Wacol photographer Mal Burgess has demonstrated a keen eye and a focused lens to secure overall honours in the inaugural Wallace Bishop Jewellers Photographic competition.
His image titled, ‘Sainty Explosion’ was taken at Queensland’s Willowbank Raceway during the Australian Nationals drag racing event last September and is currently featured among 20 finalists in a public exhibition at the Ipswich Art Gallery.
On hand to present the award and the accompanying 50-point half carat diamond first prize last night at the Ipswich Art Gallery, was Wallace Bishop Jewellers Chief Executive Officer and Group One Top Doorslammer competitor Stuart Bishop.
The World’s fastest jeweller was more than impressed with the quality of entrants during the inaugural competition and expects even bigger things over the next 12 months.
“Tonight we are also re-launching the competition into the 2007/08 drag racing season, which will be inclusive of shots taken by professional and amateur photographers at this weekend’s 40th Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway,” said Bishop.
“I’d like to congratulate Mal for his efforts plus all our category finalists and winners and particularly thank the drag racing fans throughout Australia who submitted entries.
“The whole idea with the Wallace Bishop Jewellers photographic competition is to give regular race goers an interactive opportunity at any track in the country and the chance to win some great prizes.
“Drag racing is a true passion of mine and I hope everyone has their camera at the ready during the Winternationals and takes plenty of good shots to submit into the competition.
“As can be seen by the finalists this year, we are looking at genuine creativity and something a little different with the images submitted. I encourage everyone to get their thinking caps on and hope we can come up with an even better collection of finalists next year.”
Willowbank Raceway will this weekend host the 40th Castrol EDGE Winternationals which will provide all amateur and professional photographers a chance to submit some great images from the biggest drag racing event in the southern hemisphere.
Burgess admits that sometimes being in the right place at the right time can be the key to capturing the best shots at a drag racing event and insists that this weekend is bound to provide many highlights both on and off the race track.
“Without doubt there’s a bit of luck to it but once you’ve experimented with a few different angles and tried a few things with the camera and location you start to gain an appreciation on what works best,” said an excited Burgess.
“It doesn’t get any bigger or better than the Castrol EDGE Winternationals and there’s a real sense of excitement about the whole event.
“Personally I’d like to thank Stu Bishop and Wallace Bishop Jewellers for creating the competition and encourage the fans in particular to bring along their camera and take some shots at this huge event.
“As the competition grows it’s bound to create greater enthusiasm among fans as well as the professional photographers and is a great advertisement for the sport of drag racing.
“It gives us an opportunity to showcase the unique cultural and artistic side to the sport that is rarely seen.”
Other winners who shared in the $20 000 worth of cash and prizes in the Wallace Bishop Jewellers Photographic competition were Paul Carruthers of Adelaide in the Stu Bishop category for professionals, Jesse Ahrens of Brisbane in the Stu Bishop category for amateurs and Russell Minter from Bundaberg for the general drag racing amateur category.
The Wallace Bishop Jewellers Photographic competition public display will run until July 29 at the Ipswich Art Gallery.
In a timely presentation, it will coincide with another major exhibition, ‘Eaten Alive – The World of Predators,’ which will dominate the Ipswich Art Gallery during this period.
The drag racing beasts of the quarter mile are sure to be in sync with this unique portrayal of formidable International animals, making the mid-year period from May 19-July 29 a must for children and families alike.
Drag racing fans young and old are encouraged to involve themselves in the second installment of the Wallace Bishop Jewellers National Photographic competition and be in the running to win some great cash and prizes.
Opportunities abound Australia-wide to shoot images at your local race track and forward them through the website www.stuartbishopracing.com.au to enter.
Simply by taking photos of all the drag racing action on and off the track, then submitting images into the competition, individuals will go in the running to win cash and prizes worth more than $20 000, courtesy of Wallace Bishop Jewellers.
The length and breadth of the country will play host to a vast array of quarter mile drag racing action, coordinated at the three major venues in Ipswich, Sydney and Perth, plus plenty of smaller hotspots in between.
It’s not just the major venues that will be pumping with quarter mile drag racing action in the 2007/08 season, as some of the smaller quarter and eighth mile facilities get in on the act.
Stretching along the East Coast of Australia, Victoria’s South Coast Raceway at Portland has regularly scheduled race meetings and it’s a similar story at Tasmania’s Motors-ACDelco strip.
Mildura’s Sunset Strip in Victoria, Darwin’s Hidden Valley Drag Strip and Queensland’s Palmyra Dragway (Mackay), Benaraby Raceway (Gladstone) and Warwick Dragway are also bound to have plenty of high speed thrills in store during the year.
Full details of the Wallace Bishop photographic competition are available at www.stuartbishopracing.com.au as is all the new up to date information relevant to the SBR team and the ’67 Camaro Diamond Doorslammer.
Website: www.stuartbishopracing.com.au
2007 CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS – JUNE 8-10
Entry List - Jack Daniel’s Top Doorslammer Mark Bardsley, Ray Bernard, Stuart Bishop, Ben Bray, Victor Bray, Deno Brijeski, Maurice Fabietti, Paul Greghini, Robin Judd, Peter Kapiris, Peter Lovering, Aaron Lynch, Sean Mifsud, Steve Packman, Kym Petterwood, Gary Phillips, Steve Stanic, Brett Stevens, Kath Stevens, Andrew Sutton, John Zappia
Racing Includes: Redcliffe Dyno and Performance Top Fuel, Motorsport Connections Top Alcohol, Jack Daniel’s Top Doorslammer, Travelaire Tours Pro Stock, Morgan & Wacker Top Bike, QT Pro Stock Motorcycle, Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyls Competition, Lifestyle Carpets & Vinyls Super Stock, Morgan & Wacker Competition Bike, Carpenter Ford Supercharged Outlaws, Bailey’s Brake & Clutch Modified, Ultimate Financial Group Super Sedan, Torque’s Cheap Performance & Wholesale Cars Super Street, Wolf Racing Power Products Modified Bike, Queensland Diesel Spares Junior Dragster, Powercruise 1 Day Powerplay Super Gas, Morgan & Wacker Screamin’ Eagle Harleys, Perfect Print Light of the Night
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