Drag News Magazine editor Luke Nieuwhof was armed with his trusty Canon 7DII for East Coast Thunder and made the most of the colourful photo opportunities around the track.
These shots are chosen for their interest, technical qualities or because they just plain look cool, enjoy!
Emilio Spinozzi in his gas mask after warming up the Speedmaster Pro Slammer. The methanol fumes can cause stinging eyes and quickly accumulate in the confines of a pit area. Spinozzi would reach the semi finals of the class.
Top Bike racer Jay Upton talks with IHRA Australia technical director Tim Nielsen on the start line after he was controversially shut down when his parachute deployed after the burnout.
The blazing heat of Friday qualifying saw the eastern side of the venue nearly deserted, with fans retreating to the shade of the western side (and the bar!).
Wayne Newby blasts off during night qualifying for Top Fuel. The session would be stopped by intermittent rain drops and gusts of wind that blew dust across the track.
Here’s Newby again in the daylight. This photo was taken at 1/8000 of a second and shows the tyre distortion as the car approaches 300mph.
Tyronne Tremayne at speed. He would reach the final round of Pro Stock but was timed out of stage against Chris Soldatos.
Paul Mouhayet leaves two strips of rubber in his wake as the Moits Racing Ford Mustang Pro Slammer hurtles down track.
Steve Reed’s front wheels are lifted off the ground from the force of a blower explosion in his Pro Alcohol Funny Car.
Rob Ambruosi was a first time winner in Pro Alcohol. Here he burns out in the afternoon sun.
A young fan gets a higher view of a Top Fuel warm up in the pits. How cool are his monster truck ear muffs?
Santino Rapisarda fine tunes a 10,000 horsepower engine during its warm up in the pits.
Ashley Sanford has the flames up high in the final round of Top Fuel.
We love nitrous flames as much as nitro flames! Simon Kryger’s Torana has some of the best.
But when it comes to nitro flames, we reckon they look even cooler on two wheels!
