Phil Lamattina went for the ride of his life June 6, 2015. Unfortunately for the veteran Australian Top Fuel driver, it was also the last time he's driven his 300-mile per hour Top Fuel dragster.

Lamattina crashed during qualifying at the Australian National Drag Racing Association's Winter Nationals at Willowbank Raceway, and the impact appeared almost a carbon copy of the same one Larry Dixon experienced last season at the NHRA Gatornationals.

Lamattina crushed the L3 vertebra, which was replaced. Doctors implanted two rods to support the newly replaced area. He also experienced a fracture of the T6, which is between the shoulder blades.

Lamattina was in the Rapisarda International team's pits at the AAA NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis supporting fellow Aussie driver Wayne Newby.

"I’m feeling okay," said Lamattina. "If I don’t overdo it, I’m fine. You know if you do something a little bit silly, I just, I classify myself as I’ve just got a bit of a sore back. I’ve just got to look after it. Apart from that, I’m okay."

Lamattina admits he rarely thinks about the accident and doesn't totally rule out a return to driving one day.

"If I stick around here, I think I might," Lamattina admitted. "But if I stay away I think I should be fine. Being here yesterday and today has sort of ignited it."

Lamattina understands drag racing is an addiction which never truly leaves the heart of a drag racer.

"Yeah, you could say that," Lamattina said. "I think what ends up happening is you’re not distracted by something else, filling that time, you’ll always continue to think about it. But I’ve sort of kept myself busy with the family and doing the other sporting stuff back at home. And sort of that’s filled the void. Yeah, sort of like coming back here now, that’s what opens that book back up again."