The final looked to be a corker on paper with the two quickest cars facing off. On the green Cowin (above) received a slight advantage off the line (.092 to .106) however at the sixty foot mark Read had passed him with .838 to .864 incrementals. By half track the two were neck and neck 3.130 to 3.133 with Cowin being slightly faster - 270 to 262 mph then as with synchronised swimming both engines threw their blower belts and it was Cowin who coasted quicker -- 4.84/232 to the finish line over a second best 5.07/203.

TOP DOORSLAMMER (PRO MODIFIED)

To start with, one of the biggest fields ever of these blown beasts (17 cars) were vying for just eight spots. Rain certainly played havoc with these guys as they had to run three qualifiers on the one day as the Friday session was rained out and in the end only half of the cars were through their last session when the rained returned.

Ben Bray's flopper has a face only a mother could love -- shark face. After all sorts of problems in qualifying, he managed to make his way to the final where he took out Dean Oakey's dragster.

The first session saw good runs including John Zappia in his HQ Holden with a 6.08, Brett Stevens in a Studebaker with a 6.10 then Gary Phillips also in a Studie back on a 6.25 while Steve Stanic (in a '68 Camaro) and Victor Bray (in a '57 Chevy) both ran 6.29s. In the second session current champ (and Indy participant) Ben Bray stepped up with a 6.26 and Deno Brijeski ('68 Camaro) ran a 6.38. In first round action an up in smoke contest saw Ben Bray go down to Stanic 7.10 to 7.44, while Bray Senior felt the lash from Phillips in a 6.07 to 6.2 tussle. A very sleepy Brijeski wasted a 6.05 thanks to a .364 r.t. to Stevens's .122 activated 6.12 while Zappia showed evidence of his brilliance when a 6.017 (the quickest ever pass until then in Oz) stamped out a second best 9.97.

Brett Stevens ran back to back 6.09 and 6.10s in qualifying, however in his semi-final race against Gary Phillips, his 6.21 had no answer for his opponent's 6.04 and he was left to flutter to a stop with his sponsor's chutes trailing.