by John Doig, Australian Correspondent
Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon will return to race for Rapisarda Autosport International at the Gulf Western Oil Nitro champs meeting at Sydney Dragway, May 4-6.
The decision by team owner Santo Rapisarda to run a third car alongside regular drivers Wayne Newby and Damien Harris is a welcome boost for the category, which has struggled with car counts throughout the 2024-2025 season due to the absence of category stalwart Phil Lamattina and the retirement of two-time champ Peter Xiberras.
Round five of the season has attracted a total of five entries.
Dixon first raced for RAI in 2013 and has been a regular choice when the team has fielded a third entry. His last down under sojourn was at the Australia Day meeting in January 2024 where the luckless Dixon missed all three qualifiers on day one due to electrical gremlins and race day was cancelled due to rain.
Dixon took 51 hours to travel from his home in Indianapolis to Sydney and return to race for a total of zero minutes.
“I’m hoping for better luck weather-wise this time,” said Dixon. “It’s an honor and privilege to be invited by Santo and the Rapisarda family to race for the team at their home track in Sydney. The team is in career-best form with a record-setting world-class performance at their last outing and is up to the challenge of adding a third entry for the Nitro champs meeting. The stakes are high. Damien and Wayne are battling it out for the championship and I’m not coming all the way from Indianapolis just to make up the numbers. I’m excited to return to Australia, catch up with the Rapisarda family and the friends I’ve made over the years and go racing.”
The venue is hosting its first round of the NDRC since the corresponding event in May 2024.
The season’s penultimate round has Newby holding a 59-point lead over teammate and reigning champ Harris, with veteran Phil Read chasing his first title since 2008, 55 points adrift in third place. Lamattina, who missed the season’s first two rounds, is out of contention to add to his tally of two championships.
Newby will start as the nominal favorite after defeating Haris in the final at their last encounter, where Harris set the fastest and quickest Top Fuel time in Australian history with a run of 3.683 seconds at 331 mph in qualifying.
Nitro Funny Car has attracted four entries.
Aeroflow team boss Morice McMillin has a miniscule four-point buffer over teammate Josh Leahy with reigning champ Justin Walshe 218 points off the pace in third place. Walshe’s hopes of defending his title have been dealt several blows, including a series of race day mechanical glitches and a no-show at the previous round due to illness.
The fourth entrant is rookie Todd Paton, who made an impressive debut at the Riverbend Nationals in April.
Doorslammer makes their first and only appearance at Sydney Dragway this season after four rounds at the Perth Motorplex and two rounds at The Bend.
Reigning champ Western Australian Russell Taylor, with two victories and two runner-ups, holds a comfortable 153 points lead over Lisa Gregorini on the hunt to be the first woman to win an Aussie ‘slammer title. 11-time champ John Zappia is in third place 41 points behind Gregorini, chasing his first win of the season.
Damian Muscat, undefeated this season, holds a massive 184-point lead over closest rival Wayne McGuinness in Top Fuel Motorcycle.
Pro Stock, Top Alcohol, Pro Mod and Pro Stock Motorcycle make their first appearance on the NDRC calendar this season.
