Ronnie Palumbo will contest the entire 2026 National Drag Racing Championship Top Doorslammer Championship, taking the wheel of the ACivil ’37 Chev beginning in a couple of weeks at the Riverbend Nationals at Dragway At The Bend.
The opportunity comes following the decision by Nasser Matta to step away from driving duties to focus on work commitments, with Palumbo stepping into the seat for the full championship campaign. Joining the team on tuning duties will be Kiwi Bronson Dunne.
“With Nasser super busy with work, making money so the team can keep racing, he has decided to step back from driving and hand me the keys to the ACivil Motorsport 1937 Chev. I cannot thank the family enough for putting their trust in me and giving me this amazing opportunity,” said Palumbo.
“With Bronson Dunne on the keyboard, I will be competing in every round of the 2026 Australian Top Doorslammer Championship – we are here to prove a point.”
The venue holds special significance for Palumbo, as Dragway At The Bend is where his NDRC journey began during the championship’s inaugural season driving the ACDelco Monaro — a debut event that ultimately saw him claim his first Top Doorslammer Gold Christmas Tree.
Now returning to the same track to launch his 2026 title campaign, Palumbo will be aiming to build on that history as he chases another strong season in one of Australian drag racing’s most competitive categories.
Palumbo was initially drafted into driving the ACivil machine at the ANDRA Masters event back in January at Sydney Dragway, the non-championship event saw Palumbo reach the final, though narrowly defeated by Nasser Matta driving his son’s ACivil Mustang for the event.
