DRAG Challenge debutant David Williams is emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the early stages of Drag Challenge Weekend, with his gorgeous HG Premier running in the 8.2s at Willowbank today.

Packing a dry-sumped 376ci LSX with twin 62/66 turbos and water-to-air intercooling, the car runs on 275 radials and a leaf-sprung rear end. It’s a relatively fresh build, and so far it’s improved every time Dave has wheeled it out, progressing from an 8.59 down to an 8.38, and onto today’s [email protected]. That put him into third overall and third in Tuff Mounts Radial Blown.

“It went 8.20-something on the last pass, and the track’s tricky so we’d actually pulled some power out of it,” said Dave. “The first run today we went an 8.31, which was a PB, and then on the second pass it blew the tyres. On the third pass we were just going to run the eighth because we wanted to get some data for Warwick, and it felt good so I stayed into it. It went 8.24, which is the fastest we’ve been in it. The car has heaps of potential.”

Weighing in at 3700lbs with driver, the Prem is an all-steel, full-fat street car with a complete interior and power windows. “It’s a proper street car and that’s the way I wanted it,” said Dave.

“It’s just a good combo with a really good driveline; the whole combination is working well. My aim was to build a seven-second driver, and when I do a seven I’ll be happy with that. The car is killer now, but a seven would be good. We’ll see what Sunday brings.”