The Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship has announced their final calendar for Season One after what has been a topsy turvy start thanks to border closures and other off track dramas.
However, with the recently announced opening of the West Australian border, the Championship can now make the big road-trip west and will be racing at the Perth Motorplex on April 8-9 alongside the ANDRA Grand Finals.
Andy Lopez from Top Fuel said “The Top Fuel teams were really looking forward to racing at the Westernationals in early March, but those plans were undone by the COVID-19 border regulations,” Lopez said.
“Then the border re-opening announcement came, we started talking with Motorplex and ANDRA about how we could make Perth work, and everything just fell into place. The Motorplex is a world class venue managed by a fantastic team, and they worked really quickly to make this opportunity happen. With six fuel cars racing alongside the exciting racers in the ANDRA Grand Final, the atmosphere is going to be electric.”
Paul Trengove, General Manager, Perth Motorplex “We’re stoked that the Australian Top Fuel Championship is able to get to the Motorplex after everything that’s happened over these last two years. It’s a massive effort from the guys to travel more than 4000kms to race, but Motorplex is an awesome facility and well worth effort. After two years here on our own, the WA drag racing community will come out in force to support the Burson Top Fuel Championship and the ANDRA Grand Finals.”
Phil Read, who is leading the Burson Championship in the Hydraulink Top Fuel car said “It’s great to be heading back to Motorplex. I’ve had a few wins there, and I really enjoy the track and the people. I can’t wait to get to Perth and put on a good show for the fans.”
The move to Perth has allowed a reshuffle of the Heathcote Park Raceway round to May 21-22, giving the hardworking crew at HPR some valuable time to plan and deliver what will be an amazing motorsport festival right on the edge of Melbourne.
Lance Warren, owner of Heathcote Park Raceway, said pushing the Heathcote round out to May has given him the opportunity to bring forward some exciting major works before staging the Top Fuel event. The upgrades, including re-surfacing much of the track, will prove a massive benefit and legacy to Victorian drag racers and fans.
Lance Warren, said “We’re creating a world class motorsport facility in Heathcote and we’ve been working incredibly hard to get our venue ready. We’re pretty happy with the change of dates, as it gives us the chance to bring forward some track re-surfacing work with brand new asphalt from the end of the concrete. Top Fuel and HPR are working together to deliver a new type of festival in May that will become a permanent fixture on the Aussie motorsport calendar.”
Phil Lamattina from Lamattina Top Fuel Racing said, “Lance took the time to show me through Heathcote during the Mopar Nationals, and there were a couple of thousand people having a great time. I’m really impressed with him and what they’re doing down there. Lance’s vision is outstanding, and we’ve got the opportunity to put on a great show at Heathcote.”
The plans for Round 5 at Heathcote Park Raceway are still under wraps, but the promoters have promised that the event will be the full festival experience for competitors and spectators, and every part of Heathcote Park Raceway will be in action.
Andy Lopez from Top Fuel added, “With more cars, more racing, at more venues, 2022 has the chance to be the year Aussie drag racing needs. Fans deserve access to top quality racing no matter what track they’re close to, whether that’s at the Burson Top Fuel Championship, the Australian Drag Racing Championship, 400 Thunder, or any number of other great events at tracks around Australia.”
Round 1 of the Championship at Sydney Dragway was a massive success, with thousands of fans enjoying top shelf racing in a party atmosphere, with fireworks, freestyle motorcross, drifting and burnouts delivering a brand new drag racing experience. Over 200,000 tuned in to watch the broadcast live and free on 7+ and Facebook LIVE, with all the Top Fuel action packaged up on 7mate later that week. The broadcast has universally been praised as the best drag racing coverage produced in Australia in over 10 years.
Despite a challenging start to the year, the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship is delivering on their promise, with two races in Victoria, a round in Western Australia, two races in Sydney and the series final at the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley.
