There is a 1000 stories to come out of every Drag Challenge. Here are six rippers from the 2025 event:

Daniel Hough’s EF XR8 Falcon

Canberran Daniel Hough may not have the quickest car at Drag Challenge, but he’s racing with purpose. The EF XR8 he’s driving at the event belongs to a fallen mate who always wanted to compete at DC. “The car belonged to a mate of mine, Harrison Kerry, who died a couple of years ago. We got it running for his funeral, but he always wanted to do Drag Challenge with it. I busted my arse to get it here, and it’s pretty slow, but getting it here is what matters. His wife and kids are stoked. If I can make it back to The Bend I’ll be absolutely over the moon.” The five-litre Windsor has been tickled by way of a cam, heads, manifold and a little shot of nitrous, but various teething problems have stood between Daniel and a meaningful pass thus far. “The rear windscreen blew out on Tuesday night. We pulled up out the front of a pub wondering what we were going to do and a fella walked out and introduced himself as working for Enthusiast Motor Insurance. I asked him if they covered rear glass – I’d only put insurance on it that morning – and they were absolute legends and started making phone calls straight away to try and line up a screen and someone to fit it.”

Hayley Vella’s Capri

17-year-old Hayley Vella continued to impress today in Kemppi Australia Radial Aspirated in her old man’s legendary Capri. Since Hailey is on her Ps, she has to sit in the passenger seat for the road legs, then straps into the driver’s seat once the drag radials are bolted on. “I went 6.08 today,” she said. I feel very lucky that dad gave me the car to race; I’ve only been racing it since August. I think I’m coming second in class at the moment, which feels really good – it’s a pretty competitive class!”

Bill Martland’s VR SS Commodore

Bill Martland has had a solid week in his turbo Holden-powered VR SS, which he’s owned since buying it new in ’93. “I did my best 60 foot ever at Portland yesterday, which says a lot about their track,” he said. “I went a bit too quick for my dial-in yesterday, but I did a 10.1 at Adelaide, which I was happy with as a dial-in.” This is the eighth time Bill has brought the car along to DC, and while it’s still a regularly driven family chariot, he has plans to up the ante in future.

“Next year I hope to run in the 9.5 class, and the following year in the 8.5 class. I’ll be sticking with the Holden; I don’t want a Chinese Chev!” The car currently runs a boosted 355ci plastic with a factory block and heads, four-bolt mains, CP pistons, and a custom manifold by Shane Baker. Driveline consists of a Turbo 350 and a stock IRS rear end, but a four-link and a Powerglide are on the agenda. “I love Drag Challenge; it keeps me young and it keeps me working – I’ve gotta work to give my car a better life! I’ll be back next year and hopefully go a little quicker.”

Louis Younis’s LX Torana

Sponsor and current leader of the ITF Hire 235 Aspirated class, Louis Younis of ITF Hire is crushing it in his Chev-powered Torana. “We’re having a ball, trying to go three from three in the class,” he said. “The car has been good to us, and while we haven’t beaten our record or the class record yet, that’s the plan for Friday. We did an 8.96 on Day One, but we’re looking for an 8.80-something to end the week. It’s hard to make these aspirated combos work and it takes a lot of persistence, but I’ve got a great team. Jason Manswetto has years of experience with the engine stuff and my crew chief Daniel Attard knows every nut and bolt on the car; I’ve just got the fun job of steering it.” The car runs a 420-cube 23-degree headed Chev, with a Powerglide and nine-inch. “”Pretty much everything you would have had 20 years ago; it’s a proper old-school street car.” 

Louis and the Torana were very popular when the stopped with the crew at Benetook Farm in Mildura yesterday, proving that while the Torana looks scary, the crew are big softies at heart.

Jason Mansweto’s XY ute

Jason Mansweto has endured some headaches with his XY ute, but he’s still in the hunt in the ITF Hire 235 Aspirated class. “We only put the engine in the car Friday!” he said. “We PBd at The Bend and went 9.18, but damaged the converter without realising. We packed up and drove to Portland and it was stumbling. I thought it was timing, but then I put two and two together and realised it was a converter issue, but we still went 6.60 to the eighth. Jason at Dominator put a converter together and had it delivered to Mildura by 8 o’clock this morning. We got it back together and today we went 5.94, so we’re back in the zone. We’re second in class to Louis Younis at the moment, but if he wins, that’ll feel like a win to me as well!”