Two times IHRA Pro Modified champion Mike Janis will be a star addition to the Top Doorslammer field at Sydney Dragway's Nitro Champs, coming up from May 3-5.

The Lancaster, New York based racer will be driving for Australian Sean Mifsud, who is currently out of action due to a broken leg he received in a braking area crash in Portland, Victoria.

Janis is competitive by nature and declared that he is not going to come all the way around the world without a shot at the ANDRA gold trophy.

"I can tell you we do not plan on flying over on a plane for over 20 hours without hopes of winning the event," he said. "Our first goal is to have a safe test session and make sure everything is okay."

Milwaukee Tools Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Maurice Allen says the pace of all competitors is going to have to increase with many tough teams converging on Sydney Dragway for the Nitro Champs on May 3-5.

Allen took what could be classified as a fortunate win over Luke Crowley at the last round of the championship in Sydney, when Crowley left with a below average reaction time and could not use his overwhelming performance advantage to pass Allen before the finish line.

Allen said there was no doubting Crowley's performance, but picked some other names from the group who could show their hand in Australia's biggest city.

After making the final on both nights of the Santos Cranes Extreme 3, Darren Morgan Racing is back in the number 1 position on the Top Fuel Championship ladder, equal with fellow Victorian Phil Lamattina on 487 points.

"We set our sights on clawing back points on Phil and we managed to pull back two rounds," said a very happy Darren Morgan. "Although we did have a few technical gremlins during the event, to make both finals was an awesome effort from the team and we're certainly heading in the right direction with our program."

For the 1st qualifier on the Friday night the car went up into tyre smoke after overpowering the track. Crew chief Ben Patterson backed the car down a little for the 1st elimination round and ran a 4.87 at 285mph to move into the A Final over Damien Harris. A technical glitch in the final saw Steve Read take the win.

Sydney Top Bike rider Chris Porter is fully engaged in nitro warfare with drag strip rival Chris Matheson as the season reaches its mid-point at the 2013 Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway on May 3-5.

Porter is leading the points battle over Matheson but the Queensland is quickly closing the margin and recently recorded Australia's quickest ever time on a motorcycle.

Porter is unphased though and is concentrating on making his own Fraser Motorcycles nitro Harley as good as it can be in preparation for the confrontation. First that means finding the consistency the team formerly had.

Brisbane-based Englishman Steve Read has capped off one of the most memorable victories of his career at the Santo's Cranes Super 3 event at Willowbank Raceway, QLD on Saturday 30th March.

After winning Day 1, Read completed a dream weekend for his RSR team, defeating Darren Morgan in the final on Day 2 with a 4.76.

"This weekend has proven that old dinosaurs can still win", chuckled Read, referring to his 20 year old engine combination. "This win means so much to me for so many reasons – running 6 straight 4 second passes this weekend, taking home the Louie Rapisarda Memorial Trophy and for my team that have given me a great race car all weekend".

Australia witnessed its quickest ever drag racing pass on Saturday night at Willowbank Raceway when three times world champion Larry Dixon stormed to a 4.503 second time, as Queensland's own Steve Read doubled up at the Santo's Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race.

Dixon's incredible run came after a dramatic incident on Friday where the Rapisarda Racing dragster sheared an axle, seeing a wheel come off the car and sending it on a 360 degree spin down the track.

The team thrashed to have the car ready for a safety check out pass later on Friday night and then loaded it for bear for Saturday's qualifier, reaching a top speed of 534kmh.