SUMMERNATS SLAM GUIDE
SURVIVAL GUIDE
How to make the most of your time at the first ever Summernats Slam at Sydney Dragway
WHILE Australia is slowly but surely climbing out of the coronavirus pandemic, things haven’t quite returned to normal. Sadly, uncertainty around travel restrictions and crowd limits has led to the postponement of Street Machine Summernats 34. But fear not – the ’Nats gang have dreamed up an all-new event on the traditional weekend of Summernats, and it’s shaping up to be so much more than just a consolation show.
The first-ever Summernats Slam kicks off on 8 January at Sydney Dragway, promising three days chock-full of burnouts, drag racing, epic show ’n’ shine beasts and plenty more. A who’s who of drag racing and burnout big hitters have thrown their hats in the ring to duke it out for $30,000 in cash and prizes, and we can’t wait to see it go down.
Plenty of planning and preparation has gone into making sure the Slam is COVID-SAFE and fully compliant with NSW Public Health Orders. Pleasingly, as the pandemic situation has improved in NSW, restrictions around attendance and grandstand seating capacity have eased to allow larger crowds than were first expected. All aspects of the event will take place outdoors, with hand hygiene stations aplenty to help ensure the safety of all visitors. Unlike your usual Summernats, the Slam will be an alcohol-free event.
At time of print, spectator tickets are still available from summernats.com.au, but they’re selling fast!
SPECTATOR gates for Day One of Summernats Slam open at 8:30am on Friday 8 January. Garrett Advancing Motion Drag Day is the main order of business, with $10K in prize money on offer. The NSW Government has just thrown $11 million into a comprehensive upgrade of Sydney Dragway, including a concrete track resurfacing and upgraded asphalt braking zone, and Summernats Slam will be one of the first opportunities to see properly fast door cars take on the new track. Spectator facilities have been improved too, with concrete seating in the cauldron, new lighting and improved timing boards to make for a fantastic trackside viewing experience.
Test-and-tune runs will happen on track between 9am and 4pm, with a killer array of straight-line weapons. We’re talking Michelle Davies, Geoff Gradden and Mark Hinchelwood in their five-second Pro Slammers; Rob Campisi’s five-second, 270mph turbo Moran Mustang; Nathan Hagenson’s five-second 2JZ Camry; Craig Burns’s insane radial Mustang; Rob Marjan’s six-second R32 GT-R street car; and Stuart Bennett in Australia’s quickest Ls-powered car, to name but a few.
There’s a nice mix of blower and turbo cars on that list, which is fitting, given that Summernats Slam will see black belts matchracing against turbo teddies to determine which form of forced induction reigns supreme in a colossal blower versus turbo shootout. You’ve seen a Pro Slammer shape up against a turbo radial car on the dyno at Summernats, and now that battle will extend to the track.
Competition tees off at 5pm for five solid hours of drag strip action as drivers duke it out for top honours in five separate classes. The Street Fighter category will be dial-your-own (DYO) racing for cars with ETS above 13 seconds. Extreme Street and Sportsman classes will also be DYO, featuring cars running between 11.0012.99 and 8.00-10.99 respectively. Cars with ETS between 6.50 and 7.99 will compete in the Modified Sportsman class in heads-up racing, with anything quicker falling under the Extreme category.
The drags wrap up at 10pm, with gates closing at 10:30.