JUST ON 50 brave souls from all over Australia fronted up at a cold Calder Park Raceway this morning for Day One of the 2015 Street Machine Drag Challenge. Some cars drove in through the front gates under their own steam, some arrived on trailers, but all will leave under their own power this afternoon, headed for South Coast Raceway in Portland. Here’s how the field is shaping up:

Terry Seng and the Paramount Performance crew are leading the early charge. Terry rolled through for a lazy 12-second pass, then came back out with a stonking 7.8-second run at 166mph.

Adam Rogash from MPW is also looking strong, with an 8.3-second pass at 167mph and then an 8.2@166mph. Will we see a seven-second pass before long out of this brand-new combo?

Mark Clifford’s stunning 600ci Mustang is down from FNQ and went a 9.6@143mph early.

One of two cool patina-encrusted HQ utes on Drag Challenge is Rodney Browitt’s NOCOIN. It is running in Blown Outlaw class and ran a 9.6@139mph.

Under the hood of NOCOIN is a single-turbo 370ci LQ9 mill.

Harry Haig has given POP666 an HQ SS-style makeover. Harry ran a 9.0@167mph, with much more to come.

And of course, Harry is planning on doing some fishing on the way, so he’s brought a tinny instead of a box trailer!

2014 Drag Challenge veteran Alysha Teale ran a 12.0@110mph in her HQ.

Tristan Triccas ran a 9.6@139mph in his ROARY Capri. Tristan is the reigning champ in the Street Radial Aspirated class.

Carl Taylor’s 409-powered ’62 Chev bubbletop is a fearsome DYO warrior. He has already run a 10.7@124mph.

Jon Mitchell’s ’70 Challenger smoking it up

Noel Inman’s tall Model T has raced at tracks all over the country. He has already ripped off some massive skids and run an 11.2@114mph.

John Di Mauro’s single-turbo LS-powered HQ ute is down from Toowoomba.

Reining champ Quentin Feast’s twin-turbo Torana.

Todd Foley’s roof-rack game is strong. His plastic-powered VH ran a 9.7@137mph early.

Brad Keem’s turbo EFI Hemi six-powered Charger has run a 10.3@139mph.

All the way from WA is Brad Pettitt and his small block-powered EH.

Adam Lynch’s tonner is down from Sydney and ran a 10.0@132mph.

John Kerr’s Comet is another awesome DYO racer and has put down an 11.1@120mph on an early run.

Luke Foley’s twin-turbo LS VH is pulling a trailer this year and has run a couple of low nines this morning.

Leighton Kelson’s Chevelle is a stunner and ran an 11.2@117mph early.