MOTORSPORT: Aussie drag racer to the fore
Two wins in six weeks, four in 12 months, are making Aussie Richie Crampton a huge number in the USAdelaide's Richie Crampton has become Australia's most successful drag racer in the sport's American heartland.
Crampton has just won his fourth major event in the US in less than a year – and second in six weeks. And he's only in his second season at the top level.
Crampton has jumped from sixth to third in the sport's top championship, in which drivers race 10,000-horsepower top-fuel "rails" that run on nitromethane.
He sprinted down the 1000-foot (304–metre) Heartland Park Raceway at Topeka, Kansas, in 3.738 seconds, hitting a top speed of 318.09mph (512kmh) in his latest success to beat a long-time superstar of drag racing, Larry Dixon, who clocked 3.787 seconds.
In the earlier rounds Crampton recorded 3.710 seconds.
Last month he won at Las Vegas and last year he triumphed in the Summernationals at Englishtown, New Jersey, and the US Nationals at Indianapolis – the world's premier drag race meeting.
His four victories have earned US $250,000, plus bonuses.
Crampton has not been beaten any time he has made the final of a professional championship event run by the National Hot Rod Association.
The Australian previously the most successful in drag racing, David Grubnic, scored three wins in 17 finals over 15 years.
"Being undefeated in finals is pretty special – it says a lot about my crew chief, Aaron Brooks, and the Lucas Oil team," Crampton said.
"It's pretty neat to have won four events, the most any Australian has won in a pro category in the NHRA.
"And it's huge to get two wins so early in my sophomore [second] season. It's surreal.
"I still have a bit to learn as a second-year driver and I still feel like a rookie, but I race championship-calibre car for a championship-calibre team.
"I've got the best group of guys around me ... all of this is a dream come true."
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
