Drag-and-drive events are some of the toughest and most rewarding racing you will ever do. The sense of achievement that comes from building a swift street car and then driving it from track to track, lifting wheels and hitting PBs cannot be overstated. Daniel Case and Daniel Düll know this, and that’s why they’ve put together their own road-and-track adventure called Allstars Drag & Drive. 

Dan Case has done Street Machine Drag Challenge a bunch of times in his small-block Chev-powered Torana, and he saw the need for a local event in South East Queensland that tested entrants without them needing to travel 2000km south. “There are a lot of radial cars up here that are street cars,” he says. “When we toyed with the idea and asked a few guys, they were all dead keen to the point where we had no option, because everyone was like, ‘Hurry up; get it done.’”

First published in the September 2026 issue of Street Machine

In 2025, the two Dans dipped their toes in the water to see if the idea would work, and that first Allstars event was so well received that this year’s second outing sold out in just 25 minutes. 

“The way we see it, if you want to do a really deep drag-and-drive where you do five tracks and torture the car, you do Drag Challenge. If you want to drink beers and muck around, you do some of the other local events. But if you want something in between, with prepped tracks and decent drives, you come to Allstars,” Dan says. Just over 200 entrants signed up for the 2026 Allstars, with 186 turning up on Day One to compete in one of the 10 classes across three days of high-intensity action, starting and finishing at Willowbank Raceway, with a trip to Warwick Dragway and back in between.

Half of the classes were split by tyre size and/or boost, while the remainder were fixed index classes for those running 8.50, 9.50, 10.50 or 11.50. Basically, if you couldn’t run quicker than a 12.0 over the quarter-mile, there wasn’t much point in showing up.

At the pointy end of the boosted classes, you needed a low-seven-second average to even be in the running for the top trophy, but all eyes were on Adam Rogash’s STRIPSHOW Capri, with Adam planning on running sixes (or the eighth-mile equivalent) at every track. The test session on Thursday afternoon put everyone on notice when Adam ran a 6.70@217mph – a great start to his campaign.

“We’d just travelled 1600 kays to be there, so to be able to let go of the button and just go down as smooth as what we wanted was a relief,” Adam said afterwards. “We got a good night’s sleep that night.”

Plenty of other racers also took the opportunity to work out a few bugs and get some test hits down the quarter. There were plenty of respectable passes lighting up the boards, including 2025 Drag Challenge winner Brandon Zito getting off it early for a 7.89, William Yarwood’s 2JZ Corolla running a 7.72, and Jason Mansweto clocking an 8.94 naturally aspirated in his old XY ute.

Allstars proper kicked off on Friday at Willowbank, followed by a circuitous drive to Warwick Dragway for Day Two, and then returning to Willowbank via Beaudesert for the final day’s racing, with a total road trip of about 500km. Racers were blessed with very reasonable Queensland weather for Day One, with some high clouds and temps just over 20 degrees – cool for the locals, but just perfect for those who had travelled up from Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide. A pair of local legends, Steve Carkeet and William Yarwood, got things started, with the nitrous big-block HQ of Carkeet firing down the track for an 8.75@154mph, while Yarwood’s Corolla pulled to the side with mechanical issues – the start of a long weekend for him.

One of the big differences between Drag Challenge and Allstars is the latter’s one-second reaction time rule. If your reaction time exceeds one second, the amount of time above one second is added to your car’s ET if you hand in that timeslip. It’s a rule that has been used at Hot Rod Drag Week and Sick Week in the States over the past few years, and the two Dans reckoned it made sense for Allstars. “That was more or less to try and speed things up. We did some calculations prior to see how many more passes an hour we could get by speeding up the proceedings,” Dan Case says. “Also, as a spectator in the grandstand, watching cars leave the startline together is far more enjoyable than watching one guy leave.”

It certainly put a lot more pressure on the racers at the startline, and some needed to hit the staging lanes again to improve their reaction times, but by the end of the day, some entrants were just forced to go with what they had.

To no one’s surprise, the quickest car of Day One was Adam Rogash and his big-block Capri. With a pair of 315 radials under the rear, Adam’s Capri was running in the Unlimited class, and he was in the staging lanes early to try to get a solid pass in before the track got too hot. It was a good plan, with the Capri rocketing down the track for a 6.73@218mph to set a new ET and mile-per-hour record for an Australian drag-and-drive event.

Adam wasn’t the only one having a good time, with 12 racers laying down seven-second passes on Day One – a pretty decent effort in anyone’s vocabulary.

Once the day’s racing was done and dusted, everyone hit the mandatory route north to the first photo-stop checkpoint for parmies and beers at the Bottletree Hotel in Glamorgan Vale, before heading to the second checkpoint at Superior Racing in Toowoomba. From there, it was a straight shot down the New England Highway south to Warwick Dragway. In a normal car, that would be around a three-hour trip, but in a hot street car with multiple stops for photos, food, or even just to stretch the legs, it was closer to five hours – more than enough to test the mettle of any streeter. 

It was a tad cooler in Warwick for Day Two of Allstars, thanks to the higher elevation and some cloud cover, and the plan was to run the cars over the eighth-mile instead of the quarter. “We reckon it makes it more of a challenge for the fixed index classes running it as an eighth-mile,” Dan Case says. Racers in the four fixed classes of 8.50, 9.50, 10.50 and 11.50 needed to aim for 5.50, 6.00, 6.50 and 7.50 respectively over the eighth to hit their numbers for Day Two.

Clearly, the traction was pretty good at Warwick, because eight cars ran into the fours – more than in the entire history of Drag Challenge!

Leading the charge once again was Adam Rogash, who was put into a quarantine section in the pits, along with the top three entrants from each class. This meant they weren’t allowed to get a helping hand or parts from other racers in the pits; only the people travelling in each race car or other quarantined entrants could help. So, it was all up to Adam and his passenger Austin, but the benefit was they didn’t have to line up with everyone else; all racers in quarantine got an express lane to the startline.

“I think quarantine is a bloody awesome idea,” Adam reckoned. “It means that as soon as we want to make a hit, we can roll out there. So, if we’ve had problems on the road and we miss our first session, we can still roll out whenever we like. It takes that stress and anxiety out of it.”

As it turned out, Adam did break a couple of rockers out on the road, and he managed to source some replacements from Mark Whitla before hitting the track on Day Two.

“We didn’t know what the track was going to be like, so we said, ‘Well, what do we need to run?’ So, we literally put a tune-up in it that’s been 4.48 before.”

That strategy was right on the money, with the Capri going 4.50@171mph over the eighth. Brandon Zito in his green LC Torana was a couple of tenths behind with a 4.74, while Trent Brimble’s VL sedan nipped at their heels with a 4.80.

The first checkpoint for Day Two saw the drag-and-drive horde cruise back down the highway and then across to Oz Torque Automotive in Beaudesert, before heading on back to Willowbank via a stop at the BP servo in North Maclean. 

Back at Willowbank Raceway, the final day started off cool and overcast, but despite the low track temps, the action was hot, hot, hot.

Jason Kenny’s bright yellow VN got things started with a 7.59@183mph, which was good enough to lock in third spot in the Forced 28 class. He wasn’t the only one into the sevens either, with 13 cars handing in a seven-second timecard for Day Three. Remember when Top Doorslammers were running sevens? Sure, it was 30 years ago, but even so, to have so many street cars running that quick is quite an achievement.

Then there was Adam Rogash, who skipped straight over the seven-second zone to finish the event having run sixes each day (with that 4.50 eighth-mile pass at Warwick the equivalent of a six over the quarter). Knowing that he had the advantage of the quarantine lane, Adam let some warmth get into the track before making his first pass, and the Capri breezed down the track to run a 6.64@219mph, resetting the national drag-and-drive once more. 

Naturally, for an overachiever like Adam, that wasn’t enough. Back in the pits, they cooled down the trans, checked all the rockers and put the full-send tune into the ECU before heading back to the lanes. Adam already had the overall win in the bag – with Brandon Zito running a new PB of 7.18@196mph to finish second and Trent Brimble snagging third with a 7.27@189mph – so he didn’t really need to stomp on the record yet again, but he did it anyway.

Off the line, the Capri was fairly relaxed over the 60-foot with a 1.22 short time, but then the power came in; at half-track, the timers stopped at 4.35, and then just over two seconds later, Adam was crossing the line for a 6.56@219mph – a new PB for the car that also broke the Australian drag-and-drive record for the third time in three days. It doesn’t matter which way you look at it – quickest single time; quickest average – Adam’s Capri is unequivocally Australia’s quickest street car.

By any measure, the second Allstars Drag & Drive was a massive success, and Dan Case and Dan Düll – and their respective partners Megan and Amy – need to be commended for creating such a massive event and doing it so well.

In fact, entrants are already talking about next year. “They’re already going, when’s the next one?” Dan Case laughs. “It’ll be the same time next year probably, but we might add a few more spots.”

TOP 10 OVERALL

HIGHWAY STARS

Disco Dean Ferris came second in the Pro 8.50 index class at Allstars 2025, and went one better this year to take the class win ahead of David McLeish’s Lexus IS200. Dean’s 1970 Escort van runs a built Barra with a Turbosmart 78/90 turbo, E85 fuel, and a Powerglide/9in driveline. “It has a PB of 7.80 over the quarter, and while the car is built to run 1000hp, I turn it down to 800hp to keep it reliable – I can’t afford to blow it up,” he said

Jason Davidson’s Camaro went through three gearboxes at Drag Challenge 2025, but that hasn’t put him off the drag-and-drive game one iota! Jason ran a best of 10.28 at Allstars, but he and crewmate Greg Semple were already eyeing their next adventure: “After this, we’ll be heading to the US to race at Bonneville in Chris Mursick’s Karmann Ghia.” Jason met Chris and fellow Americans Keith Turk and Dave Freiburger when they brought out three Camaros to race at Lake Gairdner’s Speed Week in 2017

Kate Woodbridge used Allstars as an awesome practice run for Drag Challenge later this year in her stunning XP hardtop, powered by a 363ci BK Race Engines SBF making 650hp, backed by a Bob Grant C4. The front end is full of RRS goodies, while a McDonald Brothers four-link lives out back. The XP ran a best of 10.87 at Willowbank on Day Three, and Kate plans to run in 235 Aspirated at DC

Mick McMullen was another Drag Challenge veteran at Allstars in his stunning Charger. “It’s been a great car,” Mick said. “The Indy-headed 408ci engine was built by Kevin Kent in 2019, and it has done 330 passes since then!” Backed by a 727 and running 235 M/T ET Street R rubber, the Val ran a best of 10.66 on Day Three in the aspo 235/255 class

There were plenty of Nissans and Datsuns running all sorts of powerplants at Allstars, but Mitch Hamilton’s Datto 1600 wagon was the only one with Mitsubishi power! Last time we saw the wagon was at Drag Challenge Weekend 2018 with CA18DET power, but the new set-up is on another level, making 925hp at the hubs, thanks in part to a 78/80 turbo and nitrous. With a Powerglide auto, HiLux diff and 1120kg fighting weight, Mitch managed an 8.65sec best but would like to see the wagon crack a seven

Matt O’Meley’s sweet HX One Tonner is powered by a pump-fuel 436ci small-block, backed by a ’Glide and 4.11 9in. Allstars was the first proper drag event for the Canberran, and with the HX running an 11.23 best, he was hungry for more: “As soon as we get home, it’s getting a new converter and heads; we’ve learned a lot on this trip.” Matt and his crewmate, 2015 SMOTY winner Nathan Booth, packed super light, with just a tool bag, rattle gun and jack behind the seats. “I didn’t want to scratch the tray,” Matt laughed

Dave Ritchie’s EB GT replica is based on a Fairmont Ghia and has been in his custody for 21 years! “I bought it with the Vortech V-2 blower on it; it was pretty basic,” Dave said. The EB now runs a rebuilt 347ci Windsor with Dart heads, Link ECU, LS coils and a Bob Grant BTR auto, with a best of 10.80@126mph at Allstars. Dave was ably assisted over the weekend by his crew chief, his 10-year-old son Corey

Adam Rogash’s 572ci big-block Capri ran sixes all weekend to set a new Aussie drag-and-drive record, and with the quarantine set-up at Allstars, only Adam and his passenger Austin Button were allowed to work on the car in the pits. “I feel like I’ve got nothing left to prove except for myself, and then that just sealed the deal for me,” Adam said. The twin-turbo monster ran Premium 98 fuel on the road legs and methanol at the track

Running in the Forced 28s class, Vince Silver had the best of both worlds in his EK Holden van, with a blow-through turbo 406ci Dart up front and plenty of room to sleep in the back. “We’re actually camping at the tracks in the back; it’s like the Taj Mahal,” Vince laughed. “I don’t think I’ll ever paint it or do the chrome – just enjoy it as it is. It’s only at 10psi so far, leaving at 5psi.” The EK ran a best of 9.77@134mph but copped a 3.378sec penalty at the tree

 Trav Beckmann has had his tough little Datsun for 18 years but only recently got it out of hibernation. The Datto runs a CA18DET with a GTX35 turbo, transbraked C4 and Emtron ECU. Allstars was Trav’s first shot at a drag-and-drive event, and the car did him proud, running a best of 10.52@128mph

Jono McDade has had his S14 since 2009, and while the car has been through a few iterations, he swears it’s now in its final form! Powered by a Dart-blocked, 3.2L 2JZ with an 88mm G47 turbo huffing 51psi, the Nissan is good for 1600hp at the hubs. Last year, Jono finished second in the Forced 235 class, and is now the class sponsor! This year he ran a best of 8.35sec and took out third behind Dan Smith’s Celica and Juan Kudnig’s wild HG

Jason Van Der Laan’s LJ is a show-quality sweetheart, but she ain’t no trailer queen! Jason removed the car’s tough but temperamental 2JZ combo and replaced it with a 2650 Harrop-blown LS2, along with a Holley ECU and Powerglide. Running a full exhaust and on E85, the LJ ran an Allstars best of 9.51@132mph – close to the car’s all-time PB of 9.48. “This is my second Allstars,” said Jason. “We did the show circuit for a couple of years and won a few trophies, and now it is time to race”

Mytchell Horsfall was another drag racing newbie who caught the bug at Allstars in his sweet LJ Torana sleeper. “I’ve done stacks of roll racing, but I told myself to stop being scared of breaking it,” he said. “I did a test-and-tune a month ago, and here we are.” The LJ is powered by a basic Ecotec with L67 rods, head studs and cast pistons, with a 35/84 turbo strapped to the side, and it ran a best of 10.75@133mph on Day Three

 Drag Challenge regular Marcus Hamilton brought his sweet HJ GTS tribute up to Allstars from Victoria. “I’ve got other cars with LS engines, but this one has always been Holden-powered,” Marcus said. “A mate of mine got the Senator 215i stroker for me years ago, and now it’s making 530hp. Hellbent has just done a coil-over conversion for me; it used to do big wheelstands, but now it sits flat and I can put more power into it. It has run 11.30 aspo, so I’m going to put a 150hp shot on it and see if we can run 10.50s”

 Anthony Lagana ran a twin-turbo LS combo in his VC Commodore until his father-in-law got in his ear about swapping to 2JZ power. “He was involved in the Gas Racing team back in the day, and what we’ve built for this car is basically what those guys used to run 6.20s,” said Anthony. With an 88mm GTX50 turbo swinging off the side, the 2J makes 1480hp at the hubs on 52psi, with more to come, and the VH ran an 8.59@161mph best at Allstars – impressive for a very fresh build

Mick Thomas’s HG ute is a patina-clad pearler, and we’ll see it in the DYO class at Drag Challenge ’26! “It was a shed find out of Roma,” Mick said. “I haven’t touched the paint or panel, apart from some minor rust repairs. We left the dings in it to give it a bit of character.” Competing in the 10.50 class at Allstars, the ute runs a turbocharged, SBE LS1 on E85, along with a Powerglide, Race Products 9in, Gazzard Brothers rear suspension, and – for now – a factory ECU