Funny Car Fury - Perth Motorplex, December 29.

40 plus celcius temperatures and a scant breeze wasn't the most inviting of weather for a nitro funny car event, but a timely drenching from some rainclouds cooled the hot stuff down and the cool cars just got hotter. But with rain, it's still "that bloody weather".

Nitromethane featured again, Mark Sheehan wanting two out of two this season against a newly weaponed Matt Treasure, the Greene Machine now in Monte Carlo flavour.

All three races would however be sorted out in Sheehan's favour, who never left the 5 second zone with a 5.209 to get things going in a loud way, a faltering 5.984 running out of miles per hour very quickly and a much improved 5.148 sealing the deal.

Team Bray Racing will get their 2013 off to a high-octane start when the popular Summernats festival hits Canberra's Exhibition Park for the 26th time across 3-6 January 2013.

The annual Summernats festival is Australia's largest celebration of the modified car lifestyle and each year attracts up to 100,000 fans across its four days.

Ballistic Drag Racing has not had the start we wanted in 2012. The Nationals in November was the first meeting back in BB/CB after our bad luck in March so I was a little bit nervous. We had done some passes at Heathcote Park and everything was okay so we went to the Nationals with some confidence.

It’s arguable to say that the Perth Motorplex has been the most successful drag racing facility in Australia over the past decade. While other major tracks have had a tough time of it over the last few years, the Perth Motorplex has managed to carve out its niche and provide a venue that attracts both the paying public and an ever growing number of racers.

But before all of you proud West Aussies (and rightly so) start beating your chests and demanding to secede from the rest of Australia, let’s look at some interesting facts about WA and how they affect drag racing.

The XM Falcon Top Doorslammer of Murray O'Connor dug its heels in at the recent race meeting at Perth Motorplex but the O'Connor Motorsport team eventually got the carbon-bodied Ford to co-operate and in the process ran another personal best for the car.

"It was a tough start to the weekend! We had what we thought would be a strong but still conservative tune-up in the car but round one of qualifying saw some extreme tyre shake for us," explained O'Connor.

"The tyre shake caused the diff to break at half track, which in-turn allowed the engine rev up to 11,700rpm, dropping a valve in the process."

Earlier this month the Victorian Drag Racers Club elected their new committee for 2013. Michael Bibby was elected President, supported by Wayne Cartledge as Vice President. Doina Day continues her role as treasurer and Ian Smith has joined the committee as secretary.

Other members of the committee include Luke Cartledge, Derek Newman and Paul Rogers Snr. The club thanked outgoing President Shane Baxter and Secretary Neil Hendry for their hard work and commitment over the past 12 months.