Darren Morgan and the AEG Powertools/Hungry Jack’s Mildura Top Fuel team are poised for a strong continuation of the postponed Castrol EDGE Winternationals this weekend at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland. 
Since attending the first run of the Winternationals on the June Long Weekend, the team has been working overtime to prepare the car – and the newly crowned ANDRA Pro Series Top Fuel Champion can’t wait to get it down the strip.
“By winning the Championship, the pressure is off of us a little bit, we’re taking the opportunity to test a few things ahead of next season as well,” explained Morgan.
“Having said that, we can’t approach it purely as a test session – it’s a tough field that includes the current world number three in Cory McClenathan from the USA, so against that company – you have to go out to get the job done.”
The Mildura Missile claimed his first Australian Top Fuel Championship as a team owner/driver on the June Long Weekend by completing his first qualifying pass at Willowbank. As the teams were preparing for qualifying two, misty rain blanketed the outer Queensland venue.
This forced the postponement of the event until this weekend, where a stellar field of Top Fuel competition – and indeed ANDRA Pro Series competitors will turn out.
The win was doubly significant, with 21-year-old crew chief, Ben Patterson becoming the youngest crew chief in history to get a Top Fuel machine to a Championship. He is currently preparing to head back to the United States for more ‘spanner time’ in the NHRA.
Morgan has also been busy with the ‘other’ major project at DMR Headquarters in Mildura – the world’s first fully-operational Top Fuel simulator.
After appearing at the Sucrogen Townsville 400 V8 Supercar event in Townsville last weekend, it will be back at Willowbank for drag racing fans to experience a quarter mile smile.
“It’s a fantastic tool that we can utilise at places like the V8 Supercars – it not only gives our sponsors exposure, but spreads the message of professional drag racing into areas that may never have seen a Top Fuel dragster before,” he added.
The dragster used for the simulator can be taken on track and utilised for public displays and ‘start ups’ before being converted back into a simulator in a matter of minutes.
“Top Fuellers are a fearsome sight just sitting idle, let alone stretching every ounce of 8,000 horsepower at over 500 kilometres an hour.”
The Castrol EDGE Winternationals, featuring the Australian Champion AEG Powertools/Hungry Jacks Mildura Darren Morgan Racing team will resume with ANDRA Pro Series Qualifying on Saturday and eliminations this coming Sunday at Willowbank Raceway.
Darren will be available for autographs and the Champion team t-shirts will be on sale from the AEG Powertools/Hungry Jacks Mildura transporter.
