“I have always had a passion for speed with encouragement from my mother Stella Bissessar and from my family and friends,” said Bissessar. “I still remember my first car being a Ford Escort powered by a Ford Pinto 4 cylinder engine. It ran the quarter-mile in approximately 17 seconds and at the time that seemed really fast for me.”
Bissessar began his venture into the world of dragsters with a mild steel chassis powered by a 350 small block Chevy running the quarter-mile 11 seconds at a time. Feeling the need to go faster still, Bissessar began experimenting with different combinations over the past decade before finally settling on the dragster he currently uses today – a former Top Alcohol Dragster powered by a blown 526 cubic inch Hemi previously owned by Jeff Veale.
IHRA Nito Jam at Palm Beach Internationals Raceway FL – January 2010
Sheldon Bissessar and Aaron Sipple officially opened up the season with a huge win and an even bigger record. And after all the blogging, arguing, and debating, IHRA opened up with a truly entertaining show!
Bissessar kicked off 1st round qualifying Friday night with an off the trailor 3.75 eighth mile / 5.80 quarter mile run at 238mph thanks to the ASE/IRONMAN Chassis tune-up of Aaron Sipple. That first pass would officially set the new record for the IHRA Top Dragster if Sheldon backed it up within 1%.
Second round brought about some more excitement and drama as Bissessar’s Lenco reverser locked up during the burnout, bringing the 2200lb top dragster to a dead stand still. Back in the pits, Sipple discovered it was a result of a busted gear in the CS2 reverser. Luckily Tom Wirth, a local Florida racer and a customer of ASE / IRONMAN Chassis was on hand. Tom, the owner of legendary and retired record holding Gary Watters’ altered, located another local racer, Larry Clark who generously offered transmission parts for the team’s use.
While at first unsure of being able to make third round, thanks to huge team efforts from the Partytime Racing Team, and a special thanks to Tom Wirth and Larry Clark, Sipple was tightening down everything at the last minute while sitting in the staging lanes. Bissessar and Sipple wowed the crowd yet again after such an intense turn around and still running a consistent 5.85. The IRONMAN Chassis and Partytime Racing Team ended the night winning the first round of Top Dragster Eliminations while resetting the world record for Top Dragster at an amazing 3.74 / 5.79.
Saturday, Bissessar chose to sit out the Top Dragster 2nd round in order to focus on IHRA’s newly established Elite 8 for the 2010 season. Sheldon took first round, even after lifting, running through the traps at a 5.86. 2nd round was won with a 5.81, and Sheldon took the first win of the IHRA Elite 8 with a 5.82 against Eddie Careccia, a standout contender in the finals, who ran out of CO2 and rolled the beams.
Despite the drama of a new program, a fireball explosion for one of the Prostalgia Funny Cars, and an incredible side by side run of Shockley’s Jet Semis, it was Bissessar and Sipple who were the talk of the town at the opening IHRA event! Setting standards and new limits, the dynamic duo are aimed at making their mark on the 2010 season. IHRA President, Aaron Palburn, personally congratulated Bissessar and stated that “He had a very unique and special opportunity going.” Sipple and Bissessar were surrounded in the winner circle by a huge following of fans, friends and supporters who were all in agreeance that 2010 will be a standout year!
WOW. Sheldon Bissessar, “The Trinidad Rocket,” has found his groove and won the last and final Pro Top Outlaw Race of 2009 Oct 3rd. 2009
Craig Boone of London Dragway had the track well-preped and ready for Sheldon’s off the trailer 3.77 passes which set both the PTO Record and long standing 3.83 London Dragway track record. Sheldon continued to blast through round after round, running the Grubb / Woods 63 Corvette, another Aaron Sipple, ASE / IRONMAN Chassis customer who also set the doorslammer record at a 4.15 this weekend. The Bissessar / Sipple dragster made it to the finals to face Rocky Flanagan, the fastest powerglide dragster in the world, and another Aaron Sipple, ASE / IRONMAN Chassis customer. Rocky went red, running a 3.85, and Sheldon took the win, cruising through at a 3.79. Still, a great final round run, and a great race weekend for the ASE / IRONMAN Chassis TEAM. Validated customers showing that hard work and team unity produces wins!
Congrats to Glenn Woods, Bobby Grubb, Mark Woods for being the only Doorslammer to qualify this weekend with a track record time of a 4.15
RC comments