ULTIMATE BURNOUT CHALLENGE
THE BEST IN THE BURNOUT BUSINESS SMOKE OUT WINTON RACEWAY AT THE ULTIMATE BURNOUT CHALLENGE #9
The biggest little grassroots skid show in the land is a family affair
UBC HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME BECAUSE IT IS GENUINELY ONE OF THE BEST – IF NOT THE BEST – BURNOUT EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY
WHEN it comes to burnout comps away from the Street Machine Summernats main stage, the Ultimate Burnout Challenge (UBC) is the big kahuna. Now nine years strong, UBC started with a conversation between two legends of the sport, Clint Ogilvie and Steven Loader, while they were cruising home to Melbourne from a burnout show in Queensland.
“We got thinking: Us guys with these crazy blown and injected engines are spending a fortune on our cars and travelling around to events all over the country,” Clint recalls. “It’d be nice to see the promoters put up a bit more prize money.”
Back then the most you could expect to take home for winning a burnout comp was only around $5000, with most events barely coughing up four figures.
“We just thought, we’re the ones putting on the show here, and the sport ain’t cheap, so why not do our own thing and give back to the guys that are out there spending big and putting on a show for everyone,” Clint continues.
With that in mind, the first UBC saw a $10,000 first-place prize – unheard of back in 2008. “Since we’d been going to so many comps, we also figured out what we liked and didn’t like, so when we went with UBC we made our main priority the entrants. If we look after the people coming in the back door, they’ll look after the people coming in the front door,” Clint says.
Not that it was all plain sailing. “Our first event at Avalon Airport was a disaster,” Clint says. “It rained, the pits turned to mud because there was no paved pit area, cars got bogged. But we made sure we kept everyone in the loop and they were all really understanding and came back again the next year. I guess we were lucky in that we’d been around the scene and we knew most of the people.”
But you can’t run a successful event for nine years based purely on the fact that you know people, and UBC has stood the test of time because it is genuinely one of the best – if not the best – burnout events in the country.
Last year, UBC went to Ballarat Airport for its first
running outside of Avalon. It was also my first UBC experience and I doubt I’ll ever forget it – the crowd was nuts and the cars were out-of-thisworld awesome.
“When I see the cars in the staging lanes, I think I’d rather stay here and watch than miss it, even though I’ve got a job to do,” Clint says. “It gives me goosebumps sometimes; it’s very rare that we have shit cars.
“Last year at Ballarat was so big, they couldn’t have us back again this year; they just couldn’t handle the numbers.”
This year’s show, held at Winton Raceway in March, was no different. “I think this year’s field was honestly the best we’ve ever had,” Clint says.
It’s hard to argue with the man; Scott Taylor and I were pad-side live-streaming the bulk of the event for the best part of six hours, and even once the juice in our gear ran out we couldn’t take our eyes off the action. You know it’s been an insane show when you’ve been watching burnouts all day and still don’t want to leave.
“Winton was a really good venue,” Clint says. “Being a dedicated motorsport facility they had garages in the pits and everyone was really good to work with. We’ll be having our 10th event there next year, and we’re working with them to provide more grandstand seating for the spectators, possibly expanding the pad and improving the barriers.”
So keep an eye on UBC’S Facebook page for when dates are announced for next year’s 10th Ultimate Burnout Challenge at Winton Raceway. It’s going to be massive!
Shawn Karn has had a run of bad luck recently with his 400ci blown and injected KARNGE VS Commodore. This time ’round the diff breather let go, spraying hot oil under the tyres and she went up, burning plenty of the rear bodywork. Shawn gave her another run later in the day, but it still just wanted to set fire to the pad