The newly formed National Drag Racing Championship has today confirmed an 11-event calendar for professional categories, with the series kicking off the 2023-24 season with back-to-back weekends in October.
The first National level competition to take place at The Bend Dragway will be on October 21-22, with Top Fuel Dragsters headlining the event, before the series heads to Sydney Dragway only one week later.
The calendar will see the NDRC visit Willowbank Raceway (QLD), Sydney Dragway (NSW) and The Bend Dragway (SA) three times each, with the Perth Motorplex hosting two rounds to complete the calendar.
At all events (except for the season-ending Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway) the headline category will alternate between Top Fuel Dragsters and Nitro Funny Cars, supported by other professional categories such as Top Doorslammer and Top Fuel Motorcycle.
Race day for all 11 rounds will be broadcast on the Seven Network’s digital streaming platform, 7plus, while 7mate and 7plus will each air post-produced highlight specials.
“We’re really proud of this calendar. There are eleven amazing events at Australia’s premier drag racing facilities, headlined by either the Burson Top Fuel Championship or the Nitro Funny Car Championship,” said NDRC co-promoter, Andy Lopez.
Nathan Prendergast, NDRC co-promoter and Head of TV added, “Taking it all up a notch is the fact that these eleven NDRC Group One events will benefit from unprecedented levels of broadcast exposure thanks to the NDRC’s landmark deal with Australia’s home of motorsport, the Seven Network.”
One noticeable omission from the calendar is the “Nitro Up North” event at Hidden Valley in the Northern Territory.
Over the past several years, the event has hosted a round of the Australian Top Fuel Championship in conjunction with the Repco Supercars Championship on the same weekend in July at the multi-purpose facility.
Full Calendar:
Round 1 – The Bend Dragway, 21-22 October 2023
Round 2 – Sydney Dragway, 27-28 October 2023
Round 3 – Perth Motorplex, 24-25 November 2023
Round 4 – Willowbank Raceway, 1-2 December 2023
Round 5 – The Bend Dragway, 12-13 January 2024
Round 6 – Sydney Dragway, 26-27 January 2024
Round 7 – Willowbank Raceway, 16-17 February 2024
Round 8 – Perth Motorplex, 2-3 march 2024
Round 9 – The Bend Dragway, 6-7 April 2024
Round 10 – Sydney Dragway, 3-4 May 2024
Round 11 – Willowbank Raceway, 6-9 June 2024