Lavington boasts a new world-record holder.
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Perry Bullivant posted a drag racing mark of 348kmh (217mph) at the Sydney Dragway.
He clocked 6.67 seconds for 400m, winning his fourth successive national title in the Outlaw Radial Class.
“It’s not nerve-wracking, in fact you can get complacent at times, you feel very comfortable,” he said. “You just need to get the first pass of the day out of the way.”
Bullivant’s vehicle pulls a g-force of 2.8. A space shuttle launch is around 3gs.
“I’ve had a mate say your vision just becomes blurred, it’s like tunnel vision,” he said.
The Chevrolet Camaro boasts 2500 horsepower, while a V8 Supercar is around 700.
“It’s a safe sport, I’ve had the one crash three years ago at about 140mph where I turned the car sideways,” he said.
“There was some structural damage to the car, nothing major, and I wasn’t hurt.”
The mechanic started in circuit events before tackling drag racing six years ago.
“I do it for the love of it,” Bullivant said.
It’s not nerve-wracking, in fact you can get complacent at times, you feel very comfortable
- Perry Bullivant
“I’ve got some good sponsors who take care of me.”
Bullivant competes in a series of races throughout Australia, including Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, with the furthest point at Gladstone in Queensland, a 3400k round trip.
He came into the final round at Sydney Dragway in second place, scraped into the final and then claimed another title.
“We’ll contest the same category next year, but we’ll be powering the car up,” he said.
“It’s a new engine combination, and we’re doing that to keep ahead of the game.”
And Bullivant says the key to success is surrounding himself with a strong team, who he trusts.
- This article first appeared on The Border Mail