The first ANDRA Christmas Trees of 2026 have been hoisted in celebration this evening as round six of the 2025/2026 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Championship – the South Coast 660 at South Coast Raceway – came to a close.
A record event field of more than 170 racers signed up for the two-day event, and while the performances on show from this exciting line-up were thrilling, at the end of the day only 11 could claim the ultimate winning honours.
When all was said and done, it was Graeme Spencer (Three Dimensional Construction Super Gas), Taylor Horton (Junior Dragster), Riley Kilvington (New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike), Matt Jones (Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike), Lisa Garbellini (Goodyear Racing Super Street), Alex Gkroidis (SA Drag Racers Association Super Sedan), Kenny Stewart (Gallagher Modified), Kasey McClure (New Gen Business Park Supercharged Outlaws), Tommy Turic (Top Sportsman), Cheryl ‘MsVrod’ Beddoes (New Gen Business Park Competition Bike), and Craig Geddes (Super Comp) who took home the ANDRA Christmas Tree trophies.
Jason Wilson (Three Dimensional Construction Super Gas), James Barlow (Junior Dragster), Aliza Harris (New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike), Bryan Finn (Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike), Malcolm Todd (Goodyear Racing Super Street), Peter Furlanetto (SA Drag Racers Association Super Sedan), Adriana Cartledge (Gallagher Modified), Shane Baxter (New Gen Business Park Supercharged Outlaws), Darryl Stephen (Top Sportsman), Michael Riches (New Gen Business Park Competition Bike), and Connor McClure (Super Comp) meanwhile were celebrated as the event runners-up.
Wilson, Todd, Peter Furlanetto, Cartledge, Beddoes, and Connor McClure had their hands full at the end of event presentations, also picking up the New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Medallions for their respective brackets, alongside Brock Furlanetto (Junior Dragster), Cooper Plummer (New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike), Dean Jamieson (Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike), Doina Day (New Gen Business Park Supercharged Outlaws), and Daniel Jones (Top Sportsman).
In Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike, the win went the way of Matt Jones – with the Koo Wee Rup (VIC) resident celebrating after a successful final against Bryan Finn. Jones ensured his spot in the final stand at the South Coast 660 with earlier victories over Peter Brunton (round one) and Derryn McGregor (round two) before a semi-final bye, while Finn had taken wins from Rob Church (round one), David McGinn (round two) and Jason Rattray (semis). By being the winner of Ballistic Performance Parts Modified Bike at South Coast 660 – which saw him take home his first ever ANDRA Christmas Tree – Jones also claimed the Phil Parker Memorial Trophy.
“It is an honour to have my name on a trophy for a bloke like that, a local to Portland, a Top Fuel Bike legend,” Jones said referring to the Phil Parker Memorial Trophy. “And my name will be at the Portland club forever now, which is a pretty big achievement for me for having been racing only 12 months. And to get my first ANDRA Christmas Tree as well – I don’t think it has all sunk in yet, but I am rapt.
“I have been to the semis a few times but never been able to get the job done, and then I was runner-up at Mildura to Dean (Jamieson) and that was my first time going to a final.
“I am just stoked to do this in my first 12 months of racing. Joe Khoury has mentored me and built the motor in the bike – without him I wouldn’t be where I am now. And I so thankful too for the whole Modified Bike family that have been here too. Dean and everyone have been so helpful, and it is just such a great thing to be a part of – I wish I had started drag racing a lot earlier than 51 years of age! But here we are, and we will see what Sydney brings now in three weeks’ time.
“This for sure gives me some confidence heading there, and it is a good spot to be in. We will let this sink in overnight and into the next day or so, and then it will be time to get set for Sydney,” he concluded, while thanking his partner Georgie, stepdaughter Reagan, Joe Khoury, Cheryl Beddoes, Edge Mallis, Dean Jamieson, Rob Cassar, and Rob Church, noting, “they have all been great and everyone has had advice and helped along the way.”
In New Gen Business Park Supercharged Outlaws, the ANDRA Christmas Tree went the way of Kasey McClure – ensuring her trip over from her home on the other side of the country (Serpentine, WA) was well rewarded. McClure took the win from Shane Baxter, following early victories over Mark Hunt (round one), and New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier, Doina Day (round two). Baxter meanwhile had defeated Jason Keily in round one before undertaking a bye run in the semi-final. As the winner of New Gen Business Park Supercharged Outlaws at the South Coast 660, McClure also takes out the Chris Stewart Memorial Trophy.
“This was my first 1/8th mile event. I got a handle on it fairly early and was happy with how the car responded, collecting some personal PBs,” McClure reflects.
“The South Coast Raceway in Portland is an awesome track, filled with welcoming volunteers, officials and fans.
“Winning the event and collecting an ANDRA tree along with the Chris Stewart Memorial is an absolute honour and made the journey from WA more than worthwhile.
“I now look forward to the challenge of Sydney for the ANDRA Drag Racing Masters event. My brothers have raced at Sydney, but this will be my first Sydney event, so I am very excited for another challenge and chance of running the dragster at a Gold tree event.
“This weekend was challenging as a team, having only six family members to run the two McClure Motorsport cars, so I would like to thank my family who always support me and give me the best possible chance of success.”
In Goodyear Racing Super Street, Lisa Garbellini was another taking a win for WA, triumphing over Victorian racer and New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier, Malcolm Todd. Garbellini came to the final in her Holden Commodore SSZ via wins over George Ritchie (round one), Dean Cleary (round two), and Andrew Smith (semi) while Todd had successfully faced off against Andrew Waight (round one) and Stefan Lainas (semi) with a round two bye in between.
“The weekend has been pretty good, the car went pretty consistently and after the two cherries (in qualifying) I sorted myself out and it all worked out in the end,” Garbellini explained.
“The win is just amazing. After the South Coast Nationals in early December (round one loss) it has been a bit of a redemption round! Paul was supposed to race, but he said I should, and I just really wanted a win to make it all worth it.
“I am over the moon, I just can’t believe it, it is still sinking in. It certainly makes the trip over worth it, and makes the trip home easier,” she smiled.
“Thank you to the Karanovic family, Jacob Mills from Australian Scrap Batteries, Mitch and Deb from WA Performance, AllFast Torque Converters, and LSX Powertrain for their support. Thank you also to my husband Paul for doing everything, and also South Coast Raceway and ANDRA.”
In Three Dimensional Construction Super Gas, bracket stalwart Graeme Spencer wrote another event win into his books, defeating New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Jason Wilson in the final. Spencer – a multi-time champ from Diggers Rest (VIC) – dispatched fellow championship holders Adrian McGrotty (round one) and Colin Griffin (round two) on his way to the final stand, while Wilson had ensured Warren Bull and Brodie Tedesco watched the rest of the event from the sidelines in rounds one and two respectively.
In Junior Dragster, Taylor Horton of Lethbridge (VIC) took out the ANDRA Christmas Tree trophy with victory over James Barlow. To make their way to the final, Horton had earlier dispatched Angelina Kondilis (round one), top qualifier Brock Furlanetto (round two), and Zayne Condello (round three) ahead of a semi-final bye, while Barlow had taken on Abigail Reed (round one), Bailey Hawke (round two), Madelen Datson (round three) and Cody Hunt in the semi-final.
In New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike, it was another WA racer taking the spoils, with Riley Kilvington taking the win over Aliza Harris in the final, having earlier taking the win from New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Cooper Plummer in round one ahead of a round two bye. Harris had lined up against Lawrence Raschella in round one, before defeating Austin Walpole in round two.
In South Australian Drag Racers Association Super Sedan, Alex Gkroidis ensured a return to the winners’ circle with victory over New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Peter Furlanetto. The Newport (VIC) racer opened his racing aboard his Ford BA GT with victory over Brian Keane (round one), Lisa Sherry (round two), Dimos Stefanopoulos (round three) and Benny Phillips (semi-final) while Furlanetto had earlier taken wins from Dave Sultana (round one), Dave Todd (round two), and Michael Hanrahan (round three) before a semi-final bye.
In Gallagher Modified, Tarneit (VIC) racer Kenny Stewart added another ANDRA Christmas Tree to his collection by taking the win from South Coast Nationals victor, Adriana Cartledge. Stewart’s victory over Cartledge – who was also the New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier for the South Coast 660 – followed face offs against David Bunnik (round one), Fiona Crisp (round two) ahead of a semi-final bye run, while Cartledge had emerged victorious from battles against Paul Fletcher (round one), and Dan Hodgins (round three) while enjoying a round two solo pass.
In Top Sportsman, Tommy Turic had plenty to smile about, collecting the event winning ANDRA Christmas Tree following his winning performance over Darryl Stephen in the final. Adelaide racer Turic and his Pontiac GTO made their way to the final by taking wins from Sam Cardinale (round one), and Stuart McBain (round two) with a bye in the semis, while Stephen had ensured that New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier Daniel Jones (round one), and Tony Miskelly (round three) advanced no further, while benefitting from a bye run in round two.
In New Gen Business Park Competition Bike, top qualifier Cheryl ‘MsVrod’ Beddoes took the win over runner-up Michael Riches in the final. The pair faced off following three previous rounds of racing utilising the ‘Chicago Shootout’ format, with New South Wales rider Beddoes taking three from three wins over Riches (round one), Joe Khoury (round two), and Nathan Stone (round three), while Riches was successful in round two over Stone and round three over Khoury.
In Super Comp, Australia’s most successful sportsman racer, Craig Geddes – of Lake Gardens in Victoria – took the win over WA’s Connor McClure. Earlier in the day, Geddes had taken on Shayne Reid (round one) before a semis bye, while McClure – the New Gen Business Park Top Qualifier for Super Comp this weekend – enjoyed a solo pass in round one ahead of victory over Chris Soldatos in round two.
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