Peter Beaumont, general manager of Australia’s Sydney Dragway, has contended that the growing 400 Thunder Drag Racing Series has helped in “relaunching our sport as a major competitor in the motorsport sector.”
 
He and his racetrack, along with the Australian drag-racing scene, received a major boost Monday with Gulf Western Oil’s announcement that it will become the naming-rights partner of the Nitro Thunder event at Sydney Dragway for the next three years.
 
The May 5-6 race will be the first for Gulf Western Oil’s commitment to the New South Wales facility that’s considered the country’s premier drag-racing venue.
 
Gulf Western Oil recently signed a three-year deal as primary marketing partner with iconic owner-driver Victor Bray and his Team Bray Racing. That commitment covers two Team Bray Top Doorslammers, two burnout cars, and Ben Bray’s new Sport Compact Toyota Solara.
 
Andrew Vicary, a director with Gulf Western Oil, said he was “extremely impressed” last month when he attended Santo’s Summer Thunder at Sydney Dragway.
 
“Sydney Dragway is the market-leading dragway in Australia, and the 400 Thunder Drag Racing Series is giving Drag Racing the professionalism the sport has needed,” Vicary said. “We decided that owning a race in the 400 Thunder Drag Racing Series at Sydney Dragway was exactly what we needed to boost our marketing campaign.”
 
In the January 21 Santo’s Summer Thunder Pro Slammer final round, son Ben Bray defeated dad Victor Bray. American Dom Lagana won the Top Fuel final.
 
Beaumont said, “The Dragway has been ensuring we deliver high-quality events for both the fans and racers. The 400 Thunder Series has been an exciting program to work on, bringing a professional base to drag racing.
 
“With Gulf Western Oil joining other recent sponsors – such as OVO Mobile, Santo’s Cranes, Titan Group of Companies, Sadek Autogroup, Labour King, Harley Heaven, MyPlates and buysellcarparts.com.au –over the past 12 months, the Dragway and the 400 Thunder Drag Racing Series are proving to the corporate market that we are again an effective marketing platform.”
 
Seven-time NHRA Top Fuel winner Richie Crampton will make his return to a dragster at the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Thunder. The Adelaide-born racer, who has been relegated to the shop since last November after Morgan Lucas Racing parked its two cars, will drive for Lamattina Top Fuel Racing. It will be Crampton’s first chance to compete in a Top Fuel dragster in Australia.