The vacant drive was one of the biggest questions in West Australian drag racing when former driver Allan Dobson took up a role with New South Wales Top Fuel team owner Santo Rapisarda to drive the whole championship season.

Greene has a long association with 44 year old Donaldson, building engines for when he used to race speedway.

"It's going to be a new learning curve for him," Greene said. "But he won't bring any bad habits either."

Donaldson will be attending the renowned Frank Hawley Drag Racing School in America where he will learn to drive in Top Alcohol dragsters and funny cars but he will have to wait for licensing passes in the Greene team cars to get his first taste of nitro.

"I imagine it will be like being shot out of a cannon," Donaldson said. "I can only go off what I've been told by Allan (Dobson) and I'm going to give it my best shot."

Donaldson has spent a life in the company of adrenalin, racing motocross in his junior years before getting into speedway bikes, then speedcars. A bad accident in 1993 brought his motorsport to a temporary halt and he turned to skydiving to get his fix.

"I ended up feeling depressed if I went to spectate at races, I wanted to be out there," he said. "I feel fantastic now that I will be driving for Allan (Greene)."

Some minor modifications have to be made to both the funny car and dragster pedals to suit Donaldson who has a slightly larger frame than Dobson.

Greene said the season will also involve making both cars independent and capable of being raced without having to transfer over various equipment.

"There will be a fair bit of effort in licensing Adrian," he said. "It's back to the grindstone but we're looking forward to it."

Dobson will still be involved with the team in giving advice to the new driver. Greene said he wished Dobson the best at his new team.

"We have to try and beat him now," Greene said. "It will be different because where we did not have to worry about driving before, we now have to take a new driver in as part of the equation."

Donaldson will start licensing at the start of the season before the first nitro funny car match race in December.