Nitro wars heat up.

The Top Fuel battle at the Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway will see another former championship winning warrior back at the wheel with Phil Read, son of Australian drag racing legend Jim Read, to make his first race appearance since the Nationals in September 2011.

Team principal Jim Read said Uplift Cranes had signed on with the team to support them alongside long term partners Snap On Tools, Valvoline, MTU Detroit Diesel, McDonalds, Hurlcon, Champion Spark Plugs, Arturro’s Pizza and Pasta and Odyssey Batteries. Uplift Cranes will also stay aboard for the Winternationals in Queensland in June.

Close friend, fellow racer and owner of Uplift Cranes, Santo Rapisarda said with his racing interests keeping him away from Australia for most of this year it was important to his company to continue to have representation at two of the most important race events of the ANDRA Pro Series.

“To have such an iconic team as Jim’s sitting idle seemed such a waste and I could not think of a more deserving team and family to support and carry our company’s name,” he said.

With support confirmed Jim Read Racing is now in full swing preparing their new car that made its debut at the Nationals in Sydney for the upcoming events.

Crew chief Bruce Read has recently returned from the United States working with Alexis DeJoria and is hopeful the team can produce the results and record times the team are famous for.

For more information on the Nitro Champs click here.

Image courtesy Grant Stephens/cacklingpipes.com.

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