Fourteen year old Darwin resident Brooke Harris is hoping the home track advantage will quieten the nerves and provide her an edge when it comes to taking on her fellow Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster competitors at next weekend’s Nitro Up North event. The event, to be held at Hidden Valley Raceway across July 8 and 9, includes the first round of the 2016 national Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Drag Racing Series, and will host racers from all across the country. According to the year nine Taminmin College student, the fact she would end up in racing was something of an inevitability. “My family and friends got me interested in drag racing and cars – my parents have owned a mechanic shop for 20 years in Darwin, so I think horsepower is in my blood,” Harris explained. “I love the adrenalin you get when you go down the track. My friends from school think it is cool and different, and really like that I do it. “I think there should be more girls like me in drag racing, because we are just as good as the boys. For me, the only lowlight is when I am not racing! “My biggest highlight so far has been winning the Junior Dragster bracket in 2015 and also taking out the Track Champion of Champions title the same year – which was my first year of racing.” For Harris, her ultimate goal is one which should make those who introduced her to the sport nervous. “My ultimate racing goal is to race one of my parents one day!” laughed Harris, who despite her urge to beat them on the track thanks her parents as well as her pit crew and her local sponsors for their support. As a local, the Hidden Valley Raceway is a home away from Home for the Harris. “Hidden Valley is a really good track, I have grown up around it and seen it change so much. It is run by a great bunch of people,” she said. “I am pretty excited to be racing in such a big field next weekend and against people from all around Australia. “I like to think I will have a home track advantage, because I feel that I won’t be as nervous as I would be racing away from home. “In the end, I just want to have fun and hopefully take a win.” {fcomment}

A Junior Dragster pilot with a message is on his way to Darwin to compete at Nitro Up North, with a media savvy and fan friendliness better than many of his older peers. Victorian Daniel Carranza, 10, has taken to drag racing like few others, going from a hardcore fan of his hero Peter Kapiris in Top Doorslammer to a winning racer himself – taking out the Divisional Championship for his State. It’s down to his passion for the sport and his drive for sure, but perhaps even some personality traits that may suit a sport requiring meticulous attention to detail. Carranza has autism, but that has not prevented him from success. In fact, part of the team’s journey to race around the country involves raising awareness about autism. Since an appearance on Channel 10’s The Project, Carranza has become the closest thing to a household name in the Junior Dragster category. “So many teams of people have supported and helped us travel Australia wide to raise awareness for autistic kids,” he said. “Our ride has been amazing so far.” As well as getting to indulge in his favourite hobby, Carranza has been able to interact with folks from around the country who love hearing his story. “I am fortunate to have met so many amazing people both on and off the the track, not only in Australia but overseas as well,” he said. “They have even asked us to travel over to their countries and make an appearance at their local tracks. They believe that we are so inspiring to their kids and community with what we have achieved. If all our stars line up and get some sponsor support we are looking at maybe travelling to one of these tracks to make an appearance and meet some of our fans overseas.” Carranza, also known as the ‘BatDan’, has never raced in Darwin before, but his race car has hitched a ride with the Lamattina Top Fuel Racing team to make his first appearance. “I am very excited and looking forward to travelling and racing in Darwin,” he said. “It will be my first time racing there and the only track that I haven’t raced in the country. “Hopefully we get a little time to go and see the Northern Territory sights between racing rounds in Darwin and Alice Springs. I also have a radio interview with ABC to try and fit in between to promote junior drag racing. Hopefully we can get more kids into the sport.” Travelling is all part of the experience, but a win is what Carranza would love to earn while he is in the Top End. In pursuit of that goal he has a new car ready to go. “The new car is a B/JD that runs 8.50 seconds on the eighth mile (201 metres) rather than 12.50 seconds that I used to ran as a C/JD. It’s so much quicker and more of a rush. I have run my new car once already in the Adelaide finals but now we are coming out with a fresh new engine combo for the new season. “I’m hoping to get through a few rounds in Darwin, though it would be great to take a trophy home. Most of all I look forward to meeting all my fans in Darwin that I haven’t met before and who always write nice things to me on my Facebook page. “Thanks to my sponsors LMR, KCTools and Penrite Oils, they have supplied me with lots of things to give away to all those fans I have up there and we must mention the Lamattina family, Masters Home Improvements, ProSealed, Repco South Morang, Bridgestone Select South Morang, Honda Power Equipment together with Keilor Mower Services, Costanzo Motors, Simpson Race Gear and WURTH Australia. “I have to especially thank my Mum and Dad for helping me with my racing cause if it wasn’t for all their hard work I wouldn’t even be here.” {fcomment}

Victorian Top Doorslammer racer Rob ‘the Mad Professor’ Taylor will travel from one end of the country to the other next week to participate in back-to-back ANDRA events in Darwin and Alice Springs.

Darwin drag racing fans have had to wait some time for the return of six times Top Doorslammer champion Victor Bray to Hidden Valley Drag Strip but the presence of the Australian drag racing legend will be more than worth it.

Former Australian and NHRA Top Alcohol champion Steve Harker was taken to hospital following a qualifying crash in his Top Alcohol Funny Car at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.

Easily the most inspiring news for drag racing in recent times is to see the Lamattina Top Fuel Racing team back on track for the first time after Phil Lamattina’s horrifying wreck just over a year ago.

It has been a rough time for owners of 1963 Corvette doorslammers of late, in testing on Saturday Sydney’s Darren Hubbard found how quickly a few thousand horsepower can bite you.

Reigning ANDRA Top Sportsman champion Jason Stares is looking forward to his first adventure to Darwin to race at Nitro Up North as part of the Summit Sportsman Series.

Current Australian Pro Stock national champion Nino Cavallo will be heading to the USA to compete in a new class under the NMCA (National Muscle Car Association).

Mark Belleri comes into Hidden Valley Drag Strip’s Nitro Up North event full of confidence and ready to make an early impact on the ANDRA Top Doorslammer Championship.

National Pro Slammer and Top Doorslammer champion John Zappia is still licking his wounds after a bruising time at the 2016 City of Ipswich Winternationals.

Drag racers from around the country have sent their entries in for the upcoming Nitro Up North At Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway, preparing for the biggest quarter mile extravaganza to ever hit the top end.

  NHRA, through its partnership with Greenlight International Limited, has reached an agreement for FOX Sports Australia Pty Limited to televise programming of NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events.

It was 12 months ago when Steve Read last strapped himself into his Read Speed Top Fuel dragster to contest the Winternationals.

The inaugural 400 Thunder Champions have been crowned in the both the professional and sportsman categories – here is who won what.

Kylie and Gary Tanner have provided an update through ANDRA on Gary’s health following a horrific motor vehicle accident 9 weeks ago travelling home from Steel City Raceway.

Gary Phillips has claimed his 19th Australian Championship in his Lucas Oils Alcohol Funny Car en-route to his 13th Winternationals win, in front of a huge crowd last weekend at Willowbank Raceway.

Any champion will tell you that the road to number one is a mixture of highs, lows and plenty in between.

  One of the record-breaking cars of the early days of Sport Compact in Australia has received a new lease on life.

Grudge racing’s popularity in Australia continues to grow with Grudge Kings the latest series looking to get off the ground.

Rapisarda Autosport International star Damien Harris and gun tuner Santo Rapisarda Jr created Top Fuel history by taking out the inaugural 400 Thunder Top Fuel title when his only rival, team-mate Wayne Newby, lost to the American combo of Larry Dixon and Lee Beard in the final of the 49th annual City of Ipswich Winternationals.

It has long been one of the most popular cars in the Pro Stock paddock, but Lee Bektash’s Team Mopar Australia machine is fast becoming one of the most successful too, with the Victorian driver securing the 2016 400 Thunder Championship at the Winternationals in Queensland.

Grant O’Rourke has locked away third in the first 400 Thunder Pro Slammer championship with a semi-final appearance at the 2016 City of Ipswich Winternationals, held at Willowbank Raceway on the weekend.

VenuesWest will take over interim management of Perth Motorplex from 1 July 2016 following the decision of the current operator, Kwinana Motorplex Pty Ltd to withdraw from management of the venue.

The City of Ipswich Winternationals have wrapped up with winners crowned on an action packed and cloud covered final day of eliminations.

Damien Harris might have just become one of the fastest nitro drag racers in the world – but disappointment was still etched in his voice after losing out to Larry Dixon in the semi finals of the City of Ipswich Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway.

Angela Dow experienced a scary transmission failure as she crossed the finish line in her Holden Torana during qualifying for the City of Ipswich Winternationals.