Peter Xiberras will be aiming for victory in memory of his friend Sam Fenech in Round 4 of the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship at Sydney Dragway.
The two-day event kicks off today, with the PremiAir Racing Team Principal is set to feature at the Atlantic Oils Top Fuel Slam event, which features a capacity entry list of over 200 teams.
Xiberras is one of the seven Top Fuel competitors at the event, which will celebrate Fenech, who lost his life at Willowbank Raceway on Saturday, January 7.
“I have known Sam for more than 20 years, we started out racing each other in Super Sedan way back when, and have always been friends with a lot in common between our love of racing, our business pursuits, our Maltese heritage, and the importance we place on family,” Xiberras said.
“His loss is being deeply felt across the entire drag racing community and we welcome the initiatives Top Fuel Australia has made to ensure Top Fuel Slam appropriately honours Sam’s memory.
“Nothing can ever undo the tragic events that took him from us or make his terrible loss any less painful for his loved ones, but we can make sure that we come together in a fitting tribute to Sam, and work to keep his memory alive.
“We hope that as many fans of the sport as possible can come to Sydney Dragway over January 27 and 28 and join us in honouring this great man who has been taken away much too soon.”
The two-time Australian Top Fuel title winner will be hoping to honour Fenech with his first victory of the season.
“We will be doing all we can to make it to the A-Final and hopefully come away with a win in Sydney,” he declared.
“It would not only be a great honour for us to win at this event in memory of Sam, but it would also be our first A-Final and win for the current season if we can do it.
“In our early runs at Willowbank we showed that we are getting back onto the right track so we will continue working away at it and hopefully we can bring home some good results.”
Fenech was laid to rest this week, with a separate service at Sydney Dragway including one final pass in a hearse.
Speedcafe.com extends its condolences to Fenech’s family and friends.