The Bend Dragway sells out in grand opening

The Dragway at the Bend has roared to life with a sell-out crowd greeting the National Drag Racing Championships opening event today.

A capacity crowd of 20,532 have packed the country’s newest drag strip at Tailem Bend, South Australia for the opening day of the Spring Nationals event.

Headlining the action is the Australian Top Fuel Championship, where the likes of Damien Harris and Peter Xiberras will fly at over 500 km/h in pursuit of glory.

All up over 350 cars and bikes have been entered for the National Drag Racing Championships event which also includes NDRC Top Doorslammer, Top Fuel Motorcycle, Pro Stock Motorcycle and Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship.

Despite the stunning start, tickets are still available for Sunday’s action where Shell V-Power Motorsport Parks Dragway with Premier Peter Malinauskas and The Bend Managing Director Sam Shahin will conduct an Opening Ceremony at 12:30 AECT.

Shahin was delighted to see so many pack the stands and grass banks at the Bend for the big day.

“The South Australian Drag Racing Community have waited 20 years for this day and we are incredibly proud to have delivered on our promise of a world class facility in our home state,” he said.

“The Bend will play an instrumental part in the growth of Drag Racing in Australia and this historic day is just the beginning, we will see you all tomorrow.” 

The track itself has been brought to life with the help of general manager Steve Bettes, who told AUTO ACTION pre-event the significance of the facility to the sport.

“I call (The Bend) the keystone of the sport,” he said.

“Adelaide has had problems there for a while, but this now provides a keystone back into drag racing in Australia.

“It will do a lot to rebuild it all again and make Australian drag racing great again, without a doubt.”

As the Top Fuel cars roll out to begin qualifying, Bettes expects the conditions at the state-of-the-art track to bring out the best of the high-power machines.

“Adelaide’s reputation at this time of the year where the horsepower air of being so close to the sea level is phenomenal,” he said.

“At the (September) Harley event it was minus 250 feet relative altitude which means the air pressure is huge and naturally aspirated engines are going to fly.

“Even supercharged engines and nitro engines also like the nice dense air and will perform strongly.”

Tickets for the October 21-22 Spring Nationals are available via thebend.com.au

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