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Defending series champion Robbie Bolger won't have it all his own way if he's to make it back-to-back titles in his 900hp Holden Monaro.

A group of his closest rivals from the last two seasons have beefed up their campaigns, but if Bolger is feeling the pressure, he isn't showing it.

"We won the championship last year, there's no reason why we can't win it again," he said.

"The Monaro is a strong and proven package, and we're ready to unleash it on Symmons Plains with the number one sticker on it."

Second in last year's championship, Christian Pickering has established his own team over the off-season, and will steer an immaculate new Nissan Silvia S15 with backing from Senwill Civil.

"I can't wait to get out there, we'll be stronger and better than ever," Pickering said.

"We finished second last year so our goal for 2008 is to win the championship; I'm really looking forward to working with Senwill Civil and making this year a huge success."

Pickering's 2007 seat with the Commercial Truck Sales outfit has been filled by fellow South Aussie Leighton Fine, who narrowly missed out on the 2006 championship.

The man who beat him to that honour, Beau Yates, means business in 2008.
 
With backing from Toyota Racing Developments, Yates' trusty Toyota AE86 Sprinter has received significant upgrades during the off-season.

Fernando Wiehrl is set to be another championship contender.

With wins in the final two rounds of 2007 - becoming the first driver to win two consecutive rounds in the series - Wiehrl and the Auto Salon team charged home to finish third in their debut season.

"Last year we had a slow start with a new car, but there's no room for excuses this year," Wiehrl said.

"I want to start this year with a win at Symmons Plains and become the first driver to win three rounds in a row."

The series previously visited Tasmania in 2006, where a big crowd was on-hand to witness a standout performance by Luke Fink, a former world champion freestyle BMX rider.

Fink was to have made his debut earlier in the season, but broke the tibia and fibula in his right leg in a BMX fall (ironically his first broken bones in seven years of riding) and had to wait until Symmons Plains to start.

Still requiring crutches to walk, Fink won in what he describes as a 'perfect day'.

"To win my first-ever Drift Australia event with broken bones in my leg was like a crazy dream," he said.

"It was a perfect day for us, everything went to plan."

Symmons Plains' event will be the first of five rounds in the 2008 championship.

The weekend will also feature the opening round of the Toyo Tires Super Drift development class, Team Drifting, the new Racing Logic 'Extreme Entry' competition and a Show 'n' Shine.

Tickets are $20 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday, or $40 for the weekend, with kids under 12 free all weekend.