Since he was a kid, Damon Paton has loved drag racing. He bought his first race car at age seventeen and was behind the wheel every chance he got. Late last year he joined the Aeroflow Nitro Funny Cars team and while racing Funny Cars might sound a little silly, speeding down a racetrack at over 500km per hour is serious business.
“Both Mum and Dad used to race, Mum only stopped racing because she fell pregnant with me. Dad continued to race until life got in the way and they sold their race car, but even after that we stayed involved at our local track,” shared Damon.
“As soon as I had a licence I started racing my street car. It wasn’t fast by any means, but it was a lot of fun and a good way to practice.”
Damon bought his first race car at seventeen then spent the next five or so years building it until at age 21 he started drag racing, quickly gaining a reputation in Supercharged Outlaws and Group 2 AA/FC.
But he’s always had a passion for Funny Cars so when he sold his race car last year and was approached to drive one, he jumped at the opportunity.
“Rocket Industries own the car but at race meetings it’s the Paton Family Racing team who are responsible for it.
“My dad, brother and uncle all work on the car with me and a lot of the crew that work at Paton Diesel Services also help out.
“Anyone who tells you drag racing is an individual sport has no idea what’s involved. It takes twelve people to make that car go down track and I just happen to be the one sitting in it.
“I guess that’s why it’s such a family sport – where else can you find twelve people willing to do all that work!”
Damon’s introduction to competing in Funny Cars began this year with the Xpro Nitro Funny Car Championship. The first race was in Adelaide, followed by another in Sydney and then in Brisbane. The Grand Final is August 23 at Sydney Dragway at Eastern Creek.
“I’m pretty happy with our performance so far. This first season in the car is more to hone the skills and learn as much as we can. Next season we will be aiming to bring home a championship.”
Funny Cars are not too dissimilar from Top Fuel cars which are among the fastest-accelerating machines in the world but have a shorter wheelbase and a carbon-fiber body that loosely resembles a production-based automobile. As Damon points out they’re funny looking – hence the name.
Purely designed to go fast in a straight line, Funny Cars are capable of speeds in excess of 330 mph and so far Damon’s PB is 313 mph. From start to finish in just a tad over four seconds!
“The G-force is around 5gs while we’re accelerating but then when the parachutes are released you hit a negative 5gs.
“We always say the fun starts when you go over the finish line and it’s time to stop the car.”
Powered by supercharged and fuel-injected 500-inch engines which are fuelled by nitromethane and methanol which are highly explosive, the cars have the potential to be incredibly dangerous.
“That risk is very real so safety is always the focus. You must respect the car and what you’re doing.
“Everyone involved is always aware and there’s training and processes that we go through just to make sure that no one gets hurt. In a way it’s very similar to how we run our workshop in the business.
“You’re relying on the people that you’re working with the same as what you do at your workplace.”
Damon said it’s been very gratifying to see people from his business get involved and be a part of the extended Paton Family Racing team.
“Of course they all love the thrill and whatnot, but it has also helped build relationships among our workforce and at the same time make them better at what they do because it’s all mechanical.
“Every time the car goes down the track for that four seconds the engine needs to be rebuilt. It really helps to sharpen their skills and gives them experience working in a high pressure environment which they then bring back to their everyday work.”
As for himself, Damon joked that the only reason he started his business was to help pay for what is a very expensive hobby.
“It costs around $8,000 every time the car goes down the track and each meet you go down the track six times.
“The car runs on a lot of money and a lot of manual labour. It’s not easy by any means, but it’s definitely rewarding, not just for me but the whole team.”
And of course for the spectators.
“When you see, hear and feel it in real life there is nothing like it. The sound can actually be measured on a Richter scale. Until you see the two cars launch and feel the whole grandstand vibrate, well you are missing out on something incredible.”
| Check it out for yourself by searching Paton Family Racing team on Facebook. |
