A historic night of racing concluded with the first ever all-female Top Fuel Final Round at the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Thunder at Sydney Dragway, in front of a massive crowd on Saturday night. 

Rookie sensation Kelly Bettes outclassed a solid top fuel field to best Top Fuel Veteran Rachelle Splatt in what was Bettes’ third consecutive win in the 400 Thunder Championship Series. 

“I grew up as a kid watching Rachelle race in top fuel, and to be in the final against her in the first all-female Top Fuel final – this is a dream!” Bettes said after the victory. “I feel like this is a dream, three consecutive wins in my first season – it’s incredible”. 

The racing action was marred by a round 2 crash involving Top Fuel Racer Peter Xiberras. Xiberras’ car lost traction at around 40 meters from the start line, with the car veering across the racetrack and impacting the opposite wall. The car returned to its wheels and remained upright. Xiberras was conscious and talking with medical staff and was transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. 

With the win, Bettes took over the championship points lead from Damien Harris. Bettes takes a 33-point lead into the final round of the Championship the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals at the historic Willowbank Raceway. 

The slugfest style battle in Pro Slammer continues with a dramatic win to John Zappia over first-time finalist, NSW-based Sam Fenech. 

The predictions of yet another Paul Mouhayet / John Zappia final round failed to materialize after the former crossed the centreline in the second-round match-up against Andrew Searle, costing him valuable bonus points that ultimately cost him a spot in the final as well as his slender championship lead. 

Zappia now leads the title chase with one round to go by less than a round of racing, with a 16-point margin separating the Pro Slammer Championship contenders with just one round of the series to run. 

“That was a really close and exciting race as a driver and for the fans,” Zappia said. “Sam and the App Shop team have been going really well lately with consistent 5.7s on different race tracks, so we couldn't leave anything to chance.

“Sam got a small holeshot on me, but we made up the difference by 60 feet. Then the tires started to shake on the Fuchs/Dananni Hotshots Monaro, so I needed to pedal and I saw Sam's nose pop out in front. We had to drive past him again in the middle with our Noonan horsepower, and I didn't know where he was – it wasn't until I watched the video later I saw how close that Camaro was.”

Maurice Allen took a surprise victory in Pro Bike after his motorcycle threw a chain in testing on Friday night, resulting in considerable damage to the bike including body and chassis components. 

The bike was hastily repaired overnight, and although it wasn’t pretty, it was enough to take a victory over points leader Corey Buttigieg.

For the first time in 8 races, the Pro Stock winner did not have the surname Tremayne. Wayne Daley bounced back with a monumental effort after crashing at the last round of the Championship in Adelaide to best the current championship leader and six-time Australian Champ Aaron Tremayne in the final. 

Daley enjoyed a consistent car all day with very quick 6.90 second runs throughout the event. 

The Pro Stock Championship remains alive, but a 91-point deficit between Tremayne and number 2 Jason Hedges will be tough to overcome with just one round of the championship left. 

 The Pro Alcohol title chase will go down to the wire with the number 1 and 2 in points, Steve Reed and Russell Mills, battling it out yet again in the final round.

Steve Reed remained perfect for the season at Sydney Dragway, with his third win from three outings in the Premier State. 

The 400 Thunder Series will now move to Willowbank Raceway for the final round of the 2017/18 Championship, the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals on June 7-10.