Zap's Rat - World's Quickest Doorslammer. 5.967 @ 241.97mph. RENTCO Monaro Top Doorslammer

"You canna hand a man a grander spanner"

Guests at the Motorplex

Sidchrome Corporate Day - Quit Motorplex, Kwinana Beach, Western Australia.

Burnout Exhibition

17 May 2001

John Zappia and crew were invited to entertain customers, clients and corporate executives at the Sidchrome Corporate Day with a Burnout Exhibition in the Snake Pit. For many guests, this was their first exposure to drag racing, and the burnout exhibition provided excellent entertainment for spectators and six lucky passengers in Zap's Rat.

Sidchrome display tent

Zap's Rat - enormous power for drag racing

For the those unfamiliar with drag racing, John Zappia and his Zap's Rat drag car are legends in the sport nationally, and internationally. The 2,500 hp car has competed in the Top Doorslammer and Competition Eliminator classes of racing, and completes the 1/4 mile track in 6.4 seconds, passing through the finish line at over 240 mph! From a standing start! He is well known as a brilliant and entertaining driver, and has a huge following of loyal fans.

Zap's Rat is configured specially for burnouts, using a 1,100 hp supercharged Chev engine with water cooling, rather than the purpose built Hemi 2,500 hp race engine. The first burnout of the day, saw John complete a huge straight line burnout - then turn and hit the wall, slightly damaging the fiberglass front end. The crew inspected the race car, and let it run without the cosmetic front end.

Starting the straight line burnout

Smoke pours from the tyres

Dale Gursch from Atkins Carlyle

Chris Jones from Blackwoods

Six guests were invited to ride with John Zappia during the burnout. Each passenger had to dress in fireproof racing suits, fireproof head gear, helmet and boots to meet safety requirements - then after being strapped into the full race harness, it was all noise and smoke from then on!

Full race seat, with plenty to hang on to

View from the passenger seat

The start of a donut

Around she goes

The car starts to disappear

Around she goes

The 1,100 horsepower supercharged engine, runs on methanol alcohol racing fuel and creates a huge roar out the four silenced side pipes each side of the car. Each passenger exiting the car was totally amazed, exhilarated and overwhelmed by the experience during the burnout. The car producing a "total whiteout" after a few turns of the donut.