South Australia will host the National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC) Grand Final for the first time when more than 200 cars and bikes descend on Dragway at The Bend for the SPRY Spring Nationals from 22–25 October.
In a decades first, the championship decider moves outside Queensland for all championship brackets, bringing Australia’s fastest racers to Tailem Bend for four days of spectacular racing, with national titles to be decided on Sunday 25 October.
At the centre of the action are Top Fuel dragsters — 11,000-plus horsepower machines capable of travelling more than 500 km/h and covering the 1,000-foot (305-metre) racing distance in less than 3.8 seconds.
Unlike conventional motorsport, where drivers race around a circuit, drag racing pits two competitors side by side from a standing start in a straight-line contest of acceleration, speed and reaction time.
For spectators, the experience is extraordinary. A Top Fuel launch delivers a thunderous roar and physical vibration that can be felt throughout the body, with the force of the acceleration often compared to a rocket taking off.
Shell V-Power Motorsport Park Managing Director Dr Sam Shahin said hosting the Grand Final was another milestone in South Australia’s emergence as a home of major national motorsport events and championship deciders.
“We’ve made no secret of our ambition to make The Bend the home of major motorsport in Australia, and bringing the National Drag Racing Championship Grand Final to South Australia for the first time is another important step,” Dr Shahin said.
“From Supercars endurance racing to major national championship events, we’re building a calendar that brings the best competitors and motorsport fans from across the country to South Australia.
“Drag racing is one of the most spectacular forms of motorsport in the world. The noise, the speed and the sheer power of these machines is extraordinary. You don’t just hear a Top Fuel dragster launch — it’s a full sensory overload.”
The Grand Final will determine national champions across multiple categories, with several title battles still wide open.
In BLAHST Top Fuel, championship leader Phil Lamattina heads into the final round on 74 points, ahead of Damien Harris on 64 and Wayne Newby on 60. XPRO Nitro Funny Car will also deliver a dramatic conclusion, with Josh Leahy leading on 84 points, followed by Morice McMillin on 70 and Justin Walshe on 66.
The Top Doorslammer championship is even tighter, with Emilio Spinozzi holding a slender two-point advantage over 11-time champion John Zappia. In Pro Stock, Robert Dekert and Omar Sedmak are locked together on 62 points, setting up a championship showdown with nothing separating the two contenders.
Lamattina said the championship battle was shaping up as a fitting finale to the season.
“There’s nothing comfortable about taking a points lead into the last round, especially when you’re racing against drivers like Damien and Wayne. Everything comes down to what happens on the track, and that’s exactly how you want a championship decided.”
Alongside BLAHST Top Fuel, XPRO Nitro Funny Car and Top Doorslammer, spectators can experience Pro Stock and a huge range of racing machinery, from purpose-built drag cars to high-performance motorcycles.
A single Top Fuel run lasts less than four seconds and costs between $15,000 and $25,000, reflecting the extraordinary engineering and resources required to launch one of the world’s most powerful racing machines.
For the ultimate adrenaline rush, the new Start Line Experience puts fans between two Top Fuel dragsters at the starting line as they prepare to launch. With more than 11,000 horsepower on either side, the roar, vibration and sheer power of these machines deliver an experience unlike almost anything else in motorsport.
Just 10 Top Fuel and 10 Nitro Funny Car experiences are available at $159 each, with 10-minute experiences in selected other categories priced at $109.
Fans can also get closer to the action than at most major motorsport events, with access to the pits and the opportunity to watch teams preparing their machines between runs.
The four-day program begins with a free Test & Tune session on Thursday 22 October, before competitive racing builds towards Sunday’s national championship deciders. Saturday night will also feature fireworks, adding to the atmosphere of one of Australia’s biggest drag racing weekends.
A three-day pass costs $100. General admission starts at $50 on Friday and $65 on Saturday and Sunday, with children aged four and under admitted free. Parking and general pit access are also free. Tickets and event information: springnats.thebend.com.au
