Seven years after he began racing, Peter Xiberras has emerged from the shadow of his better-credentialled rivals after winning the top two prizes on offer for Aussie Top Fuel at the Willowbank Winternationals on June 13.

The Sydney owner-driver scooped the prize pool, winning his maiden Willowbank Winternational crown and also pocketing his first 400 Thunder championship. To cap off a near-perfect weekend, he reset the Australian record not once but twice, first, with a 3.76 and followed up with a sizzling 3.74 on race day.

The 3.76 run was made just hours after Billy Torrence clocked a 3.77 to top qualify at the TascaParts.com NHRA New England Nationals, on the other side of the world. 

Xiberras began Top Fuel racing in 2014, taking four years to score his first win. This season, he emerged as a serious contender, most recently running a pb and setting a new track record before losing to veteran Phil Read at Sydney Dragway last month.

 “To make it to the final and pull it off is what dreams are made of,” said Xiberras. “I can’t believe it. But will take it. I want to thank the crew. They are the unsung heroes. The driver gets all the credit. We were here to midnight last night just making sure everything on the car was perfect and back here at 6.30 this morning. A special thanks to my sponsors if it wasn't for them, then I'd probably be racing go-karts.” 

The first Pro meeting at the venue since January 2020 was the fifth and final round of the 400T season that began in November 2019.

Not surprising, entries across all Pro and Sportsman categories were down as the country continues to grapple with state border lockdowns and strict quarantine rules, particularly on the east coast.

A notable absentee from the meeting was Rapisarda Autosport International, the most successful team over the last decade with six victories, including NHRA star Cory McClenathan's triumph in 2015. 

Their absence was a significant blow and meant Top Fuel was reduced to three entries. Attempts to make a four-car field to include Rachelle Splatt were unsuccessful. 

Splatt has announced plans to return to racing next season.

Despite grumbles from some quarters regarding the legitimacy to award a 400 Thunder championship in Top Fuel due to insufficient entries, the history books will show Peter Xiberras won his maiden TF crown at the meeting.

While all the other Pro classes employed the traditional ladder elimination format, Top Fuel teams were faced with three qualifiers then three races before the final.

Xiberras and Lamattina dominated the preliminaries.  Third entry Phil Read had a weekend best forgotten. The winner of the last meeting was plagued by a wave of mechanical woes early on and struggled to catch up. 

The final run that also doubled as the championship decider was a thriller. The carrot farmer was first off the line but was quickly gathered up by a rampaging Xiberras, who took the win with a 3.76 to Lamattina's  3.87.  

For Pro Slammer fans, there was good and bad news. Good to see Ben Bray back racing, and not so good was the absence of legendary John Zappia and a posse of fellow Western Australians due to concerns the WA border could be slammed shut while they were on the other side of the country. Queenslander Steve Ham needed only to qualify to clinch his maiden slammer crown. A relatively easy task considering there were only five entries.  After collecting the necessary points, Ham faced off against Sam Fenech in the final and, after trailing early, took charge and went on to win.

 "We won here in 2019 and to come back in 2021. What can I say?” said Ham. "All through qualifying, we had nothing. We had a bit going on and decided to put three-year-old tires on the car, and everything turned out for the best."

Steve Ham becomes one of a handful of racers to have won titles in more than one category, also taking a Pro Alcohol title in 2014.

Michelle Davies, the sole woman in the field, destroyed her engine in qualifying and made it to race day courtesy of a working bee from rival teams. Ben Bray made a 3-hour return trip to his workshop to collect a replacement camshaft. Steve Ham's team worked through the night to rebuild the engine. Also lending a hand was Pro Mod star Joseph Murina. 

Davies and Bray both lost in the first round. 

There were few more popular wins on the day than when Tyrone Tremayne broke through for his first-ever Pro Stock title after finishing runner-up nine times. Fourth, after qualifying, Tremayne captured the title after all his rivals, including his brother and top qualifier Aaron, lost in round one.

His campaign ended at the hands of Brian Pursell in the semi-final.

“I was happy to get the win,” said Tremayne. “All I’ve ever wanted was to win a championship. I’ve been runner-up nine times and finally got a championship. All year my brother Aaron has given me a fast race car. I want to thank my family, mum and dad. I couldn’t do it without my crew.”

Outsider Scott Porter claimed his first Winters crown after scoring a narrow win over reigning Winters champ Pursell - the margin of victory .009 sec.

Gary Phillips, chasing his 20th championship and fourth consecutive win at the Winternats, defeated long-term rival Steve Reed in the final of Pro Alcohol.  

Justin Walshe lowered his world record 5.58 for a Pro Alcohol Fuel Altered to 5.56 in the first round. An eye-watering reaction time of .002 sec was followed by a dose of tire shake in his semi-final loss to Phillips. Darren Fry, on the come backtrack, was impressive in upsetting highly fancied Jake Donnelly first up, then ran a red against Reed in their semi-final encounter. 

Number two qualifier Greg Tsakiridis made history as the winner of the inaugural Pro Mod 400T championship when his closest rival and top qualifier, Zoran Gajic, ran a 5.84 under the index of 5.85 in the first round. Unheralded duo Stew Walsh and Leigh Ryan fought out the final, with Walsh coming out on top.

Glenn Wooster went home with two Pro Stock bike trophies - one for winning his first National title and the second when he rode around Luke Crowley in the final round. Chris Matheson, on a solo in the final of Top Bike, ran a 6.007, the fastest ever time on two wheels in Australia.