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(Sydney, NSW) Amanda 'Moo' Shepherd is one lady Top Fuel Racer who is just itching to open up the butterflies on her 500kmh, 8000hp Nitro beast against the American onslaught this SATURDAY and SUNDAY at Western Sydney International Dragway.
Shepherd has had a stunning start to the season with impressive pedal efforts, coupled with a Final round stoush against reigning Australian Champ Phil Read at the second round of the Top Fuel Championship at Willowbank.
Amanda has kindly provided us with her latest driver blog - check it out - and the excitement is palpable isn't it after reading this!
There's only a week to go until we get to go racing again and the adrenalin is starting to pump me up already. It will be an extremely action packed weekend at the USA vs Australian Top Fuel Invasion as we will get to smell the nitro fill the air and see Mike Dunn, Cory MacClenathan & all the other well known Aussie Top Fuel drivers pull to the staging lanes to battle it out.
It's always such a relief when you hear the engine fire in the work shop and that's exactly what the boys felt last weekend when the engine started. The boys put so much effort into getting the car ready between meetings and to hear that engine turn over means everything's how it should be and in the right place. In lead up to the Top Fuel Invasion, Mat has made some changes to some things on the car. He has moved the ignition and clutch timing to the end of the driver's foot because it was getting badly damaged from some of the fireballs we were experiencing and we have also put on a new injector. It makes the car look really different and she looks like she's ready to go racing. We have also made some tune-up changes so that hopefully, the car will come out of the trailer and run a solid high 4 second pas
Everything feels great with the car, however I have one fear at the moment and that is that we wont qualify and make it into the field. There will be 10 top fuel cars at the next meeting and they will all be going hard to qualify in the top 8 which means a couple of teams will be packing up shop earlier than hoped. The American's will be trying to break records and the other teams will be bringing out their best as well. It will be an extremely competitive weekend for all drivers and teams, however we will still go out there and do our best and have a great time whilst doing it.
I might be competing up against the big boys and getting a taste of the competition scene, however I am still the Rookie of Top Fuel and still on my "L" plates. I have a lot more to experience and the biggest thing I have learnt so far is that every single race you do down the ¼ mile is totally different. Whether it be after the finish line, or at half track when the clutch locks in and the car just wants to do its own thing and kick to the wall or kick to the center line, every single run is completely different to the one before. Dad is starting to give me some tips again and is always there to help me out with any questions that I have. Thanks Dad.
My Mum is starting to get nervous, My Brother has a great feeling about this meeting, My Dad is getting hyped up and the boys just cant wait to go racing. I on the other hand am starting to get in driving mode, pumped up and focused. I am starting to go through my procedure and what I have to do during the burnout and run in my head every chance I get.
I cant wait to pull to the line again in the beast and feel the adrenalin rushing through my body and to hear the engine idling and popping behind me. It will be fantastic to be on the start line with the American's and it should make a great weekend of racing. The weather will be extremely humid, the track conditions will be hot and sticky, just the way Mat likes it and the yanks will be trying to bring out their best. they better watch out because this Rookie is going to Go Hard Or Go Home.
Bring It On, Boys!
(Sydney, NSW) Amanda 'Moo' Shepherd is one lady Top Fuel Racer who is just itching to open up the butterflies on her 500kmh, 8000hp Nitro beast against the American onslaught this SATURDAY and SUNDAY at Western Sydney International Dragway.
Shepherd has had a stunning start to the season with impressive pedal efforts, coupled with a Final round stoush against reigning Australian Champ Phil Read at the second round of the Top Fuel Championship at Willowbank.
Amanda has kindly provided us with her latest driver blog - check it out - and the excitement is palpable isn't it after reading this!
There's only a week to go until we get to go racing again and the adrenalin is starting to pump me up already. It will be an extremely action packed weekend at the USA vs Australian Top Fuel Invasion as we will get to smell the nitro fill the air and see Mike Dunn, Cory MacClenathan & all the other well known Aussie Top Fuel drivers pull to the staging lanes to battle it out.
It's always such a relief when you hear the engine fire in the work shop and that's exactly what the boys felt last weekend when the engine started. The boys put so much effort into getting the car ready between meetings and to hear that engine turn over means everything's how it should be and in the right place. In lead up to the Top Fuel Invasion, Mat has made some changes to some things on the car. He has moved the ignition and clutch timing to the end of the driver's foot because it was getting badly damaged from some of the fireballs we were experiencing and we have also put on a new injector. It makes the car look really different and she looks like she's ready to go racing. We have also made some tune-up changes so that hopefully, the car will come out of the trailer and run a solid high 4 second pas
Everything feels great with the car, however I have one fear at the moment and that is that we wont qualify and make it into the field. There will be 10 top fuel cars at the next meeting and they will all be going hard to qualify in the top 8 which means a couple of teams will be packing up shop earlier than hoped. The American's will be trying to break records and the other teams will be bringing out their best as well. It will be an extremely competitive weekend for all drivers and teams, however we will still go out there and do our best and have a great time whilst doing it.
I might be competing up against the big boys and getting a taste of the competition scene, however I am still the Rookie of Top Fuel and still on my "L" plates. I have a lot more to experience and the biggest thing I have learnt so far is that every single race you do down the ¼ mile is totally different. Whether it be after the finish line, or at half track when the clutch locks in and the car just wants to do its own thing and kick to the wall or kick to the center line, every single run is completely different to the one before. Dad is starting to give me some tips again and is always there to help me out with any questions that I have. Thanks Dad.
My Mum is starting to get nervous, My Brother has a great feeling about this meeting, My Dad is getting hyped up and the boys just cant wait to go racing. I on the other hand am starting to get in driving mode, pumped up and focused. I am starting to go through my procedure and what I have to do during the burnout and run in my head every chance I get.
I cant wait to pull to the line again in the beast and feel the adrenalin rushing through my body and to hear the engine idling and popping behind me. It will be fantastic to be on the start line with the American's and it should make a great weekend of racing. The weather will be extremely humid, the track conditions will be hot and sticky, just the way Mat likes it and the yanks will be trying to bring out their best. they better watch out because this Rookie is going to Go Hard Or Go Home.
