Entering the Speed Pro Radial Blown class with his twin-turbo LC Torana and hoping to do it all again at Street Machine Drag Challenge, presented by VPW.

For Brandon, last year’s victory was the payoff after years of chasing the Drag Challenge crown. He finished seventh overall in 2019, the same year he joined the Seven Second Club, followed by fifth overall in 2022 and a runner-up finish in Radial Blown in 2023. In 2025, he finally made it to the top.

“I never ever thought that, you know, we would ever win it,” Brandon said. “Just with the calibre of cars that are out now and the calibre of cars that have come across the scene in the past couple of years.”

Since that breakthrough win, the attention has kept coming. The LC scored the highly coveted front cover of Street Machine and has since become the poster car for Drag Challenge 2026. But while the car might be getting more attention than ever, Brandon hasn’t been sitting still.

His form has continued to be red-hot, too. At the 2026 Allstars Drag & Drive in Queensland, Brandon finished second overall behind Adam Rogash’s monster Capri while taking out the Forced 28 class. It was also where he recorded his latest personal best, running 7.18 seconds at 196mph.

Under the bonnet, the 1971 Holden LC Torana runs a twin-turbo small-block Chev, backed by a two-speed Powerglide and a nine-inch diff with 3.5:1 gears. It’s a serious combination, but one Brandon has worked to keep reliable enough to handle the road miles that make Drag Challenge so different from a regular drag meet.

Since last year’s win, he’s changed the converter and added some safety upgrades, but he’s not interested in changing everything just for the sake of it. Having raced with the new converter in Queensland and set another PB, he knows the combination is working.

Rather than throw a thousand changes at the car before his title defence, Brandon is sticking with a setup he knows can deliver on the track and over the long haul.

“We know it drives, we know it can do the kilometres,” he said.

That reliability matters because last year’s campaign wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Electrical problems around Mildura kept the team working on the car until five in the morning, before they headed back to the track just hours later to race again.

The drive to Tailem Bend was even worse, with an ongoing overheating issue forcing them to repeatedly stop and restart the car along the way.

“It was the worst drive I’ve ever been in, to be honest with you,” Brandon said.

Despite those dramas, the Torana made it to the finish — and Brandon took home the overall win. This time, he’ll be hoping the car gives him a cleaner run while he tries to defend the title against another tough field.

Part of what makes the LC stand out is that it’s still a genuine street car. After last year’s event, Brandon took it to Yarrawonga for the Rod Run, cruising around with his family and the kids in the back seat.

“For what the car is, how street it is, I think that’s what everyone loves most about it,” he said.

That street-car attitude is put to the test during Drag Challenge, when competitors have to switch between race and road trim throughout the week. Brandon relies on his dad, brother-in-law Steve and cousin Jase to help get the Torana ready between rounds, changing tyres, swapping fuel and refitting exhaust parts.

With everyone pitching in, the team can turn the car around in around an hour and a half. It’s a tight turnaround that takes a good crew, and Brandon knows the week is about more than what happens when the lights turn green.

This year, the event’s start and finish in Central Victoria also means Brandon’s family can come along and watch, something he’s looking forward to. He’ll be catching up with fellow competitors, too, and hopes to cruise between venues with mates in a Torana and a Mustang.

The competition will be tough, and Brandon knows defending the title won’t be easy. With more quick cars entering every year, he’ll be looking to make the most of his proven combination and give himself the best possible shot at going back-to-back.

For him, getting through the week safely matters just as much as the result.

“As long as we finish, I’m always happy,” he said. “When we drive the car back on the trailer, everyone’s happy.”

After years of chasing the win, Brandon is heading into 2026 as the reigning champion, with a proven combination and another shot at doing it all over again.

Street Machine Drag Challenge, presented by VPW, runs from Tuesday 27 October  to Saturday 31 October 2026, starting and finishing at Victorian Motorsports Park. Spectator tickets are on sale HERE, lock yours in before the price rise on Friday!