It was just a normal scene as we watched three times ANDRA Top Fuel Motorcycle champion Chris Matheson blast off the line at Sydney Dragway during the Nitro Champs in May 2013.

Step by step Matheson and his crew had been slowly creeping up on running both quicker and faster, and they were hopeful that Sydney would deliver the results.

It was only a few months earlier at the Santo Cranes Super 3 Extreme event at Willowbank Raceway, where Matheson was running exhibition passes, and had hinted he was aiming to break into the magic five-second zone.

The conditions were right, and the result was the quickest run ever in Australia on two-wheels with a 6.04 ET, and a top speed of 241.80 mph over the quarter-mile.

But at the Nitro Champs things took a turn for the worst when Matheson experienced a horrific fall at over 230 mph after being blown off his Nitro Voodoo Top Fuel motorcycle. Thankfully his injuries didn’t dampen his determination to get back racing, and there was never any talk about retiring the bike to his lounge room or a museum. He still had unfinished business with his bucket list!

The 2013 Nationals last November saw the Nitro Voodoo team return to Sydney Dragway with a new bike. During his healing time Matheson and the team were able to implement a few new ideas, particularly in the aero department and the position of the hands behind the front fairing.

Out of the running for a fourth championship, the Nationals was an opportunity for Matheson and his crew to get back into the routine of riding and working on a nitro-burning 240 mph Top Fuel motorcycle making sure that everything was working correctly.

His first qualifying run on Saturday was in the same lane where he was tossed around like a tissue in the wind back in May, but Matheson said;

“I’ve now fallen off in both lanes so it didn’t really matter anymore (grin). For me it was back to business.”

Despite the new bike being off pace and losing in the semi finals, the highlight of the event for Matheson was being awarded the top qualifying medallion.

Moving into 2014 the team have regrouped and are moving forward with a new game plan and renewed focus.

This saw the team miss the opening round of the 2014 ANDRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Championship in Perth, which sparked rumors Matheson had lost his nerve and was going to park both his four-cylinder and V-Twin bikes and take up a nitro-Funny Car.

“As much as I have thought of driving a fuel Funny Car, my immediate goals haven’t changed, and we are still focused on the fuel bike,” said Matheson.

“After the success of the 2013 Santo Cranes Super 3 Extreme race we knew we were heading in the right direction, and felt the old bike had the potential to run even quicker. The 5-second zone is something we have had our sights on and we were hoping to run some big numbers at the Nitro Champs.”

To be the first to break the barrier would be a huge achievement for Australian drag racing and the team.

“I get to ride it, but the crew are the backbone and have given up a lot of their time to get this far, for which I am always thankful.”

“Mind you, if Jay Upton and Athol Williams are listening, how cool would it be to have them back and in the chase for the five. I know there have been special drag racing performance clubs in the past, so why not a 5-second club for Top Fuel bikes?  What an incentive and reward for an exclusive milestone!”

Since the Nationals, Matheson and the team are happy overall with the new bike particularly in the clutch area. When he first started riding the old bike Matheson was shutting off at 1,000 feet and still running low sixes.

“We’d lost it for a few years, but the new bike is showing the good early increments once again. So with this in mind we have become a bit selfish as we target selected tracks and ideal seasonal conditions in our chase for a five.”

Matheson is planning to head to Willowbank for testing this weekend in the hope of running short numbers to make sure he and the team is heading in the right direction. They have also been invited back to run at the Santo Cranes Super 3 Extreme event in April, the X-Champs in Sydney and the Winternationals in June.

“These events are held in the cooler months of the year, which makes for good horsepower,” he said.

“So that’s basically the plan. Sorry to some of our fans who may miss out on seeing us race, but we believe this plan will provide us with the best opportunity to run the numbers we are chasing.”

“The other question that is asked is when will we see the “Jack Hammer” out on the track? To be honest with you, I would love to have a squirt on the Harley. It’s a fast bike and it would be cool to ride against the rest of the nitro Harley riders.”

“But I can’t step from one style of bike to another, so until we achieve our goals on the four-cylinder bike, the Harley will need to remain under wraps.”

Matheson did say however that he has given the Harley a new look that will open up some conversation from traditionalists when it is revealed in the near future.

“So stay tuned and we hope to see you all again either at Willowbank or Sydney over the following months. Now what was that about a nitro Funny Car?”