BRIGHT ROD RUN
AUTOMOTIVE VARIETY WAS THE SPICE OF LIFE IN ALPINE VICTORIA FOR THE 26TH BRIGHT ROD RUN
Now featuring more street machines than ever, our favourite Alpine rod run is a heap ’o fun
HELD in the Victorian Alpine tourist town of Bright on the first weekend in November, the annual Bright Rod Run has been happily cruising along for 26 years now. It was founded by Melbourne’s Northern Suburbs Street Rods Club, who ran it until 2013, but these days the event (officially known as Bright’s Iconic Rod Run) is presided over by the Bright Rod & Kustom Club with the support of the Bright & District Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and the Alpine Shire Council, with the proceeds going back into the community and to selected charities.
While there still may be a bit of a misconception that Bright is just a hot rod run, over the past three years it has become very much a rod and custom car event for any pre-1977 car. This year, as well as hot rods galore, Bright’s streets were alive with everything from stock Model A coupes to a Coyotepowered GT40 tribute, cruising alongside eight-second pro streeters, cunning sleepers, cool customs, low-riding cruisers and more muscle cars than you could poke a stick at.
Despite the wider variety of cars that are now eligible, the laidback atmosphere and charm that has distinguished the event’s first quarter-
No longer just a hot rod run, over the past three years Bright has Become a chrome Bumper event open to any pre-’77 car
THE LAIDBACK ATMOSPHERE AND CHARM THAT HAS DISTINGUISHED THE EVENT’S FIRST QUARTER-CENTURY REMAINS
century remains. The Bright Rod Run continues to enjoy a huge following, attracting entrants and spectators from all over Victoria and interstate each year. As you drive up the Ovens Valley to Bright you’ll find local residents sitting along the roadside with beers in hand, watching, waving and cheering to welcome the cars into town.
The event’s two main attractions are the all-weekend street cruise party, with live bands belting out rock ’n’ roll in the town centre, and the show ’n’ shine on the town oval on the Sunday.
The town’s central business hub has side roads blocked off to create a dedicated cruise circuit, with the rolling show passing through the rock ’n’ roll party at the town square’s clock tower all day and night. The street cruising is hugely popular for entrants and spectators alike, kicking off as soon as the cars start arriving on the Friday. There are not many car shows where you can just plonk yourself down on the nature strip in the centre of town, pull out a deckchair, fire up the portable barbecue to burn some snags and sip cold cans from your
A GT40 TRIBUTE CRUISED ALONGSIDE EIGHT-SECOND PRO STREETERS, CUNNING SLEEPERS, COOL CUSTOMS AND PLENTY OF MUSCLE CARS
Esky while watching former magazine cover cars go burbling past your kneecaps!
Sunday’s show ’n’ shine at Pioneer Park is always a family-friendly part of the weekend, and this year the whole venue had a carnival atmosphere, including a sideshow alley full of kids’ entertainment to keep the little ones happy. A huge turn-out of high-quality cars filled the oval at Pioneer Park, and spectators were spoilt for choice, but with only five hours to see it all, it was a challenge to take everything in.
At the end of it all, Frank Padoin took home the coveted Best Rod trophy with his ’32 Ford coupe, David Maiolo’s ’41 Willys coupe scored Best In Show, while Best Paint was awarded to Aaron Fitzpatrick’s Datsun 1600 from the ACT.