It is officially being announced that the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car Team, KonRodz Racing, has reached a two-race deal with veteran ANDRA Top Alcohol Funny Car driver John Cannuli.

A trio of challengers is all-set to make headlines at this weekend’s prestigious Australian Nationals, with Lucas Oil’s Gary Phillips, Matt Forbes and Dylan Leo all gunning for glory at drag racing’s glittering final round.

Willowbank Raceway has crowned its Street Series Track Champions for 2014, with Josh Fletcher (Street Sedan), Ken Rice (Street Bike) and Belinda Brockhurst (Powder Puff) all claiming honours across this week in the Street Series.

The Gold Coast streets felt the brute force of real horsepower on Friday when a posse of drag cars were unleashed on the V8 Supercar crowd as part of the Gold Coast 600 festivities.

This weekend’s season-ending Australian Nationals will see Victor Bray make his comeback to the ANDRA scene after a few months away and he will do so with son Ben Bray by his side.

After nearly nine months out of the seat, Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Locky Ireland is back at the track this weekend for the Australian Nationals. Locky and father Johnny took time out to focus on business, with trips to India for Johnny’s Hog Shop and Vulture Race Engineering even on the agenda. Locky has been able to feed his competitive nature in the meantime by other means, taking to boxing in the Victorian Amateur Boxing Association. “I’ve always done boxing for the fitness so while I had the time off I decided to jump in the ring and have a proper fight, and will I go again, definitely,” he said. Locky hasn’t been the only one going through changes, with the Lucas Oils Pro Stock Motorcycle receiving a brand new Motec data system to help get the most from the bike at the track. “We would come back from a run and dad would ask how it felt and I would give him feedback to say it felt lazy out of the hole or the shift light didn’t come in as I went through the finish,” he said. “Then we would look at the plugs and that was as technical as it got.” A bigger 1640cc two valve motor will be in the frame rails for the event, leading the team to hope for some fast numbers. Locky will be joined on track by his dad, with Johnny teaming up for a partnership ride between Johnny’s Hog Shop Vulture Racing and Niki Z Racing. Johnny will be riding a Screaming Eagle V-Rod in Modified Bike. {fcomment}

Australian Competition Eliminator Championship contenders Craig Geddes and Alistair McClure just can’t be separated ahead of the season finale Australian Nationals at Sydney Dragway October 31 – November 2.

Sydney Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Wayne Newby got his first go in Top Fuel last night courtesy of Rapisarda Autosport International. Here’s a quick video of the pass: Post by Rick Gauci Racing. {fcomment}

The Calder Park Street Outlaws series is in the home stretch with just two more qualifying rounds left before the finale when champions will be crowned. Rounds six and seven are now history and there has been some turbulence at the top of the lists as the main contenders continue to trade blows.

One of the stars of last year’s Australian Nationals, Brett White, will be back aboard his ‘wheels up’ Top Alcohol dragster as his team make a run at their first ANDRA Gold Christmas Tree in the Group 1 class.

Former Australian Top Fuel Motorcycle Champion Chris Porter will make his ANDRA Drag Racing Series return in the season ending Australian Nationals at Sydney Dragway next weekend October 31 – November 2.

Jamie Whincup might not of been hitting the correct numbers during the Bathurst 1000 weekend, but Willowbank Raceway was with a record number of racers turning out for the penultimate round of the 2014 Queensland Drag Racing Championship.

When the Castrol EDGE Gold Coat 600 fires up on the Gold Coast this weekend, it will do so with a touch of drag racing’s dramatic flare thanks to the return of the Friday Night Drags, featuring O’Rourke Motorsport.

The California Hot Rod Reunion, held at Bakersfield’s Famoso Raceway, is an annual pilgrimage for old school racers and fans who seek to relive the glory days of the sport in the USA.

Several Australians are representing ‘down under’ at the annual California Hot Rod Reunion, held at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield.

In the face of John Zappia’s continued dominance of the Top Doorslammer bracket, Holden Trade Club Monaro driver, Maurice Fabietti will be looking to take on Zappia and take home ANDRA gold at the Sydney Dragway’s Australian Nationals.

Perth Motorplex has opened up its drag racing season with its first FAST Series event of the year and first open test and tune.

The momentum continues to increase for the Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Car series with confirmation that Paul Shackleton-owned “Shack Attack” will be driven by US hot-shoe, Clint Thompson at the November 29 Night of Fire event held at Sydney Dragway.

It couldn’t have been any more perfect for Jason Simpson at the Benaraby Nationals last weekend. Racing in his first meeting of the year, never mind his first Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship round for 2014, Simpson claimed the honours in Super Comp, resetting the elapsed time and mile per hour records for G/GA over 1000 feet. “This was my first meeting back for this year so to qualify #1, win and reset both records was awesome,” said an elated Simpson. “The atmosphere was great and the crowd rolled up after work and really got into it, we had a lot of interest in the car from the Ford fans.” The weekend also represented another first for Simpson; his first time racing 1000 feet making his record setting performance even more impressive. “This was my first time running a 1000 feet so we now hold the eighth mile, 1000 feet and quarter mile records for G/GA with both the eighth and 1000 feet records at Benaraby. “The track was good and only got better as the day went on. The upgrades to the track are excellent; the braking area is a massive improvement with the new walls being done. Hopefully next time it will be quarter mile.” Although it was a small field, Simpson credited his fellow Super Comp competitors acknowledging he had to work hard to first take the number one qualifying position and go-rounds during eliminations. “First round I had Ross Bryant in the B/AA and being 1000 feet there was no backing off so I hit the index hard first round knowing I had the bye in the next round, the track was good both sides so lane choice wasn’t a problem. “The final was a close race, I had lowered my index more than Shane (Moran) and with near identical reactions I had to push it all the way backing up both ends of the record, 1.5 under and nearly 4 mph over the speed.” With a win in the bag, Simpson reflected on a great weekend of racing in Central Queensland paying homage to the track staff and officials who made the 2014 Benaraby Nationals a big success. “The track staff were great, always friendly which makes it fun to race there, the ANDRA officials did a great job all weekend and the Silver Christmas Tree looks awesome and is a great addition to the trophy case,” he said. The final round of the Aeroflow Sportsman Drag Racing Championship now moves onto Sydney Dragway for one of the most prestigious races on the calendar, the Australian Nationals to be held October 31 – November 2. Image by Staunch Launch Photography. {fcomment}  

Join Drag News Australia’s Mark “Robot” Shields as he brings you live coverage of today’s QLD Championship round from Willowbank Raceway.

Six times back-to-back ANDRA Top Doorslammer champion John Zappia made history at the Fuchs Springnationals by winning his seventh championship in a row with a finals finish, the most titles any racer has won consecutively.

Rapisarda Autosport International will return for the final round of the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello season to be held at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona on November 13-16, 11 days after the final round of the local ANDRA season at Sydney Dragway.

Hidden Valley Drag Racing Association President Jay Jukes will officially step down from his role at the Association’s upcoming AGM on October 21. The ANDRA Board extends its gratitude to Jay and his team for all of their efforts over the years and wishes Jay the best of luck as he enters the next phase of his life and career. Jukes has been a voluntary contributor to HVDRA for 10 years and his efforts will be sorely missed by everyone at ANDRA and Hidden Valley Drag Strip. “Unfortunately I have changed careers and in the last year or two I have had to increase my commitments at work, plus during that time I’ve had a second son which means double the trouble at home,” said Jukes in a statement issued to HVDRA members. “While I’ve tried to keep the same level of commitment to HVDRA it is going to become increasingly difficult for me and it is not fair to the club unless I can offer 110 per cent. “It has been 10 years since I first became involved with the committee and I am left with so many fond memories over that time.” Jukes has been at the head of the Association during a time of growth for the sport in the Northern Territory culminating in the very first ANDRA Drag Racing Series Championship rounds to be held in the Top End. “We have had many changes over the years and I’m proud of the achievements we have been able to make,” he continued. “We have an all-new drag racing surface; finally we have display boards, plus a burnout pad, new spectator mounds and a host of other improvements in machinery and equipment. “We’ve also seen two ANDRA Drag Racing Series rounds hosted in Darwin in recent years. Everyone should be proud to know Hidden Valley Drag Strip is the only track in Australia that has been able to achieve this with no full time staff.” Jukes also paid tribute to the volunteers, racers and members that have assisted HVDRA to grow during his tenure and urged local businesspersons to become involved in order to take Drag Racing in the Top End to new levels. “As a volunteer non-profit organisation we are only as good as our members. It’s our racers who put on the show, it’s also our volunteers who are there every weekend allowing us to race, it’s the sponsors that allow us to pay prize money or buy that next piece of critical machinery, and it’s the spectators and fans who help make the atmosphere on race day. “For events to be able to continue to succeed we need to see increased member involvement in events both before, during and after. “Today sees events taking on a whole new level. It’s not just about the racing, it’s now about providing an overall entertaining show – Motortainment I’ve heard it called. “With events costing over $200,000, high level strategic stakeholders and a considered focus on delivering tangible benefits to those key stakeholders, the game has changed. “If we are going to continue to grow we need to be looking at the bigger long term vision. I would encourage any good business men or women who are passionate about motorsport and want to see the club continue to grow to consider a position on the committee. “Once again thank you for everyone’s support and dedication and I urge all members, racers, volunteers, sponsors and spectators to support the new committee in the coming season as you did for me over many years.” The ANDRA Board look forward to continuing the positive working relationship with HVDRA to build a bright future for Drag Racing in Darwin. {fcomment}

Steve Harker has become the first drag racer from outside North America to win an NHRA season championship, clinching the Top Alcohol Funny Car title in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was a near perfect weekend for the Australian, winning the delayed Carolina Nationals final, the Reading final and the overall series. As the cherry on top, Harker ran a new personal best of 5.429 seconds at 267mph on his last pass of the weekend. Image courtesy Harker Motorsport Facebook. {fcomment}

The Fuchs Springnationals at Adelaide International Raceway featured a Lamattina lockout in the Top Fuel final and it was older brother Phil who got the win, as well as the ANDRA Championship points lead, after one of the most successful events ever for the LTFR team.

Grant O’Rourke has broken through for his first ever event win at Adelaide International Raceway on Sunday, taking the Top Doorslammer Springnationals victory over six-time champion John Zappia.

Phil Lamattina has regained the advantage in Top Fuel, John Zappia won his seventh Top Doorslammer Championship as a runner up to Grant O’Rourke and Luke Crowley virtually assured back-to-back titles in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the Fuchs Spring Nationals on Sunday.

Tremaniac Racing got the win they were looking for during the ANDRA Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Round 4 at the Benaraby Nationals. 

It was a Lamattina one-two while Stuart Bishop and Luke Crowley stole the top qualifying position on their final passes to take the momentum into eliminations on Sunday.

Super Comp promised fireworks at Adelaide International Raceway and it delivered with at least nine National 1000 feet records under threat.