Who said it ain’t easy being green? The chase for the RCN Champion is a hard road, but Jim McLaren, Anton Duval and team made it look easy.

There was plenty of Holden metal – and the associated owners of course – vying for Champion this year, with Jamie O’Neill and Steve Barrie both fielding top-looking Toranas to nip at the heels of Jim McLaren and his insane HQ Monaro.

Jim’s misso Mel was happy with a top three spot. “We were up against some really heady competition,” she said, “but I heard Jim had done well in the drags.” Organisers don’t give anything away, with all times and judging cards held close to their chest, especially Owen Webb, whose regularly smiling countenance is the ultimate poker face.

But when a built, 6.2-litre LSA V8 fitted behind a Turbo 400 trans is the least wild parts of your build, you know something’s going on. Jim’s Monaro, ENVIE, sculpted by Anton Duval at MCR Gold Coast, is a masterclass of big mods that look low-key – something that nets great results – and this showed in the judging and the People’s Choice.

The deep duco, filled with black and burgundy amongst the green, covers every exterior panel, none of which are remotely stock. The windows appear to be modern, flush glass, but are actually standard Monaro items with the metal filled to meet the glass. The bespoke nature of the Monaro – a genuine GTS by the way – didn’t stop Jim from pedalling it hard through the events, including smashing out a ripper ‘tyre warming’ burnout at the drags, and unleashing the thunder at the motorkhana.

With that, it really was no surprise when, already selected for top three, Owen Webb announced to the crowd that the ENVIE crew had won the day. Jim, Anton, their respective wives Mel and Tan, plus their rellies and kids all took to the stage to show what a team effort ENVIE was.

Jim and team were clearly stoked; Jim told us so as soon he came off stage, so we let them have their moment. We’ll harass them again tomorrow when the heads are heavier, but the trophy is no less coveted.

Well done to the 10 finalists, but there can only be one Champion…or in this case, two great mates, and their families, tied together by one amazing car. Congratulations, Jim McLaren, Anton Duval and all the team who worked on ENVIE.