Aussie Top Fuel team set for another NHRA campaign

Terry Sainty will drive the Rapisarda Racing entry.

Australian Top Fuel team Rapisarda Racing will return to race in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series this year. Rapisarda Racing contested the final two NHRA Full Throttle events, in Las Vegas and Pomona, late last year with regular team driver Mark Mariani at the wheel.

This year, the Australian team will be at at least 12 NHRA Full Throttle events with experienced Sydney, Australia, Top Fuel racer Terry Sainty driving.

Rapisarda Racing team manager Santo Rapisarda Jr. confirmed that the team had considered several U.S.-based NHRA drivers, including Steve Torrence, Cory McClenathan, and Tommy Johnson Jr., before offering the ride to Sainty. If Sainty cannot make any of the scheduled U.S. events, Johnson has agreed to drive the car.

Rapisarda Racing will enter the season-opening Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline in Pomona, followed by the events in Las Vegas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Topeka, Bristol, Norwalk, Brainerd, Indianapolis, and Phoenix, before returning to finish the season in Las Vegas and Pomona. Last year, the team qualified at the fall Las Vegas event and defeated McClenathan in round one.

The team has not ruled out making the Denver-Sonoma-Seattle Western Swing, and Rapisarda said that if the team is doing well in the Full Throttle points chase, other events may be added.

The team will continue to race in the Australian National Drag Racing Association Pro Series Top Fuel championship events with its Australian-based team between the planned NHRA Full Throttle events.

Although it has been a dream of his to race in the United States since he began driving in 1992, Sainty said in recent years that it was not a consideration until Santo Rapisarda Sr. asked if he would be interested. Sainty, who owns and runs an industrial machinery maintenance company, said that Rapisarda's offer is an extremely generous one, and he is 100 percent committed to racing in the U.S.

“Santo is a very generous man. I am extremely proud and privileged to drive his car in the U.S. It is a great opportunity.”