Far West Australia hosts action-filed season conclusion weekend — ANDRA Grand Finals event….

In the final season round from the newly formed — Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship chase – a familiar and formidable team flexed it’s muscles.

Damien Harris

Rapisarda Autosport International produced one of their finest performances over the last decade when Damien Harris won and teammate Wayne Newby claimed third place at the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship at the Perth Motorplex., April 9-10.

Harris scored his first win since the 2018 Winternationals. He walked away with a swag of honors, including a new ANDRA and Motorplex track record for 1000 feet, plus bonus points for low E.T. and Top Speed for the weekend.

The victory is also being hailed as one of the team’s grittiest performances over the last decade.

RAI went into the meeting well down on firepower as several key crew members across both teams were unavailable to make the trip from Sydney due to the W.A. Government Covid related border restrictions.

The weekend started with Newby posting a pair of 3.81 secs runs to head qualifying with Harris slotting into fourth place. In round one of eliminations Harris opened his account with a solid 3.86/318 mph – while his teammate Newby, usually a gun on the start line cut a red light.

During round two Harris claimed his spot in the “A final” with a superb run that included a new track record of 3.80/322 mph to defeat Newby, whose weekend went from bad to worse after a visit to the sand trap when his ‘chutes failed to deploy.

Then in the trophy round — that TF final final was worth the price of admission. Xiberras cut a great .01 sec light to jump to the lead and was slowly reeled in by Harris, who took the win by an estimated 3 inches.

Newby ended the day on a positive note with a comfortable win over Lamattina to grab the third spot on the podium.

Rapisarda Autosport International flexed their muscles with a big event win at the season concluding Top Fuel race in Australia.

“The crew did a great job this weekend,” stated Damien Harris. “To walk away with the track and ANDRA record plus bonus points was fabulous and puts the team back on track for the championship. Junior and Santino were challenged this weekend and really stepped up to the mark. Hopefully, the boss – Santo – was watching it on the live stream back in Sydney and went to bed with a smile on his face.”

During ANDRA’s Grand Finals Championship there was no shortage of ANDRA Christmas Tree trophies hoisted by grinning recipients following the conclusion of the 2021/2022 Australian Drag Racing Championship and Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.

Australia’s premier Top Fuel Motorcycle racer Chris Matheson – was victorious again at the ANDRA Grand Finals.

Stuart Moresby raced to victory in the uber popular Top Doorslammer class feature at Perth.

Taking out the ANDRA Grand Final event trophies were Stuart Moresby (Top Doorslammer), Chris Matheson (Top Fuel Motorcycle), Brodie Zappia (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Simon Garbutt (Modified Bike), Stephanie Gullotto (Super Street), Peter Tzokas (Super Sedan), Darryl Treasure (Modified), Peter Appleby (Supercharged Outlaws), Colin Davis (Top Sportsman), Ross Smith (Competition Bike), Jamie Chaisty (Super Stock) and Craig Geddes (Competition).

Posted with files by John Doig and Amanda Cobb-Salmon
Photos courtesy of John Doig and Phil Luyer (High Octane Photos)