Xiberras goes back to back at Nitro Champs

Peter Xiberras was left “gobsmacked” after going back to back in the Nitro Champs Top Fuel National Drag Racing Championships round in Sydney.

After winning the opening round of the doubleheader on Saturday, Xiberras did it again on Sunday in Top Fuel.

The PremiAir driver immediately got to work to set up a repeat of his Saturday round win, laying down a 3.80 second, 514.83kph pass in the first run of the day over Phil Read.

Read went nowhere from the start when the chutes deployed early due to a $20 part failure that triggered the safety system. 

It was the first of multiple 3-second 500kph+ Top Fuel runs for the day, with Wayne Newby, Shane Olive, and Damien Harris also adding their names to that list.

Sunday’s A-Final was a re-match of Saturday’s, with Xiberras and Harris both making their way to the final battle thanks to convincing round one and two performances.

Peter Xiberras celebrates his back to back success. Image: Cackling Pipes Photography

Xiberras’ effort was more than enough in the decider, winning on a holeshot with a 3.795 seconds at 514.7kph to Harris’ 3.793, 523.88kph effort

“This is unbelievable, I don’t know what to say, I am a bit gobsmacked actually,” Xiberras said.

“It has just been one of those weekends where things have fallen into place. There have been times where we thought we had blown it and it just comes in.

“I can’t thank my crew enough – we were here past midnight servicing, there was a little problem we thought with the rear end with the diff and we probably didn’t need to change it.

“But we did to make sure, so we pulled the diff out and put the spare in and these boys and girls are just amazing individuals and I can’t thank them enough. 

“Without them I wouldn’t be doing this, so kudos to them.”

Rapisarda Autosport International teammates Wayne Newby and Shane Olive lined up in the B-Final.

Newby took the win with a flying 3.753 second 528.73kph pass to not only best Olive, but also set a new Sydney Dragway Top Fuel ET record in the process.

In the C-Final, it wasn’t the weekend either of the Phils were hoping for, with Lamattina and Read suffering from mechanical issues throughout the day, and a red light for Lamattina in round two. 

However, it was a positive ending to the weekend for Read, taking out the win with a 7.442 second pass despite troubles at half-track when Lamattina threw away a 3.895/443.12kph pass with another red light on the start in a continuation of his extremely challenging weekend.

Justin Walshe won Nitro Funny Cars. Image: Cackling Pipes Photography

In Nitro Funny Cars, A-Final Top Qualifier Brandon Gosbell lined up against Justin Walshe, with the latter looking for a critical win in his championship aspirations heading into the finals in June. 

Walshe did what he needed to do, with the Queenslander besting his opponent with a 4.114 second 511.19kph pass to Gosbell’s 5.140/235.70kph effort. Walshe and Gosbell each recorded wins across the day – Gosbell in round one (5.011/244.53kph) over Anthony Begley (16.841/99.10kph) and Walshe in round two (4.147/509.51kph) over Adam Murrihy (4.858/313.87kph) – to find their way to the A-Final.

“What can I say!” Walshe enthused.

“This is the fourth round of our season, the fourth final for the Harts Paint Supplies team, and we now have three Gold Trees and one silver one!

“These guys in the blue shirts (gesturing to his team) are just killing it, the way they hold themselves under pressure is just second to none.

“These guys (gesturing to the team of runner-up Gosbell and his team-mates McMillin and Leahy) are absolute gangsters, I say they are killer bees! 

“There was one in yellow, then another, and now there are three, and they are the most badass guys in the country to get three cars to do what we do, what they do is the meaning of gangster, and it is the crowd that gets the reward.”

In the B-Final, it was Morice McMillin all the way to take the win over Anthony Begley, while C Final Adam Murrihy enjoyed a bye, getting an impressive start off the line.

Daniel Gregorini celebrates with his team.

In Top Doorslammer a dramatic A-Final saw rookie Russell Taylor line up against Daniel Gregorini, with Taylor crossing the centre line, knocking out a timing block, and handing possibly the slowest win to Gregorini.

In the B-Final Lisa Gregorini enjoyed a solo run after Ronnie Palumbo was unable to make it to the starting box.

Jeremy Callaghan overcame an unlucky John Zappia in the C Final where the title leader was pushed back from the startline in a heartbreaking scene with fluid dripping from his Monaro.

In the D-Final, Greg Hewitt delivered the biggest Top Doorslammer wheel stand this weekend on his way to a 6.068 second 373.96kph victory over Geoff Gradden (9.400/192.75kph).

In FuelTech Pro Mod, only the D-Final was able to be successfully completed this evening with Greg Tsakiridis (7.950/206.52kph) taking the win over Neil Murphy (8.182 /193.05kph) in what could only be called a pedal fest.

Eleven Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship brackets had taken to the track for their second round of the weekend, commencing with the conclusion of qualifying for Top Sportsman, Performance Bike, and SuperComp with Steve Fowler, Edge Mallis and Jai Schluter taking those honours respectively, before racing for all brackets commenced.

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