NEWS FRONT

> PAUL HART AND HIS XR FAIRMONT CLAIM A SHOCK GRAND CHAMPION WIN AT THE INAUGURAL ROCKYNATS

THE inaugural Rare Spares Rockynats was a massive success, with three days of action including street drags, drifting, burnouts and cruising. All of which was set against amazing Rockhampton backdrops, including the Fitzroy River and the majestic Berserker Range.

Just under 1200 cars and 400 bikes entered, but only one could be named Grand Champion – the highest of honours, as it takes into consideration each contender’s performances in Elite show judging, People’s Choice voting and on the go-to-whoa track. There were some stout cars in the mix, including Billy Shelton’s brand-new SICKEST VL, Niko Prommnitz’s HK Monaro and Robert Downing’s wild, Roth-esque Fiat Topolino.

But the very surprised winner was Paul Hart and his 1967 XR Fairmont sedan (above). “I had no expectation my car would ever get near anything so prestigious,” he said after being thrown into the spotlight with the win. “I was hoping it’d just go Top 10 in Street, so it’s totally unexpected. I’m feeling stunned, blown away and humbled.”

Originally a six-cylinder, the XR now houses a Tremaniac Racing-built, 427cube Dart-block mill making 620hp and 580lb-ft. With a C4 transmission, nineinch diff, Wilwood brakes all ’round and Enemies Racing Australia rims, it’s a wellused street car that coped beautifully with the greasy go-to-whoa conditions on a wet final day in Rockhampton.

Paul only completed the build last year and has already put 4000km on the Fairmont’s clock. “It’s for the street and for me and the family to get around in,” he said. “We just wiped it down and brought it up to Rockynats. The trophy’s secondary; I just love driving it.”

Having trailered it the nine hours to Rockhampton from Ipswich, a Good Friday coffee post-scrutineering turned to drama for Paul as the gearbox lost reverse. “I thought that was the end of the weekend,” he said. “But I managed to find a local fella who opened on Good Friday for me, took the ’box out, rebuilt it, and had it back in and me able to go backwards again.”

Up against strong competition for Grand Champion, Paul admitted he was surprised to win, but said the secret to the success was “no tricks, just good people doing good work”.

“There’s nothing over the top, nothing that’s going to date,” he added. “I just wanted to drive it in the middle of Rocky, and it did everything I asked it to do.”

Check out our daily update videos from the event on streetmachine.com.au and come back next issue for our full event coverage.

I HAD NO EXPECTATION MY CAR WOULD EVER GET NEAR ANYTHING SO PRESTIGIOUS. I’M FEELING STUNNED, BLOWN AWAY AND HUMBLED

ABOVE: Older SM readers may remember Billy Shelton’s wildly modified HQ Monaro, SICKO Nov ’07). Well, Billy was back with a new ride at Rocky, a VL Commodore dubbed SICKEST. Decked out in Billy’s signature red-on-red, the VL is also a toughie, packing a twin-turbo Pete Phillips LS. The VL won Top Engine Bay, Top Competition and 2nd Top Paint (SM,

MAIN: One unveil car we were dead-keen to see was Daryl O’sullivan’s pro touring-style HK ute. We featured the car in the metal back in the November 2018 issue, and it is safe to say the finished product is glorious! The Rockynats crowds agreed, bestowing upon it the People’s Choice award BELOW: Judith Menso’s LX hatchback was an Iron Maiden car back in 2003, and is in fact her first car, purchased in 1992! She and her husband Rodney are also the custodians of HQFORU. Now, after a two-year rebuild, HERLX debuted at Rockynats to great acclaim. Highlights include stunning Morpheus Purple duco, wild custom leather lilac trim and a Whipple-blown Holden V8