I had a fantastic week, which started with a golf day, involved some drag racing, team testing and ended with good baby news.

As a golfer I make a very good race car driver. Golf tests my patience and frustrates me, but the need to be strong mentally helps, as it is something you need when driving a car, so it was good training in a way.

The day raised over $19 000 for the SA Bank Charity Trust, unfortunately we didn’t come close to winning on the day. Wade Ormsby who was scheduled to be my partner was playing on tour, in Italy so that was a big loss.

Drag racing was awesome! TV just doesn’t do the sport justice and I was much more into it than I thought I would be.

I spent most of the time with the Lamattina brothers and got right into the thick of things, when I stood between two of the dragsters at the start line. It was intense, those things shake the ground, it felt like my internal organs were rattling, and my eyes were watering from the Nitro. It probably wasn’t healthy but it was fun.

I actually beat Phil Lamattina, driving a Holden V8 Ute and spent the rest of the night rubbing salt into the wounds. I was talking up how funny it would be if I beat him at his own sport before the race and was a little surprised when it did happen.

Over the last two days we had testing at Winton and, we ended up quickest yesterday, producing the same times that HRT and HSV did on the Monday so things are looking up.

We have made massive changes to the handling and the general setup of the car, and although we are quicker in some areas we are still struggling in others, but the car has improved and with a couple more improvements before Winton I am confident of a good performance.

Winton is not my favourite track, but we have performed well there in the past. I was really competitive last year, missing poll by just 0.018 and taking out a race, which I hope to do again.

This weekend I will head back to NZ to go Karting, in an effort to get more kids involved and inspire them. I managed to rope Paul Dumbrell into coming over as well, and he will be my opposition in the 2 hour endurance race.

Both Paul and I will drive each of our Karts for one hour of the race. He will drive a twin engine, while I will drive a single engine, obviously his will be quicker but it will also be heavier on fuel and tyres so I am hoping to be competitive.

We will be racing at Carrs Rd in Christchurch, and welcome attendance, but I would advise fans to get there by 11am.

Char’s pregnancy is going very well. We are at 27 weeks now and the baby is healthy and kicking really strong, so everything is looking good in that area of my life.

Well i have won my first drag race against phil lamattina who was fresh from doing a 4.66 past in his top fuel rail. In my holden ute i did 13.7 while ph

il was in the mid 14’s i have to say i am rapt. Good fun but his rocket scares me, check out the size of the fuel line in mms pic it delivers 80gal per m

in to make the 7000hp!