The Perth Motorplex’s NITROMAX event this weekend will host not only the opening round of the 2022/2023 WA Drag Racing Championship, but also round one of the WA Nitro Max title.
More than 130 racers will descend on the Perth Motorplex’s drag strip for the event, from Junior Dragsters all the way through to fire-breathing Jet Dragsters.
One of those racers will be Lisa Gregorini, who will be hitting the track in her impressive Scratch and Match Motorsport Chev Camaro.
Gregorini is looking to advance further in her licensing requirements so that she may join her husband and reigning Australian Drag Racing Championship Top Doorslammer Champion, Daniel Gregorini, in the Top Doorslammer bracket.
The 31-year-old from Herne Hill contested the weekend’s PowerPalooza event at the WA venue, and is feeling confident heading into NITROMAX following some positive gains at that event.
“We have been having troubles throughout our licensing with the 330-foot shut-off as far as getting the car set-up in a way that it likes, and we have finally found the happy spot now and our early increments are looking impressive,” Gregorini said.
“On the weekend I got off the throttle just after two seconds and my 330ft time was just shy of Daniel’s own full power 330ft times, so once we get this car down to the other end it is going to have some seriously quick times.
“This weekend we are going to be aiming to have our half-track licensing signed off and now that the car is doing what we need it to do, I am hoping it will just be a case of staying in it and hopefully the officials will be happy and sign us off so we can move onto the full track licensing.”
Something unique race fans will notice when Gregorini takes to the track this weekend is the fact that she runs an all-female crew.
“It is something a bit different – no one that we know of in any motorsport around the world has a strictly all-female team, so that is something we wanted to do,” she said.
“It is going really well, and I am very proud of how everyone on the team is going. When we started out, we did so with crew members who didn’t really have a lot of mechanical knowledge, so Daniel has trained them all up in their roles and they have all picked it up really quickly.
“We are now running completely on our own with no help from Daniel’s team and I am very proud of how we are progressing, so my thanks goes to Hannah, Mikayla, Renee, Cheryl and Melly for all of their efforts – hopefully we can all take the next step in our journey to Top Doorslammer together this Saturday!
“It is definitely going to be a very good weekend. The fields for NITROMAX are looking really healthy and there are some pretty strong numbers.
“There will be a lot to see both on the track and in the pits, and as always the fans are welcome to come down and say hi to us in the pit area, where we will have free posters for the kids and merch on sale,” she concluded, while thanking major supporting sponsors Scratch and Match Autocolour, Kerb Doctor, Westcoast Siteworks, Oil and Energy, S and S Industries and Dalisa Estate Winery, as well as supporting partners Signbiz WA, Go Print, Dirty Detailing, Final Drive Engineering, Gforce Race Cars, Resolution Racing Services, DMPE, Applied Automotive and Kinetic Engineering.
Perth Motorplex Drag Racing and Burnouts Manager, Ray Treasure, said there would be plenty to see at the Perth Motorplex for NITROMAX this Saturday.
“The racers are going to be all out to gain their first points in the 2022/2023 WA Drag Racing Championship Series and the WA Nitro Max Series,” Treasure said.
“On top of this the fire breathing Jet Dragsters will be on hand to help blow away the winter break with their bone shaking burner pops and flame show!
“With over 130 teams expected to face the starter at this event it will be on from the start. Many new race set ups have been tried and tested in the early Test and Tunes and now it is time to put it all on the line.
“On top of the awesome Jet Dragsters will be the Nitro Guzzling Top Bikes that always thrill with their unpredictable style of two wheeled (sometimes one) racing.
“Plus of course we also have all the show and go from the Sportsman Brackets, including Supercharged Funny Cars, Dragsters and Altereds along with all your favourite Bikes and cars that make up this exciting sport with a non-stop day and night of exciting Drag Racing action.”
NITROMAX will be held at the Perth Motorplex on Saturday October 29. Qualifying will begin at 11.00am, with the feature program on-track from 5.30pm to 10.00pm. All times approximate and subject to change. For full event info, go to https://motorplex.com.au/wa-championship-series-opener/
Photo thanks to High Octane Photos
