About Stu Bishop

Cutting a swathe through the opposition has never been a problem for successful Queensland businessman Stuart Bishop.

However even he admits it’s an exciting challenge every weekend he has the opportunity to buckle up into his immaculately presented, Murray Anderson built 1967 Chevrolet Camaro.

The Chief Executive Officer of renowned Australian jewellery retailer Wallace Bishop and great-grandson of the company’s namesake continually turns heads when he lines up in his 3500 horsepower Diamond Doorslammer during Australian drag racing competition.

“Mixing business and pleasure has always been a tough assignment but I’ve finally been able to coordinate things well enough in my diary to fit in a few drag racing meetings,” says an excited Bishop.

“I’ve always been a spanner man, pulling mowers and tractors apart when I was a kid on the family farm.

“I first got into racing yachts before switching to the quarter mile.

“There’s definitely assimilation between the two, with a good start imperative to potential success.”

In 2004, following a three year hiatus from the sport, Bishop reignited his passion for drag racing with a Queensland based Supercharged Outlaws campaign out of Ipswich’s Willowbank Raceway.

This was all a part of the big plan to enter into the elite professional ranks of the sport through the purchase of his Top Doorslammer entry in 2005.

So far as attention to detail goes in the increasingly popular world of drag racing, Bishop’s addition to his racing stable, after selling off the 1955 Chevrolet which he campaigned in Supercharged Outlaws, pushes extremely close to one of the finest examples of workmanship in Australia.

The Diamond Doorslammer boasts a finish second to none and has all the trimmings including a specially customised variable, courtesy of the Bishop family’s Wallace Bishop Jewellers.

Encased in the roof there are more than 540 cubic zirconia featured in a diamond configuration, and incorporated among them is a half carat, 50 point diamond, valued at about $5000.

“This car has a distinct air of mystery. The Diamond Doorslammer isn’t just a race car, it’s a show car,” confirms Bishop.

“When I go racing I want to turn heads both through performance and on the look of the car.

“I’m sure we’ll achieve this every weekend we’re involved in Australian Top Doorslammer competition.

Through an expertly crafted, U.S.A built Dave Riolo engine, Bishop’s drag racing masterpiece has plenty of ‘go’ to match the ‘show’.

However it was a spectacular spin off the start line during the competition debut of the Diamond Doorslammer at the Castrol EDGE Winternationals at Willowbank on June 9, 2006 that generated National media exposure for the car.

The Diamond Doorslammer almost completed two full car rotations, yet miraculously resulted in only a minor scratch on the front left corner of the bumper.

Although shaken, Bishop was able to recount his first up experience in top level drag racing competition.

“I think it was a mix of nerves in my first ever Top Doorslammer pass and when I shot off from my lane into the next, I was thinking the worst.

“It’s amazing how things appeared to be happening in slow motion and instinctively I managed to correct the car before it careered into the wall.

“There’s no doubt luck played a huge part and it was an extremely major learning curve for me.

“The following Monday after the Winternationals we completed four runs in testing and one of those passes was a 6.07 second effort at 237mph. This shows how much potential the Diamond Doorslammer has and it’s just a matter of putting it all together in competition.”

Fast forward three short months later at the 41st Australian Nationals at Willowbank on September 15-17, 2006 and the opening chapter of the Stuart Bishop Racing competition potential was written.

After securing a 6.300 first up qualifying pass at a powerful 240 mph (a personal best speed mark at the time), Bishop was able to master his first appearance in a finals field, booking an engagement with his drag racing idol and mentor Victor Bray.

Among the finals field were no less than six current and former Group One Australian champions, plus John Zappia who only the year before secured the World’s first ever five second pass for the category.

The Sunday showdown saw a more confident Bishop take to the start line intent on upstaging the six time Australian champion.

As the rookie among the field, Bishop was given little chance of success yet remained composed to lock in a competitive 6.45 second pass.

Unfortunately Bray’s 6.25 second performance won through for the second round and ultimately the Australian Nationals title, but for Bishop his arrival in Top Doorslammer was marked in just his second event of competition.

“Like any driver I am out there to win and it was disappointing to have lost but I was ecstatic for the entire Stuart Bishop Racing crew with our first ever finals appearance.

“At least for our own piece of mind we know we can be competitive with the best in the business and will only get better.”

As an accomplished businessman with an extremely heavy work schedule, Bishop’s involvement in the sport may be determined as unique as the various cuts of diamonds that pass through his fingers on a daily basis.

If he’s able to sparkle anywhere near as brightly during his competitive drag racing career, it will mark a personal accomplishment for the likeable jeweller in his Diamond Doorslammer.