Funny Car standout Justin Walshe will be looking to extend his points lead when the NDRC series travels to the Perth Motorplex for the 49th annual Goldenstates meeting, November 24-25.

Walshe, who won his first Australian title in Competition Eliminator in 2007, was making only his third start in Funny Car when he scored an upset win over NHRA star Tommy Johnson in the A-Final of the opening round of the 2023-2024 season at Sydney Dragway last month.

Aeroflow Performance Product teammates Morice McMillin and Brandon Gosbell will be keen to atone for a disappointing result in round 1, where they ended up battling it out in the C-Final won by McMillin after Gosbell red-lit. 

Adam Murrihy, who made his debut at the 2023 Winternationals, is poised to make his mark as a serious contender if his more fancied rivals should stumble. A two-time Australian champ in Supercharged Outlaws, the Northern Territory racer opened the season with a win in the B-Final against Western Australian Anthony Begley.  

There will be no more popular winner this season than if Begley were to win the Goldenstates in front of his home crowd. ‘Beggs’ and team owner Rod Bailey have championed Funny Car as a Pro level category in Australia for more than 15 years and have also raced on the NHRA tour.

Top Alcohol last appeared as a championship event at the Motorplex in March 2017 has attracted five local entries along with series leader Russell Mills from Queensland.

Mills will have a busy couple of weeks. Traveling cross-country to Perth, then onto Sydney Dragway the following weekend for the Christmas Top Fuel Showdown meeting before returning home - a round trip of 5800 miles.

“Going to Perth and then heading right back to Sydney for the next event only six days later is, of course, a huge ask, but I am lucky that I can do it," said Mills. "I have always wanted to race in Perth and we should get the car back to Sydney with one day spare to prepare, so hopefully all goes to plan.”

Western Australia has become the epicenter for Doorslammer racing in Australia in recent years, thanks to a flourishing domestic series having eight entries, including John Zappia and husband and wife duo Daniel and Lisa Gregorini. Victorian veteran Peter Kapiris, Ronnie Palumbo from N.S.W. and Matt Abel from the Northern Territory head the interstate invasion.

All eyes in qualifying will be on the all-women team of Lisa Gregorini, chasing their first-ever win in Doorslammer up against Palumbo who made his 'Slammer debut in Round 1. The duo will race off to decide the winner of the A-Final from the previous round at The Bend, which ended in bizarre fashion when neither racer could start in the final. 

Either will be a worthy winner.