John Zappia claimed the FUCHS Winternationals Top Doorslammer title at Willowbank International Raceway, running three consecutive 5.7-second qualifying passes and carrying that consistency through four elimination rounds to take the win. Across seven runs over the weekend, the Speedmaster Monaro stayed between 5.763 and 5.869 seconds without requiring engine, differential, or gearbox maintenance.

Qualifying: Three Passes, One Number

The Speedmaster Monaro set the tone in qualifying with three runs that left little room for debate: 5.766 at 252.10 mph, 5.766 at 250.78 mph, and 5.763 at 253.33 mph. That secured top qualifier, low ET, and top speed points across all three sessions. Gary Phillips (5.884), Peter Kapiris (5.921), and Grant O'Rourke (5.925) were the nearest competitors in a 16-car field where the top eight all ran under six seconds.

"We have been working for 12 months on trying to get a consistent five-seven car. Southside Engine Centre have assisted us in getting our engine package super reliable at this new horsepower level, and the track surface came together nicely to allow us to produce those runs." - John Zappia

Elimination Rounds

Zappia opened with a solo 5.809 at 252.71 mph after Travaglini was unable to present. In Round 2, both Zappia and championship rival Stuart Bishop encountered tyre shake. Zappia pedalled through to a 5.828 at 252.57 mph; Bishop ran a 6.137 at 235.06 mph. The semi-final against O'Rourke followed the same pattern - Zappia recovering from early shake to post a 5.869 at 252.28 mph while O'Rourke slowed to a 7.009 at 142.19 mph.

On the other side of the bracket, Daniel Gregorini earned his place in the final with a 6.024 at 240.94 mph over John Cannuli.

The Final

Gregorini was sharp on the tree - 0.072 to Zappia's 0.136 - but the Speedmaster Monaro's top-end power closed the gap. Zappia ran a 5.833 at 252.90 mph to Gregorini's 6.062 at 236.26 mph, taking the event win and extending his lead on the ANDRA Championship ladder.

"That was one of the best race meetings we have performed at. The weather was great, crowds were huge, and the Willowbank staff provided us with a very good track that allowed us to match our car to the track superbly. The car was super consistent and reliable all weekend." - John Zappia

Reliability as Performance

The weekend underscored a broader point about the Speedmaster-supported programme. Seven runs between 5.763 and 5.869 seconds - with no mechanical intervention between passes - is a measure of engineering consistency. Zappia credited FUCHS Lubricants for the durability, noting that bearings inspected after the initial 5.76-second runs showed no wear.

"The proof of the quality of the Fuchs Lubricants is evident. In seven runs, all between 5.763 and 5.869, we did not need to do any maintenance on the motor, diff, or gearboxes." - John Zappia

Zappia also acknowledged the full crew effort, singling out full-time mechanic Gerry Andrijich for his work on the clutch and gearbox, as well as the broader team's preparation across the 12-month development cycle.

What Comes Next

The team returns to Perth to prepare the car before heading to Darwin for Round 7 of the ANDRA Championship, carrying momentum and a strengthened points lead.

All at Zappia Racing extend their best wishes to Ben Bray for a full recovery following his crash during the event.

Full Results

Qualifying Order

1. John Zappia - 71 HQ Monaro - 5.763 @ 253.33
2. Gary Phillips - 53 Studebaker - 5.884 @ 242.98
3. Peter Kapiris - Dodge Saratoga - 5.921 @ 251.95
4. Grant O'Rourke - 68 Pontiac Firebird - 5.925 @ 245.72
5. Martyn Dack - Ford BA - 5.931 @ 241.54
6. Daniel Gregorini - 68 Chev Camaro - 5.933 @ 243.68
7. Andrew Sutton - Chev Corvette - 5.941 @ 241.37
8. Ben Bray - Holden Monaro Coupe - 5.967 @ 243.59
9. Russ Pavey - Corvette - 6.087 @ 237.00
10. Bill Goonan - 70.5 Camaro - 6.093 @ 209.07
11. Pino Priolo - 37 Chevy - 6.135 @ 241.28
12. Victor Bray - 57 Chev Coupe - 6.138 @ 233.03
13. Stuart Bishop - 67 Camaro - 6.041 @ ERROR
14. Maurice Fabietti - 2006 Holden Monaro - 6.143 @ 225.63
15. John Cannuli - 67 Camaro - 6.151 @ 229.66
16. Simon Travaglini - BA Falcon - 55.717 @ 160.38

Round 1

John Cannuli 8.657 @ 111.18 DEF Gary Phillips 0.000 @ 0.00 | Stuart Bishop 5.975 @ 238.93 SOLO | Andrew Sutton 5.944 @ 244.92 DEF Bill Goonan 6.104 @ 229.82 | Grant O'Rourke 6.484 @ 225.48 DEF Russ Pavey 7.734 @ 188.60 | Daniel Gregorini 19.292 @ 48.27 DEF Pino Priolo 0.000 @ 0.00 | Maurice Fabietti 5.823 @ 242.84 DEF Peter Kapiris 5.904 @ 244.74 | John Zappia 5.809 @ 252.71 SOLO | Victor Bray 6.359 @ 221.89 SOLO

Round 2

Grant O'Rourke 9.463 @ 96.03 SOLO | John Cannuli 6.139 @ 208.01 DEF Andrew Sutton 25.235 @ 41.69 | Daniel Gregorini 8.539 @ 119.31 DEF Maurice Fabietti 15.076 @ 52.84 | John Zappia 5.828 @ 252.57 DEF Stuart Bishop 6.137 @ 235.06

Semi-Finals

Daniel Gregorini 6.024 @ 240.94 DEF John Cannuli 6.762 @ 161.77 | John Zappia 5.869 @ 252.28 DEF Grant O'Rourke 7.009 @ 142.19

Final

John Zappia 5.833 @ 252.90 DEF Daniel Gregorini 6.062 @ 236.26