The National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC) and the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals – the largest championship drag racing event held outside of North America – are set to bring no end of drag racing thrills to tens of thousands of drag racing fans across June 5-8.
The event will host 460 racers across its four days, including six 500kph/11,000hp Top Fuelers and six XPRO Nitro Funny Cars for what is the penultimate round of their 2024/2025 championship chase.
Also hitting the track will be the second-to-last round for Top Doorslammer for the current NDRC season, with an epic 18 car field set to do battle across no less than four rounds of racing.
Meanwhile, a field of nine Top Fuel Motorcycles will celebrate their 2024/2025 champion at what is their season finale, while Pro Alcohol (8), Pro Stock (11), FuelTech Pro Mod (8), and Pro Stock Motorcycle (11) will also take to the track for round 4 of their 5-round title chase.
On top of all that, the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship will also be in full flight, with more than 360 racers set to do final battle for their championship crowns, as well as the prestige of being a Winternats winner.
At the top of the Top Fuel standings, only 90 points separate series leader Wayne Newby and his Rapisarda Autosport International team mate and defending champion, Damien Harris. Phil Read is in third a further 74 points behind Harris.
“Both the RAI cars are evenly matched,” said Newby. “My side of the garage scored the win at the Riverbend Nationals and has finished runner-up three times, most recently to Larry Dixon at Sydney in May, while ‘Damo’ has a win, two seconds and a third so far. We’ve faced each other twice in finals this year with a win apiece.
“The ideal scenario at the Winternationals would be for both RAI cars to race off in the final, but in drag racing, there are no certainties. Whatever happens, we are first and foremost a team, and hopefully, at the end of racing, Damien or myself will hand our team owner, Santo Rapisarda, the Gold Christmas Tree.”
In XPRO Nitro Funny Car, Morice McMillin leads the way on 505 points ahead of his Aeroflow team-mate, Josh Leahy, who remains in touch with two rounds to run on 395 points. Last year’s champion Justin Walshe is third on 240 points.
“The Winternationals is the biggest event of the year, how could you not be excited?!” grinned McMillin.
“And then when you look at the last round at Sydney when all of the cars were within one tenth of each other, it shows how open it is going to be. And with the way that (rookie racer) Damon (Paton) is getting to grips with his car, I think he is going to be the one to watch.
“Championship-wise we have got a pretty good lead, so we do plan to experiment with a few things, but at the same time that drive to win will certainly overrule the experimenting coming Sunday!”
While not in a championship hunt, fans will also be pleased to see local hero Steve ‘The Pom’ Read as part of the fire-throwing Top Fuel field, bringing his RSR Top Fuel Dragster to Willowbank Raceway to the delight of drag racing fans old and new.
With a racing career of more than 40 years which has seen him celebrate a long list of event and championship victories both here in Australia and overseas, the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame member is a legend in the sport and is in the middle of a comeback after taking a hiatus from professional level competition in 2016.
“We are feeling very optimistic heading into the Winternationals,” Read said.
“The Winternationals is a big event and shows the interest there is in the sport, and with Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car, it is going to be an excellent show.
“I’ve had everything from career-defining to humbling moments at this event, moments that have made us want to throw in the towel, moments that have made us question our sanity, and moments that have made our confidence soar.
“We have worked exceptionally hard in the lead up to this event and I am so very proud of what we have accomplished already with what just could be the smallest budget nitro team in the world.
“We might not have the budget of the likes of the Rapisardas, but this sport is no different from what it used to be – if you can be there every single run, you always have a chance of winning.
“As we get ready to roll out on the track, I want to say thank you to the crew for all of their hard work that they have put in this year, and our sponsors – especially the Walker Family and Walker’s Turf Supplies, they have been with us from the beginning.”
The Gulf Western Oil Winternationals will be held at Willowbank Raceway across June 5-8. For event information or to learn more about the NDRC, visit www.ndrc.tv
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