Damien Harris made drag racing history during the first day of professional qualifying at the 50th Annual Winter Nationals at Willowbank Raceway located outside of Brisbane. 

Harris, driving the Rapisarda Autosport International dragster tuned by Santo Rapisardo Jr., stopped the timers at 4.443 seconds at 335.32 miles per hour. 

"I was pretty surprised because it was a good clean run," Harris said. "It went right down the middle, a really good run. When they told me it was a 4.4-second run, it was pretty special. I knew the boys wanted to go in the 4.40s. We were going for low 4.50s and creep up. "

Harris ran 3.78 to the 1,000-foot at 302 miles per hour. 

In the opposite lane, American Larry Dixon shut off early and coasted to an 11.428.

Wayne Newby captured the 2016 - 2017 Thunder 400 Top Fuel title by taking the stage light in the Q-1 session. 

John Zappia established a new Willowbank Raceway Pro Slammer track record as he drove his Fuchs Monaro to a 5.651 elapsed time at 256.94 miles per hour. 

"We were actually conservative even though we ran a 5.65," Zappia admitted. "We basically serviced the car and ran the same tune-up we had in Sydney. "

Slipping into a distant second place was Mark Belleri who pushed his AC-Delco entry to a 6.005, 244.25. Jason Donnelly was third with a 6.016.

Gary Phillips was in a world of his own as the blasted his way to the top of the Pro Alcohol division with a 5.407, 260.91 pass.  John Sting was second quickest with a 5.535 elapsed time. 

Top Bike was paced by Chris Matheson with a 6.180, 196.30 while Brad Lemberg was tops in Pro Bike with a 7.143, 185.28.

Tyrone Tremayne is the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock after he and Lee Bektash tied with 7.020 elapsed times. Tremayne was .17 in speed. 

Rod Harvey made history in the Factory Extreme division as posted the first five-second sport compact run in Aussie history with a 5.909 elapsed time.