Nitro Up North, presented by LMCT+, is set to bring the thunder to the Hidden Valley Drag Strip this Friday and Saturday with an epic drag racing show for the ages.
The exciting conclusion of the NDRC Top Doorslammer championship will entertain alongside ground-shaking Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars, the opening round of the 2025/2026 ANDRA Sportsman Series, and a wicked FMX show with the team from High Air – featuring X-Games Quarter Pipe gold medallist, Cory Creed – in an adrenalin-fuelled weekend like no other.
In the NDRC Top Doorslammer ranks, the fight for second and third place is set to be intense, with up and coming Lisa Gregorini currently second with 585 points, with 11-time champion John Zappia snapping at her heels on 532 points.
Adding to the excitement is rookie racer (and John’s nephew), Brodie Zappia, who is also in the mix – currently sitting fourth on 523 points.
Race fans should expect a fight for the ages as these heavy hitters look to claim the coveted runner-up honours behind championship elect, Russell Taylor.
“I am feeling incredibly proud and excited as we prepare to head back up to Darwin for the final round of the 2024/2025 Top Doorslammer Australia Championship at Nitro Up North,” Lisa Gregorini said.
“With us sitting second on the leaderboard heading into the last showdown, with John in third and Brodie not far off in fourth – it will all come down to this event.
“Every point, every round win from here on matters – we are pushing hard to secure enough points to lock in the Australian Championship runner up title which would be a massive achievement in my second season that would reflect the dedication, grit, and hard work of our entire team.”
While Gregorini – whose husband Daniel Greogrini is a former champion and will also be on-track this weekend as part of the 8-car field which also features Matt Abel, Salim Matta, Nasser Matta, and Peter Lovering – is hopeful of locking down the runner-up honours, the Zappias will be doing all they can to stop that from happening.
“At the moment I am in third and Brodie in fourth, so at the end of the day we have to go out and do our best and do all we can to get back into second place – that is certainly my aim,” the elder Zappia said.
“We would like to go up there and run well, and we usually have a good record of doing well at Darwin – the place seems to suit my car so we are confident we can have a good weekend.
“The best I have run at Darwin is 5.69 and the last time I was there a couple of years ago we ran in the low seventies, so we have something to work with and hopefully we can improve on that a little bit.”
No matter how things unfold this weekend in Darwin, Lisa and Daniel Gregorini and John and Brodie Zappia won’t have to wait long for a rematch, with the four heading to Alice Springs Inland Dragway the next weekend (September 5-7) for the Top Doorslammer Family Feud as part of this year’s Red CentreNATS, presented by LMCT+.
“The Red CentreNATS will bring a classic face-off against the Zappias – there’s no denying the rivalry between our teams, but that only fuels the fire,” Lisa said.
“It is not just about competition — it is about putting on an unforgettable show for the fans who support us race after race.”
“We have done well at Alice Springs before as well, and the car seems to go down it pretty good, so we will see what we are able to lay down,” added Zappia.
For event information about Nitro Up North, visit https://nationaldragracing.com.au/event/nitro-up-north/
For event information about Red CentreNATS, visit https://redcentrenats.com.au/
To learn more about the NDRC, visit www.ndrc.tv
