NHRA legend Larry Dixon, racing for Rapisarda Autosport International scored the victory in the A-Final over local hero Phil Lamattina at the penultimate round of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel championship at Sydney Dragway on May 5,6.

Dixon, a regular visitor down under over the last decade, experienced his last win in Australia at Willowbank Raceway in 2016.

The win is also his first ever at Sydney Dragway.

“Wow!” said an ecstatic Dixon. “I was talking to Phil, and he has been racing here a long time, and he said he has never won in Sydney. I was like, neither have I. So, this is pretty darn cool.

“I can’t thank Santo and the whole Rapisarda team enough for bringing me down here to do this. I love Top Fuel cars and they give me the opportunity to do this. Thank you to everyone and to all the fans – everyone has been so warm and welcoming to an outsider, and I really appreciate it. I am just so happy!”

Dixon’s victory has guaranteed that the 2022-2023 ATFC championship will be decided at the final round of the season at Hidden Valley Raceway Darwin, June 16-17, after the three leading contenders all stumbled on race day.

Series leader Damien Harris finished a lowly seventh overall after winning the D-Final. His nearest rival Phil Read was a no-show in the C-Final against Shane Olive.

Defending champ Peter Xiberras finished third overall after defeating RAI star Wayne Newby in the B-Final.

QUALIFYING

The two-day meeting attracted the biggest Top Fuel entry list in almost a decade, thanks to the inclusion of Dixon and the East Coast, the debut of Western Australian Kyle Putland. After two rounds, a scant .015 sec separated the top four.

Two-time champ Phil Lamattina topped the charts for the first time this season with a career personal best of 3.77 to head RAI duo Damien Harris and Wayne Newby on 3/79. and 3.80, respectively. 

Reigning champ Peter Xiberras was fourth with a 3.82.

Championship contending Phil Read led the rest of the field from Putland, LTFR’s Shane Olive and Dixon well of the pace in the eighth spot with a 7.69/93 mph.

ROUND ONE

Harris stamped his authority on the field with a monster 3.78/ 328 mph pass to easily defeat Shane Olive.

Lamattina continued his form from the previous day posting 3.80 to account for Dixon with a 3.92.  Xiberras lead all the way to defeat Read. 

RAI pocketed their second win of the round when Newby claimed a comfortable victory over Putland.

 

ROUND TWO 

The penultimate round of the meeting was a thriller, headed by the Dixon versus Xiberras showdown. Dixon, with a 3.81, 321 mph, overcame a ‘late track wriggle,” took the win, and also secured his berth in the A- Final. Xiberras was gallant in defeat after stopping the timers at 3.83/ 317 mph. 

The Newby versus Read battle was one for the ages. Both clocked a 3.887. Read the winner courtesy of a holeshot. Newby was superb after overcoming a huge dose of tire shake. Read had his hands full with a massive engine explosion towards the end of the run that torched most of the wiring in the car.

Lamattina continued his march to his first final since March 2022 with a workman-like 3.85, 309 mph, while Puntland’s campaign ended after shaking the tires. 

The final run produced the upset of the season when Shane Olive accounted for Harris, who got loose and desperately attempted to wrestle his car to the finish line but crossed the center line and was disqualified. 

 

THE FINAL ROUND

The pressure on the two combatants in the A- final was massive. Dixon on the charge after falling to Lamattina in Rd I and chasing his first win for RAI since 2016, and Lamattina with multiple wins at every track across the country, having never won at Sydney Dragway. 

The battle ended instantaneously, as the Lamattina car never got beyond the Christmas tree, allowing Dixon to disappear into the distance and take the easiest of wins.

Xiberras kept his championship hopes alive after a gritty win in the B-Final against Newby, who went up in smoke almost on the hit. 

“We just missed out on winning that second round against Dixon, and that would have made a difference, “said Xiberras. “But congratulations to him and the Rapisardas on not only taking that win but also on making the A-Final and winning the event.”

Olive was gifted the win in the C-Final when Read failed to make the start line due to no oil pressure. The result is a significant setback to Read’s hopes of landing his first Top Fuel championship since 2008.

In an all-Western Australian final, Damien Harris lead all the way to defeat Kyle Putland in the D-Final.

 

 

PRO SLAMMER

Runaway points leader Kelvin Lyle defeated little-known Geoff Gradden in the A-Final. Gradden threw away his chances of causing an upset after he left before the lights turned green.

Number two qualifier Lyle cruised to the final round when he scored two easy wins over luckless veteran Peter Kapiris who shook the tires and then ran a red light.

Number four qualifier Gradden’s passage includes wins over highly rated locals Craig Newitt and Paul Cannuli.

“In the final, we had to wait around a fair bit, “according to Lyle. “So, we upped the power up and probably went a bit too far; I had to pedal it a few times. I didn’t realize that Gradden had a red light, so I just kept on pedaling it to get it down the track and was told later when the crew got down there that he had redlit.” 

Top Qualifier John Zappia outgunned Northern Territory racer Matt Abel in the B-Final. 

Newitt took the honors in the C-Final against Lisa Gregorini, who red light.

Gregorini, in only her second race meeting, caused a major upset in round one when she defeated 11- time champ Zappia.

TOP BIKE

Benny Stevens took victory over points leader Rob Cassar in the Final. However, it was veteran Chris Matheson one of the most popular characters in the two-wheel category, who stole the show when he demolished the six-second barrier with a 5.92. 

“This has been a big effort from the team; how’s that for a bit of history here in Australia,” said Matheson
after the record-setting effort.

“We have been plugging away at this for about 11 years, I can ring the nursing home now and let them know I am coming next week.”