April 2024 marks 10 years of Top Fuel racing for Peter Xiberras; with the two-time champion and his PremiAir Nulon Racing team hoping Dragway at The Bend’s Riverbend Nationals will provide the perfect celebrations to appropriately mark the milestone this weekend.
“It has been an amazing 10 years. From the highest of highs of back-to-back championships and records to those events that just didn’t go our way, through it all I have loved going racing, and been so lucky to have the support of a lot of amazing people behind me,” Xiberras said.
“I can’t wait to get on track this weekend and hopefully we can bring home the best results possible to help really celebrate this milestone as it should be celebrated,” he smiled.
To review the ten years of PremiAir Nulon Racing in Top Fuel in pictorial, -> click here.
Looking back on the last decade, Xiberras has a lot of people to thank for their support, but there are two people he wants to single out in particular.
“First of all, I must mention my wife, Carmen. She is such an incredible support to me in racing and in business, and I could not do this without her,” Xiberras said.
“When I started in Top Fuel I didn’t know what Carmen would think, I figured she would either tell me ‘no way’ or love it…thankfully she loved it, and it has been a real family affair with her and my kids, James, Rebecca, Hayley, and Christopher. It has been great to race with them alongside me every step of the way.
“And then there is Tim Adams. He has been with me heading up my Top Fuel operation from day dot, handling all the tuning, engine inspections, builds and more, and I cannot thank him enough for all of the effort and dedication he has shown to PremiAir Racing over all this time.
“I have never had to worry about rituals or good luck charms other than clearing my head of all the work things and life stuff to get into race mode, as I have so much faith in Tim and the crew that I don’t have to worry about anything car related, and that is a really important thing and something I am very grateful for.”
After having previously raced in Super Sedan and Supercharged Outlaws, Xiberras started his Top Fuel career in 2014, beginning his licensing in February before competing in his first event at Easter at Willowbank.
He would go on to appear in his first final that same year at the Australian Nationals, before taking his first event win in 2018 at the New Year’s Thunder event.
From there, Xiberras and his team would quickly build momentum and it would not be too long before he would clinch his first national championship in 2021, before following up with another in 2022.
Along the way he set many records, including at one point holding the track record for Willowbank Raceway, Perth Motorplex and Sydney Dragway concurrently, and being the quickest racer outside of the USA with a 3.742 second pass at 325.22 miles per hour, with this impressive marker – which still stands today – set at Willowbank Raceway during the 2021 Winternationals.
“I started out with a hot rod and it had all this power but I just couldn’t use it (on the road), so I bought a Capri with a 400 SB Chev and started in Super Sedan, running in the tens to start with before tuning it down to 9.40, and then got a dragster with a blown engine in it and started in Supercharged Outlaws, running in the sevens and down to 6.52,” Xiberras explains.
“My start in Top Fuel in 2014 was a bit of an accident! I was looking for a transporter to allow us to travel to the Winternationals and further afield, rather than just racing at Eastern Creek, as we had been in the Supercharged Outlaws car at that point.
“Someone was selling an entire Top Fuel operation, including a truck and trailer, and so I went to see them about the truck and trailer. Somehow, I came home with the whole thing!
“I had no plans to get into Top Fuel, I went with one plan and came home with another, but what a ride it has been, and I wouldn’t trade the last 10 years for anything.”
Xiberras and the PremiAir Nulon Racing Top Fuel Dragster will be on-track at Dragway at The Bend this Saturday April 6 and Sunday April 7, for the Riverbend Nationals. For event information, visit www.ndrc.tv
For more information on PremiAir Nulon Racing, please visit www.premiairracing.com or follow the team on its social media platforms at www.facebook.com/PremiAirRacing/, www.instagram.com/premiair_racing/, www.linkedin.com/company/premiairracing/ and www.twitter.com/premiairracing
