The Australian drag racing world is set for a massive overhaul following the formation of the National Drag Racing Championship.

The new body will take control of Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Car, Doorslammer, Pro Alcohol, Pro Stock, Top Bike, Pro Stock Bike, Pro Mod and Sportsman categories that will race under a single National championship headed by leading Australian motorsport identities Andy Lopes and Nathan Prendergast, the co-promotors of Top Fuel Australia. 

The announcement has sent shockwaves through drag racing circles in Australia and is likely to spark massive changes that will filter down the ranks from Top Fuel to Sportsman racing.

The NDRC calendar will feature eleven championship events headlined by either the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship or the Nitro Funny Car Championship, culminating in a single Grand Final event for all professional categories in mid-2024 at Willowbank Raceway. 

“The National Drag Racing Championship represents a massive opportunity for the sport to go one way forward,” according to Lopez. “The statement “One way, forward” has become our mantra. We've taken the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship to venues all over Australia, giving us an excellent chance to listen to what racers and fans want. And racers and fans want a positive drag racing scene where racers fight for a single national title in their category. What is clear is that everybody wants what’s best for the sport. We won’t all agree all the time, but if we’re respectful and positive, the sport will be in a good place.”

Reigning Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Champion Peter Xiberras added, “Unity is the essential thing required for drag racing to succeed. Top Fuel is in a really good place right now. Fans are returning to the track in droves, the television package has never looked better and things are looking up for the sport I love.”

Jason Hedges, head honcho of 400 Thunder, has been appointed to lead quality assurance for competition and guide the Sportsman Championship.

Despite spasmodic attempts, Nitro Funny cars have not raced at a championship level in Australia since the mid-80s. 

Figures are sketchy, but, it is believed there are around six Funny Cars in Australia.

THE DEMISE OF THE 400 THUNDER SERIES

Established in 2015, 400T was the premier race series in Australia until 2021, when the leading Top Fuel team owners Santo Rapisarda, Jim Read, Peter Xiberras and Phil Lamattina withdrew from the series and established the Australian Top Fuel Championship.

Without a marque nitro category, 400 Thunder launched the Top Fuel Funny Car series in 2022. The decision to rename a Funny Car a Top Fuel Funny Car was widely seen as an attempt to cash in on the Top Fuel name. TFFC failed to gain traction, appearing at only three meetings; the last was at Willowbank Raceway in April 2023, where the crowd stayed away in droves. 

“The National Drag Racing Championship is the next logical step for drag racing in Australia,” according to 400 Thunder director Tony Wedlock. “We met with the NDRC team to hear their plans, and the 400 Thunder Board was satisfied that the NDRC is in the best interests of everyone in the sport we all love so much. Given that, it's time to retire the 400 Thunder Series and we ask all racers to get behind the NDRC. The Board is proud of what 400 Thunder has achieved.” 

 

 

SPORTSMAN RACING

Aeroflow, a significant player in the Australian motorsport performance aftermarket that sponsored the 400 Thunder series, will sponsor the National Sportsman Championship series that will race at NDRC Group One events and standalone shows at regional tracks. 

The Sportsman championship will run an Eastern and Western Conference format, leading into a single, all-in Grand Final in 2024. 

The Western Conference will comprise events held at the Perth Motorplex, South Australia and the Northern Territory. The Eastern Conference will include Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria events.

“An NDRC Sportsman Advisory Group will be established to give Sportsman racers and officials a voice in the calendar, safety, rules and other issues affecting Sportsman racing,” according to Morice McMillin from Aeroflow.

 

TOP FUEL AUSTRALIA

TFA will be incorporated into the new series. Since launching in 2021, the series has played to packed houses and produced quality racing rarely seen since the halcyon days of the 1970s.

TFA also ventured beyond the capital city environs and into each state and territory across mainland Australia including rural Australia, a market that had rarely been exposed to Top Fuel. With astute marketing and teams fully committed to the series' success, the quality of the racing rose dramatically.

According to NHRA star Larry Dixon, who won the last round of the ATFC In Sydney earlier this month, "Ten years I’ve been coming to Australia. Seeing the sport where it was and how it's grown today is amazing. Any one of the cars here could go over and run the NHRA, compete with the American teams and do well. Without question.”

TELEVISION DEAL

Details of the television package will be released next week. "Our broadcast deal will be a massive step forward and will give drag racing the exposure it deserves. It's a major achievement for the sport. I look forward to the announcement on May 17 and bringing Group One and Sportsman Racing to a worldwide T.V. audience,” said Prendergast

The 2023-2024 NDRC season is expected to begin at The Bend Motorsport Park track in rural South Australia in October. 

ANDRA RESPONDS

The Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) released a statement acknowledging the NDRC vision statement.

“We have had preliminary discussions with Andy Lopez re this vision statement, which was released by the NDRC this afternoon,” ANDRA CEO Ian Brown said in a prepared statement.

“As agreed prior to the release with Andy, ANDRA will be undertaking further discussions with the NDRC team regarding the finer details of this concept, both overall and in particular, in regard to sportsman racing, calendars, regulations, and so forth.

“Before such discussions are conducted, it is too early for ANDRA to make any statement regarding potential impacts of NDRC on our Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.

“ANDRA and Summit Racing Equipment have delivered a comprehensive national sportsman series to the ANDRA membership for a substantial period of time, and plans for our 2023/2024 season are well-advanced.

“The dates for rounds one and two have already been publicly confirmed, with entries now open via the respective host tracks, and a 12-round calendar is close to completion (see below for the draft dates). 

“As soon as more information is available, ANDRA will issue an update to its membership regarding its position in relation to the NDRC and any possible impacts on the upcoming 2023/2024 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.”