Maurice Fabietti’s striking Chevrolet Racing Camaro will make its debut in the Australian Drag Racing Championship (ADRC) at Willowbank Raceway’s New Year Nitro event this weekend (January 6/7).
The event will host not only ADRC racing for Top Doorslammer, Top Fuel Motorcycle, Pro Stock and Pro Mod, but also the latest round of racing for the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship and plenty of great sportsman action.
The Sam Fenech-driven black and gold beast has been turning plenty of heads since it was unveiled at a special launch at the Bathurst 1000 in October, with its first competitive passes being laid down in November.
While that event ended up being more problematic for the team than they would have liked, it ended on a high note with the car’s first full pass achieving the fastest speed ever recorded for a Pro Slammer in Australia – 261.78mph (approximately 421kmh) with a 5.70 elapsed time.
With a Murray Anderson designed chassis, a proven driveline, an aerodynamic Chevrolet-designed body, and a seasoned crew, Fabietti is confident it won’t be long before the race results come.
“The new car is definitely throwing us some curveballs and not behaving exactly as it should, so we sent all the struts and shocks back to America after the November event to be checked and we have changed a few things on the car, and we are pretty confident we have it all sorted out ready for Willowbank,” Fabietti said.
“We know that the car is going to be fast. It went 5.70 at 261mph with a very soft tune-up, so once it is all sorted, we are expecting to run in the mid to high five-sixties – weather dependent of course, as we all know that the weather can be very hot at Willowbank at that time of year!
“It has been a pretty hectic six months for me and all of the crew getting the car ready for the Camaro body and sorting it all out, so to have some good results for Chevrolet Racing would be really great, it would mean a lot.
“In early December we spent a week in Adelaide showing the car for Chevrolet and it was turning plenty of heads there, so now it is time to get the results on the track!”
Fabietti expects that the New Year Nitro event will be a big event, not just for his team, but for all involved.
“It is shaping up to be a big event and it is the right time of year for the spectators to get out there,” Fabietti said.
“The heat will make things interesting for all of the racers for set-ups, but we will all be working in the same conditions. Fingers crossed the weather gods are kind to us and we can all have a good event,” Fabietti concluded, while thanking Chevrolet Racing and AC Delco for their support.
The New Year Nitro event at Willowbank Raceway will be held across January 6 and 7, followed soon after by the Top Fuel Slam at Sydney Dragway across Australia Day weekend, January 27 and 28.
Both events will see the fastest drag racing vehicles in the country on track over two massive days and nights with vital championship points on the line as drivers continue their battle for the biggest prize in drag racing – the Stan Sainty Cup.
Top Fuel headlines both events, with the massive New Year Nitro line up to also include ADRC Top Doorslammer, Top Fuel Motorcycle, Pro Mod and Pro Stock, as well as Sportsman categories. Joining the on-track action is a huge firework spectacular, show and shine, food trucks, and more.
For New Year Nitro event information, visit www.topfuelchampionship.com.au
