Two-time ANDRA Top Fuel champion Steve Read of Queensland’s Raceview boasts an illustrious career with 23 major wins across Australia and Europe in both the Top Fuel and Top Alcohol categories – but coming up against three times US champion Larry Dixon at the Santo’s Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race at Willowbank Raceway could be his biggest challenge yet.

Read, known as “The Pom” thanks to his English heritage, reached the semi finals of the Australian Nationals at Sydney Dragway in November and thinks the local teams may have something in store for the international challengers.

“Dixon and Beard are in my opinion up there with the best in the world for driving and tuning respectively, so it is definitely going to be interesting to pit ourselves up against them during this event,” said Read.

“They will have an advantage in terms of the length of their experience and the amount of events they do, but we will have the home track advantage as well as familiarity with the tricky Australian weather conditions, so it will make for some great matches I think.”

There is plenty of respect from Read for Dixon, who has raced for some of drag racing’s biggest teams on the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) circuit.

“I have met Dixon before, he is just a regular guy who worked his way up from washing parts to be the driver he is today – he definitely earned his position in the sport and I am looking forward to potentially lining up against him and beating him – we have as good a chance as any,” Read said.

Read is not altogether unfamiliar with Dixon’s position in the Rapisarda Autosport International either, having raced for team owner Santo Rapisarda throughout the late nineties and early 2000s.

Teams at the Santo’s Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race will be competing for the Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel Trophy, a memorial to Santo’s son who passed away in a racing accident at Willowbank Raceway in 1990.

“I am looking forward to racing for the Louie Rapisarda Top Fuel trophy – while I never met Louie, I raced for his father Santo for 12 years and Louie was always featured on each and every one of his cars,” Read said. “Although Dixon is probably the favourite for the trophy given he is racing for Santo at the event, it would be pretty special to me to be able to claim the first Louie Rapisarda trophy.”

Read will have some serious back up as far as the Australian contingent goes with points leader Phil Lamattina, reigning national champion Darren Morgan, recent finalist Damien Harris and Terry Sainty adding to the quality field.

The Santo’s Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race will be held at Willowbank Raceway from March 29-30. Qualifying commences from 5pm on both days.

With thanks to Willowbank Raceway.