Darren Morgan managed to sway the Top Fuel points balance slightly in his favour during qualifying for the 2013 Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway, taking top position ahead of race day.

Morgan's qualifying points broke the deadlock between himself and Phil Lamattina, edging the K-Trans team ever so slightly ahead.

A 4.77 second time did the job for Morgan on a day where a grippy track and cool air made it difficult to tame the nitro dragsters.

"We've got the best tuners in the world out here who we are trying to beat and even they struggle with the changing track today," Morgan said.

Just on two months ago Jason Grima was competing at the 42nd running of the Westernationals at the Perth Motorplex. This long-running and prestigious event is the biggest event on the Perth Motorplex drag racing calendar and as such Grima put in a huge effort with a two-car assault. Grima was driving the PC Group Ford Mustang while NHRA racer and team adviser Brandon Huhtala was steering the 'Blue' Mustang.

He might have spent 11 months out of the driver's seat of the world's fastest accelerating vehicles, but three times Australian Top Fuel champion Phil Read doesn't have nerves ahead of his return at this weekend's Nitro Champs, just a pure desire to win.

Read said the team aren't coming back to be cannon fodder, but to be the contenders their reputation deserves.

"It's been 11 months since I have driven but I am looking forward to it, these last couple of years I have probably become more eager to drive than ever," he said. "Our goal is to win. That's the only reason we race."

2013 may just be the year of comebacks with Territory Modified Bike competitor Clive Mainland making it through to the finals at the 2013 Season Opener at Hidden Valley Drag Strip on Saturday night.

Mainland last made a finals berth over four years ago. After debuting the eye catching new Kawasaki in late 2012 Mainland broke the drought by meeting Colin Sainsbury in the Modified Bike final. Unfortunately it was not going to be a fairy tale ending with Mainland jumping the start and red lighting, automatically handing the win to Sainsbury who finished with a 9.578 second pass on a 9.40 dialin.

For most racers, the week leading up to a big race is usually spent in garages and sheds making last minute adjustments, fine tuning and looking for any performance advantage they can gain over their opposition.

In the case of Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Scott White he will spend three days on the road and will have plenty of time to think about the changes he has made for the up and coming Nitro Champs this weekend at Sydney Dragway.

His journey began at his home in Darwin, NT on Monday and some 4000 km later his trip will end in Blacktown, NSW.

The 2013 Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway is shaping up to be one of the very best. With Darren Morgan and Phil Lamattina locked in equal 1st position on 487 points, round 8 of the ANDRA Top Fuel Championships will a be knock 'm down, drag 'm out affair with victory catapulting the winner to the top of the leader board.

Returning to the traditional eliminations format, 6 Top Fuel Dragsters will begin qualifying this Saturday with eliminations on Sunday. Of special interest is USA Racer Tommy Johnson Jr, who will be racing the Rapisarda Autosport International dragster campaigned by Larry Dixon at last month's Extreme 3 event at Willowbank Raceway.

Mopar factory driver Lee Bektash says Pro Stock is likely to become a six second free for all with cool, clear conditions forecast for this weekend's Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway.

The exuberant Victorian brought out a newly imported Dodge Avenger for the first time to do testing on Saturday and even with just his testing motor in place he was able to record early sector times on track for six second runs.

It was at the Nitro Champs in May last year where Peter Ridgeway became the first driver to run into the sixes with a 6.99 in the second round of eliminations and he was joined recently by Jason Grima who ran a 6.98 in November, also at Sydney Dragway.

After another successful year for South coast Raceway highlighted by the running of the 1st eighth mile ANDRA Championship round and first Victorian Championship round in over a decade, the club has released their dates for the 2013 / 2104 drag racing season...