Record-setter goes close to NZ title

GRUNT MACHINE: The Wanganui dragster is the fastest in the country, but finished second in the New Zealand Championships.PHOTO/FILE

A Wanganui dragster came within two points of winning the national title in Masterton last weekend and set a New Zealand record.

The Grant and Adrian Rivers-built 500cu big-block supercharged Chevrolet motor runs on alcohol and produces a massive 2000hp.

During its quarter-mile run last weekend the dragster set a national record, crossing the finish line in 6.7 seconds with a top speed of 201mph (323.5km/h) on the Motorplex track. The result gave the Rivers No2 in New Zealand.

"We won the title last year, but this year we only attended two of the five rounds because of work commitments here, so we're pretty happy with the result," Grant Rivers said yesterday. "The weekend before last we won every round in Nelson and at Masterton we broke the national record by half a second."

The dragster was built in-house at Rivers Speed and Spares in Wanganui by Grant and 27-year-old son Adrian.