Michael Ali - Pro StockReigning Pro Stock champion Michael Ali has had things fall into place just in time to be able to contest the opening round of the ANDRA Drag Racing Series at his home track of Adelaide International Raceway in little over a week's time.

Ali's home track debut was looking uncertain with no engine in the workshop, up until recent days when the powerplant for his SA Constructions Pontiac GTO arrived back.

"Things came together on the engine side of things just in time," he said. "If there was no engine there would have been no racing. If I pull my finger out we will get it happening and be alright.

"We just had the engine freshened up so we can safely go again. We've done all last season on it so it was due to come out."

The first Bathurst race was held fifty years ago originally known as the Armstrong 500 after it had been moved from Phillip Island.

This Thursday to Sunday other milestones are being celebrated along with the 50 years of "The Great Race". This weekend also marks the 30th anniversary of when Dick Johnson hit 'The Rock' on the Bathurst track and Sidchrome is also celebrating their 70th year of supplying tools to both professionals and keen car enthusiasts.

Team Bray Racing is once again returning to Bathurst as part of the on track entertainment and keen to put on a show with both of their burnout cars. They have also brought along some Rat Rods and a collection of cars including Les Kerlin's Fat Pipes 1971 SS Chevelle with its 598 Big Block power plant. At the Team Bray compound (Harris Park Merchandise Area) you will be able to get up close with Victor's and Ben's race cars and the men themselves.

Darrell Mathieson - winner of series 1 (Photo courtesy www.dragpix.net.au)The Australian Super Gas Racers will run a five-round Southern Super Gas Series this drag racing season, with four dates confirmed.

With the first round scheduled for Sydney Dragway's Australian Nationals in November 2012 and concludes with the 5th round at Fuchs South Coast Raceway in Portland on Sunday 2nd of March 2013.

Series spokesman Michael Bibby commented "For last season's inaugural series our aim was to get Super Gas racing re-established in Victoria as well as entice some race cars out of the shed. While entry levels were modest both objectives were achieved and that has given us the encouragement to go ahead with another season. A further aim was not to diminish ANDRA Championship racing by drawing Super Gas entries away from those events."

Steve Read Top Fuel (Photo courtesy Terry Andrews)Queensland's Steve Read will return to where his nitro career began when the ANDRA Top Fuel season launches at Adelaide International Raceway on October 20.

Read's first event in a Top Fuel dragster was driving for team owner Santo Rapisarda at the South Australian venue back in 1995 and he said he has positive memories of the experience.

"I was thinking about it just the other day and remembering the debut there," he said. "I've always liked the place. It has a great atmosphere, the fans are very vocal and I used to love going there."

With a best run in his debut event of 5.38sec, Read has since come a long way. He developed his own Top Fuel operation and with a personal best time of 4.68sec performance is not an issue. Read runs his own transport business and has had limited time for racing over the past few seasons, competing at only the 2011 and 2012 Winternationals in his home state.

Spring is finally here and a young ladies thoughts turn to... DRAG RACING!

Huh? That’s not right is it? ...for Jess Turner it is.

Jess isn’t your average 17 year old though. Sure she likes hanging out with her friends and all that teenage girl stuff, but Jess is equally at home putting on a race suit, strapping on a helmet and getting behind the wheel of a 650 horsepower dragster, capable of reaching speeds of over 270kph.

After 2 years in the Junior Dragster ranks Jess is making the move to Modified, one of the most competitive classes in drag racing. But don’t think for a second she’ll be 1^st round fodder.

Bill Perdikaris - Pro StockSydney Pro Stock driver Bill Perdikaris says he finally has a car that is responding to set up changes and is ready to be a surprise packet when the ANDRA championship begins on October 20 at Adelaide International Raceway.

Off-season testing has seen many Pro Stock teams producing tough numbers and Perdikaris joined them with a 7.06sec run in the Cargo Logistics/ENG Haulage Ford Escort at Willowbank Raceway that had the potential to be even quicker.

"The run felt smooth and pinned me back in the seat, but I had to abort it at three quarter track when a valve spring broke," he said. "We replaced the broken spring and machined the clutch to see if we could back up the 7.06 but a whole season of excessive tyre shake took its toll and it cracked the snout of the cam shaft."

Aaron Tremayne - Pro StockFormer Pro Stock champion Aaron Tremayne says the team has spent the off season developing the horsepower needed to fire back into form for the start of the ANDRA drag racing championship season at Adelaide International Raceway on October 20.

Tremayne finished an uncharacteristic eighth in last season's championship chase, having won the previous four championships in a row. He was blunt in his assessment of the poor finish.

"The top eight is pretty pathetic as far as I'm concerned," he said.

The performance inspired plenty of work in the team's shop in Queensland and also in testing to regain some form both in the engine department and with his own driving, which produced three red light losses last season.

Fowler Family Racing GXP (Photo courtesy www.cacklingpipes.com)Super Sedan racer Paul Partridge has a lot to answer for. Not because he drives a lime green Ford Mustang, but because Pardo is responsible for re-introducing Greg Fowler to drag racing.

Since getting back into the sport in 2001, Greg Fowler and the team at Fowler Family Racing have gone on to dominate the Super Sedan bracket in Australia, taking home more Gold Christmas Trees and trophies than can comfortably fit in the cabinet.

The team's success comes down to a number of factors, but most importantly it's commitment to the sport and taking every opportunity to go racing.