Graham West did the car roof-top dance to loud cheers and applause when he took on some of the biggest, fattest race cars in his division while driving his Torana to win the SSA Modified Sedans West Coast Classic 2024 at Avalon Raceway on Friday 12 January. 

Graham won the state title in 2002 and again in 2014. He has also won the state series four times. “I love the challenge of keeping my car fast and the sense of achieving something in an old car that people think can’t be done.”  

It all started when Graham’s father – a car enthusiast who enjoyed going fast in paddocks, with young Graham and his brothers and sisters taking turns in the back seat. From then, Graham and some of his siblings developed an interest in motorsports. They started racing at a young age and eventually transitioned from being enthusiasts to competitive drivers. 

The Torana is a car model that was popular in the 1970s. The roof and chassis of Graham’s car are from a Torana, while the rest of the car is incorporated from other parts.

“Growing up with Dad was interesting. He was a car enthusiast and loved going fast. He didn’t really get into motorsports himself, but he did build an old car with us when we were teenagers. We had a lot of fun working on it together. Overall, Dad’s love for cars definitely influenced my interest in the sport.”

Graham said the greatest challenge in the West Coast Classic he won was adjusting to the new setup of the car. “We had recently repaired the car after a crash and the handling was feeling disorientated. However, we were able to find a setup that worked well, and we ended up dominating the race, said Graham.”

See the race here: http://tinyurl.com/4vrwsc39

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 26 January 2024.