Record-breaking Westernats
Over more than three decades involved with the sport of drag racing, Geoff Chaisty has become a legend in the Super Stock community.
The two-time national champion (1998 and 1999) stepped away from driving in 2009 to focus on the racing exploits of his sons Jake and Jamie Chaisty, who have since each laid claim to national Super Stock titles of their own with their dad’s support behind them.
Now, Chaisty is looking to make his competitive comeback to the sport he loves starting with this weekend’s Super Sportsman Showdown at the Perth Motorplex (February 14).
“I have done a bit of testing in Leon Whitnell’s eight second XD Ute in the last few years, but this will be my first time racing proper since 2009 and it will also be the first time my VS Commodore has been on a racetrack since then as well,” said Geoff, who thanks his wife Janine and his sons as well as Jodi Racco and Geoff Simpson for their support.
“Back then I decided to step away to support Jake and Jamie in their racing and to a degree I just wasn’t feeling that burning desire to drive at that time.
“My passion for the sport hadn’t gone anywhere and it still hasn’t, I was just getting far more out of supporting the boys and going racing with them than I was from steering myself at the time.
“For me it has always been about racing together and I have gotten so much enjoyment out of racing with Jake and Jamie over the years and that is probably why my car has sat idle for so long.
“Over the years we have talked about bringing my car back out and me jumping in the seat, so we could run both cars and go racing all together, but it has spent all its time until recently under a car cover in the garage.
“In the COVID-19 lockdowns towards the beginning of last year I started having a bit more spare time, so I began tidying up a few things on it with the idea of running at the 50th Westernationals.
“Now we find it is ready in time for the Super Sportsman Showdown, so we are looking forward to getting out there and getting the required familiarisation passes completed and see how we go in the event!”
Chaisty plans to alternate between cars in future events at the Motorplex, with his car in Top Sportsman and his sons continuing to compete in Super Stock.
“We are excited to run both cars, with the boys running in Super Stock and myself competing in Top Sportsman,” he explained, while thanking the team’s sponsors A1 Hi Performance, Applied Automotive, C&R Motorsport Developments, Motorsport Database, RACIN Tyres and Accessories and Peter Veersma for the transmissions.
“We decided to proceed like that because the Super Stock H/MSA Commodore is still our main priority and we didn’t want to be running two cars in the same bracket.
“We still have some unfinished business in Jake and Jamie’s car and some goals we want to achieve. I definitely still have a lot of passion in my heart for Super Stock, but this project is all about getting out there and having some fun.
“The boys are definitely keen to get into it and to get back involved with me racing – they grew up around it and I think they are as keen to crew on my car as they are to go racing their own.
“I am pretty excited too and am really looking forward to having a drive of it this weekend, and to have both cars on the track together for the Westernationals will be absolutely fantastic.”
The Super Sportsman Showdown on Sunday February 14 will feature a whole host of drag racing action including Top Comp, Supercharged Outlaws and Outlaw Radial drag racing, with $25 all-access spectator pricing including pit entry. On-track action will run from 11.00am to 6.00pm (approx). For more information, visit www.motorplex.com.au
Pic: Geoff Chaisty in the final (which he won) of the 2008 Westernationals. Pic by Luke Nieuwhof.
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