by John Doig, Australian Correspondent
Round three of the 2024/2025 NDRC Top Fuel season, the Westernationals at the Perth Motorplex on March 1-2, will be a critical junction for the three leading championship contenders, veteran Phil Read and Rapisarda Autosport International teammates Wayne Newby and last-round winner Damien Harris.
Read holds a 15-point lead over Newby, with Harris 70 points away in third place heading into the fifty-fourth edition of the most prestigious event on the Aussie calendar.
“The Motorplex has certainly been a happy hunting ground for us in recent years, and we are very excited to get back there,” said Read.
“This is the only time Top Fuel is heading west this season, so hopefully, we can make our mark here once again and put on a spectacular show for the fans at the same time. The Westerns is always a huge event – we simply can’t wait to be a part of it again and, hopefully, lift the NDRC Gold Christmas Tree trophy.”
RAI team owner Santo Rapisarda brings a similar perspective to the event. “A win at the halfway of the season is important to set up the team for the rest of the championship.”
“We started our season slowly but bounced back at the last round at Willowbank Raceway when Damien and Wayne finished first and second.”
“We always look forward to racing at the Motorplex. We only go to the track once a year but have accumulated a lot of data and set up info to call upon. Much will depend on the conditions. Daylight runs can be a real challenge because of high temperatures, but when the “Freemantle doctor” – the afternoon sea breeze – kicks in, the temperature drops, times improve dramatically, and the fans are treated to some outstanding racing.”
The meeting will also see the return of two-time champion Phil Lamattina, who last raced at the Nitro champs in May 2024.
The Carrot team has moved from their Sydney base to the family farm 600 miles away in Wemen, Victoria. They will also see Phil’s sons Ross and Rocky crewing on the team.
“I can’t wait to get back and be a thorn in the side of a couple of the teams,” said Lamattina. “You never know; we might just pop up and win. Stranger things have happened.”
Two-time champ Peter Xiberras returned for the first time this season at Willowbank Raceway in January and finished runner-up to Read in the B-Final.
“We have been developing a whole different combination recently, and at the last event, it really woke up,” Xiberras said.
“It is exceptionally powerful, exceptionally fast – in fact, it is so fast now that the changes we would have made in the past to slow it down were nowhere near big enough.”
“It was a good problem to have and we head to Perth with a plan in place to take that power and turn it into proper, full candle passes down the full 1000ft distance.
“We have set track and national records at the ‘Plex before and I am confident we can do that again while challenging for A-Final victories. Here’s hoping we can make that happen this weekend.”
The sole Western Australian in the field is Kyle Putland, a semi-finalist at the 2024 Westernationals.
“I’m extremely excited about this one,” said Putland. “We recently completed some testing at the Motorplex to get on top of the car a little more after we had some struggles in Round one of the season. I feel like our program is back on track and we are ready to give it to those guys from the east.”
DOORSLAMMER – The Westernats will be the third of four rounds on the 2024-2025 Doorslammer calendar to be held at the venue and is dominated by 10 local entrants. Darwin-based Matt Abel, Victorian Peter Kapiris and Jeremy Callaghan from N.S.W. are the sole interstate entries.
Reigning champ Russell Taylor holds a commanding 97-point lead over sole woman in the Pro ranks and round one winner Lisa Gregorini. Taylor has an impeccable record at his home track and has already claimed back-to-back wins at his home track this season. Local hero John Zappia is third, 21 points behind Gregorini and is chasing his first win of the season. His best result came as runner-up to Taylor in round two of the championship.
TOP FUEL MOTORCYCLE – In Top Fuel Motorcycle, Damien Muscat and Wayne McGuinness are tied on 149 points apiece. Rob Cassar is third, 35 points behind the leading pair and defending champ Benny Stevens is 18 points away in fourth place.
