Gender counts for little in the world of drag racing in Australia with a trio of women - Jacinta Woods, Annalise Cavagnino and Hayley Xiberras - making their mark in Top Fuel.

Senior member of the group is 22-year-old Jacinta Woods a crew member for Jim Read Racing since 2016.

JRR has been a significant player in Australian drag racing winning eight ANDRA Top Fuel championships. Team owner Jim Read is the only Australian to be inducted into the International Drag racing Hall of Fame and was the driving force behind the establishment of Sydney Dragway that opened in 2004. 

“My father was a member of the crew when Jim was driving,” said Woods. “Our family goes back a long way and I've grown up around the sport. Like most, I started out washing parts and being a general hand around the team. These days I help our driver Phil Read pack the ’chutes and work on the clutch. It doesn’t’ matter if you are male or female. If you are willing to work hard, are down to earth and a team player you're made to feel welcome at Jim Read Racing. I think more women are getting involved in drag racing. You are judged on your ability and how you perform. Jim, who owns the team, and his son Bruce who tunes the car, have a lot of experience racing here and in America. When you ask them a question, they take the time to talk to you and are happy to share their knowledge. When you're working on the car, your gender is irrelevant. I think if the opportunity came up, I’d have a go at driving. To get behind the wheel of a fuel car would be awesome.” 

Annalise Cavagnino, who has just recently graduated from high school, works on the Rapisarda Autosport International car tuned by her father Rob and driven by Californian Ashley Sanford.

Sanford a regular with RAI since making her debut with the team in 2017 is one of the most popular Americans to race-down-under and has finished third in the 400 Thunder series on two occasions. Rob Cavagnino tuned the JRR entry of Martin Stamatis that won the ANDRA Top Fuel championship in 2010. 

“At the workshop, I help dad set the clutch plates, grind clutch disks as well as putting the engine together,” said Cavagnino. “On race day I help dismantle the heads and look after the tyres on the car. My dad worked for Jim Read even before I was born and I grew up around the team. A couple of years ago, I said to dad I would like to become involved in the sport. The turning point was after we went to an NHRA meeting in Las Vegas. I saw there were a lot of girls and women involved in working on the cars as well as racing. To see Brittany Force and Leah Pritchett in action was cool. What’s good about dad's crew is I’m accepted one hundred percent. I’m just one of the team. Driving home in the car after an event I get to see how passionate my dad is about racing and I think some of that rubs off on me. Working on Ashley’s car is fantastic. All the crew love her and she really appreciates the effort the team put into giving her the best race car possible. She’s not only the driver, but she’s my friend.” 

Seventeen-year-old Hayley Xiberras, the youngest of the trio, is a crew member on the PremiAir Hire car driven by her father, Peter Xiberras.

In mid-2019 the Sydney team owner-driver took delivery of a new set of wheels from Morgan Lucas Racing, Indianapolis. The car debuted at the opening round of the current season where Xiberras defeated reigning champ Wayne Newby in the final. 

“My main role is when the car comes back from a run, I take the sump apart, clean the heads, empty the puke tank and spend time washing parts,” said Xiberras. "We have a great crew. If I have any questions, then I can go to our crew chief Tim Adams and he will take time to explain how such and such works. Being a female has never been an issue. I’m not sure if I would ever want to drive a fuel car. I love seeing the enjoyment that dad gets from driving and that makes me happy. I love the feeling that you get when you see the car go down the track and know that you have, in some small way, contributed to making it all happen.”