Xiberras breaks drought

Top Fuel veteran Peter Xiberras has finally taken his maiden victory at Perth Motorplex after taking the 54th annual Westernationals.

The third National Drag Racing Championship round saw a strong crowd gather out west.

After last-minute trouble struck defending champion Damien Harris, who was pushed back from the start line, Xiberras ran an impressive 3.854-second 502.36kph run all the way to the deep end and laid down the only 500kph+ run of the finals.

Earlier in the day, Xiberras had taken the round one and round two victories – 4.001/425.02kph over a red lighting Phil Lamattina (6.354/170.18kph) and 3.895/473.36kph over a pedalling Phil Read (4.708/257.37kph) who had a drive job on his hands after getting out of shape off the line in that run.

Damien Harris was the only other Top Fuel racer to claim two round victories ahead of the finals, with the defending champ and Top Qualifier also resetting his own Perth Motorplex Top Fuel speed record to 519.5kph (from 519.06kph), in his 3.813s second round performance – a marker he had previously set in April 2022.

With the two round wins and a A-Final victory to his name this weekend, Xiberras was all smiles as he emerged from his dragster after the final run.

“This one is for the team. It’s for all the guys and girls who work tirelessly and put so much effort in – even when things aren’t looking so good, they keep backing it up and backing it up. Without them, I wouldn’t be here,” Xiberras grinned as he celebrated the win in the deep end.

“This is the first time I’ve won here.”

Peter Xiberras with the NDRC Christmas Tree. Image: Cackling Pipes

In the B-Final, WA underdog Kyle Putland had the crowd on its feet as Top Fuel’s newest racer went all the way to the end with a blistering 3.969-second 460.66kph run in the final over Wayne Newby (6.653/142.24kph). 

Putland, who had been chasing a three-second run all weekend, didn’t let off the gas even as Newby, who had been battling clutch issues all weekend, shut off early in the run.

It was a side-by-side drag race in the C-Final for Phil Lamattina and Phil Read until the former’s Fuchs Lubricants dragster erupted in a fireball, with Read driving on through for the win. 

Running in the left lane for the first time today, this was also the Hydraulink Jim Read Racing pilot’s best run of the night (3.862/455.41kph).

In Top Doorslammer, the A-Final victory was a particularly popular result, with young rookie Brodie Zappia not only making it all the way to the A-Final but also claiming his first Top Doorslammer victory mere months after obtaining his licence late last year.

Brodie Zappia’s final run started with a wild burnout, almost sending the 19-year-old into the wall before racing even began. 

Lined up against Steve Aldridge, the young gun ran all the way through to the end with an impressive 5.899-second 385.58kph holeshot over Steve Aldridge (5.812/397.02kph), who gave it everything he had.

Consistency was the name of the game for the younger Zappia all weekend, with the nephew of 11-time champion John Zappia also claiming wins (5.871/388.10kph and 5.859/387.39kph) over Frank Taylor (7.169/249.29kph and 6.148/384.90kph) in both rounds one and two.

While it wasn’t the first time he has held a Christmas Tree, it was still a very special moment for the young racer.

“This is the first one I have had that is Gold and has Top Doorslammer on it! I am shaking, I can’t believe it. This is a dream come true,” he said.

Brodie Zappia smokes it up. Image: Cackling Pipes

“I have to thank the whole crew; everyone has worked their bums off all weekend. 

“We went testing on Thursday trying to find some more performance and we’ve just been consistent and it has paid off.”

Defending Top Doorslammer champion Russell Taylor enjoyed a solo run in the B-Final after Maurice Brennan’s wounded Just Flooring Commodore suffered mechanical issues after round two and was unable to appear.

In the C-Final, John Zappia lined up against Lisa Gregorini in a rematch of not only their second-round run but also the Nitro Slam event earlier in the year.

While Lisa Gregorini had dispatched the 11-time champ on both of those occasions, in the C-Final it went the way of the Dananni Hotshots Fuchs Monaro, with the elder Zappia (5.725/401.15kph) sailing through to the end as Gregorini suffered a wheel stand at the start.

In the D-Final Mark Chapman (6.316/376.46kph) claimed the win over an issues-plagued Daniel Gregorini, who was pushed back from the start and was unable to run.

In Top Fuel Motorcycle, Damian Muscat and Wayne McGuinness headed to the A-Final after taking two wins apiece, making for a highly competitive final match-up.

When all was said and done, Muscat drove all the way for a 6.448-second 308.77kph win over McGuinness (8.326/193.81), whose run had started strong before he ran into trouble mid-way through and chose to back off.

Damien Harris nearly got there. Image: Cackling Pipes

Muscat had earlier enjoyed a bye in round one thanks to his Top Qualifying effort, running a 6.625-second 252.07kph, before another solo pass in round two, where complete with fireworks from his Nitro Phoenix racer he delivered a 6.209-second 307.42kph run.

Despite a wheel stand to the 800ft line in round one, McGuinness (6.561/296.92kph) got the better of Greg Durack (7.795/319.07kph) in round one, before running solo in round two (8.401/203.16kph) when Corey Buttigieg was pushed back from the start.

Tony Wood was another racer to take wins in all three rounds, including the B-Final over runner-up Greg Durack. 

In Sportsmans, Jake Chaisty over Todd Stacy (Super Stock), Connor McClure over Jon Ferguson (Competition), Lisa Garbellini over Daniel Brecich (Super Street), Kyle Higgins over Michael North (Super Sedan), Kasey McClure over Peter Appleby (Supercharged Outlaws), Tony Ambrosini over Paul De Klerk (Modified Bike), Nixon Cannuli over Nathaniel Kuchel (Junior Dragster), Riley Kilvington over Tyler James (Junior Drag Bike), Chris Allen over Michael Holister (Competition Bike), and Yvette Gregg over Roger Moorhouse (Top Sportsman). In Modified Eliminator, Paul Garbellini won the event over Michelle Morrison, however Paul is ineligible for NDRC points or trophies due to his personal decision to not carry the required championship decal as per the rules and regulations.

The 2024/2025 NDRC season continues across April 5-6 at Dragway at The Bend for the Riverbend Nationals.

Images: Cackling Pipes Photography

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