First published in the April 2008 issue of Street Machine

While most Australians were happily cremating some carcass and raising the amber goblets high in celebration, the good folks at Kandos had more on their minds for Australia Day. The smorgasbord on offer was more about burning rubber than meat. Don’t get me wrong: at the Kandos Street Machine and Hot Rod Show the lovely ladies of the local school’s auxiliary can serve you a cracker of a steak sandwich but mostly the punters were there for the burnouts.

The natural amphitheatre of the Kandos burnout pad, with its shady eucalypts, provided a perfect setting for the pure patriotic pleasure of Australian V8s spitting shards of burning rubber at thousands of cheering spectators.

Once upon a time they ran the burnouts and go-to-whoa down the main street of Kandos. Old-school style, with only a few hay bales to separate the spectators and cars until: “Sorry fellas, move along please, nothing to see here.” For those who have grown up in these days of OH&S it’s hard to imagine this joyous mayhem of free mechanical love.

Not to be defeated by the ruthless rules of the powers that be, the Rylstone Kandos Street Machine Club moved the event to the Simpkins Park Sports Complex and built a burnout pad. For Australia Day 2008, there were 218 entrants and the pad was girt by a sea of spectators. A turnout of 6000 isn’t bad for a town with a population of just over 2000 and the atmosphere was pure country: free rides for the kids, plenty of blue singlets, Australian flags proudly adorning humans and cars alike. The feeling was festive and the sun was shining.

For the real experience you need to camp and throw a skid on the pad and if you get in early it’s only $70 to enter. For two nights of camping, a show ’n’ shine, tyre-frying go-to-whoa, grass events and a three-minute session on the burnout pad in front of thousands of enthusiastic punters that’s a bargain in anyone’s language. Did I mention the Saturday night DJ, bucking bull and night footy?

A few years ago, 100 or so fellas came together for 50-a-side rugby under lights on the oval. The rules were grab the ball and run. Pete from the Hawkesbury Streeters drove home that year with a very sore arm. It was only when he had it X-rayed that he found out it was broken.

The nucleus of the show is the burnouts. There was nearly seven hours of skids on Saturday. In Kandos everyone gets three minutes of fame. It’s a fair system — drop fluid or make fire and you get a red flag. Skid yourself into a corner, smack your guards up or stall the engine, it’s all good. The multitudes aren’t shy and will tell you what they think but as long you have rubber and horsepower the pad is your canvas.

The Sunday finals were no more than a formality but the heavy-hitters proved again that they had the goods to be finalists. Many failed under the pressure, either losing themselves in the smoke or stalling their engines but those who performed didn’t fail to excite. Mention must go to Bren, who came out first and set the bar high with thick spirals of smoke during a relentless but well-orchestrated skid. Paul Jackson, in his 308 Lite Ace van, trampled on the laws of physics and busted out some huge whips. Paul Waldron’s display was a tyre-shredding fiesta. Mark Dall’acqua gave it his best at 8200rpm, working his car and the crowd into a frenzy and showing why he’s the reigning burnout champ. Until he caught fire. Rodney Walters in his angry 200B spent most of his time wrapped in a tornado of smoke. When he emerged he took the prize for best normally aspirated skid.

Clint Rowley from Wagga Wagga briefly stole the limelight with a belligerent skid, showing total disrespect for his car and engine, earning second place in the blown class.

But the finals were all about Matt Power and his twin-blown tonner. He ticked all the boxes: presentation, control and power. His engine sang at high revs without a worry, he destroyed his tyres and worked the pad to the elation of the fans. It was more than enough to take out Best Blown Burnout. To cap off a perfect weekend, he also got the nod from the local constabulary, receiving the Police Choice Award. His car may not abide by the rules but even they can’t deny what lies in their hearts. Good on ya, coppers.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Brett Battersy debuted a new set-up including a 6/71 blower running 17lb boost. His skid on Saturday was easily the crowd favourite and an oil fire as he left the pad was no trouble as his radiator blew and extinguished it!

2. Damien ‘Chubby’ Lowe (SM, Mar ’08) took home a swag of tinware including Best Overall Entrant. Not happy to sit back and watch, he gave it a burl in go-to-whoa and sprayed up some dust in the grass events.

3. Sean ‘MR HDT’ Fardell recorded a personal best of 955.7rwhp on the weekend. His genuine Group Three VK (SM, March ’06) runs a serious 355 with Vortec YSI blower. He also scooped the Best Street Machine award.

4. Barry Mason didn’t plan on having a project until 3.5 years ago when this Monaro came his way. For $1000 the body was rough but the interior and wheels were schmick. An injected 304 (bored 40thou) and T700 were dropped in for daily driving. Since hitting the road it’d only done 20km before he drove it 200km to Kandos with not a hint of trouble.

5. Most doughnuts in 30 seconds — eight, Paul Donkin, Newcastle. His blown 350 LH boasts 500rwhp. The circle-work helped him into the burnout finals. The Kandos first-timer said it
was: “Very relaxed, easy.”

6. Craig Whiddett was into mini-trucks until he realised it was all show and no go. He changed his ways for an injected ’84 Commodore. In only his second burnout comp, he earned plenty of respect.

7. Dean claimed the 186 in his FE ute hadn’t had much done to it but after witnessing him “flogging the billygoats out of it” (to use his own description) on the pad, we suspect the 186 may be bored out to 208 with roller rockers, a speedway head and a decent cam. Just a hunch of course …

8. This tidy 308 VK belongs to Colin Harrison from Orange. His last streeter was an LJ Torrie but with a young family he needed four doors. Bodywork and paint were done when he got the VK but he sweetened the mechanicals to his liking, though all he revealed was: “The motor’s fully worked and the sound system is big.”

9. David Moss found this ’68 Merc in a cocky’s paddock. Straight as an arrow, he knew this was his next project — it’s galvanised so there’s no rust. It’s got a stock 350 Chev with electronic ignition, 750 Holley and four-wheel discs.

10. RJ was last at Kandos 10 years ago, when the event was in the main street. “This is brilliant. Great atmosphere, good people, all about fun.” His ’64 ute runs an alloy-headed 350 Chev, good for 11s @ 122mph. He and three mates came down from Logan, Qld. “I’ve been doing skids for 15 years and would hate to judge this field.” RJ made the finals but broke an axle on the first turn.