NITRO BREAKAWAY!
> 400 THUNDER STRUCK A BLOW AS DRAG RACING’S HEAVY HITTERS JOIN FORCES TO LAUNCH THE AUSTRALIAN TOP FUEL CHAMPIONSHIP
IN A huge shake-up for Aussie drag racing, the country’s four active Top Fuel teams have broken away from the Ihra-sanctioned 400 Thunder Series to launch the Australian Top Fuel Championship. Jim Read Racing, Lamattina Top Fuel Racing, Premiair Racing and Rapisarda Autosport International have all committed to the inaugural series, which will include races in Victoria and WA for the first time in years.
“Victorian and West Australian fans have been wanting Top Fuel championship events, so it’s great to add these regions to the mix,” said Rapisarda Autosport International crew chief Santino Rapisarda.
Although the calendar is still being finalised, the 2022 Australian Top Fuel Championship is set to include six rounds across four states and territories, with at least six Top Fuel cars planning to race at each round. Three rounds will be brand-new events, while another three will run as part of ANDRA’S Australian Drag Racing Championship rounds. Reading between the lines, Willowbank Raceway will not be involved, at least for the first phase.
Nathan Prendergast of Ignition Productions and Andy Lopez of Out There Productions, promoters of Street Machine Summernats, have been tasked with running and marketing the series. Both have extensive experience in delivering motorsport festival events.
“The focus is to put on a great show and get the fans to the tracks,” said Andy. “We want people to be able to come into the pits and meet the teams. We think that is more important than TV at this stage.”
The first round is scheduled for January 2022, with the final round set to be staged in June.
“Lamattina Racing is excited to be hitting more tracks with a full field of Top Fuel racers,” said Phil Lamattina in a press release that accompanied the announcement.
Bruce Read from Jim Read Racing thanked the 400 Thunder Series for what it had done for drag racing over the past few years. “Even though we’re not part of 400 Thunder in 2022, we encourage fans to continue supporting them,” he said.