For the best part of 30 summers, I have had the pleasure of watching Cory Read plant the right foot to the floor! From the Copper Triangle town of Kadina, I first came across Cory when I was in my late teenaged years, watching him take on the big guns aboard his yellow SA72 Centura in the South Australian Modified Sedan scene when the local class was packed with big stars and fast cars in the once was SAMPA Series!
From that point Cory stepped up to the more powerful V8 Super Sedans where he drove for many seasons, until on one particular occasion (25.05.2002) Cory was involved in a crash that has haunted with me ever since. It was at Mildura's B&S Earthworks Timmis Speedway Mildura, Cory stuck the SA72 Super Sedan into the turn three wall and impailed his leg on the wooden sleeper fence. This ended his tenure in the Super Sedan class.
Cory would return a few summers down the road, this time in the V8 Dirt Modifieds aboard his home built SA3. It was at the time the class had fallen away in popularity and Read amongst others tried hard to revive the class to the best of his abilities. During this time I believe he won consecutitive West Australian Championships, just prior to the class coming to it's natural death in SA.
After selling off his Speedway invintory, Cory would add one more class to his list of 'have dones', making a series of cameo appearences aboard the iconic Daniel Obst S22 orange and purple Wingless Sprint.
It was at this point Cory retired from the dirt oval scene. However, while he left the ovals he did not leave the dirt all together as he ventured into the world of Off Road Racing where he campaigned a Group 2 buggy throughout 2016/17.
These days, while running Read's Mechanical Repairs & Exhaust Centre with his beautiful wife Katrina. Together they are enjoying their need for speed, running the eighth and quarter mile strips as Drag Racers. Over the few years Cory has been involved in some big ANDRA Drag racing meetings and recently he won an NDRC Gold Tree for the Top Sportsman catagory at the Dragway at The Bend.
Continuing in this frame, the family and friends have have recently gone to their very first Roll Racing Adelaide event at the Shell V-Power Motorsport Park where Cory made his way through Eliminator to become the runner up. Most recently Cory changed up yet again, from four to two wheels making his debut run on a Drag bike at The Bend Dragway. I am sure that more need for speed will follow in years to come and we look forward to 'read'ing all about it!
Special thnak you to Grant Schwartzkopff and Todd Kicks Botten.
Video by: Paris Charles.
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