The 28-year-old is on a reconnaissance mission ahead of The Standard Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in January.

Atkinson confirmed his talent at the 2006 Classic when he sensationally won the opening night feature and topped the points standings entering the final. But rain intervened and the 40-lap feature was never run, leaving Atkinson and fans pondering what might have been.

Soon after, sponsorship dried up and Atkinson was forced to cool his heels for a season. He returned late in 2007, enjoying a few races in Darwin and a few in Sydney.

But he is back full-time this season. While he remains based in Darwin, his team will be based in Sydney with renowned mechanic, Tim "Moth" Gleeson, formerly of Warrnambool, running the operation.

Atkinson said he was excited about returning to Premier Speedway, one of his favourite tracks.

While he had Saturday night's round of the Sprintcar Association of Victoria series pencilled in on his calendar, two missed flights to Sydney a fortnight ago, confirmed his trip to Victoria.

Atkinson, who is planning to run 40 events in New South Wales and Victoria, was targeting the Parramatta track championship but he missed his flight from Darwin two weeks ago and then hastily booked another, only to select the wrong day.

He said the structure of the points meant he had no chance of success, having missed one race.

It also meant he had added speedweek, a series of World Series Sprintcars rounds across the Christmas/New Year period to his schedule.

"We haven't been there for three years and want to roll back down there," he said.

Reacquainting himself with the track ahead of the January 1 World Series round and the Classic were motivating his return.

"That feature race had people like Donny Schatz in it and it was always going to be a big ask to beat people like it," he said of the unraced 2006 Classic final.