RIDES BY KAM TRACK DAY
THE RIDES BY KAM TEAM BRING OUT THEIR BEST BUILDS AND BEST MATES FOR A DAY OF DRAGS AND DRIFTING
Mates and customers of RBK take to the track to enjoy their toys
WHEN Gold Coast-based car builders Rides By Kam told us they were putting on a track day, we thought we’d head out to see their masterful builds in action. Seventy custom cars took over Queensland Raceway on 30 August for one day of powerskids, muscle-car and mixed track cruising, drift sessions and drag racing. Rides By Kam owner Rob Zahabi put the call out to get the cars rolling in. “We sent an invitation to our customers and close friends to come and enjoy the cars we built for them,” he said. “It’s about getting passionate car people together for maximum track time and a really cool day.”
While the RBK team is known for their immaculate muscle cars, a variety of JDMS, Aussie toughies, US muscle cars, exotics and supercars pulled up to the pits, making for interesting banter between race rivals. “We had some call-out drag battles,” Rob said. “A lot of the drift cars went up against the muscle cars. You don’t usually get these two types of cars on the track together!”
For Rob, it’s not ‘drive it like you stole it’, but rather ‘drive it like you built it’, and it was quite something to witness elite, showquality builds being put to the test. It’s one thing admiring the work and attention to detail up close; it’s another to see these cars cutting laps and doing powerskids down the track.
Brock Mahoney’s IN ENVY blown XC Falcon (SM, Sep’ 14) turned heads as he hit the blacktop, with Brock jumping at the chance to pedal the Summernats Top 60 stunner. With its shaved and fettled bodywork, the car’s familiar sleek-but-tough look has Rob’s name all over it.
Brock’s insane Dart Windsor-powered streeter fit right in cruising beside Cooper Zahabi’s impressive 1970 Nova. Yep, it’s no surprise one of the baddest rides on the day was built by the boss’s son. Cooper’s older brother Mitch was also repping his dad’s shop with his own build – there must be motor oil flowing through these blokes’ veins.
The boys and their mates were stoked to have a place to come and play free of speed limits. “We’re getting everyone out
JDMS, AUSSIE TOUGHIES, US MUSCLE CARS, EXOTICS AND SUPERCARS PULLED INTERESTING UP TO THE PITS, MAKING FOR BANTER BETWEEN RACE RIVALS
IT’S ONE THING ADMIRING THE WORK AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL UP CLOSE; IT’S ANOTHER TO SEE THESE CARS CUTTING LAPS AND DOING POWERSKIDS
there who can’t drive their cars on the street to have some fun,” Cooper said. “We all love driving cars, and we love building cars, and hopefully we can continue to grow this into something that everyone can be a part of.”
It’s the third track day that Rides By Kam has held, and according to Cooper, it’s the love for the lifestyle and the gratitude from entrants that has seen the invite list grow each time.
While the notorious Nova dropped plenty of jaws, the Zahabi boys also piloted a wide variety of shop cars. “We’ve got the blue drag ute – that’s around 2500hp. The Dodge Challenger widebody makes around 900 horses; plus there’s a bunch of drift cars, my brother’s S13 and my Subaru,” Cooper explained.
Each of the boys has their favoured scene, as do their mates, whether it’s Japanese or American imports. Some of the cars have been built in the shop, some in the backyard, but all have been put together with passion.
Drift sessions drew spectators to the fences as Mitch slid his Ls1-powered Silvia, accompanied by all flavours of rice. “I haven’t driven it since the new set-up, so I’ve just been testing it, and it’s been a ball,” Mitch said.
All in all, it was a great day for Rides By Kam, with car cultures coming together to appreciate the dedication, creativity and skill that’s gone into each unique build.
“We had 3M and Meguiar’s here. It’s great to have support and businesses involved to keep the car culture going,” Rob said.
The RBK track days are attracting increased interest but entry numbers are limited, so be sure to keep a close eye on the Rides By Kam website and Facebook page for details of the next event.