With four more rounds of the NDRC Top Fuel Championship set to run, last-event winner Hydraulink Jim Read Racing is preparing to give the championship chase a ‘tune-up’ – starting with this weekend’s Riverbend Nationals at Dragway at The Bend (April 5-7).
When Phil Read raced through for the A-Final victory in the Hydraulink Jim Read Racing Top Fuel dragster at the Perth Motorplex in early March, it was the second consecutive Westernats victory for the team and also marked a huge step forward in the team’s new set-up.
“The Westernats win was a really important one for us – everything came together for us,” Phil Read said.
“It has been no secret that we have been working on a new tune-up program with our good friend from America, Jim ‘Jim O’ Oberhofer, and to make those strides forward in Perth was so rewarding after all the blood, sweat and tears that has been poured into this new approach.
“Since Perth we have continued to finesse that tune-up and I can’t wait to get on track at Dragway at The Bend to have another crack.
“Hopefully, we can give the points a bit of a tune-up as well – we moved to fourth in the standings after our win in Perth and with four rounds of racing still to come, there is so much still to play for – this championship is far from won yet!”
Hydraulink Jim Read Racing Crew Chief, Bruce Read, said he expects the Top Fuel racing at the Riverbend Nationals to be a true crowd pleaser.
“There really is nothing like Top Fuel racing, and we can’t wait to be back on track at Dragway at The Bend after racing in front of a sell-out crowd there in October last year,” Bruce Read said.
“Every time we race, we do so in front of near-capacity or sell-out crowds, and we expect it to be no different at Tailem Bend this weekend, so I encourage everyone to get in and get their tickets quick!
“Buoyed by our win in Perth and with vital steps forward taken with our new set-up, you can rest assured that we will be putting on one hell of a show this weekend as we try and chase down another victory and some more crucial points in the championship chase.
“In the meantime, I have to give a shout out to my crew – they are simply the best – and also our valued supporting partners; I hope we can all be celebrating together with another big trophy this Sunday.”
The Riverbend Nationals will take place at Dragway at The Bend across April 5-7, with Hydraulink Jim Read Racing and the rest of the Top Fuel field taking to the track on Saturday April 6 and Sunday April 7.
Hydraulink Jim Read Racing is supported on track by Hydraulink, Valvoline, Snap-On, McDonalds, FXD Workwear, PremiAir Hire, Odyssey Batteries, PMP Motorsport Products, Diamond Pistons, Trend Performance Wrist Pins, Oasis Aquatics, Oasis Heat Pumps, Speed Gas, Spa Electric Pool Lighting, Pacific Pools and Comp Cams. The team also thanks Richard Smith for his assistance with photography services. To learn more about Hydraulink Jim Read Racing, visit https://www.facebook.com/JimReadRacing
