Resident Australian racers such as Jim Read and Graeme Cowin have proved that we have what it takes to win against the best in the world. And just so that we clarify ourselves here - when we talk of the best we are referring to the National Hot Rod Association.

In 1982 Read became the first foreigner to ever top qualify at a national event in the US when he drove R.J. Trotter's fuel dragster at the 1982 NHRA Winternationals. Read top qualified, set low ET, and broke the track record all using his own running gear and crew. Unfortunately the streak ended in the first round when he lost to Jeb Alien with a busted transmission.

Five years later Graeme Cowin took on King Kenny Bernstein in Funny Car at the 1987 NHRA Winternationals. Having qualified 12th with a 5.68, Cowin defeated Raymond Beadle, Tim Grose and John Martin. In the final Cowin's "Aussie Raider" lifted a blower and lost.

More recently Cowin's son Andrew went on to become the quickest teenager in the world and scored two runner-ups in Top Fuel at the 1999 US Nationals, and again at the 2001 NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals in their K&N Filters entry.

And then there is Steve Harker. The Brisbane trucking company owner went racing in the Federal-Mogul Series in 1999 with a brand new Brad Anderson Dodge Avenger, making it through to two finals at the Autozone Nationals in October that year and again in 2000 at the NHRA Motol.net Nationals.

With the return home of Graeme and Andrew Cowin following Bristol's Mac Tools Thunder Nationals, Harker continues to fly the Aussie flag in the US, competing in five events in the space of just over a month.

The all-Aussie team consists of Steve and Jenelle Harker, along with Bryan Marsden, enjoying his third tour of duty, and clutch man Mark Arnold who is on his second session.

Despite the NHRA's National Dragster giving Harker 12:1 odds for their first race at Bristol, and the new PSI overdrive rules, the team went all the way to the final in their Spectra Thermo-King Dodge, defeating a red lighting Todd Veney for the title. From out of the plane Steve Harker became the first residential Aussie to win a NHRA event.

Yes, Wally Clark, now living in Canada, won four NHRA Super Stock titles as far back as 1979. Yes, Bernie Cunningham took his "Aussie" Trans Am into the winner's circle at the 2001 Winternationals, but he now calls California home. Yes, Troy Critchley scored a victory in Pro Mod, but that was with the IHRA. And yes, Peter Russo has a title that reads the 1999 World Funny Car Champion, but that was with the AHRA.

"We were rapt with the results, especially with the fact that I had been out of the seat since Houston last year," said Harker. "The rules changes, dropping the overdrive limits from 125 percent to 92, were basically instigated to encourage the Rootes IHRA cars over to NHRA events.

The IHRA races are attracting over 20 cars to their events but so far this season only Von Smith and Jimmy Rector have appeared at an NHRA event. Bob Newberry has been switching combinations between the two sanctioning bodies but overall I think that it has backfired so far. The ratio of PSI cars to Rootes is close to 9:1. Also, while it was supposed to make it easier on parts, all it has done is make it harder. We're crossing the line at close to 10,000 rpm at 250 mph [402 kmh].

"We lost about 300 horsepower with the rules change. So we all went back into the clutch can and started playing around with transmission ratios. We have a good tune-up from Brad Anderson but the rest has to come from trial and error. The cars are really aggressive now with the low gearing and it has caught me out on a few runs.

"The cars are shaking a lot, much like the old Rootes cars. They have become very erratic and unpredictable. The window is now very small. At a race where the conditions are consistent on the outside, all of a sudden the car goes from a good pass to up in tyre smoke.

"Another recent change as a result over the overdrive loss has been the move back to slicks with tubes and liners. They are about 25 lb heavier but allow us to move the weight around better for improved transfer. Goodyear doesn't make anything but beadlock tyres so some of the racers, including us, have gone over to Hoosiers. So far the results have shown that with them the car is easier to get down the track."

On Harker's first qualifying pass at Bristol, it shook, spun the tyres and headed for the concrete wall. Jay Payne took the number one with a 5.75 while Harker sat in seventh with a 10.44 ET. The second session saw an improvement to the number three spot with a 5.848 at 245 mph [394]. Payne remained numero uno. In the final session Frank Manzo moved up the ladder from second spot and bumped Payne back with a 5.74.

"We softened the clutch to try and calm her down a bit," explained Harker. "I wasn't too fussed about my reactions because I was on a par with everyone else. The cars are slower to react."

In the first round Harker faced Bobby Baucom. Both cars struck tyre shake but Harker crossed the stripe ahead with a 6.03 at only 212 mph [341]. "I saw him disappear from my side window which meant I was ahead. As soon as I shut down I said to myself, 'You idiot,' but he never came round."

The second round clash with Payne was a great drag race. The Australian took the start with a .508 reaction to the local's .525. The win margin was just 0.025 of a second in favour of Harker when Payne got close to the centreline. A 5.83 defeated a 5.84!

In the final it was messy. New kid Todd Veney was hyped up to the max and doublestepped the throttle. The result was a .223 reaction and a big red light. Harker was shaken by the early leave, reacting with a .609 light before short shifting to a 5.84 at 245 mph [394].

"The way that the cars are right now, they're all pretty tight. On the old rules my previous best times were 5.66 at 253 mph [407]. Under the new rules I think consistent mid-seventies are what it takes. With that I guess we're right on the pace. I was confident that we could have run a seventy this weekend in the final. She was a bit rich against Payne but the red light from Veney just threw me off."

One week later Harker and crew were in Atlanta, Georgia. The first pass down the track for the Advance Auto parts Southern Nationals almost spelt big trouble for the Aussie veteran. After changing the transmission ratio, the combination of good air and more power saw the car shake hard and get out of the groove.

"I got pretty close to the wall," said Harker. "I reckon I was about 2 in. from the exhaust headers touching concrete. With 11 cars in attendance Harker sat in 10th with a 10.46 ET. Frank Manzo set the pace with a number one 5.73 at 252 mph [405].

Session two saw Harker experience more tyre shake: "As soon as I shook I shifted but she just blew the tyres off. A 7.68 was an improvement but the Bristol winner was 11th. For the final qualifier Harker moved up to fifth spot with a 5.77 at 250 mph [402]. Jay Payne sat on pole with a 5.70.

"One of the biggest challenges since we have been back has been getting used to the conditions. During a three day race the weather can change dramatically. Yeah, I should be used to it with Melbourne weather but at Atlanta the temperature moved around from 65 degrees to over 90! We usually qualify in the morning when the air is 700 ft. Then during eliminations it's in the midday heat. It all comes down to clutch and ratios."

In the first round Harker met up with Bobby Baucom again. The local put a holeshot on the foreigner but didn't quite have the horsepower to finish off the job. A 5.85 at 248 mph [399] defeated a 6.06.

With a good tune-up in the Dodge Harker was looking good for the second round against Frank Manzo. The American veteran was away first but for the rest of the ride the two cars were glued together. In the final 300 ft. Manzo had the power to take the win with a 5.79 beating a 5.81 from the Australian. The winning margin was 0.044 of a second.

"We had a handle on the tune-up," said Harker, "but lack of track time caught me out when I short shifted on the one-two change. It's just a habit that as soon as I feel the car start to shake I go for the shift. Maybe had I hung on a little longer I could have caught him." Manzo went on to win the event.

"We have a week off," said Harker after the Atlanta race, "before our next event at Englishtown. It will be another national event for us and while we are supposed to do more divisional meets than the one were doing, I don't think we'll be in too much trouble. With the number of cars they have been attracting, I think they need all the cars they can get.

"We're living a dream. Winning a national event was something I won't forget ever. We are accepted as drag racers and to be congratulated by racers who I look up to is very special. After Atlanta, a Canadian racer came up to me and told me that he has been racing NHRA since 1973. He recently won his first Super Comp title. I'm very lucky to be able to do this and I'm also very lucky to have a team to help.

"After I return home, we'll see what pans out with the business and make a decision. If things work out then the plan is to come back for the US Nationals and stay until Pomona. Mark Brew is keen to help out as is Pete who has also helped in the past. With two more hands on the crew it will take some of the pressure from us as the other guys won't be able to afford the whole stint away.

"Hopefully next year, we would like to get a lot more serious, especially while we have this opportunity. We miss the kids but they are involved with university, college or work.

"Instead of us picking the events to suit our time we would like to pick the races, both divisional and national, in the hope for a Top 10 finish. And that may mean starting out in February/March instead of May.

"We are all very proud to be Australian and proud of our achievements. The ovation we got from Bristol was a real surprise. I'd also like to thank everyone back home for the phone calls and e-mails of congratulations. We all appreciate it and hope to see you all at the Winternationals."

For those who want to keep in touch with the Harker crew drop into www.harker.com.au and head out to the Motorsport section.