John Zappia had an eventful and successful weekend at the Nitro Max Blown Alcohol Allstars bracket race at Perth Motorplex on January 18th. His performance in the Dananni Hotshots/FUCHS Monaro was a mix of overcoming technical challenges and showcasing impressive driving.
In the first qualifying pass, John took a conservative approach, recording a 5.72-second run, focusing on a smooth, trouble-free pass.
During the second qualifying attempt, John pushed the car harder, resulting in a strong launch before the car unexpectedly shut down. Investigation in the pits revealed broken studs on the supercharger, which were swiftly replaced and had the car ready for round one.
Despite the setback, John qualified first with a 5.72 and earned himself a solo first round where he recorded a 5.680 at 251 mph, a strong performance that encouraged the team to increase engine power for subsequent runs.
In the A Final against Costello in the Altered, John faced a slight handicap advantage but stayed focused and maintained his lane after Costello briefly crossed into his lane. As John approached the finish line, a blower belt came off, but he still managed a 5.69-second run to secure the victory.
John acknowledged Costello's corrective driving after heading into his lane and credited the strong Dananni Hotshots/FUCHS Monaro performance to "...recent upgrades, including new Callies twist forged crankshaft, CP-Carrillo pistons and rods and High Speed Engineering sleeves fitted by Applied Automotive Engineering".
Looking ahead to the Westernationals, John is hoping for further improving his performance. "A new engine with upgraded components is being prepared, and the team aims to push the car harder to find its limits", said Zappia.
John also highlighted the contributions of the talented crew for both Top Doorslammers, emphasising their dedication, problem-solving skills and team spirit.
Following the Westernationals, Zappia will "...compete in the final round of the Summer Slam and then prepare for the Tailem Bend event, where both my nephew Brodie Zappia and I will race our Top Doorslammer Monaros".
John expressed excitement for the upcoming events, including the launch of new merchandise and the anticipation of pushing his Dananni Hotshots/FUCHS Monaro into new PB’s.
The team is meticulously preparing both cars for the upcoming races, ensuring all components are in top condition and spare engines are readily available.
This past weekend at Perth Motorplex was a bit of a rollercoaster, but more of a learning curve for the Brodie Zappia Team. "We started by testing a new fuel system in the MAX Plant Monaro, and it showed some real promise. However, I encountered a few hiccups with the supercharger lifting off the car during the 2-step launch", said Brodie.
Back in the pits, they discovered a misfire. The crew went about replacing several parts of the ignition system but kept the tune-up the same as the previous pass.
On the next run "...the car practically left the ground – we definitely found some missing horsepower! Now, the challenge is to tame this beast and find a new baseline for consistent performance", he said.
Despite these issues Brodie was still able to win the B Final (when Franky Taylor shutdown at the start) and gain more valuable point towards the Blown Alcohol Allstars Championship giving him a narrow 5 point lead over Costello.
"Looking ahead to the Westernationals, I'm hungry for more improvement. We're still learning the nuances of this combination, and I'm working closely with Aaron Deery from ADR Engines, one of my sponsors, to bring this motor closer to the level of Uncle John's".
Expect some serious behind-the-scenes upgrades as Brodie's crew aim for even more power and a shot at new PB’s.
Both teams are preparing for the upcoming Westernationals, with a focus on maximizing performance and reliability in the coming races.
Stay tuned by heading to www.zappiaracing.com and subscribing to our Newsletter.
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