Read wins again in WA

Phil Read overcame Phil Lammattina to take out the 53rd Westernationals title at the latest National Drag Racing Championship Top Fuel round.

Read and Lamattina faced off in the A Final and produced a breathtaking side by side three second pass.

Read (3.910/503.44kph) emerged victorious by taking his second consecutive Westernationals triumph by beating Lamattina (3.950/463.99kph) to the line by a margin of six feet.

“I think I am moving to Perth; I seem to win here a lot!” grinned Phil Read.

“We dedicate this win to Gav (Gavin Coulthard), he has come back to the races after losing his daughter recently and it is great to see him back at the track.”

The win was a vital one for Read in his chase for the Top Fuel NDRC title with the “Rapisardas have been getting away from us” and Peter Xiberras being absent from the trip to Perth Motorplex.

Benny Stevens flew on two wheels at Perth. Image: Cackling Pipes Photography

It was a difficult day for the championship leading Rapisarda Autosport International outfit.

Damien Harris blazing through to the top qualifier spot in Q2 early in the afternoon with a 3.870 second pass at a mammoth 511.89kph before a front left wheel failure saw him stranded on the track. While Harris was okay, his dragster would take no further part.

His teammate Wayne Newby got the team to the B Final where it all went wrong with his RAI dragster heading into the sand at speed and into both nets before coming to a stop. Newby was able to exit the car and walk to the medical crews.

Newby was lined up against rookie Kyle Putland in the B Final but he went nowhere off the line due to a deflated front left tyre.

Benny Stevens had a special time at the Westernationals, taking home two Gold Christmas Trees as the Top Fuel Motorcycle category contested two rounds over the weekend.

Sunday was especially a busy day with two A Finals taking place.

Stevens took the first A-Final win over Damien Muscat a windstorm forced it to be rescheduled from Saturday night.

He then raced through to his second A-Final of the day, this time against Wayne McGuinnes, who defeated Stevens at the Goldenstates in November.

“Two Gold Christmas Trees – what a week it has been!” Stevens said.

“We came out here on Wednesday for testing and didn’t do much good, we ended up hurting the motor.

“On Thursday we had another test day and put a new motor in it and got down the track and everything was good.

“Then on Saturday race day we torched a head and had to switch a motor out – luckily we ran a good time with that.

“Then today was a bit of a shamble with a few problems, but we found the problem before this last race.”

John Zappia smoked the Top Doorslammer field at Perth. Image: Cackling Pipes Photography

The ‘Sunday’ B-Final win went to Greg Durack over visiting US star Michael Beland, while Kim Leonard won the C-Final on a solo pass after Damien Muscat was pushed back from the startline with bike issues.

The ‘Saturday’ B-Final win went to McGuinnes over Durack, with Kevin Gummow claimed the C-Final from Leonard and Beland beat Ricky Wood in the D Final.

John Zappia made a big statement in the Top Doorslammer title fight by overcoming Rookie Taylor.

The pair have had a huge rivalry this season, facing off in the last two finals with Taylor taking the win both times.

But at the Westernationals Zappia hit back. He had been strong all weekend taking out the top qualifying honours before taking a round one solo win and a round two win over Daniel Gregorini to earn his place in the A-Final.

Zappia delivered again in the decider, posting a 5.676s pass at 407.61kph, while Russell meanwhile red lit on the line.

“The Dananni Hot Shots/FUCHS Monaro was flying all weekend, it was consistent as,” Zappia said.

“We have been trying to run a sixty all weekend, we have been stepping it up taking small steps all weekend not wanting to overdo it and we got it right then and got it done – with five-six anything I am wrapped!”

Mark Chapman also returned to form by winning the B Final over Ronnie Palumbo, who had a launching problem.

Maurice Brennan took the C-Final win from debutant Andrew Cole in his first five second pass (5.925) with his new converter and Lisa Gregorini won the D-Final against Frank Taylor.

Taking out the victories in Sportsmans were Cooper Plummer (Junior Dragster), Cameron Lockett (Super Street), Paul Nieuwhof (Modified Bike), Kathy Regan (Super Sedan), Paul Garbellini (Modified), Jason Lippi (Top Sportsman), Kasey McClure (Supercharged Outlaws), Michael Holister (Competition Bike), Errol Quartermaine (Super Stock) and Connor McClure (Competition).

Top Fuel and the NDRC returns to The Dragway at The Bend for the Riverland Nationals where Top Doorslammer, Pro Stock and the Aeroflow National Sportsman Series will also feature on April 6-7.

There is also lots more loaded into a bumper edition of AUTO ACTION magazine, on sale at newsagents and available digitally here.

For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine.

Latest Podcast: Bathurst 500 review on the Auto Action RevLimiter!

Bruce is back this week after sitting on the bench with illness and a lack of fuel, and he joins Andrew and PG on the Auto Action Rev Limiter as they look at the latest in motorsport.