Brian Alvisio’s first ever trip to the Perth Motorplex proved exceptionally successful, seeing him walk away with not only his maiden Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series National Championship, but also the event runner-up honours in Modified Bike.

Alvisio headed over to Perth on the maximum points cap, and was ecstatic to not only win the title, but also go to the finals in every event he competed in this season.

How did you get into drag racing?

I grew up 20 minutes from Willowbank Raceway in a country town called Boonah. We all had hotted up cars back then, which are slow by today’s standards, but we thought they were fast. I was invited to do some crew work for a bike racer at Willowbank and he talked me into buying a drag bike; the rest is history.

Now that some time has passed, has it sunk in that you are the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series National Champion for Modified Bike?

Yeah, it has. It has been really cool to get home and hear that a lot of my racing friends and personal friends were following along and keeping track on the live feeds and tv where it was aired.

What does it mean to you to have achieved the championship?

When I bought that bike, all I ever wanted to do was run a nine second pass and race at Winternationals (at my local track, Willowbank Raceway). I had been in the stands for Top Fuel at that event so many times as a young bloke and I had never even dreamed of winning a Winters, let alone winning it twice and winning championships. But winning this one (the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series National Championship) was different though. It is one thing to go to your local track and race but to travel 23,500km around Australia chasing a national title was a much bigger deal, and to have success everywhere we went really put a cap on it. It is a huge relief and gives an enormous sense of satisfaction and gratitude to the sport itself.

How long have you been pursuing the championship, and how does it feel now to have achieved it?

To be honest due to the distance needed, I have only been pursuing it since July last year. We had intended to do the Darwin/Alice Springs run in 2020, but Covid killed that off, but for the last few years Darwin, Alice Springs and the Westernationals have been on my radar.  After winning the Winters twice, I wanted to try the premier ANDRA event as well, and it was super cool to make the final there and take home the championship.

What are your plans for the upcoming season?

I did have some issues with the bike in Mildura and Perth which have been an extension of an ongoing issue, so I have had a new engine sitting around waiting to go in since July last year, so it will go in and my ambition is to run Competition Bike. I will probably just stick to some local racing at home and Sydney, and I would like to do a bit more travel up to Benaraby to race as well, but Competition Bike will be the ultimate goal. This is another level of racing for me and breaking records and having the best bike in a class to race against others in their classes is something I’d love to do. Also, no more bloody break outs, hahaha!

Are you planning on defending the title in the new season, and how confident are you of being able to go back-to-back?

I just started running my own business in December, and with the nearest track to me being Mildura – 18.5 hours and 1656km away – I don’t think I will be making the trek this year, but I do see myself doing the entire thing again in an attempt to grab a Competition Bike championship in the future.

Why did you choose to compete in the Modified Bike category?

I love Mod Bike. I know it is sometimes looked at as an ‘entry level’ class, but I believe it is the toughest racing and takes as much skill to win as any class. You have to be sharp on the tree and consistently run within a few hundredths of a second consistently for an entire season to be at the top.  And with the massive variations in weather across the board in this championship, just picking your dial in and riding to your number is an art in itself, one I am happy to admit I am far from perfecting. You also need a bit of luck to go your way in Modified Bike, and I’m happy to say I’ve had my fair share over the last couple of years.  If I don’t make a mark in Competition Bike, I’m happy to come back home to race in Mod Bike. I have made some amazing friends in Mod Bike all over Australia, and I am grateful for every single man and lady who straps on a helmet to race the bracket with me. I feel truly blessed to know some of these people, watch them race and learn from them.

What was your favourite event of the 2022/2023 season and why?

It would have to be the Alice Springs Desert Nationals event. There was a special feeling about racing there. The people running the event were exceptional, the racing was great and it was the first time I really felt like I might have a good chance of winning the championship.  Mildura (Twilight Nationals) was a close second. I am a country boy and I have a real love of the country feeling at these places.

What was the highlight of your season aside from taking out the title?

Catching up with a few guys who I hadn’t seen in years and all the new guys I got to meet. The Bunbury Ducati boys, Brian Hotker and Wayne Patterson who were pitted beside us in Alice and Perth, having three ‘Brians’ racing in Alice Springs with Brian Finn, and even getting to race a final in Mildura with one of my favourite people in the world, Sean Ricketts, while pitting with my good friends Joe Khoury and Edge Mallis. Also having Joe and I both take the titles was pretty special, and there were also two pretty awesome nights at the Mataranka hot springs with Ian Read and Gordon Crawford. I did learn Ian is an atrocious dancer at Mataranka! The memories made are what make this season a real highlight of my life.

Who would you like to thank for the roles they have played in your title season?

This will take a minute!

Dale Bobbermien and Dewalt Power Tools – Dewalt make the best gear and my toolbox is always filled with them at home and in the pits. Dale is a racer too and a good mate, it is always great to know he has my back.

Max Norman – Max is like an older brother to me. He is often brutally honest, keeps me very grounded and puts me in my place, but I know it is always in my best interest and I owe so much of my success to him. He also built my engine in 2018, which has done almost five seasons and even with having the limiter bashed plenty of times and copping my abuse, after all this time, it is still punching out the best numbers it ever has without missing a beat. It is truly the little engine that could – it is completely stock performance wise and has exceeded both of our expectations, and will now get a freshen up. I can never thank you enough mate.

Blaze Hansen – if you don’t know who this bloke is then you probably aren’t in drag racing in Australia. I would argue with anyone that Blaze is the best mind in our sport across the board. From racing a Top Fuel Motorcycle and the world’s quickest Hayabusa-engined dragster, to building Top Fuel cars and the quickest four cylinder in the world, Blaze can build ‘em, tune ‘em and race ‘em as well as anyone in the sport. To have him offer me guidance, help with the setup of the bike and the setup of me, getting me riding it better, I owe him so much more than I can offer to repay.  Thank you mate.

Last but definitely not least, my beautiful Sheree. We have seen the country together, tasted victory together, and suffered the losses together. She rides the scooter to come and get me, is my crew to make sure nothing is forgotten, and she is my true soul mate. I love you baby, and I am so happy that it was you sitting beside me for those 23,500 km. I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else.

For the complete listing of ANDRA champions, please click here