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John Zappia’s season took a turn for the better on Saturday night at Perth Motorplex with a runner up result at the 49th annual Goldenstates, the second round of the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship. Zappia’s Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro returned to a more consistent version, with 5.7-second runs seemingly coming at will for the team. “We changed some ignition components back when we raced at The Bend and we discovered that had changed our timing somehow,” he said. “We found that got the timing set to where it should be and even though the weather conditions were not the best, we were able to go 5.746 to top qualify.” With the Crow Cams Top Qualifier Award now in his pocket, Zappia turned his attention to the three rounds of racing it would take to win the NDRC gold Christmas tree. The car was doing its job at each stage, turning in a 5.790 to win over Frank Taylor in round one. The second round’s seeding saw Zappia once again face Taylor, and this time a 5.728 was the result — setting low ET of the event. With two wins and the quickest times of each round, Zappia’s A Final place would be assured. He would take on rookie driver Russell Taylor. “We backed down the car for the final to make sure we didn’t overpower the track,” Zappia said. “We had a small performance advantage on Russell based on our earlier numbers, but not a lot. He was running just as consistently as we were. Unfortunately, my driving was not so consistent. Coming into stage I went back into my old clutch muscle memory and I forgot to push the transbrake as I went into stage. When I finally corrected myself, the light was green and I was late, giving up almost half a second to Russell. The car got near the centre line and I muscled it back into the groove for a 5.790 to Russell’s 5.810.” Zappia congratulated Taylor on his first ever Top Doorslammer win. "Now Russell knows that he can do it and we look forward to seeing him at more NDRC rounds.” Back in the Zappia camp, there was positivity despite the loss. The Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro was showing repeatable performances and adapting well to different conditions, giving everyone confidence ahead of the team’s next showing at Perth Motorplex for December 9th Summer Slam event. “There was no drama during either day, the crew did an amazing job. We had some new people there giving us a hand and they all did really well and had a fun time. There’s lots of good things we can take away from the Goldenstates. It felt good on those two days and it feels good now. Our crew are very excited about racing on the 9th". Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: Zappia Racing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Social Media Management: ROBMEDIA Joint Naming Rights Sponsors Dananni Haulage (Hotshots) FUCHS Lubricants Australasia Major Sponsors Crow Cams Australia Pty Ltd Tony's Auto Wreckers W.A. Suspensions Noonan Race Engineering MoTeC Hoosier Racing Tire Striker Australia Pty Ltd NGK Spark Plugs Callies Performance Products CP-Carrillo Supporting Sponsors Santhuff B & J Racing Transmissions Avtrac Maintenance Tracking Kounis Metal Industries Taylor Tyres Pty Ltd Alky Pro Klik Creative CIC High Performance Coatings Final Drive K Craft Bullbars Speedflow Total Seal Piston Rings Victory Valves Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance Applied Automotive #motorsport #dragracing #johnzappia #brodiezappia #zappiaracing #Zappia #doorslammer #dragracer #australia #motorplex #motorsportphotography

After a stunning start to the season that included his first Supercharged Outlaws win, his first 6 second pass and his first 200mph pass, Brodie Zappia went through a rollercoaster of emotions at the Quarter Mile Masters at Perth Motorplex on Saturday. The JK Construction Camaro was in many pieces just hours before the event, as the team chased down oil breathing issues and made improvements to the parachute mounts.
“We found the car was breathing quite heavily at the Grand Opening, so we ripped it down to a bare block to find any issues,” Brodie said. “I had to do some machining before I could reassemble the motor and I didn’t finish that until the Thursday before the event. “On Friday night Tony Wood from Tony Wood Fabrications came straight from work to fabricate my parachute mounts. He was there from midnight to early morning. Meanwhile Lachlan, Adam (from Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon) and I were rebuilding the motor. We were sealing up the manifold and reconnecting the fuel system by Saturday morning. We had the car running shortly after then had to head to the track with minimal sleep!” Fortunately Brodie was able to get the car prepared for the first round of Supercharged Outlaws qualifying. The JK Construction Camaro clocked a 7.17/194mph, with Brodie sensing the car losing power at the top end.
“The silicone hose holding my intake pipe onto the carby blew off at about 1000 feet, so effectively we lost all boost,” he said. The second qualifying session was another bust, with a setup tweak not producing the changes Brodie wanted.
“I raised the wheelie bars a bit to transfer weight better. It got up on the wheelie bars and shook and turned left. As it put the front wheels down the shake caused the car to shift into second gear early. Then we had another silicone joiner fail on the pipe! With only a 7.76 pass we really had nothing to go off for racing, we just had to reset the car to how it ran at the first meeting of the season.” With a guessed 6.98 dial-in, Brodie had to take on Kasey McClure, regarded as one of the toughest drivers in the class! She lived up to that reputation, hitting a 0.010 on the tree to Brodie’s 0.021. 
“I drove around her and backed off a little too much for a 7.010 on a 6.98 dial-in to Kasey’s 7.399 on a 7.36 dial-in. I was spewing but that’s racing and considering I had no idea what the car was going to run we did very well. Had I stayed on the throttle I probably would have gone either dead-on or just under the dial-in. There was a very small window for the win given Kasey’s excellent pass.” Despite the 0.002 loss, Brodie’s performance earned him a place in the B Final against family friend Vince Belladonna’s Torana. The gremlins worked their way back into the car as it refused to fire for the final, but fortunately Belladonna’s team came to the rescue with their fuel bottle, which helped Brodie’s motor start.
“The start of my run was good but it shook the tyres; I tried to drive through but it got worse and worse. My shifter relay vibrated enough to open and change gears way too early, dropping two tenths off my time. Vince came around me and backed off, his 6.682 on a 6.50 beating my 7.204 on a 6.95.” Once again, Brodie had lost the race by just 0.002, but the young gun was positive about what is to come. 
“We have a big event coming up next with the Goldenstates on November 24-25. If you haven’t been to the Perth Motorplex so far this season it will be a great event to attend, with the NDRC Funny Cars and Top Doorslammers there to put on a great show. We’ll be hoping to return to the winner’s circle of Supercharged Outlaws to put our championship hopes back on track.” Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: @zappiaracing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR: JK Construction MAJOR SPONSORS: Dannani Haulage Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon Jacked Supplements JP Pallets SUPPORTING SPONSORS: High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Allfast Torque Converters Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) FUCHS Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing B.L. & S.G. Lake Brick Cartage

Drag racing is a sport that seems so simple, but the competition in Top Doorslammer at the Quarter Mile Masters at Perth Motorplex on the weekend proved it is anything but. John Zappia and the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro began with a safe run in qualifying, taking the top spot with a 5.76 pass. “The first run was solid; the car left hard and straight,” Zappia explained. “We felt confident, going into the round 1. With the setup given a tweak for an elimination round solo, what should have been an easy win for Zappia turned into a drama-filled pass. Fans knew something was amiss when the Monaro couldn’t get reverse gear after a long burnout. “I tried and tried to get reverse gear, but then I had to decide to get off the track,” Zappia lamented. “We found a plastic fitting had cracked and let the air out of the bottle. It was full before the run, but as soon as I pressed the transbrake button all the air leaked out. Even if I had been able to get pushed back I wouldn’t have been able to make the run, as no air means no gear shifting whatsoever.” Zappia wasn’t the only racer to experience a freak problem during the elimination round. Maurice Brennan’s 17-second pass was in the unusual position of earning an A Final appearance after Lisa Gregorini had problems starting her Camaro and then left with a red light, while Andrew Cole blew the burst panel before the Christmas tree to leave Daniel Gregorini as the only driver to make a clean pass. Despite the setback, Zappia Racing quickly diagnosed and addressed the issue, showcasing their expertise and teamwork. “We found the problem, re-plumbed the system, changed the fittings, and came back strong for the B Final against Lisa. She red lit with a -0.086 to my 0.065 light, then the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro started to rattle the Hoosier tyres. I pedalled and straightened out for a 5.95. The time was slower than we wanted but it did what we needed to do and got the B Final win light.” Looking ahead to the Goldenstates (taking place at Perth Motorplex on November 24-25), Zappia remains optimistic about the team's prospects. “We aim to get our A motor back together; the B motor is good and reliable, but the A motor runs a bit harder. I was more comfortable in the car (at the Quarter Mile Masters) and we learned valuable lessons while finding areas for improvement.” Commenting on the addition of Nitro Funny Cars for the first time at the Goldenstates, Zappia expressed enthusiasm. “It's an exciting development that could bring out a different crowd. People haven't seen that before at Perth Motorplex, and I expect the place to be packed. We're ready to put on a good show.” Come down to the merchandise tent in our pit area and check out our latest merchandise. You can speak to the lovely Melissa there and John or any of the crew. Or you can order our merchandise online at: https://www.zappiaracing.com/category/all-products Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: Zappia Racing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Joint Naming Rights Sponsors Dananni Haulage (Hotshots) FUCHS Lubricants Australasia Major Sponsors Crow Cams Australia Pty Ltd Tony's Auto Wreckers W.A. Suspensions Noonan Race Engineering MoTeC Hoosier Racing Tire Striker Australia Pty Ltd NGK Spark Plugs Callies Performance Products CP-Carrillo Supporting Sponsors Callies Performance Products Striker Crushing and Screening, Santhuff, B & J Racing Transmissions, Avtrac Maintenance Tracking, Reid Machine, Advantage Tyres, Kounis Metal Industries, Alky Pro, Aurora Bearings, CIC High Performance Coatings, Final Drive, K Craft Bullbars, Speedflow, CP Carillo, Biante Bonintfante Friction Inc, SDS Fuel Systems, All Signs, Total Seal Piston Rings, Victory Valves, Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance and Applied Automotive. #motorsport #dragracing #johnzappia #brodiezappia #zappiaracing #Zappia #doorslammer #dragracer #australia #motorplex

John Zappia rocketed to an incredible 5.613-second pass to become the quickest Top Doorslammer racer down the brand new The Bend Motorsport Park drag strip. The venue played host to the opening round of the National Drag Racing Championship season, the Spring Nationals. Sellout crowds filled the facility to watch Australia’s professional drag racers do battle on the quarter-mile strip. Zappia’s Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro had plenty of performance on tap, but also encountered issues that held it back from its full potential. The first of those was a test pass on Friday, when a malfunctioning kill switch saw the car unable to start. Returning for qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday, Zappia was still unable to get a number on the board. “The car was staged a bit to the left in the first round against Daniel Gregorini,” he explained. “It rattled the tires and got out of the groove, so I pedalled it but by then I was in the dust at the edge of the track and I put a slight graze on the car against the brand new concrete walls.” The seeding system gave Zappia a chance for revenge and when Daniel’s car had problems, Zappia was able to seize an open track for a stunning 5.613 pass. “I had to steer the car back into the groove but the numbers were really impressive. We went 0.940 to 60 feet and 3.68/204mph to the eighth. We were down on speed but I had the track record and I thought everything was okay.” In the pits, Zappia was readying for the next round of racing when a nasty surprise was discovered in the engine containment blanket. “We were just checking the bearings to make sure everything was ready to go for the finals when one of the boys said there was a hole in the block,” Zappia said. “We believe that there was a blocked fuel nozzle that leaned out cylinder number five and caused it to punch a rod out. “The air was 180 feet above sea level, with just 40 water grains. It was brutal, powerful air. We had the most fuel going into the motor that we have ever had and the least amount of ignition timing. Even backed off, to have a 5.61 come up was incredible.” Zappia realised that time was against the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants team and decided that they would have to miss the final round. “We just wouldn’t have been able to make the turnaround,” he said. “All we could do was pack the car up and get ready to head home for Perth a little earlier than we would have liked.” The team will use their spare engine for the first round of the WA Top Doorslammer Championship on November 11 at Perth Motorplex. “Other than some teething problems that affect every new venue, The Bend Motorsport Park was fantastic. The actual track surface is very smooth and as it continues to rubber up the wall-to-wall traction will get better and better. We sold the most merchandise we’ve ever sold at any event; the Adelaide drag racing community is passionate and we’re glad to see them have this brand new venue to use.” A big thank you to Sam Shahin for this amazing complex. Zappia Racing also wish to thank Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance for coming on-board for the 2023-2024 season. In other news from the Zappia Racing team John’s nephew, Brodie debuted his upgraded Procharged 97 Camaro at the Bend in the Supercharged Outlaws bracket and entered the 200 mph club in his first full pass. Yesterday at Perth Motorplex he was able to go one better by entering the 6 second club (6.97) and also winning the event. More to come in his media release this week. Thanks and credits to the following Photographers: - Brad McDonald totalexposure.com.au - Speed Photography - Zotti Motorsport Media - Bright Design brightdesign.com.au - Phil Reeve Photography

Brodie Zappia is working hard in the off season on his 1997 Bickel built Chevrolet Camaro - 572ci big block Chev, as he is heading into the racing category of Supercharged Outlaws this year. Brodie is an absolute rising star in Australian Drag Racing and is heading into a class known for its diverse range of vehicles, including sedans, coupes and unique custom built dragsters. Hailing from Western Australia, he is making waves in the world of drag racing. As a national drag racing champion, he has proven his skills and passion for the sport, earning recognition and admiration from fans and fellow racers alike. With a strong presence on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, Brodie Zappia has built a dedicated following of fans who eagerly follow his racing journey. Through his posts and updates, he provides a glimpse into the thrilling world of drag racing and shares his experiences on and off the track. What sets Brodie Zappia apart is his connection to the world of Top DoorSlammer racing. As the nephew of a renowned Top DoorSlammer driver John Zappia, he has been exposed to the sport from a young age, igniting his own passion for speed and competition. Drawing inspiration from his family's racing legacy, John and Brodie’s father Richard Zappia, Brodie has honed his skills and developed a unique racing style that has propelled him to success. Brodie Zappia's achievements on the drag racing circuit are a testament to his dedication and talent. With each race, he continues to push the boundaries and strive for excellence. His determination and relentless pursuit of victory have earned him the respect of his peers and established him as a rising star in Australian drag racing. Beyond his racing prowess, Brodie Zappia is also known for his sportsmanship and positive attitude. He embodies the spirit of fair competition and camaraderie, always willing to lend a helping hand or offer advice to fellow racers. His friendly demeanor and approachability have endeared him to fans and have made him a beloved figure in the drag racing community. As Brodie continues to make his mark in the world of drag racing, his future looks bright. With his talent, passion, and unwavering determination, he is poised to achieve even greater success in the years to come. Fans eagerly await his next race, knowing that he will deliver an exhilarating performance and leave a lasting impression on the track. Brodie Zappia is undoubtedly a name to watch in the world of motorsports. You can view his story at www.zappiaracing.com

The 2022/23 Australian Top Doorslammer Championship will long be remembered as one of extreme highs and the lowest of lows. For John Zappia, that pattern firmly applied to Nitro Up North at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Drag Strip. Qualifying was a mixed bag for the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Monaro, with the first session producing instant tyre spin, while the second yielded the quickest pass of the night.
“We left the car with the same tune up as we had in Sydney for our first pass, figuring the weather would take out the power needed,” Zappia explained. “We blew the tyres off right at the hit. We weren’t the only ones though, with Kelvin Lyle the only racer to get down the track in that session. “We backed the car way down for the second qualifying session and this time the car left well with a 0.956 60 foot time. I feathered the throttle a little to get the front end down and carried on to a 5.72/248mph. That pass earned us the Crow Cams Top Qualifier Award for which we were very thankful.” Race day beckoned and the Zappia Racing team decided that they would stay with much the same setup, with more heat in the air sapping the horsepower levels. Taking on local Matt Abel in the first round, Zappia led the race from the start, despite the return of a mystery electrical problem.
“We thought we had that cutout issue solved, but sure enough it misfired four times and knocked our ET down to a 5.85. The good news was my reaction time, a 0.036, which was my best since changing to the auto.” In round two, Zappia took a solo pass. The misfires went away as mysteriously as they reappeared, and a 5.72/249mph had the team confident for the final round against Kelvin Lyle. As delays affected the night’s racing, the track was covered in dew. The Top Doorslammer final was not on track until almost 11pm. The race would be one of the closest calls in Zappia’s drag racing career. “Kelvin left on me, and I had some tyre shake that I needed to pedal through. Once again my car started misfiring, but even so I felt like I was catching him. Next second, and I see Kelvin is near the centre line, then he hits the wall. We were neck and neck through the finish so I couldn’t see him for a while, then his Mustang came across right in front of me, just missing the front right corner of my car. There’s sparks flying off his car as he hits the wall on my side of the track and then continues on at speed. Meanwhile, I was on the brakes and skidding sideways to slow down. I realised I was almost out of control myself because I had panicked and over-braked. I could see him taking off into the distance so I regained composure and was directed off the track. “From that time on, all of us were concerned about Kelvin. He uses our ZR1 engine so our teams are very close. We just had to wait as the safety crews did their job. It was a very sombre time as we waited for news about him.” Though Zappia had the win, it wasn’t a night for celebration. Combined with a crash earlier in the night from Lisa Gregorini, the whole Top Doorslammer field were simply hoping the worst news had passed. Kelvin’s partner Shaniah announced that Kelvin was awake, alert and in good spirits despite being in incredible pain. The Zappia Racing team wishes nothing but the best for Kelvin in his recovery. As the off-season begins, Zappia Racing will begin preparing for the new National Drag Racing Championship, scheduled to begin at the brand-new facility at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia on the 21-22 October 2023. “Thanks to all of our sponsors for being a part of our campaign this season. Congratulations to Kelvin on winning the championship — something that can never be taken away from him. There were many successful events around the country, punctuated by some of the deepest lows we have known in this sport. Let’s hope that the 2023/24 season with the fresh National Drag Racing Championship will be one we can remember for all the right reasons.” A huge thank you to our sponsors who make this all possible. Joint Naming Rights sponsors Dananni Hotshots and FUCHS Lubricants, Major sponsors Crow Cams, WA Bolts, Tony’s Auto Wreckers, WA Suspensions, Callies Cranks, Motec, Hoosier Racing Tire, Noonan Ultimate Race Engineering, Striker Crushing and Screening, B&J Transmissions and all the supporting sponsors Alky Pro, K-Craft Bullbars, Santhuff Shocks, B&J Racing Transmissions, Avtrac Maintenance Tracking, Taylor Tyres Pty Ltd, Kounis Metal Industries, Competition and Industrial Coatings, Reid Machine, Final Drive Engineering, Aurora Bearings, SDS Fuel Systems, Total Seal Piston Rings, Victory 1 Performance, and Applied Automotive Performance Engines. Also a big thanks you to all the tracks, track staff, volunteers and especially all our fans and supporters.

While he won’t be taking home another Australian championship this season, John Zappia has successfully moved his Dananni Hotshots / Fuchs Lubricants Monaro to the next generation of transmission technology, with near best-ever numbers recorded at the Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway. Zappia approached the Sydney round with an open mind, recognising that championship leader Kelvin Lyle would need a disaster of an event to alter the points chase. That would not happen, but for Zappia that would be okay. “You look at the Nitro Champs from the outside and you might think we’d be disappointed, but it’s important to recognise where this season started,” he said. “For the many decades of racing we have done, we’ve always had a clutch pedal. We made the shift to the auto because we could see the generational change that had occurred. That’s huge, both in terms of car setup and my driving. “There wasn’t a big trophy at the end of the Nitro Champs and sure, we would have liked more win lights, but the event was successful in other ways.” Zappia started qualifying at the Nitro Champs with the same tune from his recent 5.61 run in Perth, but the cool May air at Sydney Dragway saw the Dananni Hotshots / Fuchs Lubricants Monaro overpower the track for a 5.90/255mph. “We knew the power was there with that speed,” Zappia said. For the second qualifying session, the car dead-hooked early in the run and needed a quick pedal to get through tyre shake, but the result was an impressive 5.642/257mph to earn the Crow Cams Top Qualifier Award — putting a fresh $1000 into the team’s budget. From there racing beckoned, with Zappia up against rookie Lisa Gregorini in the first round. With Lisa having made her first five-second pass in qualifying, this would be no easy contest. “When I came into stage, I stopped a little further back from the line and it took me a while to find the staging beams,” Zappia explained. “I got distracted and missed the tree, with a 0.313 light. Lisa had a big lead early and the chase was on. At mid-track I felt my car cough and splutter a bit, cutting out the motor and coming back on. We went 5.67 to Lisa’s 5.82 but her holeshot got her the win. Congratulations to Lisa and we are sure we will have many tough battles in the future.” Back in the pits, Zappia and his team went looking for the cause of the mystery electrical gremlin. Three electric boxes were changed for the second round, but the problem remained. “We went 5.66 in the second round, but we had the same thing happening, so we changed even more electrical components for the B Final in the hopes of finding something.” Zappia took on Matt Abel for the final race. The conditions were ripe for quick runs, and the Dananni Hotshots / Fuchs Lubricants Monaro delivered with its quickest ever 60-foot time at 0.940. The car carried the front wheels before the electrical problem occurred once again, though this time it was helpful in assisting Zappia to steer back into the groove. He took it to the finish line for a 5.607/254mph win. A huge thank you to Todd Tutterow for his Ty-Drive and all his advice along the Auto journey. “That was a great run, but we also wonder what could have been,” he said. “We went 3.67 to the eighth mile. On our 5.58 run three years ago we only went 3.69. So, it was definitely a 5.57, 5.56 type of run without the electrical problem.” Zappia believes the issue may be related to the ignition kill switch, which will hopefully be an easy fix before the final round of the 2022/23 season, Nitro Up North at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Dragway in June 16-17. “I’ll be doing some practice tree work before Darwin to see if I can re-train my muscle memory — I’ve been leaving with a clutch pedal for over 30 years! I’d love to get a clean finish to the season, and we will then be preparing for the next era of Australian drag racing with the National Drag Racing Championship’s launch at Tailem Bend later in the year.” A big thank you to all our sponsors who make possible and the entire crew who work tirelessly to get the car to perform at it’s best. Also a thank you to all our friends and fans who always support us wherever we race.

The end of the Western Australian drag racing season for John Zappia didn’t quite turn out how the veteran Top Doorslammer driver wanted, but there were positives to take away from the rainy finish. In fact, the WA Drag Racing Grand Finals were shaping up with what might have been Zappia’s strongest start to an event this season, as he dropped a 5.66/253mph on his first pass of the day. “We had our B-motor in the car, and it did everything right,” he said. “The first pass used up a little bit of the lane but I was able to drive it back into the groove without having to pedal it. It was in the middle of the afternoon but we had a 0.948 60 foot time which is the quickest I have ever been. “We put a little bit more into the tune-up for the second run figuring the track would get tighter. We were right about that, but we could have done with even more power. It stuck the tyres and the 60 foot time slowed to a 0.972, so we had a 5.70 come up on the boards at the finish. The run was dead straight though and we were happy the Dananni Hotshots /Fuchs Lubricants Monaro was being such a consistent car.” At that point, some light rain began to fall and it proved enough for the Perth Motorplex management to decide to call the event off. It was a disappointing end to the Summer Slam Series, which Zappia had a chance of taking out. Thanks to Kelvin Lyle and his company Direct Mining and Industrial for his sponsorship of the series. “We were 30 points behind Daniel Gregorini, so that certainly put us within range,” he said. “While we both would have loved to race it out, you can’t do that on a wet track.” The positive for the Zappia Racing team was that they now have a race car that is behaving and responding well to setup changes, giving John some much-needed confidence ahead of the Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway on May 5th and 6th. “We are putting our A-motor back in for Sydney, that is getting assembled right now after the quality machining by Applied Automotives. There will be new CP Carrillo rods and pistons, a new Callies crank and new Noonan heads. It’s as fresh as we can make a motor! It’s a nice feeling going to Sydney knowing that there will be two 5.6-second motors at our disposal, though of course we only hope to use one.” Zappia will be aiming to put the pressure on Kelvin Lyle in the championship fight for the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship. “We have 82 points to make up on Kelvin and just two championship rounds left to do it, Sydney and the finals in Darwin. It is Kelvin’s championship to lose right now, so we will push as hard as we can. Little points make a big difference so we will be trying to get performance bonus points while we can, while also keeping our engine in its safe and healthy zone. “I think we’ve learned from some mistakes this season. Even after over 30 years of racing Blown Doorslammers, we still learn and this season it was about finding out where the limits were.” We would like to take this opportunity to thanks all our Sponsors for supporting us throughout the WA season and we will continue to showcase their brand for the remaining two national events. Also a big thanks you to all the supporters who turn up to see us and for buying our merchandise. Fans of Zappia Racing should make sure to check out the team’s new website and the online merch store, all available at zappiaracing.com. “We have a lot of new merch up and our new website has different areas for both myself and my nephew Brodie, who took runner-up in the Super Sedan state championship this year. Hopefully, you’ll be seeing the Zappia name at the track well into the future!”

When John Zappia left his home in Western Australia to drive across the Nullarbor and race at Australian Top Doorslammer Championship rounds at Willowbank Raceway and Sydney Dragway, he had little idea of the events that were to come. The passing of fellow Top Doorslammer racer Sam Fenech at Willowbank was felt by all, but for the racers who knew him the most at the track, it was an especially emotional time. When Zappia arrived at Willowbank Raceway for the New Year Nitro event, the main thing on his mind was getting the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Monaro to behave itself and stay in the groove. “Being Queensland, we had the normal hot and humid weather, but we were able to start our weekend with a 5.76 which qualified us in second place,” Zappia said. “The car went a bit left on the pass, so we made some adjustments. We didn’t get much of a run in the second qualifying session, then in the first round of racing the car went right, and when I corrected, it shot to the left, and I was fighting to stay off the wall. I did have to lift but we still ran a 5.79 for the win.” The second round of racing saw Zappia take a 5.89 win, but it was while he was waiting at the end of the braking area that tragedy struck. “I was waiting for Kelvin Lyle and Sam Fenech to come down, and I heard a couple of bangs that sounded odd. Then only one car came down and it was Kelvin. I talked to him and he said he saw Sam go over the wall. It was just silence from then on, and it never got any better. All our thoughts were and are with Sam’s family and friends and with Maurice Fabietti and his team.” With New Year Nitro called off at Willowbank Raceway, most racers’ thoughts were far away from when the next event would be, but eventually focus had to turn to Sydney Dragway’s Top Fuel Slam. Over preceding weeks, the event shifted gears to become a memorial for Sam, to provide a fitting tribute to a much loved Top Doorslammer racer. It was Zappia’s first time back at Sydney Dragway in three years, and his first time on the venue’s new racing surface. Things did not start well as the Fuchs/Dananni Hotshots Monaro had to be pushed away with an electrical problem. “We came out for the first qualifying session and the car wouldn’t start,” Zappia explained. “We found what we thought was the cause and replaced the part to get it to fire, but there was still a misfire at idle. So from there we changed just about every electrical component on the car because the second qualifying session would be the held-over A Final from Willowbank.” The team did have some time to chase the issue, as Friday night’s racing was brought to an early close by rain. On Saturday Zappia finally took on Kelvin Lyle in a great side-by-side race, 5.77 to 5.77, with Lyle getting the ‘Willowbank round victory’ thanks to his better reaction time. “We both had bad reaction times, his was a 0.230 and mine was a 0.430. With all the heat and humidity it’s tough on drivers and maybe I got distracted,” Zappia said. “Kelvin opened the gate for me but I wasn’t able to capitalise.” While Zappia had to settle for runner-up, there was still another trophy available for the Sydney round – though a tough field stood in his way. Having found the cause of the electrical problem (a connector with loose terminals for the crank trigger), Zappia faced Matt Abel in the first round and took a 5.95 win. “I launched hard but the car went to the centre line and I took too long to pedal,” Zappia said. The next opponent would be Geoff Gradden, and this time a 5.75 would be good for the win light. With two other drivers also earning two wins (Daniel Gregorini and Kelvin Lyle), the decision on the finalists came down to ET points. “It was a close race in the points, and if only I had been a hundredth of a second quicker in either race we would have made the A Final. But, that’s how racing goes, and we had to focus on picking up the points we could in the B Final.” Zappia faced Emilio Spinozzi for his final race of the weekend. With all the problems cured, Zappia bolted to a 5.692 for low ET of the event and the B Final win. “We knew the car was going straight again and so we were able to put in power. While the results didn’t quite fall our way in Sydney we got home safe and the motor is all in one piece – both of those things are important.” Zappia has a busy month ahead, with his steel-body Zap’s Rat Monaro being prepared for Street Outlaws Australia, which will be followed by the next round of the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship at the Westernationals in March.

A national record-setting performance from John Zappia’s Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro Top Doorslammer saw him compete in two final rounds in one weekend at Perth Motorplex as he took over the points lead for the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship. The camp was optimistic leading into the 2022 Goldenstates, as pre-event testing on the Wednesday prior saw runs of 5.66/253mph and 5.63/255mph thanks to an all-new Noonan engine combination. “These are fresh Noonan heads with new CP pistons and rods, and it is something of an R&D motor,” Zappia said. “The idea on Wednesday was to see what it would do and it produced results right away.” From there, Zappia Racing needed to turn their focus to Friday, which would feature not only qualifying for the Goldenstates, but also the postponed final of the Red CentreNATS from Alice Springs (in the third session of qualifying). “The conditions on Friday were unreal and we were making way more power, even though the track was a bit cool,” Zappia said. “On our first pass we rattled the tyres early and I gave it a pedal, then it did a big wheelstand but we still made it down for a 5.71. I was like, ‘Okay, that’s amazing.’ “We came out for the second session and it left hard with a .951 60 foot time and a 3.72/204mph to half track, then it went bang and popped the supercharger off the top of the motor! With the Alice Springs final coming up, we had to do a quick thrash to put a blower on it, change a couple of bearings and add some more fuel to the tune-up.” Zappia would take on points leader Kelvin Lyle for the delayed Red CentreNATS final race, with fans treated to an exciting race as Zappia’s 5.66 took the win and also top qualified for the Goldenstates and also receiving the Crow Cams Top Qualifier award. “Honestly, the engine didn’t sound like it was running on eight cylinders when we fired it up, it sounded a bit fluffy at idle, so we weren’t sure how it would go. But then we go 5.66 to win the race and set the national record, wow!” The Zappia Racing crew could only celebrate briefly, before needing to return to work to prepare the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro for Saturday’s racing. A rod was replaced and the heads were serviced so the Noonan engine could be perfect for round one. With three rounds of all-run racing to complete, Zappia would first have a solo pass. A spectacular 5.645/257mph run lowered the national record once again. “We were blown away to go even quicker, I guess that is what a healthy motor runs like!” Zappia said. The second round saw improvement again to a 5.644 against a tough 5.836 from Lyle, but as Zappia drove through the finish line the supercharger again backfired away from the motor. “I thought we must have just been a bit too lean but then there was a bit of a fire and a bit of smoke. We got back to the pits and the diaper was full of oil, so we knew then it was a broken engine.” The Zappia Racing team once again thrashed in the pits to change motors, but fell about ten minutes short of being able to make an appearance in the final round against Daniel Gregorini. The good news was that Zappia still secured enough points to take over the lead of the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship. He was pragmatic about the engine. “Something wasn’t happy after seven runs at that power level. When you look at the conditions, we had some runs at -130 feet of density altitude. That’s supersonic air and everything gets stressed out more. We took a chance on this new motor to learn and we were really happy with the performance. “I really think we are onto something. The car is torquing up like it used to years ago so we’re even going to have to do some additional suspension work to handle the power. We can definitely see 5.50s in there and we are only scratching the surface of what we can do with the Ty Drive converter and the three-speed B&J transmission. “This was a huge week for us. There were some big 17 to 18 hour days in the lead up to the event and then all the work we had to handle across the weekend. The crew did great and it is just mind-blowing how well this combo went right away.” The Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro will be on display at the Mental Health Awareness Lunch for the Blue Tree Project at the Striker / MAXPlant Businesses at 862 Cockburn Road, Henderson on Thursday 17th from 12:00 to 2:00pm The Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro will next be racing on December 10 at Perth Motorplex for the Summer Slam Series, followed by a return to Willowbank Raceway on January 6 and 7 for New Year Nitro, then Sydney Dragway on January 27 and 28. Photos thanks to: Phil Reeves ANDRA Phil Blondel

John Zappia lifted a rollercoaster season with a winning performance in the third round of the WA Summer Slam Series, solidifying his position at the top of the points standings. The Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Monaro Top Doorslammer got off to a nervous start however, as a gremlin in the transbrake held the team back from the compulsory qualifying session. “We came out for the session and unfortunately the transbrake was a little bit worn and wasn’t quite holding,” Zappia explained. “It was bad for us, but on the positive side it gave our opponent Shane Catalano a chance to fire up his Charger and make a pass which was great for those guys after a lot of hard work getting the car to the track.” Back in the pits, the team quickly got into the transmission and replaced the band on the transbrake. Thankfully it was a simple fix, but with no time record, Zappia would have to face number two qualifier Kelvin Lyle in the first round. “With no runs on the board for the day, we had to draw on our previous data to put a tune-up into the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Monaro. This is where good record keeping pays off! Kelvin was coming in hot off a 5.82 qualifying run so we couldn’t leave anything on the table. This time the transbrake worked properly and we were off for a 5.763 win to Kelvin’s close 5.819! It was one of the best side-by-side races of the season so far.” The final round would see Zappia take on the winner of the last championship round, Daniel Gregorini. A .094 to .115 holeshot got the race off to a good start for Zappia and he extended the lead in a 5.732 to 5.783 thriller. “Wow, two great races in a row and win lights in both — it’s exactly what you want from a night at the track. We were perhaps a little down on power, as we were staying conservative with the motor given we have some big road trips over east coming up. We have a great base underneath us with the Ty Drive and three-speed B&J Transmission, and hopefully the little odd problems we have had are now out of the way.” Also impressing on track during the night was John’s nephew Brodie Zappia, who got to unleash his Chevy Camaro Super Sedan into the eight-second zone. “We have it restricted down to try and keep it in Super Sedan for now since he has some points in there racing my ute, but he has already got down to an 8.57!” John said. “I just know that with each run he will get more comfortable in the car and learn more. I know he is eager to move into Top Sportsman, but it would also be great to see him do well in the Super Sedan championship. He is adapting really well and he will be a champion one day, no doubt about it.” In other news from the Zappia stable, work has begun on preparing the steel-body Zap’s Rat for the Street Outlaws No Prep Kings event in February. There will be more news on this in coming media releases, so stay tuned. Zappia Racing’s next event will be at Willowbank on January 6-7 followed by Sydney Dragway in February. Zappia Racing would like to wish all our sponsors, supporters and all track staff and volunteers a very merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous new year.

When you’ve had a drag racing career as long as John Zappia’s, it’s fair to say there will be events you would rather forget. The 52nd annual MacTrack Westernationals fits firmly into that category for the many-times Top Doorslammer champion. After some positive results at the last round of the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship in Sydney, Zappia came to Perth Motorplex hopeful of improvements at his home track. “On our first run out we had a similar tune-up to what we ran in Sydney and we pulled a 5.69 right away,” he said. “Considering the weather was getting better, we tried a different blower on there and the next session saw an improving 5.67, with a big 257mph. I was happy we had some power back in our Noonan Hemi!” The third and final session saw the Zappia Racing brains trust decide to turn up the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro in the hopes of a pass at the national record and that was exactly what they got with a stunning 5.614 @ 256.88 mph receiving the Crow Cams Top Qualifier award. “We gave it a little bit more off the line, as we stuck the Hoosier tyres on the launch in the second session. This time it was on a mission with a 0.956 to 60 feet and then a 2.49 at 330 feet, which was our quickest ever. We were really happy with that, especially finding pace in the first part of the track rather than trying to make it all on the top end.” Everything looked great to the team in servicing, with the B&J Transmission and Ty-Drive Converter in top shape, and preparations were made for the first round of racing against veteran Peter Kapiris, who was back at the Motorplex for the first time in many years. “The first round was where our luck changed,” Zappia said. “I tried to cut a light when I didn’t need to, and came up red with a -0.016. Then to add insult to injury, at 4.8 seconds into the run we had a rod break in the motor, which pressurised the other seven cylinders and we banged the blower. I rolled through for a 5.72 at just 223mph.” Now the Zappia Racing crew had an engine change to perform with just a short amount of time until the second round against newly licensed racer Lisa Gregorini. “We had a major thrash on our hands and we rushed the car out to the staging lanes as Lisa was given the fire-up order. We attempted to start our car and I looked over and saw that a couple of airlines inside the firewall were burnt from the backfire in the previous round. It was a 30-second job, but we were simply out of time.” A big thank you to all the crew and friends who worked non-stop for over an hour to get the engine change done. Also thanks to our eastern states friends (Daniel, Mick and Kelly) who chipped in to help where they could. Thanks also to all the ladies that help with merchandise, preparing food and looking after the crew in general. With just a single round remaining to salvage his event, Zappia hoped for the best in the third and final race against Matt Abel — but it wasn’t to be. “In the final we had a malfunction with the transbrake. We replaced the band of the transbrake on Sunday morning, but then there was an issue and I couldn’t get it into gear. I ground the gears until the car crept into stage, but all I could do was light the beams and turn the car off. It was a hard luck night.” Kelvin Lyle extended his points lead in the national championship with two events remaining, but Zappia has much experience when it comes to chasing down the opposition. “In hindsight, we should have had a more conservative strategy, but with running back-to-back 5.6s we didn’t want to change much,” he said. The team will next be on track on April 15 for the Summer Slam Grand Final in their last appearance of the Perth Motorplex season. While the Westernationals didn’t go to plan, it wasn’t the only racing the team has done in Perth lately, with the steel body of Zap’s Rat getting dragged out from the workshop and put together to compete as part of Street Outlaws No Prep Kings Australia. “It was great to be invited to be on the show,” Zappia said. “We had some great races against Jeff Lutz even though they hustled us on the first one. Those Americans sure stick together as a team to take the money while all the Aussies just wanted to race! I wanted to race Jeff Lutz three times so the audience got to see two well-matched cars racing their hardest but the whole TV show nature of it is hard to break.” “On a brighter note we ended the Westernationals with a win with my nephew Brodie in the Super Sedan class in only his fourth meeting in the class with his 97 Camaro. He now has two wins from four meetings and is showing he can compete against seasoned racers.”