Morgan retains championship lead (Photo courtesy Phil Luyer)Darren Morgan Racing went into last weekend at the Perth Motorplex with high expectations having won the first 2 rounds of the ANDRA Top Fuel Championship.

Qualifying got underway on Friday evening and the V8 Nights / K Trans WA backed dragster shot straight to the number 1 position with an off-the-trailer 4.750 at 306.12 MPH.

Looking back at the data, tuner Ben Patterson could tell the track was very tight and the conditions perfect for Top Fuel drag racing. "The track was nice and cool and the air was excellent. While the track is always good in Perth you don't always get a cool track and that's what makes for really quick times."

3 finals from 3 rounds for Phil Lamattina and LTFRFUCHS Top Fuel dragster pilot Phil Lamattina has made his third finals appearance in row after the first three rounds of the current ANDRA Championship season.

After qualifying in the number three position, Lamattina and Crew Chief Aaron Hambridge made some dramatic changes to the tune-up for the first round of eliminations.

Lamattina explained, "We found the conditions tricky early but once we got our head around what was required, we knew we could go quick and fast."

"The racetrack got better and better as the race meeting went on and to be honest, it was as good as anything we have ever raced on."

Mark Sheehan wins Top Fuel in PerthMark Sheehan put a stop to Darren Morgan's winning streak on Saturday night at Perth Motorplex, taking victory in spectacular fashion in the third round of the ANDRA Top Fuel championship.

Sheehan defeated Morgan in the opening round and then went on to eliminate Phil Lamattina, who remains winless this season despite three straight finals appearances in the Fuchs dragster.

The final was a dramatic nitro pedal-fest, with both drivers on and off the throttle as they attempted to get 8000 horsepower to hook up to a cooling race track. Sheehan's 5.40 just nudged over the finish line ahead of a 5.55 from Lamattina.

Sheehan was just able to survive a big top end charge from Lamattina, giving him his second event win in a row at Perth Motorplex out of his three events total in the category.

Championship leader - Darren Morgan (Photo courtesy Fred Dwyer)Darren Morgan Racing heads west this weekend for a Top Fuel showdown at the Perth Motorplex.

Currently sitting number 1 in the ANDRA Top Fuel Championship after winning the first 2 rounds of the season, Darren Morgan knows that the team will need to bring their A game to fend off the challenges of Phil Lamattina, Allan Dobson and Mark Sheehan (who won this event last season).

“We love coming to the Perth Motorplex,” said Darren Morgan. “It’s a fantastic facility and the West Aussie crowd really love their Top Fuel drag racing. As a team we’ve had a lot of success in Perth and we’ll be looking to stretch our legs at the front of the field and maintain our championship lead.”

The tough, USA-experienced Rapisarda Racing outfit will be out to stop Darren Morgan's championship charge come this weekend's third round of the ANDRA Top Fuel championship at Perth Motorplex.

The team again has gun driver Allan Dobson at the wheel, expecting to repeat the 4.6 second form that carried them to a win at the Fuchs Winternationals in June.

With Morgan looking to rack up a nitro hat trick, Rapisarda team manager Santo Rapisarda Jnr said there has been little rest since returning from the USA to prepare to take on the reigning national champion as well as the potent Phil Lamattina and winner of the last event in Perth, Mark Sheehan.

Points leader Darren Morgan

The 8000 horsepower nitro dragsters of Top Fuel are crossing the desert expanses of Australia in readiness to attack Perth Motorplex this Friday and Saturday night in what will be a crucial round of the ANDRA Drag Racing Series.

The season opened in Adelaide with Darren Morgan defeating Phil Lamattina before moving on to Sydney for the Australian Nationals where the same result occurred. Now the teams make the gruelling trek across the continent to Western Australia for round three.

The "Mildura Missile" Morgan comes into the event as a hot favourite. Not only is the Victorian the reigning national champion, but he has opened his 2012/13 series in near perfection with two event wins. Running in all black livery without a major sponsor, Morgan has demonstrated great consistency, not yet having to abort a run in eliminations, a credit to young gun crew chief Ben Patterson. Morgan made the final the last time Top Fuel was in Perth, losing to upstart Mark Sheehan. He did however top qualify and run the quickest time and highest speed of the event.