1. Harrison Dale’s spacecab Hilux – PSR 9.5 Radial

Harrison Dale is running in the PSR 9.5 class in a rad little spacecab Hilux that bears more than a passing resemblance to the iconic Farmtruck of Street Outlaws fame. “We searched around for the canopy thinking we could keep our stuff out of the weather, and we’ve had plenty of rain, so it’s paid for itself,” said Harrison’s dad and crew chief Justin.

The Lux runs a 408ci LS, Powerglide and nine-inch, decked out with a big nitrous kit that’s currently only configured to deliver an 80hp kick in the pants. “It ran 9.6 at Tailem Bend, 6.27s at Portland, and 6.22 last night here in Mildura. Hopefully we can back that up again today, then head back to Portland and put a bit more spray in it. The tracks and the atmosphere have been sensational. We’ve had a couple of little dramas like the alternator belt we shredded, but we bought three spares then haven’t had a drama since!”

2. Iain Carpenter’s HJ ute – Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse Radial Blown

Iain Carpenter is having a cracking week in the Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse Radial Blown class, with his HJ ute going quicker and quicker with every pass. It runs a lightly warmed over LS1 with a couple of whirly boys sitting proud of the bonnet. “If you’re gunna have ’em, you might as well show ’em,” he grinned. “I’ve owned the car for 30 years, but it’s been off the road for the last 18. I’ve done this event crewing for a mate four times, but it was time to do it with my car. We only started on it five months ago, and we had a lot of work to do. It only got registered two weeks ago, then we split a bore last week at the Creek, but we put it back together in three days. We keep PBing, which is good. We were in the tens at The Bend but slow off the mark, and we’ve been working on the 60-foot at the eighth mile tracks and we’re two and a half tenths quicker there, so if my calculations are correct we should be down into the mid-tens back at The Bend on Day 5.” Iain’s trailer is probably the most appropriate on DC, being an HJ ute rear cut grafted onto an existing flat bed trailer. “It fitted perfectly!” he said.

3. Mitch Rogers’s XT Fairmont – PSR 8.5 Radial

Debuting with a new turbo setup at Drag Challenge this year, Mitch Rogers’s absolute peach of an XT Fairmont is contesting the PSR 8.5 class. “We tried to have it ready for last year, but this year we made it,” said Mitch. “We only got the engine back in it last week so it was a bit of a push, but we just got down for a 5.9 today, and we’re about to put a bit more in it and see how it goes.” The car was running around with a 700hp aspirated setup, but over the past year it’s copped a cage, and new rear end and a turbo in the hunt for quicker ETs. “If we can get it down to an 8.5 and take it from there, I’ll be happy,” said Mitch.

4. Paul Rush’s EB Fairmont – PSR 9.5 Radial

Pro Street E-series Fords are few and far between, but Paul Rush’s EB Fairmont is a cracker, with twin-turbo Godzilla power to boot. “I’ve always liked the E-series; I had one when I was young, so I thought I’d buy another one,” said Paul. “I’d thought about a Windsor or a Barra, but too many people have done it, so Godzilla it was.

We had a mishap with the first engine on the dyno, so this one has rod bolts and head studs and the ring gaps done, but we’ve set things up on the safe side and just want to finish the week.” The car has an awesome stance, with an FG front end wearing Shockworks coil-overs, and a rear end by Kain at Hellbent utilising standard pick-up points with tubs and a flat rear floor, a nine-inch and 275 rubber.

5. Brad Schreiber’s VB Commodore – PSR 8.5 Radial

A boilermaker by trade, Brad Schreiber converted this VB from a patina-clad stocker to a seven-second rocket in the shed over the course of a year with his old man. “I did all the fab at home; no one else has touched the car besides us,” said Brad.

They have the car turned down to run in PSR 8.5, and at last count were leading the class. Mechanically, it’s a relatively modest car that they’ve squeezed some awesome numbers out of. “It’s a six-litre alloy block LS with rods and pistons and a stock crank, with aftermarket heads and a Kelford hydraulic cam. The turbo is a 91mm Precision Gen 1, and it runs on E85. It’s getting a little warm, but otherwise we’re running along pretty well. Hopefully we get down OK tomorrow!”

6. Andrew Simmons:
HT ute – ITF Hire 235 Aspirated
HG wagon – VCM Performance DYO

Andrew Simmons is piloting his epic patina-clad HT ute [ITF Hire 235 Aspirated], and chucked the keys to his matching HG wagon [VCM Performance DYO] to his mate (and current SMOTY nominee) Matt Smoors. The pair cut a mean figure hauling arse through the Aussie outback en route to the Day 4 checkpoint between Mildura and Tailem Bend.

“The week is a long one for most people and it’s no different for us, but these cars put in a lot of street kays, and we haven’t had any real issues,” said Matt. “The wagon doesn’t run a tall tyre on the back and it’s got 4.11 gears and a 6300rpm converter in it, and we just cruise along at 4300rpm! We’re four-up with tyres and fuel on the roof and the boot loaded up so much that you can’t see out the back of it; it’s as heavy as it’ll ever be, and it just hums along.”