Chris Porter is in the box seat to challenge for the Top Bike championship lead (Photo courtesy dragphotos.com.au)Just days remain until more than 470 racers including the popular flame-throwing nitro monsters of Top Fuel hit the track at Willowbank Raceway for the largest championship drag race held outside of the US – the FUCHS Winternationals (Friday 7 June to Monday 10 June).

More than 120 racers 'warmed-up' at the weekend during the official pre-event Winters Warm-Up test weekend – the next time a wheel is turned in anger on the start line, it will be in the pursuit of the prestigious FUCHS Winternationals gold Christmas tree trophy.

Special multi-day discounted passes are still available for online purchase only, until midday Thursday 6 June 2013. After that point, tickets will be available at the gate. For full ticketing information, please click here.

Queensland's Jodanna Pullen will return to her 'grass roots' at this weekend's FUCHS Winternationals - the largest championship drag race held outside of the United States - at Willowbank Raceway across June 7-10.

Racing in the group 3 Super Sedan bracket at the wheel of her VC 308 cubic inch Pro Street Holden Commodore, Jodanna is motivated to be back in the drivers seat after completing her 'group 2' licensing last month and enjoying a continuing 'R & D' period on her new project, the VZ Holden Monaro which is destined for the Super Stock bracket.

"I will be keeping my racing craft sharp by competing at the FUCHS Winternationals in my Commodore in Super Sedan – returning to my roots at one of the most 'traditional' events on the calendar sounds pretty great to me," said Pullen.

With just seven days until the FUCHS Winternationals, it has been officially confirmed today that US NHRA star Tommy Johnson Jr. will pilot the second Rapisarda International Autosport Top Fuel entry at next weekend's event (Friday 7 June to Monday 10 June 2013).

To be held across the Queen's Birthday long weekend, the FUCHS Winternationals is the largest championship drag race held outside of Johnson Jr.'s homeland, and will be the second Australia event this year for the nine time NHRA national event winner, who has also raced in the US, the United Arab Emirates, England, Sweden and Finland.

Stepping into the same Top Fuel dragster piloted at Willowbank Raceway in March by renowned US racer Larry Dixon – who reset the national elapsed time record for the bracket to 4.503 seconds after a attention-grabbing 'spin' the day before – the Indiana-based racer will be focused on making an impact when he hits the track this weekend.

The largest championship drag race held outside of the USA is drawing plenty of attention nationwide and overseas, with a number of USA drag racing identities signing up to take part either on-track or in the pits at Willowbank Raceway's FUCHS Winternationals (7-10 June).

Rhett Lougheed is currently shipping his Pro Stock Motorcycle all the way from his home in California to compete in the professional-level bike category, while the Pro Stock bracket will play host to Seattle's Brandon Huhtala, who will compete for Jason Grima Motorsports.

Meanwhile in the pits, Rob Tucker Racing will benefit from the experience of Colorado's Dave Lovedahl from Lazarus Race Cars and Illinois' Bob Book of BRE Competition Carburettors and Engines; while well-known Indianapolis NHRA tuner Tomi Laine will act as crew chief for Lee Bektash (Team Mopar) and provide support for Wayne Daley and his crew chief Mike Marriot (Diamond T Products Mopar).

Katherine Shaw returns to Top Alcohol at the 2013 Fuchs Winternationals (Photo courtesy Daniel Ward)Katherine Shaw is looking forward to getting back into Top Alcohol competition for the first time in three years at this weekend's Fuchs Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway.

The Brisbane racer takes a methodical and determined approach to her racing and is a keen observer over all technical elements in the S&S Trailers team.

Shaw trained under the renowned Frank Hawley Drag Racing School in the USA and she says that has been vital in helping her stay mentally prepared to race, despite not having taking part in an event for some time in her Top Alcohol dragster.

"Given the routine of driving the car has only changed slightly it's basically memory recall," she said. "Given in drag racing all competitors have very limited actual seat time a lot of practice is done sitting in the car and running through the driving process via memory recall and visualisation techniques. It's something that Frank Hawley taught when I attended his school.

It is often said that the family that plays together, stays together. As a father and son outfit competing in the Top Doorslammer bracket, Team Bray Racing's Victor and Ben Bray have always taken this phrase to heart.

Next week, the FUCHS Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway (June 7-10) will see them embody this feeling even more than usual when they are joined on-track by Victor's son-in-law (Dean McClennan, Supercharged Outlaws) and grandson (Josh McClennan, Junior Dragster).

Strong testing performances have buoyed the confidences of Sydney Top Doorslammer stalwart Maurice Fabietti ahead of the season's biggest event, the Fuchs Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway.

After a lacklustre Nitro Champs four weeks ago where the team failed to qualify, a personal best 5.77 second run in testing has put the spotlight back on the Holden Trade Club Monaro.

"That testing run certainly gives us some confidence, I am looking forward to going to the track for a change," Fabietti said. "The car did everything perfectly. The testing conditions were similar to the Nitro Champs, which will probably be similar to the Fuchs Winternationals."

Curing tyre shake was the catalyst for the strong pass, which was just 0.02 seconds off the current national record, held by Western Australian driver John Zappia.

With 15 entrants and a tense championship battle looming, the Top Doorslammer category at Willowbank Raceway's FUCHS Winternationals is shaping up to be a 'must-watch' for the estimated 40,000 spectators expected over the event's four days (7-10 June).

The top three in the national points share 12 titles between them, one long-time friendship, and one simmering on-track rivalry that has reached boiling point during the current season.

Victorian Peter Kapiris leads the trio with 349 points, ahead of West Australia's reigning five-time champion John Zappia (252 points) and six-time champion Victor Bray (251) of Kallangur, Queensland.