Queensland Top Alcohol driver Steven Reed says he may sacrifice the single compulsory qualifying sessions of the Santo's Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race at Willowbank Raceway in order to find a path to quicker times.

Reed believes the Allstar Batteries/Royal Wolf team has the parts and equipment needed to run into the elusive 5.4 second zone, but needs to find the knowledge to get there and the only way to do that is to test out some theories.

"I'd normally be saying that we will be trying to "5.60" the field to death, but we need to figure out how to go fast," he said. "To do that we have to try some things but we don't know whether that will mean we lose our consistency.

Three times world Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon flew into Australia yesterday, ready to be fitted up for the Rapisarda Autosport International dragster he will drive at the Santo's Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race at Willowbank Raceway on March 29 and 30.

Dixon told rpm2night.com he was looking forward to the different event format, comprising two championship rounds over two days, and going back to a quarter mile compared to the 1000 feet distance that is now standard in the USA. Other differences Dixon will have to get used to is that ANDRA Top Fuel dragsters do not have an imposed rev limit or automatic shut off devices, leaving much more in the hands of the driver.

The workshop at Jim Read Racing has been quiet for the last 8 months but that's all about to change.

Crew Chief Bruce Read explains. "With the loss of a number of sponsors to other motorsports, our last race was the 2012 Winternationals in the teams 'Red' car. As a family we decided to step back from competition to see where the sport and Top Fuel in particular was headed."

"Recent developments in Top Fuel have been extremely encouraging and there's a real sense of unity amongst the teams," said Bruce. "The establishment of the Top Fuel Owners Association is a positive move for the category and we're excited to be part of it."

Matt Watts and his new ride (Photo courtesy T.A.D. Photography)Current Supercharged Outlaws National Champion Matt Watts had to sit out the first 2 rounds of the 2013 season while he and dad Guy Watts prepared the teams new altered.

While it's been a frustrating wait, a runner-up to current point's leader Luke Marsden at the recent Aeroflow round in Adelaide was an excellent result for the cars first competitive hit out.

Gone but not forgotten

With the old car gone it was time to look for a new car. The search didn't take long, and on September the 12th, 2012 (which also happened to be father's day), the team's new altered was purchased from Stan and Nola Tindal in NSW.

Following a positive outing at Portland's Slamfest for Wishes event last month, in which Darwin's Scott White reset the (660ft) track record for motorcycles, the mood in the camp was positive for the Summer Speedfest at Adelaide International Raceway a week later. This event featured round two of the ANDRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championships.

South Coast Raceway – Portland, Victoria

"This was our first time at Portland and what a great little eighth mile regional track it is although the bend in the breaking area was something that I had never experienced before, said White.

For Sydney Pro Stock racer Jason Grima, the 42nd running of the Westernationals in Perth was bar none the biggest undertaking of his drag racing career. One transporter, crew including Brandon Huhtala and Grace Howell from the United States, two race cars, and accommodation for a week. And somewhere in all this Grima was able to celebrate his 42nd birthday on the Friday!

Why go to Perth?

"I could have made it a lot easier if I did this for the Nitro Champs in Sydney as it's my home track", said Grima. "But I wanted to help the class out and make sure we were racing with a 16-car field. As it was the 14 cars turned up but had it been 12 then it would have been reduced to an 8-car field."

ANDRA Top Fuel points leader Phil Lamattina says three times world champion Larry Dixon is just another driver in a tough Top Fuel field when the Santo's Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race rolls into Willowbank Raceway on March 29 and 30.

Lamattina has made every Top Fuel final in the season so far and is looking forward to showing US visitor Dixon and his partner in crime, ace crew chief Lee Beard, what the Fuchs outfit is capable of.

"It'll be great to have Larry Dixon in the field, but for us he's just another name we have to beat and that's exactly what we will be trying to do," Lamattina said. "The competition is a great opportunity for the Australian teams to step up to the plate and race against the very best there is."

Second generation racer Mark Mariani will be making an exciting return to Top Fuel this year behind the wheel of the Mariani Family Motorsports dragster.

"It's always been a dream of mine to put together a Top Fuel operation and go racing with my dad Mario and all our family. Top Fuel drag racing is in our blood, going all the way back to the Castlereagh days," said Mark.

Mariani Family Motorsports has purchased a complete Top Fuel dragster from Darren Morgan Racing, the sister car to Darren's Championship winning car.