Maiden win for Xiberras as sell-out crowd celebrates Sam Fenech

225 plus race teams from around Australia showed up to Sydney Dragway for round four of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship, a round dedicated to the late Sam Fenech.

A record-breaking, sell-out crowd attended the event in celebration of the sport Sam dearly loved. Emotions ran high as tributes to Sam kicked off the weekend with the Top Doorslammer teams featuring a Missing Man Formation on the strip, speeches from hosts Chad Neylon and Wade Aunger and the unveiling of Adam Brand and Matt Cornell’s new release, ‘Our Church.’ 

The song celebrates the community spirit of drag racing and the fact ‘we all race for the same reason, in the same direction’. A touching video by Top Fuel Australia’s own Nathan Prendergast was played in front of the sell out crowd, and is already being hailed as the new drag racing anthem.

The on track action ran hot all night long, with PremiAir Racing owner and driver Peter Xiberras taking it to US international, and 3x NHRA Champion Larry Dixon in round one, and besting Lamattina Top Fuel Racing driver Shane Olive in round two, securing his spot against Jim Read Racing’s Phil Read in the A-Final. The A-Final came to a dramatic close between the two single car teams, as Peter laid down a 3.856 second pass at a whopping 483.66kph, over Read’s 4.162/350kph effort. 

Despite being last seasons champion, Peter took his maiden round win in the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship and dedicated the win to his late mate, Sam. “It has been a while - this one was always about Sam. I wanted to come here for Sam and then work out what I wanted to do, and I am just so proud that I could do it in his honour.”

“He is such a loved character and we won’t forget him. I had his brother and his son come and see me today, and it was such a vote of confidence that they approve of what we do still.”

Securing the third place trophy and final step on the podium was international superstar, Larry Dixon who in the B-Final took out the win with a 3.932/501.17kph pass over Rapisarda Autosport team-mate Wayne Newby, who put down a 4.461/281.06kph pass.

The Top Doorslammer competition was headed by a double-win for Kelvin Lyle, taking out the A-Final win for the Atlantic Oils Top Fuel Slam, and the A-Final win for the held-over Willowbank Raceway A-Final which was held during qualifying.

“This means a lot. And it’s not just about getting the two trophies, but to just do it in Sam’s honour. It means a lot.” “I was racing him at the last meeting, and to have that happen was just tragic. So I really, really wanted these, for him.”

Kelvin’s Top Fuel Slam A-Final win was over fellow west Aussie Daniel Gregorini, with a killer side by side race all the way to the end, with Kelvin putting down a 5.729/490.45kph pass over Gregorini’s 5.776/407.45kph.

It was John Zappia who took out third place, with the only Doorslammer 60 of the weekend, laying down a 5.692/405.24kph pass in his iconic Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro over Emilio Spinozzi’s 5.882/399.95kph pass. 

The Atlantic Oils Top Fuel Slam event finished with fireworks and burnouts from a few West End Performance (Sam Fenech’s workshop) customers, including burnout icon Phil Kerjean in his ‘TUFFST’ VC Commodore Wagon. The event was a true reminder of the spirit of the drag racing community down under, as we celebrated the life of our mate, Sam Fenech.

The next round of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship heads across the country to the Perth Motorplex March 4 and 5. For more information visit: www.topfuelchampionship.com.au

It's still all to play for in the back half of the season. Who's your money on to take out the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship?