Aeroflow Junior Drag Bike continues to go from strength to strength, cemented this season as a fully-fledged Aeroflow NDRC Sportsman Series bracket. Among its rising stars is South Australia’s Lawrence Raschella, who is quickly making a name for himself in the junior ranks by combining a lifelong passion for drag racing with a willingness to race something a little outside the norm.
Introduced to drag racing at a young age through his father, Raschella’s journey began at just nine years old when he received a junior dragster for Christmas. After gaining early experience behind the wheel, his progression was temporarily halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time racing resumed, he had outgrown the car, prompting a shift in focus towards supporting his father’s racing efforts in Modified.
A chance conversation at Willowbank would ultimately change the direction of his career. After learning about the emerging Junior Drag Bike class from Maurice Allen, Raschella’s father took a leap into unfamiliar territory, despite neither of them having a background in motorcycles. Just two weeks after learning to operate a clutch in his driveway, Raschella earned his licence in Whyalla, becoming the first Junior Drag Bike licence holder in South Australia.
Now 16, Raschella balances his racing commitments with his studies at Sports College South Australia (SEDA College), where he is working towards a future career as a physical education teacher.
While he found amazing early success in the NDRC Junior Bike Championship, Raschella has embraced the added complexity of bike racing. “Junior Drag bike is such an amazing class with so many great people involved,” he said. “I prefer the bikes more than the dragsters because there’s so much more involved in racing – RPM, clutch control, shifting gears – and then still having to cut a light and beat your opponent.
“Personally, I find it a lot more enjoyable. And as they say, half the wheels means double the fun.”
For the 2026 NDRC season, Raschella is campaigning a unique new machine, a 2025 Harley-Davidson X350, backed by Harley-Davidson Australia. Powered by a 353cc parallel twin engine, the bike has already recorded a personal best of 9.42 seconds over the eighth mile at 69.67mph. While not as quick as his previous Kawasaki Ninja 300, which ran a best of 8.69 seconds at 77mph, Raschella says the Harley offers a different kind of satisfaction.
“I’m the only one out there racing one, and it’s such a cool bike,” he said.
“Last season we travelled all around Australia trying to promote Junior Bike and build fields at all the major events, including Perth, Sydney and Willowbank. At the Riverbend Nationals, the class was struggling for numbers, so Dad was on the phone to everyone he could to try and pull a field together.
“One of the people he called was Mark Harris from Harbour City Harley-Davidson to see if he was bringing any juniors. During the conversation, Mark mentioned someone had driven through the front of his shop, damaging several bikes, one of them being an X350.
“He said he had spoken with Harley-Davidson, and they were keen to put a junior rider on the bike to help promote the brand. They decided I was a perfect fit and offered me the opportunity to race the Harley for the following season. Keeping that a secret for three months before revealing it at the Winter Nationals was incredibly tough.”
Now into his third year of competition, Raschella’s proudest achievements are back-to-back runner-up finishes in the NDRC Aeroflow Junior Drag Bike Championship during his first two seasons, as well as securing factory support from Harley-Davidson, an opportunity he describes as a privilege.
Raschella credits much of his development to key figures within the sport, including Maurice Allen, Sam Scerri and Matt Dare, while also citing NHRA legend John Force as an early inspiration. Above all, he points to his father as his biggest influence, recalling memories of watching him in his race suit at Sydney Dragway and wanting to be just like him.
“The best advice I’ve been given from Dad, is to focus on my own job and not worry about the other lane,” Raschella said. “If I do what I need to do, most of the time the result will take care of itself. And most importantly, just enjoy it.”
That mindset reflects his broader love for sportsman racing, where unpredictability and close competition define the category. “Anyone can win if they’re consistent and can cut a light,” he said. “It’s like one big family in the pits.”
Looking ahead, Raschella is eager for the upcoming Riverbend Nationals, where a strong eight-bike field featuring interstate competitors promises some of the toughest racing yet.
Off the track, Raschella is also pursuing football in the SANFL U16 competition, balancing his dual sporting ambitions. While drag racing currently takes a secondary role, his goals remain clear, chief among them claiming his first Gold Christmas Tree trophy, an opportunity that will come sooner rather than later when he contests the postponed final from round one during qualifying at the Riverbend Nationals.
As he plans his future beyond the junior ranks, options are already being explored, including stepping into Super Street competition in his father’s 1967 Chevelle or eventually sharing driving duties in the family’s stunning 1937 Chev in Modified. With talent and strong support behind him, Lawrence Raschella is a name to watch as he continues his climb through the sport.
The Riverbend Nationals at South Australia’s Dragway at The Bend will mark round two of the 2026 title chases for both BLAHST Top Fuel and the XPRO Nitro Funny Cars, as well as NDRC championship racing for Pro Alcohol, Pro Mod, Top Doorslammer, and Top Fuel Motorcycle, and the Aeroflow National Sportsman Championship.
Spectator tickets are open now – go to thebend.com.au/riverbend-nationals-2026 for all of the info you need.
To learn more about the NDRC, go to nationaldragracing.com.au
