The Bend motorsport park to host opening round of the National Drag Racing Championship in 2023

Drag race lovers, rejoice – the world’s fastest-accelerating cars are returning to SA for the first time in 20 years, boosting SA’s growing motorsport calendar.

For the first time in two decades, South Australia is set to host the world’s fastest-accelerating cars in the season opener of the National Drag Racing Championship.

The Bend motorsport park at Tailem Bend has secured the opening round of the national competition’s 2023-24 season at its new Dragway, kicking off on October 21 and 22 this year.

The track will host a further two rounds on January 13 and 14 and April 6 and 7, 2024.

The Bend’s new Dragway was the product of a $35 million investment by the Shahin family’s Peregrine Corporation, which sold its petrol and convenience empire OTR to ASX-listed Viva Energy for $1.15bn in April, bolstered by $2.5 million in funding from the former Liberal government.

The opening round of the Top Fuel Championship at The Bend will be accompanied by a street party in Tailem Bend on October 20, with limited grandstand and corporate tickets on sale from Friday, May 26.

General admission tickets will go on sale in July.

Dr Sam Shahin is executive director at Peregrine Corporation and managing director of The Bend Motorsport Park.

The announcement has been backed by the state government, with treasurer Stephen Mullighan praising the return of drag racing to the state following the success of the revived VAILO Adelaide 500 last year.

“Motorsport events have proven to be an essential part of our economy, attracting visitors from interstate and overseas and providing a boost to SA hotels, restaurants and regions,” Mr Mullighan said.

National Drag Racing Championship spokesperson Andrew Lopez said the announcement was a massive boon for South Australian drag racing fans.

“To start our season at a track that is poised to become one of the best in Australia, if not the world, is a credit to The Bend and Shahin family,” Mr Lopez said.

“We can’t wait to entertain fans at the Dragway and showcase our sport to those who have been starved of it for so long, as well as share it with our next generation of supporters.”