POWER ON PETRIE
THE INAUGURAL POWER ON PETRIE EVENT COAXED THE SUNSHINE COAST’S TOUGHIES OUT OF HIDING
A long-overdue opportunity for Sunny Coast car enthusiasts to get their hoon on
IT LOOKS like a cold misty morning on Petrie Creek but it’s not fog in the air, it’s vaporised rubber! The Sunshine Coast is best known for beautiful beaches, but for three days in August it was on the map for burnouts and blown Hemis instead, as the town was transformed into a revhead haven. The locals let loose for the inaugural Power On Petrie auto festival, and organiser Matt Sharpe said the smell of E85 and burning rubber is what the sleepy hamlet of Nambour has been missing.
“We’ve put on an auto festival like the coast has never seen!” Matt beamed. “A festival for enthusiasts to come and drive and celebrate their cars.”
Matt was proud to be showcasing a range of driving events that have never been offered so close to home.
“We want these cars out and enjoyed by spectators and drivers,” he said. “What makes your heart race is hearing motors; seeing them, smelling them. That’s what’s getting everyone amongst the action and through the gates!”
He’s not wrong. Kicking back in a nasty Nascar-powered wagon cruising the kilometre-long road that circles the showgrounds, there was plenty to take in.
There were toughies on and off the throttle, Commodores that got the shaka from some and the shake of the head from others. Purists pondered why there was a Ford-powered Mopar. There were Aussie classics, imported muscle cars, twin-turbo Ls-powered ricers, and even a couple of supercars parked up at the show ’n’ shine. We were all there for the same thing: to lay a bit of rubber, make a bit of noise, and maybe make some new friends. And there was plenty of opportunity for all three.
There’s something about a drag car smoking the tyres that soothes the soul. Madman Rex Scoles brought out three impressive Mopars; none meaner than his white ’69. Every time that beast fires up, it gets my attention, and everyone else’s. So naturally I had to make sure I got to ride shotgun in one of the baddest builds there, jumping out to snap some pics at the expression session, because burnouts!
Saturday’s tyre frying at the Quikspeed Alley drew in the most cars, biggest crowd and the widest variety of metal. Heavy Chevys, one tonners, bikes and fabbed-up buggies all made short work of the 150-metre-long, eightmetre-wide designated skid area. Spectators lined the barrier, drawn in by the sights and smells as the limiter bashing continued long through the day. As the light faded, attention turned to the dyno, where boys are sorted from men, and with unlimited runs, no excuse of a ‘soft tune’ was accepted!
A set of green-means-go lights marked the start of the 60-metre Go-whoa strip. In a show of power and control, drivers had to make it to the finish line asap and come to a dead stop on the line. For the old Holdens, that finish line must’ve been moving, because they all seemed to sail past it! Cars were queued up, each trying to beat their best time, and also their mates waiting behind them.
WE WANT THESE CARS OUT AND ENJOYED BY SPECTATORS AND DRIVERS. WHAT MAKES YOUR HEART RACE IS HEARING MOTORS; SEEING THEM, SMELLING THEM