3500hp Monaro drag car breaks cover at The Bend

Chevrolet Racing's refreshed 3500hp ACDelco Monaro Top Door Slammer Drag Car will be previewed at this weekend’s OTR SuperSprint.

Chevrolet Racing is the racing arm of the General Motors brand, with the Camaro represented in the Repco Supercars Championship.

The drag Monaro will break cover at The Bend, with the car to be available for photo opportunities with race fans this weekend.

Fabietti Racing will campaign the car in the new National Drag Racing Championship from October.

The car will be driven by Ronnie Palumbo, and will carry a fitting tribute to the late Sam Fenech.

Fenech tragically passed away after an accident in the Chevrolet Racing Camaro Pro Slammer at Willowbank Raceway in January.

The refreshed car’s appearance comes as The Bend Motorsport Park readies to launch its Dragway, which is set to become Australia’s premier drag racing facility when it opens in October.

“The ACDelco all-makes auto parts brand has been involved in the sport of drag racing and with the Fabietti team for 18 years,” Chevrolet Racing General Manager, Chris Payne, said.

“It has proven to be an ideal environment to raise local awareness of this global brand and also showcase the comprehensive range of products available, especially to drag racing fans and the automotive trade in particular.

“We’d like to wish the Fabietti Racing team and driver Ronnie Palumbo every success in the coming Championship.”

The decision to rebuild the 2017 title-winning car was an emotional one for Maurice Fabietti, team owner and close friend of Fenech.

Fabietti added: “The re-emergence of the ACDelco Monaro drag car is a fitting tribute to Sam Fenech, it’s a car he raced in himself.

“His family believe it’s the right thing to do, as that’s what he would have wanted, it’s an appropriate legacy to a sport he loved so much and was himself such a big part of.”

The ACDelco drag car is set to compete on October 21-22 at Dragway at the Bend, as part of the Spring Nationals.

The Spring Nationals will form Round 1 of the new National Drag Racing Championship.

Supercars will be on track on Saturday and Sunday of this weekend’s OTR SuperSprint.