MANY TYRES WERE BURNED OUT ONCE MORE AND SMOKE BILLOWED FOR MILES

pretty rad, with the XF sedan running a 351ci V8 and the XG running a Barra turbo package. You don’t usually see door slammers at events, but as we said, AutoFest wasn’t your normal event. We also caught up with Rex Duckett and his Pontiac door slammer. Rex had rigged the Pontiac up to a Can-Am quad and was towing it around the Springfeild circuit, with occasional start-ups here and there.

Later in the day, as the cars were really starting to sing for the crowds in the final of the burnouts, we got to witness the incredible talent of many drivers. Many tyres were burned out once more and smoke billowed for miles. This was going to be a difficult competition to call. Some of the pro class competitors really stood out. Ricky Ireland — that man really knows how to wheel that car; with its purpose-built set-up, it was made to skid and you could really see it. If there is a burnout event, you can be sure Hayden Wilby will enter it, and as normal, he put on a massive display for the crowds. Up from the deep south was Garett Matthews with his blown LS Holden one tonne ute, dubbed ‘DSPRNG’. Paul Henry, with RUSTY8, also came all the way from the South Island to put on a show, and more than demonstrated his car’s tyre-destroying credentials.

As prize-giving came, it was inspiring to see the awards go to the people whose cars deserved them. For good reason, Cory de Kort received the Top Street Machine award; if you regularly read NZV8, you may have noticed that his car was featured on the cover of issue 207. Built with blood, sweat, and tears, it had taken a long time to develop and it had been rewarding to see all of Cory’s hard work pay off.

Above: Double vision — we were responsible for the photo shoot featuring Ben Martin’s Falcon combo that was published in issue 210. He’s seen cruising the streets of Springfeild with his XF sedan, which he has owned for a number of years — he recently finished a rebuild of the 351ci Cleveland engine. Following behind him is his XG ute, which was built just in time for AutoFest and has undergone a complete panel and paint job to match the XF, as well as an engine swap with a BA Falcon Barra turbo

A head-to-head battle between Gareth Karrasch, in the VY Holden Commodore, and Darren Roberts, in the VT Holden Commodore, ended with Gareth being declared the winner of the Naturally Aspirated class.

Josh Trybula, with his ’69 Chev Camaro 1FAT69, was named the NZ Street Machine Nationals Grand Master for 2022.

AutoFest certainly lived up to the excitement that had started early last year. It was also overwhelming to witness all of the build progress that had been shared on social media come together for this huge weekend. There were so many insane cars on show, and there was so much to see. What a weekend it was, and what an event!

We can’t wait to see what the team has in store for the next AutoFest. Take it from us, if you’re on the fence: you should definitely go; you won’t regret it!

The engine bay of NZV8 editor Rixsta Sammons’ VX Commodore underwent a thorough deloom, declutter, and repaint in addition to an extensive rebuild. When you’re up close and personal with it, you wouldn’t assume it was the kind of vehicle used for burnouts. We asked him why. His response: “Driven not hidden; just send it”

Jake Iwanica, a Manawatu local, put on a crazy show with his Holden Maloo, which is loaded to the gills with the latest MTX Audio products. Jake spent the night before AutoFest at Palmerston North’s Manawatu SoundHUB, finishing his latest set-up, and the car cranked out the tunes in grand style all weekend long, bringing joy to the faces of anyone who stopped to listen

Cindy Mendoza, the driver of the BurgerFuel Chev Camaro drag car, was on familiar ground as the national drag racing season is about to get under way. Ripping down light em up lane, putting up a fantastic performance, she reported that she had a blast at AutoFest. It’s safe to conclude the car was in good condition for the upcoming drag racing season

You might be thinking, “This car looks familiar,” and you’d be right. It’s our cover car for this issue. For the first time, Craig Taylor presented his car at AutoFest, allowing people to witness all the hard work he, Jason, and the Performance Industries team have put in to create this monster. Its name, LSMSTR, is a real statement of what it is. This is one of the most impressive late-model Holdens we’ve seen in a long time. It’s packed with 710hp, 1002Nm, and it’s street legal! LSMSTR drew crowds of people. If it weren’t for the conflict of interest — as Performance Industries was a major sponsor of AutoFest — Craig might well have picked up an award.