Queensland's Ben Bray has emerged victorious over Western Australia's Murray O'Connor this weekend at Benaraby Raceway, during the first of two North Queensland events for the 2013 Slamfest Series.

With Gladstone's showdown run and won, the eight 3,500 horsepower Top Doorslammer machines and their fearless pilots will now travel to Mackay's Palmyra Raceway for what will be the final round of the 2013 Series on 13 July.

More than 5,000 race fans took advantage of the perfect weather Saturday to pack out Gladstone's popular eighth-mile drag strip, with series organiser Peter Kapiris pleased to see 2012's enthusiasm raised to a new level by the local spectators.

Family ties are an integral part of the sport of drag racing and in Australia's 'red centre' it is no different.

Alice Springs Inland Dragway plays host to the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship for the first time on June 28-29 as part of the Desert Nationals and among those competing will be Gerladine Willox and her son Daniel.

Geraldine races in the Super Street category and said she had a Holden HJ Kingswood project sitting on blocks for some 15 years before she decided it was time to bite the bullet and go racing.

"Drag racing is the only motorsport I like," she said. "My other half Mick built the motor so now 'Crusty', our nickname for my car' can drive his little socks off.

** DRUM ROLL PLEASE **

...and the winners of the Winters prize draw are...

1. 1st Prize - Craig Stuart - Battery Charger from Battery Saver Australia
2. 2nd Prize - Stephanie Huysmans - Tyre Pressure Gauge from Motorsport Connections Australia
3. 3rd Prize - Daniel List - 2010 Larry Dixon Top Fuel Diecast from Hoolagators All American Diecast
4. 4th Prize - David Bradley - T-shirt and Hat from the Australian National Drag Racing Association
5. 5th Prize - Kylie Tanner - Fender Guard from Champion Spark Plugs

Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to everyone who entered the tipping comp.

Without the generosity of our business partners the tipping comps wouldn't be possible... support those who support our sport.

• www.batterysaver.com.au
• www.mscn.com.au
• www.hoolagator.com.au
• www.andra.com.au
• www.motospecs.com.au/index.php?page=champion

Since the well publicised changes at CPR in late 2012, ANDRA and the new management have been working closely together on an agreement to return Championship Drag Racing to Calder Park Raceway.

During this time ANDRA has conducted an audit of the facility and a majority of the documented improvements have been implemented, including repairs to the timing system.

ANDRA CEO Malcolm Bulley will be attending this Tuesday evenings (2/7) meeting of the Victorian Drag Racers Club to make a statement about the latest information on what is happening in Melbourne.

All current Victorian ANDRA members and members of the Melbourne Drag Racing Club are invited to attend. This is not to be missed.

The meeting will be held at the Williamstown RSL, 128 Ferguson St Williamstown. The meeting starts at 8.00 pm in the function room. A special guest will also be making an appearance.

There will be raffles on the night with some great prizes to be won, thanks to Mark Hinchelwood of Motorsport Connections Australia and Matt Forbes of Fast Time Design.

Just days now remain until Benaraby Raceway hosts 28,000 horsepower worth of Top Doorslammer muscle for round three of the 2013 Slamfest Series on Saturday 29 June.

This Saturday will be the second time the Slamfest Series has visited the Gladstone eighth mile drag strip, with last year's trip seeing attendance records smashed with the start of qualifying needing to be delayed to allow the long line of spectators waiting to gain entry to the facility time to get through the gates.

Track records were also under attack, with the local elapsed time (ET) and speed (mile per hour) records both being slammed in front of the thrilled five thousand-strong crowd.

The Territory Tremor Funny Car team is hoping for a performance off the Richter scale at Alice Springs Inland Dragway when they take part in the Desert Nationals on June 28-29.

Driver Dan Hodgins said it was first seeing big horsepower dragsters when he was younger than drew him into the sport.

"As I grew older I wanted to be involved with the speed and adrenaline and the development of a car to make it go quicker and faster each and every time," he said. "It is a sport for the battler as well as the financially well backed teams because you are all on an even playing field."

Hodgins said the Alice Springs motorsport community are eager for the event, which marks the first time a round of the national Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship has been held in central Australia.

For the first time in the 14 year history of the Tri-Series Coonawarra will not be part of the 2013 / 2014 schedule.

In his 4th year as the President of South East Drag Racing Association (SEDRA), Alex Van Leuven explains...

"Coonwarra is a temporary facility and once a year we hold a drag race on the local airstrip. It's very difficult to prepare a virgin track and provide enough traction for the cars and bikes. In the last 5 years or so competitors have gotten quicker and quicker and we can't guarantee a satisfactory racing surface."

While traction is a problem so is falling spectator numbers.