Defending Australian IHRA Pro Stock Champion Lee Bektash will bring to a close his Pro Stock Career this coming weekend at the 50th Australian Winternationals in Queensland.
Lee will make the journey to Willowbank Raceway in Queensland this week for the last time as an Australian Pro Stock racer. When speaking with him last week he admitted he is slowly coming to terms with closing the door on his Pro Stock racing career.
With a tone of emotion he talked about the end now being in plain sight “It’s getting tough to come to terms with. It’s been a big part of my life. I have to face the fact that this is it, but I am really looking forward to getting out there in Queensland, having fun with the people who have become close friends, and saying ‘Goodbye’ to Willowbank. It will be a bit emotional up there thinking ‘This is the last time I’ll get my armbands, the last time I’ll get my entry, the last time we do everything I guess'”.
As this is the last opportunity to see Lee and the MOPAR Dodge Avenger it won’t be surprising if, in amongst the horde of fans wishing to say goodbye, we see Lee’s whole family supporting him at his final event.
But in typical Lee Bektash fashion, he’ll put emotion aside temporarily and focus on what he does best, racing! With the big engine finally ready, the team are looking for the ultimate dream Finale. Their goal is to run in the 6.80’s again and put on a bigger-than-ben-hur show for the people who have supported them. “We’ll be going out with a bang” Lee adds with a smile.
“Unfortunately about two years ago we had a situation where the big engine beat itself up pretty bad and then behind the scenes we had a lot of repairs and R&D that weren’t going our way. Basically, we have finally got it back to where it was three years ago when it ran those 6.80’s”.
The engine recently made the journey home to the Team in Melbourne from Comp Engines in Adelaide, and is back where it belongs, in between the chassis rails of the quickest and fastest car in Australian Pro Stock history. The Mopar Dodge Avenger Pro401.
As focused as Lee is on putting on a great show this coming weekend, his thoughts drift to the 25 years he has been in drag racing, the past 10 in the Pro Class of Pro Stock. His family, friends and fans have grown up along his journey. “I’ve seen babies grow up and become married couples and ‘kids grow up to be parents themselves”.
In closing, Lee acknowledged that his success and the running of the car is a cumulative team effort. He would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who has contributed in any way to his success and the success of the team. “I’m just overwhelmed with the support I’ve received over the years, it’s been great. I’ve had such a great group of people help out with the car and amazing companies financially support our racing program: including Mopar, Jeep, Fiat Chrysler, Retreat Caravans, VP Racing Fuels and Alfa Romeo.
