"VAN" (Sports Desk - 05.11.2025) :: Hydraulink Jim Read Racing heads to this Saturday’s Nitro Nationals (November 8) at Sydney Dragway fresh from a complete rebuild following the prolonged fire at Dragway at The Bend’s Spring Nationals a month ago.
This weekend’s event marks the final round of the 2024/2025 NDRC Top Fuel Championship, and the local team will be out for blood as they seek to end their season on a high note.
“Everyone saw the fire on the Saturday of the Spring Nationals, where our Top Fuel Dragster suffered overwhelming damage,” Hydraulink Jim Read Racing Driver, Phil Read, said.
“While I was thankfully okay, the car was completely destroyed from the driver’s compartment backwards, and we spent the rest of the weekend hustling and borrowing parts from other teams just to get the car to fire back up again.
“We were blown away by the support from our fellow competitors and the wider drag racing community, and we are looking forward to getting back out there on Saturday.
“The first run we will be taking it easy as we haven’t been able to get out to test, such has been the tight timeline we have been on, but from then on – all being well – we will be throwing everything at it.
“Hopefully we can bring one home for the team who have worked so hard, our supporters who back us, and all of our fans who cheer us on.”
There is no doubt it has been an exceptionally busy last few weeks for the team.
“We were unable to get back out there after the fire but starting it up before we left the track was the first step in what would become a mammoth rebuild process over the following weeks to be ready for this Saturday,” explained Hydraulink Jim Read Racing Crew Chief, Bruce Read.
“Every member of our team has dug deep and put in huge hours over the last month to make sure we are ready and rearing to go for this weekend.
“I am so thankful to them, and as we said after the Spring Nationals, we were and are still so thankful to our fellow Top Fuel teams who all came to our aid at the event, throwing their trailers open for us to borrow parts and just generally getting behind us as we sought to come back.
“Having said all of that – when we get back out there this Saturday, we will be more focused on ever than getting that win.
“Our team more than deserve it after what we have been through over the last month, and what has been a tough season, as do our sponsors and our fans.
“We will be out for blood, so don’t take your eyes off of us for a second!”
The Nitro Nationals will take place at Sydney Dragway in a one-day format on Saturday November 8.
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