Mount Gambier local Scott McKenzie is set to make his long-awaited debut in Street Machine Drag Challenge this month with his 1998 Holden VS Statesman, competing in the HP Tuners / VCM Performance Dial-Your-Own class.

Street Machine Drag Challenge is one of the toughest and most unique events in Australian motorsport.

It brings together more than 280 street-registered cars to race at five different tracks across five days, with competitors then driving hundreds of kilometres between each location without car trailers or support vehicles.

For Scott, 38, the event marks the next step after years of watching from the sidelines.

What makes his entry stand out is that he has never drag raced before.

“Neither of us has drag racing experience, so it’s all new,” Scott said.

“I usually do Street Machine Summernats and have for many years, and a workmate and I had been talking about Drag Challenge for a while.

“We always go and watch at a track each year and love the thought of it. We both follow Hot Rod Drag Week and Rocky Mountain Drag N Drive, so we thought let’s get something sorted, have a crack, and tick it off the bucket list.”

The car Scott will be running is a true sleeper.

“It’s just a little built Holden L67 in Holden’s comfiest car – a VS Statesman,” Scott said.

“It’s a budget-built car that can be used for pretty much any event and then driven home again. It looks like a stock grandpa-spec cruiser, but with solid running gear.

Good fun!”

The black Statesman has also been a father and son project, with his 12-year-old son pitching in to help get the car ready.

“This has been a dream to do Drag Challenge, and working on the car with my son makes it even more special,” Scott said.

“My personal goal is a 12.0. I think the car has it in it. The question is whether the driver does.

“Overall, I just want to finish the week, drive around the country with new mates, and have a ball doing what we all love.”

For Scott, the uniqueness of Street Machine Drag Challenge lies in the combination of racing and endurance.

“The range of classes and cars is crazy,” Scott said.

“Seeing some of them cruising the streets is next-level cool. Hard racing followed by a 400-plus kilometre drive is awesome. I can’t wait.”

He also encourages locals around the tracks to come and see what makes Street Machine Drag Challenge such a rare event.

“The noise. The variety of cars. The owners. And the fact it’s not something you see every day – especially the calibre of cars at this event,” Scott said.

The 10th annual Street Machine Drag Challenge runs from Wednesday 29 October to Sunday 2 November across South Australia and Victoria.

More than 280 street-registered cars will race at a different drag strip each day before driving hundreds of kilometres to the next under their own power. No car trailers, no support and no excuses.

Spectators are welcome at every stop, with wall-to-wall racing, tyre smoke and real street car action.

Visit dragchallenge.com.au for tickets and more information.