ON THE weekend, Gatton Motorfest 2019 returned to an industrial estate in Gatton in the Lockyer Valley, transforming it into an arena for high-speed drifting and tyre-shredding burnouts.

Organised by the Downs Motorsport club, headed by president Warren Gersekowski, the two-day event saw over 50 entrants spread across the burnout classes (Six-Cylinder, Eight-Cylinder and Pro), with a total prize pool of $15,000 up for grabs.

As well as the burnouts, entrants were able to take to the Gatton streets – legally – for some powerskids, freestyle burnouts and drifting. The latter activity was highlighted by the incredible Hot Wheels drift team, headed by Matt Mingay, with burnout legends like Mark Schwarz and Andrew Lynch also joining in the fun.

As soon as the last drift session ended, the main straight was converted into an off-camber, street cauldron burnout pad. Plenty of wall-tagging carnage ensued, with my hard luck award going to the Lockyer Valley’s Michael Geatches, who ploughed his insane roofless VW Golf, ENGOLFED, nose-first into the concrete wall.

When the smoke finally cleared, Adam Fleming won the Six-Cylinder burnouts, while Alex Dobson took out the Eight-Cylinder class. The Pro class was won by Brad Kilby in HAMMERTIME, who bagged 10 grand and a spot in the Summernats 33 Burnout Masters.

BURNOUTS RESULTS

Six-Cylinder Class

1. Adam Fleming – TYAFRYA

2. Mandy Reditt – TRI ME

3. Chris Fox – GRUMPY

Eight-Cylinder Class

1. Alex Dobson – UNDERWARRANTY

2. Andrew Mirfin – FRMTRUK

3. Dylan Eather – SCREW IT

Pro Class

1. Brad Kilby – HAMMERTIME

2. Mark Schwarz – HANFUL

3. Rick Fuller – FULL ON