01/07/2020
Q and A with a racer/crew guy Brett Baile has something a little bit different coming out to debut this season. Bret has crewed and driven for Top Alcohol/Top Bike Racer Aaron Deery but with mainly crewing for over 10 years with Aaron, now looking at returning to the race track running an injected nitro altered lets do it Q and A
Q. When did you first get involved in drag racing
A. I first started helping my buddy Ian Forrest probably around 1997 he had a fed with a 265 6 cylinder anyway things evolved 11 sec 10 sec we then built a new car and ran high 9s in the mean time I had purchased Steve ravens altered so I licensed in the front engine car and ran 10.17
Q. What was you first race cars and what times they run
A. So after the fed I raced my own altered I had a 307 chev in it it ran a Pb of 9.65 and I got runner up on debut at the nostalgia drags to the then Aussie modified champ
Q. What is your current PB
A. My current Pb is a 6.52 @ 215mph I did this when Aaron Deery whom I had crewed for for many years handed me the keys to his 5.5 sec top alky dragster. I jumped from a mid 9 second altered to this animal and had only done about 20 runs in my entire life it was one hell of a ride
Q. Tell us a bit about your current car and what combo you are running
A. So the current combo I plan on running is a Ian Jenkins chassis that was rick johns old car we ran it in modified for a bit and went 7.80 10 years ago I told az I wouldn't mind giving a small block injected nitro combo a go, so I bought a drum of fuel straight up. As we do I then put a new rear end in the car and set it up for a clutch and lenco, then we decided a 44amp mag would be best. It basically grew and grew currently its a iron block, 12 deg heads, 9in clutch and 3 speed lenco we will run it on around 95% and take baby steps, till we learn what it wants and doesn't. I have a spare aluminium block and stuff it sounds cool as hell, if it goes anything like it sounds it should be pretty good I will be happy to run a 6 @ 200mph with it. Its been a lot of work as its very unique and I've enjoyed building it but, raceday is coming eventually.
Q. Do you have a most memorable moment
A. Most memorable moment there is so many crewing for Aaron Deery for probably some 15 years the night we ran the first 5.4 in alky a 5.48 is up there our first winternationals not sure what year but we ran 5.73 and got in the quickest field ever a number 3 when there was some big hitters. Ian Forrest's 265 hemi we set the b/md track record to quicker than the then national record and ran a 8.86. Also when I licensed in Aaron's dragster 1st full pass I went 7.03 I will never forget that day.
Q. Who do you look up to in drag racing
A. Theres plenty of people I look up too John Force I watched him win probably his last championship in las Vegas in 2013. Aaron Deery has probably taken 20 years off my life, with sliding in n out clutches for 20 years. But he is a hell of a guy and a unbelievable racer, he taught me how to race if you look at I've had a racecar since I was 18 and probably ran less than 10 shows, his a exciting racer too watch and I get the best seat in the house. I must also mention Ian Forrest he started my journey, then I learnt so much building a car from the ground up with him and racing it. Brandon Freer I had a blast crewing on his car for a long time. Rick and Liz johns Ricky took me under my wing his the reason I love altereds, his burnouts live with me forever. Mark the madman sheehan in his top alky altered was another one I admired.
Q. Are there any people that you would like to thank
A. Other than all the people I have already mentioned I have to thank my mum and dad there's so many people Aaron Deery, Kendrick Pool, Mitch Homewood, pino priolo Ian Forrest, Ian Jenkins, Rick and Liz Johns, Brandon and Myrium Freer and anyone else I have forgotten
Q. Do you have a message to the Perth fans
A. To the fans get down to the track and come watch something different with my nitro gig just hopefully we can keep it on track and put down some good runs. To the fans that have rolled through our pits for years. Thank you for you ongoing support this is a hard sport and your recognition in coming too watch, all the work we do to prepare these cars, often working endless hours during the week it means a lot.
Thanks Bret I can say iv known you for a while now and Iv always seen you to be very switched on with your drag racing Thank you mate for being apart of this Q and A deal and best of luck with your nitro combo
