Since the well publicised changes at CPR in late 2012, ANDRA and the new management have been working closely together on an agreement to return Championship Drag Racing to Calder Park Raceway.

During this time ANDRA has conducted an audit of the facility and a majority of the documented improvements have been implemented, including repairs to the timing system.

For the first time in the 14 year history of the Tri-Series Coonawarra will not be part of the 2013 / 2014 schedule.

In his 4th year as the President of South East Drag Racing Association (SEDRA), Alex Van Leuven explains...

"Coonwarra is a temporary facility and once a year we hold a drag race on the local airstrip. It's very difficult to prepare a virgin track and provide enough traction for the cars and bikes. In the last 5 years or so competitors have gotten quicker and quicker and we can't guarantee a satisfactory racing surface."

While traction is a problem so is falling spectator numbers.

Matt Mingay of Stuntz Inc.Next weekend's on-track action at Benaraby Raceway (29 June) for round three of the 2013 Slamfest Series will not only feature 28,000 horses worth of Top Doorslammer action but also the belief-defying antics of three of Australia's most recognised stunt riders.

Now entering its fourth year, the Slamfest Series sees Top Doorslammer racers from around the country competing across the eighth-mile distance at Australia's regional tracks.

At Benaraby Raceway's round of the Series, eight 3,500hp Top Doorslammer machines will be joined on track by Matt Mingay - one of the country's most famous stunt bike performers – and his Stuntz Inc crew riders Allan 'Nads' Morrisson and Dan Milne.

The 2013 Fuchs Winternationals may have ended in rain but that didn't stop Murray O'Connor getting amongst the quickest and fastest cars in ANDRA's hottest bracket, Top Doorslammer.

After recording back-to-back 5.8-second passes in qualifying and a semi-finals berth at the recent Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway, Team O'Connor was looking forward to a promising Winternationals campaign.

Despite the team's best preparation, the tune-up saw the car break into tyre shake 100-feet into the first run and move towards the centreline.

O'Connor explains, "I had to give it a quick peddle (modulation of the throttle) and a straighten up before I again nailed the throttle. Unfortunately, the blower belt broke at three-quarter track and the Falcon coasted through for a 6.21-second pass at just over 220mph.

Greg Schultz (Photo courtesy Fred Dwyer)After 3 years in the role, Greg Schultz stepped down as the ANDRA Group 1 Liaison Officer on Monday the 10th of June.

Having been involved with ANDRA as a steward since 1992, and the NSW Chief Steward from 1993, Greg decided now was a good time to cut down on some of his responsibilities and concentrate on the family's Outlaw Nitro Funny Car.

"I've really enjoyed my time working with the group 1 racers and it's been an absolute pleasure. I hope I've made a difference to their racing. Sure we didn't agree all the time and I didn't always make the right decisions; but right, wrong or indifferent I hope I was respected and racers know I did the very best job I could."

Wet weather has brought a premature end to the 2013 FUCHS Winternationals campaign of Team Bray Racing at Willowbank Raceway today, with the fourth and final day of the event abandoned due to rain.

Team Bray Racing's Ben Bray was set to tackle a record Top Doorslammer field in eliminations today after qualifying seventh courtesy of his 5.937 second effort at 246.35 miles per hour, however the decision was made by track management at midday on Monday to abandon 'finals day' with points to be awarded for completed rounds as per the ANDRA rule book.

For Victor Bray, it is a bittersweet result as while the event is a favourite at his home track, the record bump spot for the bracket – seeing the field declared the quickest in Australian history – of 5.970 seconds did see him on the outside looking in , with championship rivals Peter Kapiris and John Zappia both able to qualify.