ANDRA: IN UPHEAVAL DOWN UNDER

Words and photos by Jon Van Daal

The future of ANDRA (the Australian National Drag Racing Association) is very much up in the air as at the end of June three major Australian tracks advised all and sundry that they could no longer work with the sanctioning association and were going off on their own. We asked our Antipodean analyst, Jon Van Daal, to look into what the future holds.

It is hard to believe that a country that is some four-fifths the size of the USA only has a population the size of greater Los Angeles but that pretty much describes Australia. That said, Australians have always been known to punch above their weight as is currently seen with one NHRA "world" champion in Steve Harker and the current NHRA Rookie of the Year – the amiable Richie Crampton.

What you probably don't know is that even before a racer steps into a race car he has one arm tied behind his back. This is due to the low value of the Australian dollar (frequently described as the South Pacific Peso) and crippling import duties that nearly double the cost of parts and pieces that are imported into the great southern land.

As such it is not hard to see why many local racers (in all forms of motorsport) have left this county to try for fame and fortune in more cost effective climes with many reaching the top step of their respective discipline. They have as a springboard local tracks that are world class and have been a safe place to compete, and for drag racing the last 42 years have come under ANDRA sanction.

To give you some sense of what ANDRA represents to Australians, here is a quick history lesson. Originally, under the auspices of the Australian Hot Rod Federation, organised drag racing was heads up, however in 1973 the hot rod and drag racing factions split and ANDRA went on to introduce Group 3 (bracket) and Group 4 (index) racing to the wide, brown land. Working with the local FIA motor racing organisation (CAMS) they obtained insurance and safety standards that would help protect all straight-line racers when they competed at the track.

Over the years there hasn't been any real threats to ANDRA's reign aside from a short-lived cannonball across the bows from Calder Park and Adelaide Raceway owner, tyre king Bob Jane. Jane started AUSCAR (Australian Stock Car Auto Racing) that was the sanctioning body that ran American-style Superspeedway (NASCAR) racing for a few years in Australia. That was pretty much the sum of it until an article appeared in February in local motoring newspaper, Auto Action that said "ANDRA and IHRA On Collision Course".