Harris on the verge of a new nitro phase
Damien Harris joining Rapisarda Autosport International
(Photo courtesy Jon Van Daal)Damien Harris will return to the ANDRA Drag Racing Series at Perth Motorplex in round four of the Australian Top Fuel championship, putting his team back together for a 'last hurrah'.
Harris will be joining the Rapisarda Autosport International outfit after the February 1-2 event, meaning it will be the final outing for his current Best Tractor Parts dragster and crew.
"It's a last hurrah for the old car and the team as it stands, once we move into the Rapisarda fold we will be using all of his gear," Harris said. "It's going to be a happy day to be back racing but also a sad day for the team as the last time we will all race together."
Harris went within 1.5 points of the national title last season, finishing second to Darren Morgan in one of the closest ANDRA Top Fuel championships in history.
The Western Australian driver said he would love to keep as many of his current team involved with the move to Rapisarda Autosport International as possible.
"I'm trying desperately to keep as many guys together to come over to Santo's deal," he said. "Nonetheless the final round with the old car will be a great weekend and leave us all with a few more memories.
"I don't think any one of us will be 'match fit', after a long break it's going to be a tough race on mind, body and soul!"
Harris' crew chief for the 2011/12 season Tim Adams will again be tuning the car, before a move to the growing PremiAir team, owned by Sydney's Peter Xiberras.
Following the Perth event, Harris plans to contest the rest of the season's events under the Rapisarda banner, beginning with the Santo's Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race at Willowbank Raceway on March 29-30.
"I'm definitely excited about driving with the Rapisarda family for the rest of the year," he said. "It will be a lot of fun and his two boys, Santo Jnr and Santino, are definitely the future of tuners in this country."
Harris didn't rule out competing in some more USA events as part of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, regarded as the world's best. He has previously raced in Las Vegas and Pomona for Rapisarda.
"For me personally I would like to go over there and do one, maybe two stints with Santo Jnr tuning a second car, it's all dependent on the boys and what they want to do," he said.
The February 1-2 event at Perth Motorplex will be a unique one for all Top Fuel competitors, as the first using a new trial format where individual championship rounds will be run on each day.
Single-shot qualifying will be followed by an elimination round, where the quickest winners will move into the finals.
The Top Fuel action will begin each day at 6pm.
