Australian junior drag racing is entering a new chapter. After competing in the inaugural Junior Dragster tour in the United States, four young racers from the Kanga Kids contingent are now preparing for a different challenge: the scorching desert of Alice Springs. Zayne Murphy and his younger sister Savanna are in the spotlight as they gear up for the Desert Nationals at Alice Springs Inland Dragway on August 29-30.
For Zayne, the reigning ANDRA Junior Dragster champion, this weekend is more than just another race. The Desert Nationals will host rounds one and two of the 2026/2027 ANDRA Regional Sportsman Series while also counting towards the NDRC Sportsman Championship, where he currently leads the standings.
The experience in the United States provided valuable lessons for Zayne. Over a full week of racing, he had to adapt to extreme weather conditions, from thunderstorms to temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius. "Our US trip was definitely something," he said. "An entire week worth of racing saw multiple thunderstorms through to scorching hot days of 43-plus degrees. It was a massive learning experience to see how the Americans race, and I definitely think it will improve our operation over here at home and play a big role in the way we drive and treat the cars going forward."
Zayne is also eager to race at Alice Springs for the first time. "I think it is going to be an amazing event, especially being that it is at a track we haven't had the chance of racing at yet," said Zayne. "We love racing at all of the smaller tracks on the map and are especially looking forward to this one and making the road trip out into the desert!"
With the NDRC title fight nearing its conclusion – its finale will come at the October 22-25 Spring Nationals at Dragway at the Bend – Zayne knows a strong result in Alice Springs could prove crucial. "The Desert Nationals is set to be massive, with two rounds in one big weekend that will not only open the new ANDRA series season but also heavily impact the NDRC title chase," Zayne explained. "I am looking forward to a good but hard fight over the coming months as I do all I can to hopefully snatch up what would be my fourth Australian Junior Dragster championship (between his ANDRA and NDRC crowns) before ageing out."
Meanwhile, Savanna hopes the experience gained overseas will translate into stronger form back home, even if some adjustment will be needed. "It was an eye opener and a great experience to race amongst 750 other juniors," said Savanna. "It's just a totally different experience over there, especially the scale of the junior racing in the US. Hopefully I gained a little bit of knowledge over there as they do race quite differently, however the (starting) tree over there was much slower so I'll have some adjusting to do when I first take to the track back at home in Australia."
Like her brother, Savanna is heading to Alice Springs for the first time unsure of exactly what to expect, but excited by the challenge. "It is going to be a new experience for me and hopefully we have a great weekend," she concluded.
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