WE’RE just a month away from this year’s Red CentreNATS, and despite some lockdown challenges it’s shaping up to be a ripper event. The seventh showing begins on Friday, 3 September in and around scenic Alice Springs in the NT.

For the first time, Skid Row will form part of the action at Red CentreNATS. Just like at Street Machine Summernats, entrants will be offered a chance to fry their tyres in front of an adoring crowd at Alice Springs Inland Dragway. Skid Row will be open to all entrants on Saturday from 9am-2pm. Just head to the Dragway, follow the signs, and let rip once given the all-clear! Summernats communications director Adrian Hodgson says the addition is bound to be popular among drivers and spectators alike. “More tyre smoke is always better!” he says with a laugh.

Street cruising is always a major drawcard, allowing crazy, otherwise unregistrable cars to be driven through Alice Springs on unique permits. It’ll run from 8am on Thursday, right through to 10pm Sunday.

There will be a parade through the city centre on Saturday afternoon, and this time it will be fronted by the lucky winners of the first ever Red CentreNATS wedding!

The Heavy Hitters drag racing line-up will be larger than ever, with entrants going head to head for their share in $37,000 worth of prizes. It’ll be on from Friday at 5pm.

Burnout Masters will see Warren Gersekowski shoot for a hat trick behind the wheel of 1TUFHG. Three coveted Summernats Burnout Masters tickets will be up for grabs, alongside RCN’s own Burnout Championship.

Graham Miller took the RCN Grand Champion gong last year with his gorgeous EH sedan, and he’ll be back in contention this time with his equally beautiful EH van. Its appearance at RCN will mark the first time the SM, June ’21 cover car has left Queensland.

Our August ’21 cover hero, Billy Shelton’s SICKEST VL, is also slated to appear, as is Paul Hart’s Rockynats-winning XR Fairmont.

Heaps of delicious metal will be on show at Blatherskite Park on Saturday and Sunday for the Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine.

Other drawcards include tricky grass driving and motorkhana courses, an expanded 4×4 course, and even freestyle motocross action. In Adrian’s words, it’s “everything that makes Red CentreNATS great”.

Though the ongoing COVID situation will likely keep some interstate visitors away, Adrian says RCN 7 is still shaping up beautifully. “It sucks that we’re in a similar position as last year, but back then the only states that could come were the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland, and we still had 700 cars. We still think we’re going to have 700 awesome cars, which makes it a really successful event.”

And for those of us locked down or locked out, there’s going to be plenty of video coverage each day.

Car entry and tickets are still available from the Red CentreNATS website, www.redcentrenats.com.au.