Top Fuel racer Darren Morgan wants to make his comeback this Friday and Saturday in the best possible fashion – with a win at round two of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway.

Morgan and his crew have built his new Rocket Industries/Wicked Quick dragster from scratch to have it ready for a test run today ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying, less than three weeks after the Boxing Day crash that saw his Top Fuel machine completely destroyed in Sydney.

Morgan walked away with no injuries except a briefly sore finger, but the team has had a long haul ahead of them to get the new car built and the accompanying parts inventory together for their Willowbank Raceway assault this weekend - today proving they have risen to the task.

Top Fuel racer Darren Morgan wants to make his comeback this Friday and Saturday in the best possible fashion – with a win at round two of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway.

Morgan and his crew have built his new Rocket Industries/Wicked Quick dragster from scratch to have it ready for a test run today ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying, less than three weeks after the Boxing Day crash that saw his Top Fuel machine completely destroyed in Sydney.

Morgan walked away with no injuries except a briefly sore finger, but the team has had a long haul ahead of them to get the new car built and the accompanying parts inventory together for their Willowbank Raceway assault this weekend - today proving they have risen to the task.

“It has been a hard couple of weeks and everyone has put their two bobs in to help,” said Morgan.

“Now it is all here and we are ready to race, and ready to win.

“I am here to hunt the victory, that is for sure – it is the least we can try and do for everyone that has taken the time and effort to help us put everything together in the very small space of time that we had.

“I have been asked if I am going to be cautious on the startline, or thinking about the last time we went out, but I won’t be – I won’t have time and you just have to empty your mind on the startline and go for it, go for the win.

“I haven’t even seen all the footage yet with the thrash to get everything together, so no I haven’t been dwelling on it and it won’t be on my mind on the line – all I will be thinking about is doing my job for that four seconds to get it down the line and hopefully come out on top.”

Morgan’s race against time began when the wheel studs of his rear right wheel sheared off after the Rocket Industries/Wicked Quick dragster left the startline in Sydney, sending the dragster into the wall and onto its side, completely destroying the car in the process.

“The car seemed to leave the line really good, and then I thought I had blown a tyre but it turned out the wheel studs had sheared off and the rest is history,” said Morgan.

“It wasn’t scary though how everyone thinks it would have been – when it comes down to it, it is business – and it was slow, taking 11 seconds whereas a normal run in these machines is four seconds.

“What was scary was knowing that my wife and everyone didn’t know I was okay, but apart from that I wasn’t worried and all I had afterwards was a sore finger, and that is hardly even worth talking about as it was fine after a hour!

“ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing Association - the sports National governing body) has very stringent safety conditions, and we run top equipment from Simpson which is supplied through our sponsor Rocket Industries – the sport is really very safe.

“Safety is always the thing - no one wants to get hurt and all the teams and the sport and the tracks are committed to the high safety standards and that is why I was able to walk away and be here today – ready to try and take the win.”

Round two of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series will see Morgan and his fellow Top Fuel comrades joined by Top Bike racers and the USA vs AUS Nitro Funny Car Showdown in a nitro invasion. Also on track will be five Pro Stock machines completing exhibition runs and 150 plus sportsman racers.

Willowbank Raceway Managing Director Steve Bettes said the combination of Top Fuel, Top Bike and the Nitro Funny Cars was a combination that had not been seen in Australia for many years.

“We here at Willowbank Raceway are extremely excited to have all three of these Nitro brackets on track together over the next two days, making a combination that has not been seen for a long time and is sure to put on the ‘fireworks’ for the fans,” said Bettes.

“I am also very happy to see that Darren Morgan will be lining up amongst the Top Fuel competitors after his dragster destroying crash in Sydney on Boxing Day.

“He and his team have made a massive effort to be ready this Friday and Saturday and I wish them all the best for their campaign at the final round of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series.”