Engineering resilience and teamwork shine as Hydraulink’s Australia-wide network backs a remarkable comeback at Nitro Nationals by Jim Read Racing.

Sydney Dragway witnessed a dramatic conclusion to the 2024/2025 NDRC Top Fuel season as Hydraulink Jim Read Racing overcame adversity to claim victory in the Nitro Nationals C-Final on Saturday evening. The win capped off a remarkable engineering effort following a devastating prolonged fire at the Spring Nationals just weeks earlier. The fire caused significant damage from the driver’s position back.

After the incident, the team faced the monumental task of rebuilding its Top Fuel dragster virtually from the ground up. Crew Chief Bruce Read explained: “There was no way we were missing the finale. Our crew worked tirelessly to replace everything from the driver’s seat back. With so many new components, we essentially had to re-learn the car at Sydney.”

Despite limited testing and sweltering 35-degree conditions, Phil Read qualified second quickest with a 7.032-second pass at 100.61mph. After battling through two tough rounds, Read lined up against Phil Lamattina in the C-Final, powering to victory with a 4.085-second run at 222.47mph.

Phil Read praised the team’s resilience and Hydraulink’s support: “This was a true test of our team and their ‘best under pressure’ attitude in action. Our crew and Hydraulink’s backing made this possible.

He added: “Given what we had to do just to be here, this win feels incredible. The crowd was amazing, braving the heat to support us. We said from the start we wouldn’t miss this event at our home track, and we delivered.”

Bruce echoed the sentiment: “This sport is tough, but the support we’ve had from our sponsors and the Top Fuel community has been humbling. We can’t thank everyone enough.”

The victory closes a challenging season on a high note for Hydraulink Jim Read Racing, which now looks ahead to 2026 and a seven-event NDRC Top Fuel calendar.

“We’ll regroup, refine, and come back stronger,” Phil said. “Thank you to our sponsors, our incredible crew, and the fans who make this all worthwhile.”

Hydraulink Jim Read Racing is proudly supported by Hydraulink and its Australia-wide network of hose and fittings specialists—delivering reliability when it matters most.