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The learning process is not yet over for Brodie Zappia, but he’s certainly a lot closer to graduating from the drag racing equivalent of the School of Hard Knocks after finding a vital component malfunctioning during Saturday’s Nitro Max event at Perth Motorplex. A season full of engine dramas has kept Brodie working tirelessly, but mercifully relief looks to be on the horizon. The JK Construction Camaro began qualifying with similar troubles to how it ended the Westernationals, but through a process of elimination and observations during runs, Brodie believes he has the bug identified. “The first run’s burnout on the weekend was just like the Westernationals, cutting out after the burnout,” he said. “Once again we dived into the ignition system and we discovered two loose plug ends on the bulkhead between the coil and the distributor. As I was tightening the one on the coil itself it snapped right off and I could see corrosion around there. Massive thankyou to Curtis Spadaro who went home to pull a brand new coil off his race car so I could use it for the rest of the meeting.” The team returned for the compulsory qualifying session only to find problems still present. This time Brodie coasted down the track at quarter-throttle, during which he noticed his RPM gauge moving around rapidly, but also showed the ignition box and MSD Grid lights still operational. A look at the data showed the air-fuel ratio readings all over the place. “I gave George at Race MAX Direct a call, he took time to help out even though he was racing in Sydney at the same time. He said to pull the fuel pump apart and make sure everything was working right inside the pump. We went to take the pump off the car and saw there was no keyway on the driven cog for the pump.” Needing to make a quick repair, Brodie ground up a piece of steel to fit as a keyway, and resorted to zip ties and electrical tape to keep the cog from falling off the shaft and went out for the race round against Kasey McClure. The burnout was strong and finally, Brodie was able to go into stage with a chance. After a 0.006 light to Kaseys 0.028, the JK Construction Camaro shook violently, then blew the tyres off at 60ft — but that helped the team learn even more. “That was my first time ever overpowering the track and we think that the brand new coil helped the engine make a lot more power. It wasn’t just a little change, it was a lot. I needed to put a timing curve into the MSD Grid for the first time, which Uncle John was able to help with. As we were getting ready to head out for the B-Final against Vince Belladonna, we noticed some material in the oil filter, and given our experiences from what happened last time, we decided to be cautious. I simply staged for the B Final and turned the car off.” While there were no full runs, Brodie is now confident that after a quick check over all the bearings the team will be able to come out confidently for the last race of the season. “It’s a tricky problem to find because it would only occur under load. We think the belt tension on the fuel pump would keep the cog and shaft spinning together at idle due to friction, but once it came up on boost, it would drain the bowls and the cog would spin on the shaft, before leaning out and dropping rpm. We have newfound confidence with this new coil that we should be able to do well at the final event of the year.” Not one to rest on his laurels, Brodie intends on finding the performance he knows the engine is capable of.
“We’re going to put on a bigger bottom pulley to get the blower spinning to its max rpm and we will have our good cam back from being repaired at Crow Cams after it was damaged at the Westernationals. The championship is run and done, with Kasey McClure's consistent Rear Engine Dragster wrapping up the WA Supercharged Outlaws championship a round early. Our goal at the last meeting is to get the car to a new personal best. If it happens, all good, if not — we have next season to go fast.” Brodie’s t-shirts will be available for the final meeting of the Perth Motorplex season on April 13th. Come down and see Brodie and get a t-shirt and have him sign it, or just to say hello. You can also purchase his t-shirts online at the Zappia Racing Shop Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: @zappiaracing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Naming Rights Sponsor: JK Construction Major Sponsors: Dannani Haulage (Hotshots) Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon Jacked Supplements JP Pallets Supporting Sponsors: High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Allfast Torque Converters Crow Cams Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative ADR Engines Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) FUCHS Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing B.L. & S.G. Lake Brick Cartage Social Media & Marketing by ROBMEDIA

John Zappia has returned to the championship fold of Top Doorslammer with his first WA series win since 2021, as the Dananni Hotshots/FUCHS Monaro defied a drama-filled Nitro Max event at Perth Motorplex on Saturday. After choosing to skip the first qualifying session, a messy compulsory qualifying session saw Zappia left in last place entering the race rounds — but that would be enough to clinch the championship. “Our starter motor died when we went to fire up for the qualifier," Zappia said. “We were rushing around to swap batteries and the starter motor and then I was so flustered about getting into stage that I got on the two-step without realising that Jaydee Dack in the other lane hadn’t even gone into stage yet. I was out of my routine and panicking, but the main thing was that we qualified". With the title in hand, Zappia now wanted to win the event. A second round 5.721 win against Jaydee Dack’s 6.300 would be quick enough to put Zappia into the final against Daniel Gregorini. “The car rattled a little and went right, so I muscled it back left and got too far out of the groove,” Zappia explained. “I had to pedal in high gear which is unusual, so to still go a 5.72 made us pretty happy, especially as we were running our ‘B’ motor.” Zappia went into the final against Gregorini, but with cooling conditions made things unpredictable.“Daniel got the hole shot but then he started rattling the tyres,” Zappia said. “We were going nice and straight with strong increments and then — boom! The car backfired the supercharger with a big flame and I was coasting. I kept waiting to see Daniel’s Camaro fly past but he had shut off after the shake, and so our 6.285 took an unlikely win.” Zappia Racing will now have a week of maintenance and a few days off for Easter before towing east to The Bend Motorsports Park for the next round of the National Drag Racing Championship. “Applied Automotive have given our ‘A’ motor the once over so that we are as prepared as can be for Tailem Bend,” Zappia said. “That motor did five consistent runs at the Westernationals and so it makes us confident to have it back in the car.” Zappia currently leads the national points, with a slim 17-point margin to second-placed Russell Taylor. “There’s still three events to go in the championship, so it’s really anyone’s championship to win or lose right now,” Zappia said. “We’re going to concentrate on A to B runs, but even those should be pretty quick if the conditions are what we expect. I think the winner will have to be clocking 5.6-second passes.” The Zappia Racing Team are looking forward to seeing Sponsors and supporters at Tailem Bend and they will have their merchandise available at the Merch tent. Head down to the pits and say hello and get photos and merch signed by John Zappia. Photo by Phil Reeve - Sports Photographer Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: Zappia Racing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Social Media Management: ROBMEDIA Joint Naming Rights Sponsors Dananni Haulage (Hotshots) FUCHS Lubricants Australasia Major Sponsors Crow Cams Australia Pty Ltd Tony's Auto Wreckers W.A. Suspensions Noonan Race Engineering MoTeC Hoosier Racing Tire Striker Australia Pty Ltd NGK Spark Plugs Callies Performance Products CP-Carrillo Supporting Sponsors Santhuff B & J Racing Transmissions Avtrac Maintenance Tracking Kounis Metal Industries Taylor Tyres Pty Ltd Alky Pro Klik Creative CIC High Performance Coatings Final Drive K Craft Bullbars Speedflow Total Seal Piston Rings Victory Valves Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance Applied Automotive Damiani Race Parts

Despite not securing a victory in Brodie Zappia's last race at the 53rd Annual Westernationals, the all-night effort and making it to the semi-finals are significant achievements to celebrate for the talented Supercharged Outlaws racer. The journey leading up to the event was filled with positivity, highlighted by the thrill of achieving a personal best time of 6.851 during testing. This stellar performance infused Brodie with confidence as he geared up for Western Australia's premier drag racing event. “We received a new Crow Cam with a custom grind to try and optimise the power to where we need it,” he said. “Between events we ground out my heads and made my new pushrods from Race MAX Direct fit so I could get the motor higher into the RPM range. We also put stiffer valve springs in and fitted a bigger bottom blower pulley. Combined with my new hybrid mechanical fuel injection system, everything came together.” The JK Construction Camaro also received a different tyre compound, and a change in the diff gears. All the changes continued to pay off as Brodie entered qualifying for the Westernationals, clicking off a 6.854 despite less conducive weather conditions. “We were still really rich in terms of fuel and timing, so we were able to pull some fuel out and still be safe in qualifying,” he said. “We repeated our testing pass and that made us very happy. Unfortunately in the second qualifier we came unstuck as the car surged at the top of first gear. At first I thought the intake pipe had blown off, but when I got out of the car I saw it was still attached... Back to the pits, we found pushrods sitting in the valley and rockers free-floating on their shafts.” Brodie has truly mastered the art of disassembling a motor this season, showcasing his expertise and dedication. Once more, it was an opportunity for everyone to come together and get their hands dirty, delving into the big block Chev to diagnose and resolve any issues. “Eventually we narrowed it down to lifter failure. I needed to make some runs back and forth to the workshop to find replacement parts and we decided that we would need to pull the heads and completely remove the rods and pistons to clean the bores.” Amidst the full-scale rebuild, Brodie squeezed in a mere hour of sleep beneath the car after diligently tightening rod bolts. Supported by his dedicated crew members Lachlan, Adam, Darren, and Stu, along with invaluable assistance from the ZR1 team and Aaron Deery, they collectively achieved yet another remarkable mechanical feat. Making the first round was still touch and go as the team buttoned up the car and Brodie drove it to the lanes. “We had Cliff Brockwell in the first round and we were the first pair. I rushed to get there, as Cliff was waiting to fire. The officials told us to slow down as they would wait for me to get properly suited up and ready. We went out there not knowing if the car would hold together but I went 0.027 on the tree and ran 7.16, getting off the throttle at 1000ft so as not to break out and we got the win. Everyone was very emotional after that run, seeing as we had almost a whole day involved in getting it rebuilt and ready to go. Thank you to Cliff and crew for waiting patiently for me to be ready”. The second round saw Brodie take on long time Zappia Racing friend Vince Belladonna. Once again Brodie was sharp on the tree and a 0.032 light plus a 7.04 (off the throttle early) on a 6.96 dial-in produced victory. That left the semi final against Norbert Claite where an intermittent electrical issue cost Brodie the race. “As I came up on RPM in the burnout the car shut off. All my lights were still on, so I knew it was not battery related. The car started up again and I went to do a second burnout and the same thing happened. My crew looked over everything as Norb backed up and eventually we just had to put it into the staging beams. I went .030 on the tree but about 20 feet out it died and stopped. I was able to re-fire and reverse the car out, and drive back to the pits. We found the positive coil wire from my MSD8 ignition box was a quarter turn loose on the screw, so it had vibrated loose. I was devastated, but relieved the car was still running and in one piece.” Although the Westernationals trophy didn't find its way into Brodie's hands, he continued to shine brightly, leaving an indelible mark on sponsors and team supporters who witnessed his unwavering dedication and remarkable performance. “We spent the weekend in the Dananni Hotshots tent and it was great to be able to celebrate the wins of my uncle John Zappia in Top Doorslammer and Benny Stevens in Top Fuel Motorcycle.  This season has taken a toll on me physically and financially, especially over the Christmas holidays. I don’t think I saw my parents for a couple of weeks even though I live with them! My number one priority is getting the car onto the track to meet the expectations of my valued sponsors and everybody who gets behind the team.” Brodie extends his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported him throughout his debut season in a blown car, with special appreciation to all the sponsors whose generous support has made it all possible. NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR JK Construction MAJOR SPONSORS Dananni Haulage Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon Jacked Supplements JP Pallets SUPPORTING SPONSORS High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Allfast Torque Converters Crow Cams Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) ADR Engines FUCHS Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing B.L. & S.G. Lake Brick Cartage #procharger #dragrace #dragracer #brodiezappia #zappia #zappiaracing #johnzappia #motorplex #motorsports #australia #westernationals

Brodie Zappia’s season of thrashing is not yet over as his JK Construction Supercharged Outlaws Camaro suffered more engine damage during racing at the Slinglift Summer Slam last weekend. Just getting to the track had been an epic effort for Brodie, the nephew of Australian Top Doorslammer legend John Zappia, after his engine sustained damage just two weeks previously at the Goldenstates Championship. “We picked up a second hand crank the week before racing and got it off to Applied Automotive Engineering to get the rotating assembly balanced,” Brodie said. “Meanwhile we had ordered some Callies Ultra Enforcer rods to replace the two we couldn’t salvage from the Goldenstates. The other rods were resized and together with a new set of bearings we re-assembled the motor.” It was all hands-on deck among the Zappia Racing team. With John’s Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Top Doorslammer already prepared for the Summer Slam, Brodie’s Camaro got some love under the close eye of some of the most experienced crew members in the game. “We had all the crew helping on Thursday night before racing to get the crank in,” Brodie said. “It’s finicky and hard, so it was great to have them helping out and showing me the way.” Given the extent of the engine problems at the Goldenstates, it was an incredible feat to be ready again to keep fighting for the Supercharged Outlaws championship. Having the car started at 12.00pm the day of racing, after spending all night working on it, then to pack up and make the first pass at 3.00pm was a credit to Brodie’s never say die attitude. Something in the Zappia genes that John and Brodie inherited. Qualifying began well, with the JK Construction Camaro descending into the six-second zone once more thanks to a 6.999/201mph pass. “After the run we checked the filter for bearing material,” Brodie said. “There were a few more specks but that was to be expected with brand new bearings. John advised that I should probably drop the timing back down given the better air conditions.” Despite bringing the engine down to an even safer horsepower level, it surprised both Brodie and the team with a 7.04 in the second qualifying session. “With lowered timing we expected to go much slower, but we were very happy. The oil pressure and everything looked good on the run.” A routine inspection of the oil filter after the pass revealed some concerns. More metal was found and Brodie began asking the brains trust in the pits what their thoughts were. “Some people were telling me to pack it up, some people said you might get away with it. I decided to pull the sump with minutes to go. I checked a couple of bearings, but in retrospect I didn’t check one that was likely hurt. I showed Uncle John and a few people around the camp and the consensus was I probably shouldn’t run it. But I took a little bit of hope from other inputs and gave it a go. It was a coin-flip decision but unfortunately what was to come proved that I was wrong.” In the burnout for eliminations, Brodie felt the car start to harmonic. He looked at the gauges and saw there was zero oil pressure — not to mention smoke coming from the top of the motor. “We took it back to the pits and took off a very full nappy, revealing a hole in both sides of the sump and a rod out the side. Obviously, we were devastated. We pulled it down Monday, and then found that the number seven rod had kicked, damaging number eight in the process. One of the pistons rotated 180 degrees in the bore. The rear crank journal is black, dented and bent at the big end and there’s a few chips and cracks out of sleeves in the block. The cast iron block is cracked aswell. We also destroyed the intake and exhaust valves on number seven, the rocker and lifter, and the cam is bent as well.” The cause of the failure is not yet obvious to the team. “We haven’t found a reason just yet. We will continue to diagnose it and see what we can find so hopefully it doesn’t happen again. It wasn’t a result of the rush, because we triple-checked everything and had a lot of people looking over the motor as it went back together.” Once again, Brodie is staring down another intense few weeks as he works to get the motor back together. “It’s getting parts that is tough. Hopefully we can get new valves from the States in time. The only other option would be to sit out and wait until parts get here. But that’s not something I want to do. I haven’t been short of trying and it is not going to stop now even with plenty of curveballs. Somehow and some way we will be back out to fight for that championship”. Brodie and the team wish to thank all our sponsors and supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New year, and hope to catch up with as many of you as possible in 2024. Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: @zappiaracing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Naming Rights Sponsor: JK Construction Major Sponsors: Dannani Haulage (Hotshots) Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon Jacked Supplements JP Pallets Supporting Sponsors: High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Allfast Torque Converters Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) FUCHS Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing B.L. & S.G. Lake Brick Cartage Photo Credits: On The Limit Photography and Phil Reeves Sports Photographer Social Media & Marketing by ROBMEDIA

John Zappia’s Christmas will be more enjoyable with another trophy added to the collection and lots of new fans after an appearance at the Dananni Hotshots Christmas party. The Dananni Hotshots/Fuch Lubricants Monaro has been in high demand recently, with Zappia and his team invited to the opening of Dananni’s new premises in High Wycombe. Zappia fired up the supercharged Noonan engine several times to the delight of Dananni’s staff and guests, giving them just a taste of the 3500 horsepower on tap. “Dananni Hotshots are now one of our longest and most committed partners to Zappia Racing so it was great to be able to show a lot of people what Top Doorslammer racing is all about,” Zappia said. “There were people who had never seen a car like this before, while others were long-time fans, and it was a pleasure to join them all for a great evening.” With the festivities completed, the focus of the team turned to the Summer Slam last Saturday night, where the third round of the WA Top Doorslammer Championship took place. With mixed results so far this season, Zappia turned the situation around with a strong performance that saw him top qualify and power through to the winner’s circle. “We decided to skip the first session of qualifying in the afternoon and focus our energy on the compulsory qualifying session,” he said. “It was the right decision as we were able to hit a 5.781 right off the bat. The speed was a little down, but that was because I got the parachute out slightly early". "The weather conditions were the best we’ve seen so far this season, meaning it would be important to stay on top of power levels in the Noonan engine. More power can be good, but only if it can be harnessed on the track". “We had a solo run for the elimination round, and after a 1.04 60 foot time in qualifying we needed to launch harder. We got that with 0.969 60 foot time but then it rattled the tyres further out. I pedalled for a 5.85 spot which earned a spot in the A Final". ”The density altitude and water grains continued to improve, with just 700 feet of air as the final against Frank Taylor’s Chevelle approached". “We were watching the weather closely and we decided to tame the motor because the air was getting better, it can actually get too good. We were keeping the engine in the safe zone but it still took off in the final! It went 0.958 to the 60 foot marker and it kept on pulling. A 5.666 at 407.58kmh was a tremendous pass, and combined with a 0.007 reaction time we really had some numbers". "Congratulations to Frank on making it to the final and we hope to see his car back in the fives really soon". ”Zappia Racing will now complete a full maintenance routine on the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro before sending it east for the next round of the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship at Tailem Bend". “We have a full rebuild coming for the motor with some fresh CP-Carrillo rods and a few more goodies going in,” Zappia said. “We’ve gone back to an MSD Pro Mag so we can make sure we have good supplies of spares. It’s going back to what we know in some ways, but it’s mainly about making sure we have reliability and the depth of spare parts rather than being at the bleeding edge.” "May all our sponsors, supporters and fans have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year". "Looking forward to seeing many sponsors and fans at Tailem Bend Dragway in the New Year (13-14th January) with a big field of Top Doorslammers, Top Bike and Top Fuel". Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: Zappia Racing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Social Media Management: ROBMEDIA Joint Naming Rights Sponsors Dananni Haulage (Hotshots) FUCHS Lubricants Australasia Major Sponsors Crow Cams Australia Pty Ltd Tony's Auto Wreckers W.A. Suspensions Noonan Race Engineering MoTeC Hoosier Racing Tire Striker Australia Pty Ltd NGK Spark Plugs Callies Performance Products CP-Carrillo Supporting Sponsors Santhuff B & J Racing Transmissions Avtrac Maintenance Tracking Kounis Metal Industries Taylor Tyres Pty Ltd Alky Pro Klik Creative CIC High Performance Coatings Final Drive K Craft Bullbars Speedflow Total Seal Piston Rings Victory Valves Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance Applied Automotive Photo Credit: On The Limited Photography and Phil Reeves Sports Photographer

Brodie Zappia has joined the six-second and 200mph clubs in rapid succession with stunning runs at Dragway at The Bend and Perth Motorplex to open his racing career with the updated JK Construction Camaro. During the off season, Brodie added a blow-through Carburetted F3 ProCharger combination to the naturally aspirated Big Block Chev motor he used last year, with new custom designed pistons from CP Carrillo, and Ultra Enforcer Steel Rods from Callies. The APD Billet Enforcer 1200CFM carburettor was supplied by Race MAX Direct to deliver the fuel mixture, allowing for a significant boost in horsepower. Another addition to the car was the “Zappia style wing” which was supplied and made by Dave at Kounis Group. Getting the combination onto the track required plenty of troubleshooting, with Allfast Torque Converters helping to get the gearbox and converter into shape during testing with Sandro Principe at SCM Race Engines and Performance's dyno. “We found the rocker gear had lifted off the cylinder head and caused the motor to backfire, blowing the hat off the carby during our second run on the dyno.” Brodie explained. “We had planned to be testing on track that day, but instead we just had to go back to the drawing board to get the car running and load up to take it to Tailem Bend for the Spring Nationals“. With so much added power, the Zappia Racing team kept finding weak links. The driveshaft was next to fail, snapping on the hit of the throttle for Brodie’s first run at Dragway at The Bend.
 “A few phone calls were made and we were able to get a new driveshaft made in Adelaide. Big thanks to Hardy Spicer for the short turnaround time, and to Mum and Dad for doing the three and a half hour round trip to Adelaide and back. I was able to get back in the car and complete my half-track familiarisation pass before making my first full track pass, a 7.21/203mph, followed by a 7.22/210mph pass“. “The first full track pass found another breaking point, as the windshield imploded and landed in my lap. Thanks to Rob Taylor who supplied some polycarbonate sheet to make a two piece windscreen to get through the rest of the event“. Thankfully, the issues settled down from there and Brodie was able to clock a 7.01/214.55mph personal best to finish off his weekend. While eliminations racing was scrapped due to scheduling issues in Tailem Bend, Brodie returned to Perth optimistic about what was to come. The team had the gearbox checked over and the converter tightened up by Allfast Torque Converters to produce more even acceleration, while a broken valve spring was also found and replaced in a mad thrash the night before the morning of race day. One might think Brodie had found nearly every problem, but after his first pass at Perth Motorplex there was something new to fix.
 “On the non-compulsary qualifier we shook the tyres, pedalled and went 7.33/194mph, then the chutes ripped out the back of the car, in almost a mirror image to Uncle John's chute incident in 2020” he said. “Fortunately I was on the brakes and I pulled up with plenty of time to spare, as made the corner. We found the rear of the chassis had cracked and snapped through where the parachute mounts were. Thanks to Tony Wood from Tony Wood Fabrications who came to the rescue to make some new mounting points, which were lower on the chassis and worked well for the remainder of the meeting”. The next run saw another milestone, with a 6.97/206mph pass resulting in celebrations on the start line from the whole Zappia family and crew. It was then time for eliminations, where Brodie took on Kasey McClure in the first round. A -0.003 red light from Kasey to Brodie’s coincidental 0.003 green light saw him take his first Supercharged Outlaws round win.
 That set up the A-Final against Frank Taylor. Brodie was stellar once again on the tree with a 0.007 giving him the early advantage. From there a 7.05/187mph backing off, on a 6.93 dial-in produced victory as Frank blew a burst panel towards the end of his run.
 “I was stoked, after all the trouble we faced and all the issues we overcame it was worth it,” Brodie said. “The many hours that myself, Lachlan, John, Mum, Dad and everyone else around us put into the car to get me to the track all paid off. We definitely weren’t expecting a win this early, but it made all the time, money and effort worth it”. “The thank you list is long and I want to thank all the following people who have helped in various ways: Uncle John and Zappia Racing for welcoming me to the Zappia Racing Team and for all his knowledge, assistance and long hours in building this combination – also the help of all his crew who all contributed on crew nights. Lachlan Vanderwel who, with myself, has spent upwards of 900 hours in the workshop in the last since April and co-drove the car and trailer to The Bend with me. Mum and Dad for all the support and many late nights helping and feeding us. Simon “Gonzo” Travaglini for the Powerglide and 258mm Bolt together converter assembly, and the countless hours and overnighters he spent developing the combination to take the extra power in time to race at The Bend. Tony Wood from Tony Wood Fabrications for the many late nights welding and strengthening the chassis. Brendon Luke, for kindly taking his personal carby off his Altered, driving a two hour round trip to Race MAX Direct, so I could borrow his APD Billet Enforcer carby after discovering the one I had wouldn't deliver enough fuel. George Bukureshliev from Race MAX Direct, for sending the carby and spare parts to get us up and running after the dyno mishap. Sandro Principe from SCM Race Engines and Performance for the use of the dyno and his assistance in organising the carby from George. My boss, Dennis from High Speed Engineering, for dropping everything and machining essential parts that I needed. All the boys at work, Andrew, Cam, Marshall, Matt, Sara, Gary and Tom, for their help and teaching me with designing, machining, programming and laser cutting my own parts on their own time. Aaron Deery from ADR Engines for his help assembling the motor. Applied Automotive for machining the block, heads and balancing the rotating assembly. Geoff Simpson for help with the rear end set up. Jeremy from Klik Creative for the graphic design and the many hours spent getting the car looking as good as it does. Adam from Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon who also came to the workshop to help get the car ready for race day. All this would not be possible without the many sponsors who have come on-board for the 2023-2024 season making all of this possible for an 18 year old apprentice. Naming Rights Sponsor: JK Construction, thanks to Luke and Natalie. Major Sponsors: Dannani Haulage, thanks to Danni Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon, thanks to Adam Jacked Supplements, thanks to Paul JP Pallets - Your Pallet and Steel Cage Experts, thanks to Jason Supporting Sponsors: High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) Fuchs Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing Scruffy

Brodie Zappia’s first season in Supercharged Outlaws has been one of near constant work to produce results, and nothing changed at the 49th Annual Goldenstates Championship when engine dramas saw him forced to miss the final round. The lead up to the event was positive, with a personal best 6.94 run in testing for the JK Construction Camaro. Changes to the suspension helped cure tyre shake problems from the last few events, while the shifter relay was also changed to prevent early gear changes. Come qualifying, things were still on track. A 6.961 put Zappia third on the list and set up a first round race against Norbert Claite, who was returning to racing with his gorgeous ’70 Camaro. “We dialled safe and I concentrated on getting a clean, green light to make sure we got the win,” Zappia said. “I didn’t want to go red or break out in the first round by putting too much pressure on.” In the semi final, Zappia took on Greg James, where things started to veer off course. “As I was backing up from my burnout I noticed my oil pressure dropping to around 30psi,” he explained. “The pressure would come back as I revved the motor, so I didn’t think anything of it. As the race began I left with the holeshot, 0.087 to 0.284, and I knew I had a big margin because I could hear Greg’s car leaving the line a while after mine, yet we only had 0.006 difference in our dial-in. My run was good until I felt the car start to labor at half track. I watched the RPM drop, Greg drove around me and backed off, where I was then able to drive back around him, and even though I got to the finish line first I was worried about the motor. But, it started again in the deep end so I didn’t think anything more of it.” The team conducted their usual maintenance in the pits and found a shorting battery terminal, which might have explained some of the issues, but then discovered bearing material in the oil filter only a few minutes before our scheduled run. “We drained the oil and it looked like metallic paint,” Zappia said. “At that point we had no other option but to just try and stage the car. We put new oil in and I was able to start and drive it around to the lanes.” When the fire-up signal was given for the final round of Supercharged Outlaws, Zappia’s engine refused to start. What would have likely been another fantastic race against Kasey McClure was denied. “Eventually I just had to stop trying, get out of the car and congratulate the McClure family. I was really confident in the car and how it had performed to that point. Every time Kasey and I race it comes down to the wire and I would really have liked to have been in one of those races again. Kasey was only 0.017 off her dial-in, so even if I did make it to the start line it would've been a tough race to win!” Following the event, the team took a deep dive into the motor and discovered many things not to like. Three rods had no bearings left, while the rods themselves along with the rod bolts had been subjected to extreme heat, turning gold, purple, blue and black. The crank also looked questionable. “It looks like we will need a whole new bottom end to go in the car,” a disappointed Zappia said. “But we’re not giving up. I’m aiming to be racing again in two weeks. We got the crank checked out at Applied Automotive and they determined it is unusable. I've found another crank locally that'll do the trick. From there, we will need to order new bearings and see what rods we can get, perhaps some more Ultra Enforcer Steel rods from Callies.” “This motor is not a big budget deal. It is supposed to be basic and affordable, though it is getting pretty expensive. But we are going to work hard to be back to represent our sponsors and continue our quest for a Supercharged Outlaws championship.” Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: @zappiaracing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Naming Rights Sponsor: JK Construction Major Sponsors: Dannani Haulage (Hotshots) Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon Jacked Supplements JP Pallets Supporting Sponsors: High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Allfast Torque Converters Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) FUCHS Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing B.L. & S.G. Lake Brick Cartage Photo Credits: Always An Adventure Photography and Phil Reeve Sports Photographer Social Media & Marketing by ROBMEDIA

John Zappia’s season took a turn for the better on Saturday night at Perth Motorplex with a runner up result at the 49th annual Goldenstates, the second round of the Australian Top Doorslammer Championship. Zappia’s Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro returned to a more consistent version, with 5.7-second runs seemingly coming at will for the team. “We changed some ignition components back when we raced at The Bend and we discovered that had changed our timing somehow,” he said. “We found that got the timing set to where it should be and even though the weather conditions were not the best, we were able to go 5.746 to top qualify.” With the Crow Cams Top Qualifier Award now in his pocket, Zappia turned his attention to the three rounds of racing it would take to win the NDRC gold Christmas tree. The car was doing its job at each stage, turning in a 5.790 to win over Frank Taylor in round one. The second round’s seeding saw Zappia once again face Taylor, and this time a 5.728 was the result — setting low ET of the event. With two wins and the quickest times of each round, Zappia’s A Final place would be assured. He would take on rookie driver Russell Taylor. “We backed down the car for the final to make sure we didn’t overpower the track,” Zappia said. “We had a small performance advantage on Russell based on our earlier numbers, but not a lot. He was running just as consistently as we were. Unfortunately, my driving was not so consistent. Coming into stage I went back into my old clutch muscle memory and I forgot to push the transbrake as I went into stage. When I finally corrected myself, the light was green and I was late, giving up almost half a second to Russell. The car got near the centre line and I muscled it back into the groove for a 5.790 to Russell’s 5.810.” Zappia congratulated Taylor on his first ever Top Doorslammer win. "Now Russell knows that he can do it and we look forward to seeing him at more NDRC rounds.” Back in the Zappia camp, there was positivity despite the loss. The Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro was showing repeatable performances and adapting well to different conditions, giving everyone confidence ahead of the team’s next showing at Perth Motorplex for December 9th Summer Slam event. “There was no drama during either day, the crew did an amazing job. We had some new people there giving us a hand and they all did really well and had a fun time. There’s lots of good things we can take away from the Goldenstates. It felt good on those two days and it feels good now. Our crew are very excited about racing on the 9th". Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: Zappia Racing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Social Media Management: ROBMEDIA Joint Naming Rights Sponsors Dananni Haulage (Hotshots) FUCHS Lubricants Australasia Major Sponsors Crow Cams Australia Pty Ltd Tony's Auto Wreckers W.A. Suspensions Noonan Race Engineering MoTeC Hoosier Racing Tire Striker Australia Pty Ltd NGK Spark Plugs Callies Performance Products CP-Carrillo Supporting Sponsors Santhuff B & J Racing Transmissions Avtrac Maintenance Tracking Kounis Metal Industries Taylor Tyres Pty Ltd Alky Pro Klik Creative CIC High Performance Coatings Final Drive K Craft Bullbars Speedflow Total Seal Piston Rings Victory Valves Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance Applied Automotive #motorsport #dragracing #johnzappia #brodiezappia #zappiaracing #Zappia #doorslammer #dragracer #australia #motorplex #motorsportphotography

After a stunning start to the season that included his first Supercharged Outlaws win, his first 6 second pass and his first 200mph pass, Brodie Zappia went through a rollercoaster of emotions at the Quarter Mile Masters at Perth Motorplex on Saturday. The JK Construction Camaro was in many pieces just hours before the event, as the team chased down oil breathing issues and made improvements to the parachute mounts.
“We found the car was breathing quite heavily at the Grand Opening, so we ripped it down to a bare block to find any issues,” Brodie said. “I had to do some machining before I could reassemble the motor and I didn’t finish that until the Thursday before the event. “On Friday night Tony Wood from Tony Wood Fabrications came straight from work to fabricate my parachute mounts. He was there from midnight to early morning. Meanwhile Lachlan, Adam (from Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon) and I were rebuilding the motor. We were sealing up the manifold and reconnecting the fuel system by Saturday morning. We had the car running shortly after then had to head to the track with minimal sleep!” Fortunately Brodie was able to get the car prepared for the first round of Supercharged Outlaws qualifying. The JK Construction Camaro clocked a 7.17/194mph, with Brodie sensing the car losing power at the top end.
“The silicone hose holding my intake pipe onto the carby blew off at about 1000 feet, so effectively we lost all boost,” he said. The second qualifying session was another bust, with a setup tweak not producing the changes Brodie wanted.
“I raised the wheelie bars a bit to transfer weight better. It got up on the wheelie bars and shook and turned left. As it put the front wheels down the shake caused the car to shift into second gear early. Then we had another silicone joiner fail on the pipe! With only a 7.76 pass we really had nothing to go off for racing, we just had to reset the car to how it ran at the first meeting of the season.” With a guessed 6.98 dial-in, Brodie had to take on Kasey McClure, regarded as one of the toughest drivers in the class! She lived up to that reputation, hitting a 0.010 on the tree to Brodie’s 0.021. 
“I drove around her and backed off a little too much for a 7.010 on a 6.98 dial-in to Kasey’s 7.399 on a 7.36 dial-in. I was spewing but that’s racing and considering I had no idea what the car was going to run we did very well. Had I stayed on the throttle I probably would have gone either dead-on or just under the dial-in. There was a very small window for the win given Kasey’s excellent pass.” Despite the 0.002 loss, Brodie’s performance earned him a place in the B Final against family friend Vince Belladonna’s Torana. The gremlins worked their way back into the car as it refused to fire for the final, but fortunately Belladonna’s team came to the rescue with their fuel bottle, which helped Brodie’s motor start.
“The start of my run was good but it shook the tyres; I tried to drive through but it got worse and worse. My shifter relay vibrated enough to open and change gears way too early, dropping two tenths off my time. Vince came around me and backed off, his 6.682 on a 6.50 beating my 7.204 on a 6.95.” Once again, Brodie had lost the race by just 0.002, but the young gun was positive about what is to come. 
“We have a big event coming up next with the Goldenstates on November 24-25. If you haven’t been to the Perth Motorplex so far this season it will be a great event to attend, with the NDRC Funny Cars and Top Doorslammers there to put on a great show. We’ll be hoping to return to the winner’s circle of Supercharged Outlaws to put our championship hopes back on track.” Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: @zappiaracing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR: JK Construction MAJOR SPONSORS: Dannani Haulage Pedders Suspension and Brakes Booragoon Jacked Supplements JP Pallets SUPPORTING SPONSORS: High Speed Engineering Tony’s Auto Wreckers Allfast Torque Converters Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance CP Carrillo Rods and Pistons Klik Creative Kounis Group Race MAX Direct Advanced Product Design (APD) FUCHS Lubricants NGK Spark Plugs Mr T Racing B.L. & S.G. Lake Brick Cartage

Drag racing is a sport that seems so simple, but the competition in Top Doorslammer at the Quarter Mile Masters at Perth Motorplex on the weekend proved it is anything but. John Zappia and the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro began with a safe run in qualifying, taking the top spot with a 5.76 pass. “The first run was solid; the car left hard and straight,” Zappia explained. “We felt confident, going into the round 1. With the setup given a tweak for an elimination round solo, what should have been an easy win for Zappia turned into a drama-filled pass. Fans knew something was amiss when the Monaro couldn’t get reverse gear after a long burnout. “I tried and tried to get reverse gear, but then I had to decide to get off the track,” Zappia lamented. “We found a plastic fitting had cracked and let the air out of the bottle. It was full before the run, but as soon as I pressed the transbrake button all the air leaked out. Even if I had been able to get pushed back I wouldn’t have been able to make the run, as no air means no gear shifting whatsoever.” Zappia wasn’t the only racer to experience a freak problem during the elimination round. Maurice Brennan’s 17-second pass was in the unusual position of earning an A Final appearance after Lisa Gregorini had problems starting her Camaro and then left with a red light, while Andrew Cole blew the burst panel before the Christmas tree to leave Daniel Gregorini as the only driver to make a clean pass. Despite the setback, Zappia Racing quickly diagnosed and addressed the issue, showcasing their expertise and teamwork. “We found the problem, re-plumbed the system, changed the fittings, and came back strong for the B Final against Lisa. She red lit with a -0.086 to my 0.065 light, then the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro started to rattle the Hoosier tyres. I pedalled and straightened out for a 5.95. The time was slower than we wanted but it did what we needed to do and got the B Final win light.” Looking ahead to the Goldenstates (taking place at Perth Motorplex on November 24-25), Zappia remains optimistic about the team's prospects. “We aim to get our A motor back together; the B motor is good and reliable, but the A motor runs a bit harder. I was more comfortable in the car (at the Quarter Mile Masters) and we learned valuable lessons while finding areas for improvement.” Commenting on the addition of Nitro Funny Cars for the first time at the Goldenstates, Zappia expressed enthusiasm. “It's an exciting development that could bring out a different crowd. People haven't seen that before at Perth Motorplex, and I expect the place to be packed. We're ready to put on a good show.” Come down to the merchandise tent in our pit area and check out our latest merchandise. You can speak to the lovely Melissa there and John or any of the crew. Or you can order our merchandise online at: https://www.zappiaracing.com/category/all-products Website: www.zappiaracing.com Facebook: Zappia Racing YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@zappiaracing Joint Naming Rights Sponsors Dananni Haulage (Hotshots) FUCHS Lubricants Australasia Major Sponsors Crow Cams Australia Pty Ltd Tony's Auto Wreckers W.A. Suspensions Noonan Race Engineering MoTeC Hoosier Racing Tire Striker Australia Pty Ltd NGK Spark Plugs Callies Performance Products CP-Carrillo Supporting Sponsors Callies Performance Products Striker Crushing and Screening, Santhuff, B & J Racing Transmissions, Avtrac Maintenance Tracking, Reid Machine, Advantage Tyres, Kounis Metal Industries, Alky Pro, Aurora Bearings, CIC High Performance Coatings, Final Drive, K Craft Bullbars, Speedflow, CP Carillo, Biante Bonintfante Friction Inc, SDS Fuel Systems, All Signs, Total Seal Piston Rings, Victory Valves, Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance and Applied Automotive. #motorsport #dragracing #johnzappia #brodiezappia #zappiaracing #Zappia #doorslammer #dragracer #australia #motorplex

John Zappia rocketed to an incredible 5.613-second pass to become the quickest Top Doorslammer racer down the brand new The Bend Motorsport Park drag strip. The venue played host to the opening round of the National Drag Racing Championship season, the Spring Nationals. Sellout crowds filled the facility to watch Australia’s professional drag racers do battle on the quarter-mile strip. Zappia’s Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants Monaro had plenty of performance on tap, but also encountered issues that held it back from its full potential. The first of those was a test pass on Friday, when a malfunctioning kill switch saw the car unable to start. Returning for qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday, Zappia was still unable to get a number on the board. “The car was staged a bit to the left in the first round against Daniel Gregorini,” he explained. “It rattled the tires and got out of the groove, so I pedalled it but by then I was in the dust at the edge of the track and I put a slight graze on the car against the brand new concrete walls.” The seeding system gave Zappia a chance for revenge and when Daniel’s car had problems, Zappia was able to seize an open track for a stunning 5.613 pass. “I had to steer the car back into the groove but the numbers were really impressive. We went 0.940 to 60 feet and 3.68/204mph to the eighth. We were down on speed but I had the track record and I thought everything was okay.” In the pits, Zappia was readying for the next round of racing when a nasty surprise was discovered in the engine containment blanket. “We were just checking the bearings to make sure everything was ready to go for the finals when one of the boys said there was a hole in the block,” Zappia said. “We believe that there was a blocked fuel nozzle that leaned out cylinder number five and caused it to punch a rod out. “The air was 180 feet above sea level, with just 40 water grains. It was brutal, powerful air. We had the most fuel going into the motor that we have ever had and the least amount of ignition timing. Even backed off, to have a 5.61 come up was incredible.” Zappia realised that time was against the Dananni Hotshots/Fuchs Lubricants team and decided that they would have to miss the final round. “We just wouldn’t have been able to make the turnaround,” he said. “All we could do was pack the car up and get ready to head home for Perth a little earlier than we would have liked.” The team will use their spare engine for the first round of the WA Top Doorslammer Championship on November 11 at Perth Motorplex. “Other than some teething problems that affect every new venue, The Bend Motorsport Park was fantastic. The actual track surface is very smooth and as it continues to rubber up the wall-to-wall traction will get better and better. We sold the most merchandise we’ve ever sold at any event; the Adelaide drag racing community is passionate and we’re glad to see them have this brand new venue to use.” A big thank you to Sam Shahin for this amazing complex. Zappia Racing also wish to thank Impact Heavy Equipment Maintenance for coming on-board for the 2023-2024 season. In other news from the Zappia Racing team John’s nephew, Brodie debuted his upgraded Procharged 97 Camaro at the Bend in the Supercharged Outlaws bracket and entered the 200 mph club in his first full pass. Yesterday at Perth Motorplex he was able to go one better by entering the 6 second club (6.97) and also winning the event. More to come in his media release this week. Thanks and credits to the following Photographers: - Brad McDonald totalexposure.com.au - Speed Photography - Zotti Motorsport Media - Bright Design brightdesign.com.au - Phil Reeve Photography

Brodie Zappia is working hard in the off season on his 1997 Bickel built Chevrolet Camaro - 572ci big block Chev, as he is heading into the racing category of Supercharged Outlaws this year. Brodie is an absolute rising star in Australian Drag Racing and is heading into a class known for its diverse range of vehicles, including sedans, coupes and unique custom built dragsters. Hailing from Western Australia, he is making waves in the world of drag racing. As a national drag racing champion, he has proven his skills and passion for the sport, earning recognition and admiration from fans and fellow racers alike. With a strong presence on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, Brodie Zappia has built a dedicated following of fans who eagerly follow his racing journey. Through his posts and updates, he provides a glimpse into the thrilling world of drag racing and shares his experiences on and off the track. What sets Brodie Zappia apart is his connection to the world of Top DoorSlammer racing. As the nephew of a renowned Top DoorSlammer driver John Zappia, he has been exposed to the sport from a young age, igniting his own passion for speed and competition. Drawing inspiration from his family's racing legacy, John and Brodie’s father Richard Zappia, Brodie has honed his skills and developed a unique racing style that has propelled him to success. Brodie Zappia's achievements on the drag racing circuit are a testament to his dedication and talent. With each race, he continues to push the boundaries and strive for excellence. His determination and relentless pursuit of victory have earned him the respect of his peers and established him as a rising star in Australian drag racing. Beyond his racing prowess, Brodie Zappia is also known for his sportsmanship and positive attitude. He embodies the spirit of fair competition and camaraderie, always willing to lend a helping hand or offer advice to fellow racers. His friendly demeanor and approachability have endeared him to fans and have made him a beloved figure in the drag racing community. As Brodie continues to make his mark in the world of drag racing, his future looks bright. With his talent, passion, and unwavering determination, he is poised to achieve even greater success in the years to come. Fans eagerly await his next race, knowing that he will deliver an exhilarating performance and leave a lasting impression on the track. Brodie Zappia is undoubtedly a name to watch in the world of motorsports. You can view his story at www.zappiaracing.com