A full day and night of incredible drag racing performances in front of a packed house have set the stage for what is set to be an epic Westernationals race day at the Perth Motorplex (Sunday 2 March).
This weekend’s event is being headlined by WA’s only Top Fuel show for 2025, with six 11,000hp/500kmh+ Top Fuel Dragsters competing for round three of their NDRC championship chase. Joining them in delighting a huge crowd are a full complement of Top Doorslammer and Top Fuel Motorcycle competitors – also chasing NDRC national championship glory – as well as the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship.
Fans filled the stands at Perth Motorplex Saturday and with another big crowd expected for race day Sunday, fans are advised to get their tickets online at www.ndrc.tv now to make sure they can secure their seat trackside.
When all was said and done in the group one ranks Saturday evening, it was Damien Harris (Top Fuel), John Zappia (Top Doorslammer), and Damian Muscat (Top Fuel Motorcycle) who top qualified and will lead their fields into race day.
WA racer, defending champ and current Perth Motorplex record holder Damien Harris claimed the top spot with a 3.845/517.32kph heavily pedalled effort in Q2, setting down the first three-second pass of the night, while Peter Xiberras was second quickest after improving his problem-plagued Q1 time (6.784/145.10kph) to a 3.888-second 490.25kph run in Q2.
Even with an early shutoff due to a boost regulator issue, championship leader Wayne Newby’s 4.041-second 373.94 Q1 pass was more than enough to claim the third-quickest time for the day.
Phil Read was fourth quickest, with the Australian Top Fuel record holder’s 4.059/371.53kph Q1 effort putting the Sydney-based racer ahead of Victorian Phil Lamattina in fifth (Q1 – 4.173/341.28kph), with both racers off early in Q2.
Local underdog Kyle Putland meanwhile rounded out the field, with his best run of the night also coming in the first qualifier (4.513/401.64kph).
For Harris, Saturday’s result was a far cry from last year’s Westernationals qualifying, where he was sidelined from the rest of the event due to damage following contact with the wall.
“I am obviously very pleased for the Rapisardas to qualify number one,” Harris said.
“It was a bit of a handful of a lap, but we got the job done and hopefully we can go some rounds tomorrow.
“Tomorrow we are just going to take it a lap at a time. The first run is at 4.00pm when there will still be sun on the track and a bit of heat, so we will see how we go.”
In Top Doorslammer, another WA local claimed not only the top spot but also the $1000 Crow Cams top qualifier cheque, with 11-time champion John Zappia setting the tone in Q1 with a 5.680/407.58kph pass before improving in Q2 to shave 0.004s off his earlier run.
His top qualifying 5.676/408.78kph effort was just 0.005s ahead of defending champion Russell Taylor’s Q2 effort of 5.681/411.97kph.
Daniel Gregorini was third quickest with a 5.761/391.23kph effort in Q2 to improve on his Q1 5.770/409.52 run, while Maurice Brennan (Q2 – 5.796/400.18kph) and Steve Aldridge (Q1 – 5.812/395.30kph) were next quickest in fourth and fifth respectively.
Rounding out Top Doorslammer ranks were Brodie Zappia (6th – 5.847/388.93kph), Matt Abel (7th – 5.944/367.45kph), Jeremy Callaghan (8th – 5.950/397.69kph), Frank Taylor (9th – 6.177/384.40kph), Shane Catalano (10th – 6.249/370.22kph), Mark Chapman (11th – 6.760/319.90kph), Lisa Gregorini (12th – 12.541/107.80), and Peter Kapiris (13th – 12.914/109.55kph).
“The day went really well. The car came out and went nice and straight. It was quick off the line, felt reasonably good down the track, and went 5.68 with a zero at 253mph (407.58kph),” Zappia said.
“Then we came out in the last one, and we put a bit more in. It took off good, started to wheel stand and rattled the tyres. I drove through it and I made it down the track, and I went 5.676s at 254mph (408.78kph). The Dananni Hotshots Fuchs Monaro was flying, consistent, and reliable.
“We’re looking for more of the same tomorrow to keep it consistent with A to B laps and to do everything we can to get into the A-Final to maximise points for the championship chase.
“We’ll service the motor tonight, do any other changes tomorrow and get a good night’s sleep to be ready for round one tomorrow.”
In Top Fuel Motorcycle, national record holder Damian Muscat claimed the top spot with a 6.081/342.65kph effort in Q1.
Muscat’s top qualifying time was one of only two six-second passes of the evening for Top Fuel Motorcycle; agonisingly close to the coveted five second zone which has been graced by only two riders in Australia previously, one of those being Muscat.
Benny Stevens also got down into the sixes, with a 6.860/332.51kph run in Q2 seeing him secure the second spot.
Wayne McGuinness’s 7.612/200.89 Q1 effort saw the WA racer third quickest, while Tony Wood (Q2 – 7.637/264.96kph) and Corey Buttigieg (Q2 – 8.472/174.38kph) qualified in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Spots six through nine belonged to Greg Durack (6th – 8.678/173.65kph), Travis Lorraway (7th – 13.715/102.53kph), Kevin Gummow (8th – 22.773/34.72kph), and Ian Ashelford (9th) – who was unable to record a time.
“The day started out with a 6.08s, and I misjudged the finish line a whisker, so I actually got off it early unintentionally,” Muscat said.
“We changed the motor between rounds and went out in the second round with a little too much fuel in the second half of the track and it started mixing cylinders, but I stayed in it. We got really good data from those two runs, and we should be able to transform that into something tomorrow.
“We’ll try to go as fast as we can and try to put a show on for the crowd here. The team’s worked pretty hard to get us to where we are and we’ll definitely go out and give it all we’ve got to see if we can make this bike go faster.”
More than 160 Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship racers also impressed the packed stands with qualifying runs across all eleven brackets.
Errol Quartermaine and Michael Buckley have officially top qualified in Super Stock and Competition, while the rest will conclude their qualifying battle tomorrow, with the following racers currently leading the way in their respective brackets: Gavin Donnelly (Super Street), Terry Phillips (Super Sedan), Vince Belladonna (Supercharged Outlaws), Connor Wood (Modified Bike), Jesse Martin (Junior Dragster), Seth Jarvis (Junior Drag Bike), Chris Allen (Competition Bike), Michelle Morrison (Modified Eliminator) and Jason Lippi (Top Sportsman).
The 54th annual Westernationals concludes on Sunday March 2 at the Perth Motorplex, with the continuation of the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship qualifying runs from 10.30am before racing begins for these eleven exciting brackets from 12.50pm local time. Top Fuel, Top Doorslammer and Top Fuel Motorcycle will be on-track from 4.00pm. For full event information and tickets, visit https://nationaldragracing.com.au/event/54th-annual-westernationals/
