The annual Burson Auto Parts Goldenstates has been the battleground for some of the hardest Top Doorslammer racing in Australia. The second round of the NDRC Australian Top Doorslammer Championship rolls into Perth Motorplex this Friday and Saturday for the event’s historic 50th running and there are predictions of one of the quickest events yet for the class.
From tours by USA racers in the late nineties at Ravenswood Raceway to multiple world records, the Goldenstates has come to be known as a performance powerhouse in Western Australian drag racing. The event’s traditional date in late spring/early summer means it frequently benefits from cool conditions, such as those predicted for this weekend’s golden anniversary.
The 13-car field entered for the Goldenstates features a mix of veterans and fresh faces. Freshest of all is Western Australia’s Brodie Zappia, who will be competing at his first national round. As the nephew of many-times Australian champion John Zappia, Brodie has plenty of experience surrounding him and he has already dipped into the five-second zone with the Zap’s Rat Monaro. After a couple of seasons at the wheel in Top Sportsman and Supercharged Outlaws, Brodie showed he had the skills to wheel fast doorslammers and now will get his chance to impress on the national stage.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Peter Kapiris. The popular Victorian driver was one of the OG Top Doorslammer drivers and the Goldenstates is the event where he made one of his greatest runs, a 6.07 world record pass in 2001. These days Kapiris is more about the fun than championship chasing, but his Saratoga still has plenty of life in it and more than enough power to get to the winner’s circle.
Speaking of power, there’s arguably four cars that make up the favourites to win the 50th annual Burson Auto Parts Goldenstates: reigning Australian champion Russell Taylor, points leader Lisa Gregorini and her husband Daniel Gregorini, and Top Doorslammer legend John Zappia.
Taylor once again broke into the 5.5-second zone at the opening round of the championship in Adelaide, while Daniel Gregorini went oh-so-close with a 5.601 pass. Both would love to run the first 5.5-second pass in national championship competition at Perth Motorplex. Zappia remains the only driver to have been into the 5.5s at the Motorplex (in local competition), and having been 5.65 just a few weeks ago in Adelaide he could be mixing it with Taylor and Daniel Gregorini.
Keeping her eyes on the big prize is Lisa Gregorini. She won the opening round of the series at The Bend Motorsports Park and is keen to add her first home victory to the mantelpiece. The only problem is that five other racers would love to do the same thing.
Steve Aldridge will have his Plymouth Cuda racing for points for the first time since 2022 after repairing the car from a crash, while Shane Catalano will be at his first national round since 2016!
Matt Abel, Maurice Brennan, Mark Chapman, Andrew Cole and Frank Taylor are all Perth Motorplex regulars with plenty of data on the world-renowned Kwinana quarter-mile. Does the winner’s circle await for them? Be at Perth Motorplex to find out!
Australian Top Doorslammer Championship qualifying begins from 6pm on Friday night, with racing from 5.30pm on Saturday. Fans who can’t make it to the track in person will be able to watch live around the nation on Motorplex.tv
