KANDOS DRAWS THE BEST TO THE WEST
> AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST LITTLE SHOW KEEPS ON KEEPING ON
WE’VE got a real soft spot for the Kandos Street Machine & Hot Rod Show. Enjoying a cold can with your mates at the bar on the hill while dozens upon dozens of burnout competitors bang tyres and engines (not to mention the occasional guard rail) is a great way to put the ‘Australia’ in your Australia Day long weekend.
The weather at Kandos in January is almost invariably as hot as buggery, but this year it transitioned from swelteringly hot and sunny to sopping wet in the blink of an eye – twice! Yep, afternoon storms blew in at 3:30pm on the dot both days, and Saturday even saw a spot of hail. Thankfully there were no cars damaged, and the all-important burnout finals had been run and won by the time the rain rocked up on Sunday.
The skids at Kandos are divided into three classes: Normally Aspirated Four/sixcylinder, Normally Aspirated Eight-cylinder, and Forced Induction. All three classes were stacked with talent, but the blown-class cars are always the stars of the show, and this year local fella Blake Lobley wheeled his SHORTY blown small block-powered FJ40 Land Cruiser hard, managing to edge out burnout legend Matt Power for the big win.
The oval at Kandos is always worth a squiz, because the variety never disappoints. Case in point was Brent Battersby’s new chariot – a crazy FSM Niki that’s been jammed full of blown and injected Lexus V8. At the total opposite end of the spectrum to his dad Brett’s jacked-up, all-conquering BLWNLUX Hilux, GETNIKD is a lot of motor in not a lot of car. It might seem a bit gimmicky, but closer inspection reveals the thing has impeccable build quality and will no doubt kick its fair share of arse out on the pad.
In the judging, the winners included Chris Webster’s F100, which took out Best Pick-up, Best Standard Paint and Police’s Choice; Craig Bailey’s nutso IMPOSTER VF, which won Best Ute; and Danny Board’s VK one-tonner (SM, Aug ’17), which bagged Best Modified.
IT’S SUCH A LAIDBACK SHOW AFTER THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF SUMMERNATS; IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO GET UP HERE AND RELAX WITH YOUR MATES
But Kandos is a must-do event for the Lowe Fabrications contingent, and this year they cleaned house. Jason Lowe’s stunning little Corolla won Top Coupe/tudor and the coveted Top Street Machine award, and he was suitably stoked. “I’ve been coming to Kandos for 15 years and I’ve had my car here for the past six, so I’m very happy that the car can mix it with the V8 boys and win Top Street Machine,” he said. “It’s such a laidback show after the hustle and bustle of Summernats; it’s always good to get up here and relax with your mates.”
Kandos’s answer to Grand Champion – the Best Overall Entrant award – combines judging with driving events to determine who is effectively the winner of the show. This year that honour was bestowed upon another car out of the Lowe Fabrications stable – Adam Wheeler’s killer VL Calais.
“Kandos weekend is one of the best boys’ weekends away of the year,” a stoked Adam enthused. “Even though there were a few big storms around, it still didn’t disappoint. To come away with Best Overall Entrant at the end of the weekend made it even better than it already was. I’m already counting down the days ’til next year!”
Adam’s VL also picked up Best Sedan and Best Engine Bay, so it was a big weekend for the car, which only debuted weeks earlier at Summernats. We look forward to bringing you a full feature on it soon!