The event brings together some of Australia’s toughest street cars for five days of racing and road driving, with competitors facing the challenge of getting their cars down the track, between venues and to the finish line.

For Barry Hall, it’s a chance to put his lifelong passion for cars to the test.

“I was always a car guy playing footy.”

While many Australians know Hall from his AFL career, cars have been a constant throughout his life. Raised in a family of mechanics, he’s always been drawn to drag racing and the pro street scene.

“Things come and go in your life, but the number one passion, the number one thing that’s always stayed is cars.”

His path to Street Machine Drag Challenge presented by VPW started with a different build. Hall was project-managing a custom VL Commodore for the Castlemaine Rod Shop, with plans to drive it at the event, but the project lost momentum and a few Drag Challenges passed by.

Rather than wait any longer, he decided to build his own car.

Hall was working with Victorian Motorsport Park co-owner John Ricca when he asked if he knew of anything suitable. Ricca had a VH Commodore that was 95% ready to go.

“I knew the car. I never sat in it, but I just knew how Johnny Ricca is. And he just spends money in the right places and everything’s quality.”’

Hall bought the VH Commodore around 18 months ago, with the build and paint already completed, leaving Barry to maintain and make a few changes to suit his own preferences.

Under the bonnet is a Torque Power Little Paw-based Holden V8, rather than the more common LS combination.

“I also like the car because of that reason. It’s just a little bit different. It’s not just another LS.”

The car previously belonged to Bubba Medlyn, who invested heavily in the combination and used it to win Drag Challenge in 2017. Hall says there’s little left unchanged from that earlier version, with the latest round of work aimed at getting the car properly tested and making the most of its potential.

The results are already promising. Hall has run a 7.1-second pass, and believes there’s more to come, although conditions will dictate just how far he can push it during Drag Challenge.

“I think I’ve got a car that can be competitive.”

He’s also made a deliberate move into the Speed Pro Radial Blown class. The Commodore previously ran 315 tyres, but Hall changed to a 275 radial setup because he wanted to compete in a more competitive field.

“If I can finish in the top five, I’ll be absolutely stoked.”

It’s an ambitious target, but Hall knows the event is about much more than having a fast car. Drag Challenge asks competitors to race at multiple tracks and keep their cars going throughout the week, often dealing with mechanical issues and making repairs between rounds.

That challenge is a big part of what keeps him interested in drag racing. Hall enjoys the problem-solving involved in getting a combination to work, and the satisfaction that comes from earning a personal best rather than simply bolting on parts and hoping for the best.

“I like the hard way around rather than the easy way. Because you just understand stuff a bit more.”

He’s also quick to credit the people around him. Hall has a four-person crew for the event, with support from Andy at Automotions and others who have helped get the car ready.

“We’re prepared and the car’s got all the best gear.”

Still, he knows preparation only gets you so far. A small part can stop an otherwise expensive build, and luck can play a big role in whether a car makes it through the week.

Hall’s plan is to get down the track, see what the car and conditions allow, and work from there. While he believes the combination could run a six-second pass one day, he doesn’t expect that to be the focus at Drag Challenge.

“The car will run a six at some stage.”

For now, finishing the event and making the most of the car’s potential come first.

Away from the track, Hall’s four young boys are another reason he takes safety seriously. He has bought each of them a car for when they turn 18, although he admits he’s enjoying having them in the family collection for now.

“We’ve got a bit of a car collection. So each one of the boys, when they were born, I bought a car for them. And when they’re 18, I’d hand the keys over to them and that’s their car, which I can play with now and do my thing from the automotive side.”

The boys are already fans, though Hall has one request for their future motoring choices.

“I just hope they don’t sell the cars and buy a Tesla. That’d be devastating to me.”

Having a young family has also changed how he approaches racing. He still loves the adrenaline, but he’s more conscious of backing out of a run if the car gets out of shape, rather than trying to save a pass at all costs.

“We’ve got to be safe. We’ve all got to go home. This is just a sport.”

For spectators, he says Drag Challenge offers a look at drag racing that’s hard to find at a conventional race meeting. Between runs, competitors can be pulling wheels off, changing exhausts, removing intakes or even taking cylinder heads off engines before getting back out on track.

“It’s a really good vibe too. Although they’re competitors, they all help each other out.”

That mix of competition, problem-solving and camaraderie is what makes the event stand out for Hall.

“So commitment and passion, you’re not going to see much more than what you do at Drag Challenge.”

For a former footballer whose passion for cars has never faded, Drag Challenge is the chance to put a serious street car, a good crew and months of preparation to the test — and hopefully bring home the top-five result he’s chasing.

Street Machine Drag Challenge, presented by VPW, runs from Tuesday 27 October to Saturday 31 October 2026, starting and finishing at Victorian Motorsports Park. Tickets are on sale now HERE