Career Progression:- Damien Harris

Download Damien's Career Highlights

SEASON 1998/1999 - Commenced crewing on local BB/Funny Car

Harris met the owner and driver of a local Funny Car (1995 Pontiac Firebird) team through his Uncle in the mid 1990’s.
He got a spot as part of the crew for the 98/99 season and although they had enough people Harris assisted the team doing the jobs such as safety, fuel and oil top ups etc as well as a bit of marketing and promotion.

SEASON 1999/2000 - First ever drive of the Funny Car (In fact any race car!)

Harris continued to crew for the team becoming increasingly more interested in actually getting in the Funny Car drivers seat.
In November 1999 Harris struck a deal with the team that allowed him able to get his ANDRA license in the Funny Car.

SEASON 2000/2001 - Attend Frank Hawley driving school in the USA

Harris negotiated several more drives of the Funny Car after receiving his ANDRA license in early 2000.
Harris visited the USA in September 2001 to attend the Frank Hawley Top Alcohol Driving School and look for a new engine for the Funny Car.
Frank Hawley Top Alcohol Driving School, Gainesville Florida USA
The Frank Hawley school is where numerous top fuel drivers commenced their driving careers including current top fuel contender Whit Basmore.
Details:

Maximum students per class = 3
Each student has a to complete 6 passes over two days
2 x passes to 330 feet
1 x 660 feet
1 x 1000 feet with chutes
2 x ¼ mile passes with chutes

Whilst in the US Harris purchased a racing engine from a Federal Mogul Top Alcohol Funny Car. The engine’s best time in Fedural Mogal Series in USA is 5.79 seconds.
After returning from the USA, new engine in tow, the team agreed to modify the chassis of the Funny Car to accommodate Harris’s new engine in return for drives of the now potentially 6 second car. They then shared the drive running the remainder of the season in AA/FC trim.

SEASON 2001/2002 - Purchased complete rolling chassis of Funny Car.

The 01/02 season was Harris’s first full season racing the 1995 Pontiac Firebird in AA/FC trim in Top Competition in Perth, Western Australia.
Signed Ventura Homes for the first of a three year sponsorship deal.

SEASON 2002/2003 - Top Competition Runner Up

A remarkable season saw Harris break many personal best times finishing runner up in Top Competition in the 02/03 season.
As part of the sponsorship deal with Ventura Homes each time Harris bettered his PB time Ventura donated $500 to Princess Margaret Hospital’s Renal Unit. Over the season a total of $3,500 was donated to the hospital.
02/03 WA Top Competition Results
- November 16 2002 - 3rd
- November 29 2002 - Runner Up
- December 28 2002 - 3rd
- January 11 2003 - Runner Up
- February 8 2003 - Winner
- April 5 2003 - Runner Up

SEASON 2003/2004 - Move into Top Alcohol

During the off season Harris purchased a PSI in pursuit of sub 6 second times.
October 2003 – January 2004

After a stunning debut as driver/owner in the 2002/2003 season Harris was approached by the Kwinana Motorplex to be a feature car at the opening of the 2003/2004 season.
Unfortunately a serious hand injury prevented Harris from driving for the first three meetings. To fulfill his commitment to the Motorplex, Harris chose to offer the drive to Rob Pilkington.
During his time in the car Pilkington achieved a PB time of 6.446 seconds at 207MPH.
Harris then returned to the drivers seat for the next meeting achieving a personal best time of 6.17 seconds

February – May 2004

Somewhat unhappy with indexed racing Damien decided to move to Group 1 and take on Top Alcohol. He took his car to the opening of the Western Sydney raceway in February 2004, where he successfully qualified 4th a fantastic result for his first appearance interstate. Unfortunately the good fortune didn’t last with Damien losing by 1/1000th of a second to experience Top Alcohol driver Debbie Reed in the first round.
Moving to TA bracket prevented Harris from competing in Top Competition meetings in Perth, however he ventured out to test at several meetings in preparation for the Winternationals in Brisbane in June. Running “heads up” grudge matches with Grant O’Rourke in his blown 68 Monaro Doorslammer Harris ran several PB’s and got considerable experience and data running in TA trim.
After making a brief appearance at the Westernationals in Perth in March, running another PB time but losing to Gary Sheenan, Harris and crew got stuck in off the track and stripped the 1995 Pontiac Firebird ready for a new paint job in preparation for the Winternationals in June.

June 2004

The Winternationals, Harris’s second only event outside Western Australia, saw him qualify in 3rd position as the fastest funny car in the field and brake the 5 second mark running his first ever 5 second pass a personal best time of 5.901 @ 225 mile per hour. This made him the third fastest Funny Car in Australia at the time. A crew start line mishap and getting off the throttle approximately 10 meters before the finishing line resulted in a disappointing first round exit to Scott Ferguson. Despite this the event was a fantastic success, special thanks to Steve and Janelle Harker whose experience allowed the team to advance at a rapid rate.

SEASON 2004/2005 – Joining O’Rourke Motorsport - Top Alcohol Championship

September 2004 - With the 1995 Pontiac Firebird sporting the orange and black paint job the start of the 04/05 season saw Damien pair up with fellow WA racers Grant and Debbie O’Rourke. The team launched the partnership at the season opening event at WSID in September however the meeting didn’t go well for the new team. Damien successfully qualified however broken parts prevented him from competing in the first round and Grant Top Doorslammer turned violently left off the line crashing into the barrier and exploding into flames.
November 2004 - Bad weather, forced the cancellation of the 2004 Nationals at Willowbank raceway and resulted in Damien having to forfeit his qualifying position as the event was rescheduled for the week after Christmas but the team were not able to return to Willowbank. However the event had a silver lining. After only 2 outings in the 04/05 season Damien decided that in order to be competitive he was going to have to upgrade his whole deal, and landed in his lap at the event was a buyer for his 1995 Pontiac Firebird Funny Car.
December 2004 – May 2005 - Selling the Pontiac Firebird he looked to the States for a turnkey deal. With the assistance of Steve Harker, Damien secured a suitable deal (a 2000 Camaro Funny Car) which had consistent 5.80’s and high 5.70 second passes. He also purchased a second engine and then spent the first 6 months of 2005 getting the car back to Australia and prepared for racing under ANDRA regulations.
June 2005 - The 2005 Winternationals at Willowbank in June was Damien’s first meeting for 2005. With a brand new Brad Anderson block and RacePak computer on board hopes were high for good times and strong passes and the team were not disappointed. Damien edged out Ben Bray to top qualify in the fastest ever Top Alcohol event running a personal best 5.725 @ 247 mph. Losing in the semi finals through a red light against experienced racer Steve Read, Damien was disappointed but by no means down running 4 five second passes for the weekend, virtually “straight off the trailer” all personal bests and running one of the fastest times of the weekend, @ 253.52 mph.

SEASON 2005/2006
July – October 2005 - In order to test, research and achieve strong consistent performances for a serious attack on the both 2006 / 2007 Damien and race partners Grant and Debbie O’Rourke decided to compete at only a selected number of national events during 05/06. As such Damien did not race the opening meeting of the season at WSID.

November 2005 - After running so strongly at the Winternations in June Damien and crew chief Stuart Rowland (fellow WA Funny Car driver) were keen to step up the race car. However the 2005 Nationals at Willowbank raceway were rain interrupted making it difficult when you only get 1 chance to qualify. Damien was able to maintain his record of qualifying at every national event he has competed in but only just sneaking in at number 7th. After much pressure to “show off” his turnkey US 2000 Comaro to his home crowd Damien decided to run a local meeting at the Perth Motorplex. Whilst he secured the track record with a 5.80 @ 246.57mph he destroyed the engine (only 6 laps old!) in the process. The first major breakage of his career.

February 2006 - The Summernationals in February at WSID saw Damien continue his qualifying record although again only just. Damien and Stuart were continuing to search to break the 5.70 second barrier but just couldn’t get the consistency. They had to settle for qualifying in 8th spot which pitted him against Ben Bray who was on fire and running amazing times - with the consistency that Damien was so desperately seeking. Damien lost in the first round but at least took the Funny Car home in one piece!

June 2006 - The last outing of the season was the Winternationals at Willowbank raceway. Damien and Stuart were still chasing the tune up that would produce the fast times they knew the car and engine combination could achieve. The rain hampered their efforts in qualifying with Damien only just sneaking into the field in 8th. Once again, this pitted him against top runner Ben Bray in the first round. Damien lost but Stuart had found the tune-up with Damien improving on his PB to run a 5.70 which was infact the second fastest pass of the round – if only he hadn’t been running the fastest!

SEASON 2006/2007
September 2006 – East Coast Nationals WSID - This was the start of Damien’s full blown attack on Top Alcohol. Unfortunately Stuart Rowland was no longer able to travel with the team but close friend and another long term racer Paul Shackelton was keen to team up with Damien. Not knowing the car (or Damien’s driving ability!) Paul opted for safety over speed and other than a few minor “tweaks”! as he explained them to wife Julie ran the same tune up that produced the 5.70 at the Winternationals. And it worked. Damien ran a PB 5.618 @ 257.680mph. This was the fastest pass of the qualifying round placing Damien as the top qualifier for the second time in his career. Major problems struck in the second qualifier causing major engine damage and his first fire in the funny car!. This resulted in Damien missing the 3rd qualifier with the team thrashing into the night to replace the engine ready for eliminations the next day. Remaining as the top qualifier the silver lining for the team. More problems struck in the first round with the engine fire from the day before leaving a hole in an air line resulting in a disappointing first round loss.
September 2006 - Nationals Willowbank Raceway - After the top qualifier and PB 5.618 at Sydney Damien and Paul were keen to repeat the success without the damage! And they succeeded. Damien qualified 3rd with only an average time of 5.803 however the rain meant only two qualifiers. Elimination day provided the best performances of Damien’s career. In a revenge match up Damien edged out Ben Bray in the first round running a 5.653 @ 412.65kph. He then went pass experienced racer Steve Reid running a 5.685 @ 390.83kph making it to the first Top Alcohol final of his career! Unfortunately he wasn’t able to cap it off with a win despite running the faster time of a 5.712 @ 413.36kph to a 5.771 @ 335.75kph against Wayne Newby.
November 2006 - Damien’s next outlining will be in front of his home town crowd once again but this time competing for real in the first Top Alcohol event to held at the Perth Motorplex. Coming off a top qualifier at WSID, Runner Up at the Nationals and sporting a brand new 2000 Comaro body, built by O’Rourke Motorsport, for his existing US built Hadman chassis Funny Car Damien is eager to get back on the track and continue his assault on the championship.