> HOT GOSSIP

CANCRUISE MINI

THE dedicated folk at Cudgegong Cruisers have been running their annual Cancruise event to raise money for the Mudgee branch of Can Assist for the past 12 years. Like all that is good in the world, bastard COVID-19 threatened to derail the event for 2020, but the club resolved to stage a scaled-back, COVID-SAFE version so they could catch up, go for a blat and do their bit to help rural cancer patients, even if it meant foregoing some of the usual bells and whistles. “Cancruise Mini” was a blast and raised $6,400 for a beaut cause, bringing the cumulative total to $118,400. Great work, legends! Pic by Brian Jeffery

V8 SUPERUTES

WHEN the V8 Ute Racing Series folded a few years back, the Superutes Series was the successor. On paper it made sense: dual-cab, turbo-diesel utes are wildly popular with new car buyers, so why not build a category around them? Well, because diesel four-pots ain’t all that sexy to listen to, that’s why. The good news is that for 2021, the entire field will be fitted with Warspeed-built LS3S, and controlled by the amazing new Nexus R5 Vehicle Control Unit from our mates at Haltech. And that, friends, will sound heaps better.

NEXT!

WE’RE bringing in the new year with a cracking issue of Street Machine, and of all the killer content we’ve got in the works for the January 2021 issue, we’re most excited about bringing you coverage from Drag Challenge Weekend in Queensland. But goodness me, have we got some top-shelf feature cars to share with you... There’s a drool-worthy pro touring Escort, a wheelstanding XY GT tribute, an oh-so-cool Apache pick-up, and a head-kicking VL Turbo, not to mention an Ss-styled, fatty-powered LX Torana hatchback. We’ll take you on a guided tour of Astill Designs, bring you all the action from Tropical Meltdown in Cairns, and tell you how to get the most from your visit to Summernats Slam. All this and more in the January issue of Street

Machine, on sale 31 December.