Lamattina Racing withdraws from drag racing

Respected Top Fuel drag racing outfit Lamattina Racing has withdrawn from competition indefinitely after more than 10 years at the forefront of the sport in Australia.

The Melbourne operation has scored three national titles in what has been a glittering stint in national drag racing.

Run by brothers Phil, John and Angelo, Lamattina Racing has been thrusted into the spotlight in recent weeks after team boss Phil Lamattina suffered a horrific crash caused by a chassis failure at June’s Fuchs Winternationals.

The former Top Fuel champion was hospitalised with a shattered vertebrae and is continuing his rehabilitation from the accident at his Victoria home.

Lamattina’s future in the sport was questioned following the crash but he maintains the accident isn’t the full reason for the team’s decision to withdraw from the sport.

“I’m at the stage of my life where I was losing some passion for racing, it’s more about family than anything else,” said Lamattina in a statement issued by the team.

“I have been asked if it’s the accident that has made the decision and the answer to is a genuine ‘no’.

“It’s far more than that, you have to be 100 percent committed to the sport to compete at this level and that desire needs to be there.

“After our last championship, I think the desire level wasn’t at the same intensity.

“It takes time and resources and you need to weigh up the energy levels required versus the passion, and the equation isn’t quite working for us, it’s that simple.

“The truth is that this chapter of our racing lives was drawing to a close in our minds. The Winternationals has added an exclamation point to the end of it all.

“You need a lot of things to work well together to go racing and perform at the highest and at the moment, we are not feeling like it’s something we necessarily want to continue to do.

“My brothers Angelo and John who run and drive the cars respectively, need to be a part of it all. We are tight, we race as a family and this is the decision that we have collectively made.

“The decision was made that this year would be our last in Top Fuel, no matter what happened.”

Lamattina went on to thank all of his supporters, partners and team members for the support he has received duding his career.

“We have had some great people with us and to all our crew, team members, partners, fans and anyone who has been a part of our journey – THANK YOU!

“Our lives have been better for you all being a part of it, but the most important part of racing the car is making sure you pull the ‘chutes at the right time and for us, that’s now.”