was done by Styling Auto of course and the results are amazing. They married an imported body kit into this baby and finished it off in electric blue. It looks like something for the show room or the museum not race track but either way it disappoints not!
Terry Alberry’s history in drag racing dates back to the 70s and his only goal now is to break into the 10 second bracket and at 11,6 seconds he’s not too far off, he’s just about there and that makes the AC cobra the fastest car in Bulawayo currently.
Weighing at only about a ton with loads of traction from drag slicks, it can only get better. Let’s see if he beats his own record this coming drags. It is indeed a show not to miss.
The man that needs no introduction and with a personal best of 12,2sec for the quarter mile in his single turbo Subaru Imprezza WRX is Darren Pragji. He calls it the Endless killer. Boasting of an HKS engine management system, upgraded to bigger turbo, HKS bigger injectors, HKS performance exhaust and HKS intercooler it’s a monster to watch out for. This endless killer promises to put up quite a show.
Following the previous Telecel drag series in Harare, the friendly rivalry continues. Harare will bring the fastest car in Zim, the 4A GZE Toyota MR2 piloted by the turbo king Mano Zevgolis, Bulawayo will be represented by Terry Alberry’s blue AC Cobra as it currently holds the Drag king trophy, it is the car that showed the Harare guys that Bulawayo does have super dragstars. As we speak I’m sure Mano zevgolis and the rest of the guys are working their magic to improve from previous performances, this is a show not to miss because the AC Cobra is not about to go down very easily.
As usual there are different classes with the Class A Cars with engines up to 1600cc, Class B cars up to 2000c, class C cars with engines up to 2500, class D cars with engines up to 3000cc then E is open class with all other bigger engines.
Turbocharged vehicles only have two classes. Those with up to 2000cc and those over 2000cc. Tim Shultz, Leslie Carlson and Matthew Schultz are some of the few riders that will there on the Day. Leslie Carlsson will be battling to keep his King of drags crown which he has had for 3 years running. His best time at the last Harare drags was 10,38.
Total lubricants are making it possible for this drag racing series with their sponsorship. The Bulawayo motoring club has also been on a drive better the motorsport and also changed the name of the fall road circuit to Bulawayo Motorsport Park. It’s a bit more accommodative to all kinds of motorsport which is what BMC is all about.
As usual its $5 entry for adults and Kids fewer than 12 are free to watch the mayhem come October 22. There will be full bar and catering on the day. Those wanting to race need to register at 10am. If you are an armature requiring some training be at the start line at 10.30. It is always advised to race the track and not the streets and if you have what it takes bring your car and driver’s licence with you. All drivers and bikers alike are required to have a valid driver’s licence. See you there!
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