Check out our “International Dateline” results feature from Australia’s largest annual drag racing event!…
Over four spectacular days — the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals enthralled with record-breaking and head-turning performances from the best of the best of Australian NDRC drag racing at Willowbank Raceway.
It was one of the biggest drag racing events in years with huge crowds on both Saturday and Sunday. As well as hosting the traditional competition for highly lauded Winternationals crowns, Sunday’s race-day also saw the 2024/2025 NDRC Top Fuel Motorcycle, Pro Alcohol and Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship seasons come to a close while Top Fuel, XPRO Nitro Funny Car, Top Doorslammer, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle and FuelTech Pro Mod enjoyed the penultimate round of their championship chases.
Also heralded were a number of milestone performances, including a new Australian Top Fuel speed record (536.17kph) set by Damien Harris, a new Australian Nitro Funny Car speed record (524.15kph) set by Morice McMillin to join his Australian ET record also set (3.929). For nitro powered cars there was no less than 13 3-secs passes and seven recorded at more than 500kph.
The first Top Fuel session kicked the day into another gear with an old-fashioned drag race between Phil Read and Phil Lamattina, running a pair of side-by-side threes (3.776/3.877), before Damien Harris reset the national speed record (536.17kph) later in the same session.
The intensity had built to a fever pitch by the time the A-Final arrived with another all Rapisarda Autosport International finale. With a championship on the line between the two, even start line issues for both Atlantic Oil sponsored racers weren’t enough to see either give an inch.
When both ran into trouble off the hit they did all they could to make it to the line, with Wayne Newby eventually being able to pedal it to the finish line to take back-to-back Winternationals victories over top qualifier Damien Harris.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done and we extended our points lead again, which is the main thing with one round to go,” Newby said. “We are happy with how the car performed all weekend – both cars might not have made a full pass on that last lap, but we were a little bit further down the track and had a bit more momentum.”
Points leader Wayne Newby rode to victory for Rapisarda Autosports International at Willowbank’s Gulf Western Oil Winternationals.
Phil Lamattina had a competitive weekend with consistent 3.8 secs runs, and lined up in the B-Final for a solo when Phil Read was sidelined with damage caused when the throttle stuck open in the second round of racing earlier in the day. Lamattina ran down the track to throw up 3.905 491.09kph on the timing boards while dropping a cylinder.
In the C-Final, Steve Read completed a solo pass after Kyle Putland was unable to proceed past the first round of racing today.
In XPRO Nitro Funny Car, Morice McMillin had an extremely memorable Winternationals weekend — while winning and resetting the Australian records for both ET (3.929) and Speed (524.15kph).
XPRO Nitro Funny Car winner – Morice McMillin
Link to our event report for that race portion — posted to NitroFCCanada: HERE
Top Doorslammers and Pro Mod car racing at the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals was impressive to say the least – featuring outstanding participation and performances as well as major upset winning team.
The TD and PM victors at Willowbank included Rob Harrington (above photo) and Barry Plumpton (below).
To view results from those race classes – link to our “Pro Mod Portal” subsection: HERE
For Top Fuel Motorcycle — it was yet another dominating weekend for Damian Muscat. He earned a racing trifecta — by qualifying #1, winning the event and clinching the Top Fuel Motorcycle Points Championship for this season.
Muscat topped Benny Stevens in the event championship round after earlier racing past Corey Buttigieg and Ian Ashelford on his way to the final.
“After Friday’s broken crank and yesterday we torched a motor and basically torched every air line, every fuel line, every oil line, and every electrical component in the bike, the crew spent all night repairing it, going to bed at 3.00am.” Muscat revealed. “But we woke up Sunday to a beautiful day of racing and a great crowd in the stands, and we got through the rounds to take the ultimate Winternationals win, and the championship win as well.”
Top Fuel Motorcycle saw Damien Muscat continue his season domination for that class.
Cheyne Phillips got to celebrate his 35th birthday in perfect style on Sunday. Following in the footsteps of his highly-decorated father, drag racing legend Gary Phillips, he claimed a Pro Alcohol Gulf Western Oil Winternationals victory.
It was a final of drag racing dynasties, with Cheyne facing off against 3rd generation racer Daniel Reed, son of Steven Reed and Debbie Reed and grandson of the late ‘Gentlemen Jim’ Reed and Nelma Reed.
Cheyne Phillips scored his first career win in the NDRC’s Pro Alcohol class.
An incredibly impressive finale had the fans on their feet, with Cheyne ultimately taking the victory.
To get to the final, Phillips had earlier faced off against Andrew Searle and Brett White, while Reed had taken on Britney Olive and Cheyne’s father Gary *Phillips.
(*Phillips had on Saturday rocked the world of drag racing by setting a World Pro Alcohol Altered performance standard for both ET and speed records — 5.470 secs at 416.99kph (259.10 mph).
Australia icon Gary Phillips clocked a worldwide recognized record quick 5.470 secs in is highly formidable PA/A classed car.
“This is unbelievable, you couldn’t have scripted it any better,” said Phillips. “To race against Daniel (Reed) in the final just continues the Phillips and Reed dynasty. But to win it on my birthday, that just tops it all off. It was mum’s birthday this weekend so to Top Qualify and claim low ET, top speed, win a race and win my first ever event on my 35th birthday, it’s pretty special,” a very emotional Phillips explained.
Despite losing that final round decision, Daniel still had plenty to cheer about though – wrapping up his maiden Pro Alcohol title this weekend at what was the bracket’s 2024/2025 season finale.
“I am very happy to have won the championship without a doubt,” Reed said. “We took it one race at a time all season long with a view that if the championship happened, it happened. We just tried to win every race and hoped it worked out, and it worked out!”
With his R/UP finish Daniel Reed clinched the 2024/25 NDRC Pro Alcohol points title.
It was a family feud in Pro Stock for the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals, with brothers Aaron and Tyronne Tremayne facing off in the final. With both brothers holding championship and Winters wins to their names, Aaron the top qualifier and Tyronne a recent national record setter, this was a match-up that was impossible to predict, but when Tyronne threw a red light on the tree, Aaron was free to race down the strip to the victory pressure-free.
On their way to the final, Aaron had taken on Mario Polito and Rick Chilton, with Chilton causing concern with contact with the wall, but emerging unhurt. Tyronne meanwhile had taken on Omar Sedmak and championship leader Robert Dekert in the semi-final, with Dekert racing in memory of Hayley Turns this weekend.
“We had a pretty good weekend; my car was on song from when we rolled it out of the trailer,” Aaron Tremayne said.
The Winternationals Pro Stock winner was Aaron Tremayne — from nearby Tamborine QLD
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Scott White turned plenty of heads with his win over championship leader Luke Crowley. White had earned his place in the final by taking wins from Vanessa Rohdmann in round one and Paul Andrews in round two, while top qualifier Crowley had defeated Tony Frost and Daniel Rabnott on his way to the final battle for the popular two-wheeled bracket.
Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Scott White
“Far out! I have been waiting for this for so long. I ran my first Pro Bike meeting here in 1991 and it’s taken all this time to win the Winternationals,” White said. “It’s amazing that it was against Luke who has helped us out so much, it’s just incredible to win this after 34 years with side by side 7.0’s – we’re back!”
The final round of the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship was also contested across the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals, with more than 350 sportsman racers leaving nothing on the table as they battled for both title and Winternationals glory.
As well as the championship and event winners, also celebrated in the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship series was Zayne Condello, as the inaugural winner of the new Dennis Syrmis Award which recognises the top points scorer across the sportsman series. It was a successful weekend for Condello, who also took out the Junior Dragster championship title over Bailey Hawke.
Joining Condello in taking out the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship titles for their respective brackets were Dean Jamieson (Modified Bike), Lillian Hagan (Junior Drag Bike), Luke ‘Tex’ Griffiths (Super Street), David Foster (Top Sportsman), Tony Miskelly (Super Sedan), Cory Dyson (Modified), Ken Collin (Performance Bike), Mark Hunt (Supercharged Outlaws) and Pat Firriolo (Super Comp).
Mopar brand racer Luke ‘Tex’ Griffiths successfully defended his Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship — Super Street class — points championship.
Also awarded at the end-of-event presentations were the race winners: Dale Marshall (Modified Bike), Steve Warren (Real Street) Karl Schulz (Junior Dragster), Cooper Ashelford (Junior Drag Bike), Lachlan Maccaskell (Super Street), Daniel Morris (Top Sportsman), Paul Doeblien (Super Sedan), Adriana Cartledge (Modified), Matt Walker (Extreme Bike), Pete Farnell (Performance Bike), Fiona Reed (Supercharged Outlaws), and Warren Allen (SuperComp).
Winternationals event Modified winner Adriana Cartledge.
The remaining season calendar for the NDRC has Top Fuel and XPRO Nitro Funny Car to do battle in an epic finale at the Nitro Nationals at Sydney Dragway (23 August). The Top Doorslammer finale will be held at the “Nitro Up North” race at Hidden Valley Raceway (29-30 August). The Spring Nationals at Dragway at The Bend across October 3-5 will then host the final rounds for Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle and FuelTech Pro Mod.
Posted with files by Amanda Cobb (Jigsaw Communications) & Bruce Biegler
Photos by Bruce Biegler & Grant Stephens
Link to the LMLC Media Gulf Western Oil Winternationals event Photo Gallery: HERE
Visit NDRC official: HERE
