Race fans line up for big parade

THOUSANDS of local rev heads kickstarted their Townsville 400 weekend lining the streets for yesterday’s Transporter Parade.

Starting from Webb Drive off Ingham Rd and rolling through the Ring Rd into Reid Park via Charters Towers Rd, the parade and its 40 rigs carrying Supercars signalled the official start of Townsville’s Supercars extravaganza.

Local and interstate Supercars fans grabbed their spots well before the parade got under way, with the some fans waiting more than an hour to catch a glimpse of the massive rigs.

The parade was a hit with families in particular, with the school holidays allowing young Supercars fans the chance to catch a glimpse of their racing heroes.

Ruby Johnson, 6, and her cousin Jayden Wellby, 13, were among the fans who lined Ingham Rd.

Ruby and Jayden wore their Shell V Power Racing shirts, although Ruby said her favourite driver was Charlie Schwerkolt Racing star Mark “Frosty” Winterbottom.

“Frosty is Holden but I still go for him,” Ruby said.

“My dad said I could.”

Jayden added: “Shell V are smashing it.”

“It’s just awesome to come out and see all the cars and be part of it.”

The pair and their families hail from Mackay and are Townsville 400 regulars. They plan to sit in their usual spot near the fourth corner of the Reid Park circuit.

“We’re right into cars and my dad got me into it,” Ruby’s mum Vanessa Wellby said.

Nelisa Taufalele and her children Leilani, 10, Caden, 9, Tristan, 8, Kale, just 6, and Zara, 3, grabbed their viewing spot near the start of the parade.

“We’re definitely Holden fans in the making,” Nelisa said.

“This is our first transporter parade and we’re from Darwin, so we haven’t been to the Townsville Supercars yet.

“It’s great that they can hold something like this so everybody can be a part of it.”

Linda Kleiner and her grandchildren Ronan, 4, and Noah, 6, were among the first families to grab a spot along Ingham Rd.

“This will be their second time going. They didn’t go last year because they alternate between the Townsville Show and the cars,” Ms Kleiner said.

“Two years ago they went to the cars and they’re going again this year. They love the cars and go along to the races with their ear muffs on and have a great time.”

Local Supercars fans Sarah and Brady Shore and their son Lachlan, six months, made the most of the school holidays to watch the parade.

“I pretty much flew in from work out at Phosphate Hill and we came here on the way home,” Brady said.

“Lachlan’s not feeling too well at the moment, but if he gets better we’ll go.

“We went along last year and it’s great fun.”

Renee Sheppard and her son Eli, 2, came all the way from Arnhem Land for the Townsville 400.

“It was awesome to see my son watching the big trucks,” Renee said.

“We’re from a remote area so we don’t usually don’t see anything like that.

“My mum and dad live here and I’ve been before, but this is Eli’s first time and he’s loving the cars and trucks.”