30/09/2026
Crew Chief’s Report – East Coast Nationals
By Bret Ehmer, Crew Chief – Nitro Freak Racing
Coming off a runner up finish at the Winternationals, the Nitro Freak team rolled straight into the East Coast Nationals with momentum — and a whole lot of uncertainty due to the weather.
Sydney delivered tricky conditions: extreme heat, a forecast of storms and last minute changes that turned the event from a two day meet into a single day sprint. With no qualifying, every team had to go straight into racing with whatever tune up they trusted most.
Hot weather can make a track greasy and unpredictable, but credit goes to the Sydney Dragway crew for outstanding preparation. Despite the heat, the surface held up well and our team made the right calls on setup to suit the conditions. With no qualifying runs to dial the car in, we had to adapt quickly — and the Nitro Freak team delivered.
Across three rounds, the car ran consistently strong numbers:
• Round One: 4.15 seconds at 307 MPH
• Round Two: 4.22 seconds at 303 MPH
• Round Three: 4.28 seconds at 286 MPH
The biggest challenge came after the second run when the body sustained damage. The crew rallied fast, switched to our spare body, and had the car turned around and ready for the final round that evening. The damaged body is already in for repairs and will be race ready for The Bend at the end of October.
As a team, we’re starting to feel comfortable with the car. It’s responding well to the changes we’re making, and each meeting gives us more confidence in the direction we’re heading. We’re looking forward to finishing the season strong at The Bend, and even more excited for next season. The summer break will bring a fresh round of upgrades aimed at improving performance and with a bit of luck, we’ll be bringing home some NDRC gold Christmas trees.
Thanks to those that support us The Bolt King Styromax Fibreglass Composite Panels Morgans Cranes Serco RCE Performance Warehouse / Race Car Engineering Aeroflow Performance John Force Racing