Pressure Rising as New Gen Business Park Competition Bike Contenders Chase Gold at The Bend

The New Gen Business Park Competition Bike bracket is shaping up as one of the most stacked and unpredictable championship battles of the ANDRA Grand Finals, with an extraordinary five riders arriving on the maximum 300‑point cap ahead of the April 18 decider at Dragway at The Bend.

Cheryl “MsVrod” Beddoes, Jake Hamilton‑Moderate, Edge Mallis, Joe Khoury, and Nathan Stone all enter the finale tied at the top, while Michael Riches (230) and Adam Rapp (210) remain capable of influencing the final outcome.

With so many contenders still in the hunt, and Beddoes also chasing the prestigious John Storm Memorial Trophy, New Gen Business Park Competition Bike is set for a dramatic and high‑pressure finish.

Beddoes has been a model of consistency throughout the season and is hopeful of securing her first ANDRA championship.

“I am feeling really excited and at the same time a little nervous leading up to the championship,” she said.

“My consistency has seen me lead the point series all season, however, I am up against some greatly experienced racers who are all on the points cap too.

“To be able to win the championship would be a dream come true for me. My plan as always is to ride with passion, focus, and consistency, ensuring the bike and I are always one. Let’s do it for the girls!”

A John Storm Memorial contender, Beddoes said winning the award would be deeply meaningful.

“It would be such an honour and a privilege to win the John Storm Memorial Trophy,” she smiled. “Given the fantastic line‑up of racers who have won that award, it would really be surreal.”

Also entering the finale on 300 points is Jake Hamilton‑Moderate, who is eager to unleash the full potential of his machine.

“I am always looking forward to racing weekends! I am really hoping we get a good track so we can turn the bike up,” he said.

“If all goes well, I’m confident we can reset the record. I have just got to keep myself away from that red light for the weekend and get some good track time.

“I would be racing Extreme Bike exhibition for the event if I wasn’t on the points cap, and I am really excited for the locals to see them out, I am hoping we can push for a bracket for next season – with some of the fastest bikes in the country, they put on a good show. I am hoping for some consistent 200+ mph passes.”

Current John Storm Memorial winner and Edge Mallis is also firmly in the mix.

“If anyone hasn’t noticed yet, Competition Bike has the (equal) highest number of points‑cap racers of any class (tied with New Gen Business Park Junior Drag Bike), with five of us heading into the Grand Final,” Mallis said.

“It really comes down to who’s standing tallest on the day; that’s who takes the chocolates. And if they also win the meeting, it is a double Gold Tree, which makes it even more special.

“We’ve got the package to go all the way to the pointy end of the meeting. For me, it is about putting it all together on the day. If I can do that, I’m confident we’ll be right in the mix.

“Turning 66 just two days before the event, it would be a fantastic way to finish the season. After taking out the ultimate trophy last year, securing the ANDRA Championship would really top it all off.”

Another former champion, Joe Khoury, heads to the finale on the cap, despite having had a tumultuous ride so far this season.

“I’m feeling quietly confident heading into the ANDRA Grand Final,” he said.

“I’ve been kind of lucky to be on the points cap. Cheryl (Beddoes) and I have been fortunate to travel to all the rounds, and I’ve grabbed a win and some runner‑ups. But I also blew some engines along the way, as I’ve been developing a new bike that has taken some time and money to get it to perform.

“So, I’ve actually been racing two bikes in two different classes in Comp Bike. If the new bike performs on the day, it will go way under the index, giving me a great head start against the competitor in the other lane.

“I won the championship three years ago, so winning it again would be a great feeling of reward and emotion.”

Rounding out the capped riders is Nathan Stone, who will be returning to the Grand Finals for the first time in more than a decade.

“I am feeling okay at the moment coming into the final, but the nerves will come, I’m sure,” Stone said.

“It’s been 11 years since I have been to a Grand Final, so to make the cap after lots of problems this year is pretty exciting.
“To win with my son Corey and brother Matt and the rest of the team would be unbelievable. We probably need to find a few tenths to be competitive, but we’ll see what happens. We just hope to go faster every pass, and if we do that, we’re in with a chance.”

To see the current points standings heading into the decider, please click here.

For all the details on the ANDRA Grand Final, please click here.

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The Australian National Drag Racing Association Ltd, or ANDRA for short, is the drag racing sanctioning body of Australia. The organization was created in 1973 from a more drag racing oriented faction of the Australian Hot Rod Federation. Today ANDRA sanctions races throughout Australia and throughout the year at all levels, from Top Fuel to Junior Dragster, on everything from temporary regional tracks to international standard facilities in capital cities. ANDRA and its members make drag racing a family-friendly, safe sport. So come along as a spectator or bring your street car to an “off-street” event and enjoy the excitement that is Australian drag racing. www.andra.com.au