Naicker destroys drag racing record
Sunward Park driver Logan Naicker (46) ripped apart the long-standing 800m Saldanha Drag record of 285km/h with his Alpha 12 Nissan Skyline GTR 35, in Cape Town, on Saturday, November 7.
He clocked 319km/h from standstill at the West Coast Racing event.
West Coast Racing hosts the 800m high speed event bi-annually at the Saldanha airstrip and this year saw more than 240 entrants vying for the 285km/h record.
Three-times South African national drag racing champion Naicker also broke the 308km/h super bike record over the distance, set by Garion Slamet during this year’s Easter Drags.
Furthermore, he broke both marks in his first attempt, with the 319km/h rush surging him past the finish line in 15.4 seconds.
In his total three attempts, Naicker clocked 319km/h, 309km/h and 313km/h – with the change in speed due to weather conditions.
He did, however, finish second overall on the day, with teammate Stelios Sissou taking the champion honours after clocking 323km/h in his Alpha 16 Nissan GTR 35 – emphasising the authority the Nissan Skyline GTR had over its challengers.
Stelios currently holds the 400m, 800m and 1km speed records in streetcar racing in the country.
Over 20 cars from Gauteng competed and seven made the top 10.
Naicker’s GTR 35, which boasts an Alpha 12 performance kit imported from the United States, is reported to breathe out 1 042kW of power, equivalent to 1 397BHP (horsepower) and 1 450Nm of torque.
It’s claimed to sprint from 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds before hitting a top speed flirting with 400km/h.
Naicker shares his thoughts about the achievement with the Advertiser
The Advertiser asked:
* Was this your best moment ever in your drag racing career?
Not really, I’ve raced with other vehicles, but in a full street car, yes, I’d say this is my best moment.
* Describe your thoughts and feelings when you broke the record…
I was overwhelmed, obviously. The bike is something very difficult to beat, but we beat it.
* Did you know you were going to break the 285km/h mark?
Yes, my aim was to hit 315km/h. – @SabeloBoksburg
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