The opening round of the Direct Mining and Industrial Summer Slam Series takes place this weekend as part of the Prestige Lock Services Goldenstates at Perth Motorplex.

A full eight car field has lined up for the event in a show of support for the home grown Top Doorslammer series.

Kelvin Lyle’s Ford Mustang is coming off a win at the Shannons Powerpalooza, with plenty of horsepower on board to run deep into the five second zone. Carrying the Direct Mining and Industrial name aboard his 400kmh ride, Lyle is definitely one of the favourites for success.

But he will have to fend off the man who built his engine, John Zappia. The Fuchs/Dananni Hotshots Monaro has just set a new national record of 5.60 seconds in Sydney and with some new things to test in his tune up, the fan favourite Zappia will be one to watch.

Also returning from Sydney are Pino Priolo and Marty Dack – race fit and ready to rumble. Priolo was unlucky to lose a wild first round encounter at the East Coast Thunder event against Queensland’s Steve Ham, while Dack endured a weekend of mechanical problems he is hoping will be resolved for Perth.

Ryan Moresby went oh so close to the five second zone in Darwin during the Perth off season, look for him to take the magic barrier on Saturday! It’s also great to welcome back Shane Catalano, with the ‘Rude Stude’ returning after some time away to be a part of the Direct Mining and Industrial Summer Slam fun.

Adding some interstate spice will be the Northern Territory’s Matt Abel, racing his 57 Chev. Abel reached the final round at the Alice Springs Desert Nationals in July, with the team finally finding some niggling issues with the car.

Non-stop adrenaline is the order of the day for Abel, who will be doing double duty by also driving Rory Taylor’s ‘Nitro Thunder’ Outlaw Nitro Funny Car (not to mention supervising three Junior Dragsters driven by his kids Danielle, Aidan and Michelle).

The nitro show is going to be a bunch of fun, with the popular ‘Beach Bomb’ back to rock the Motorplex with driver Andrew Katavatis at the wheel, along with Emma Begley in ‘Groov’n’ and Frank Taylor in the Andrew Minogue-owned Ford Mustang.

Whatever your drag racing flavour, make sure you are at Perth Motorplex this Saturday to see over 160 teams attack the track. Qualifying from 10am with the feature program commencing from 6pm.