If there’s one thing that us Aussie revheads love, it’s a burnout comp. And our brand-spanking new skid comp, Rods Out, brought that in spades. In fact, it doubled down!
Two Rods Out burnout comps were added to the Street Machine Drag Challenge program for 2024, with the first taking place at Dragway at The Bend in South Australia on Day Three of DC competition, followed by another event at Victoria’s Heathcote Park Raceway on Day Four. Some of the biggest names in the sport showed up to compete for a $15,000 first prize at each event, along with one of two Pro Burnout Series spots at Street Machine Summernats 37. We’re talking heavy hitters like Rick Fuller (LSONE), Chris Orchard (GAME OVER), Wal Gersekowski (1TUFHG) and mad Mick Brasher (ULEGAL).
There was plenty of incentive for Open-class entrants, too, with a spot in the Last Chance Wildcard Shootout at Summernats 37 on offer at each event, giving the winners a shot at mixing it with the big guns in the ’Nats Pro Burnout comp.
The rules were simple: each entrant would skid twice only at each event, with the best score of the two being the one that counted. In addition, those insane enough to tackle both events could compete for The Grind, where their points from each event would be tallied up to crown an overall champion.
With so much on the table for entrants to skid for, spectators at both events were treated to some of the best tyre-frying action in the world.
Rods Out 1 at the world-class Dragway at The Bend facility claimed two casualties before they even had a chance to hit the pad. Pete Thomsen’s tough-as-nails aspirated XD, MY80XD, had a gearbox issue, while Ryan Pearson’s HOLDON Prem also had niggles. A tough pill to swallow for both, but that’s burnouts for you! Once the green light was given for the remaining entrants, though, it was insanity right from the get-go, with action fast and strong and the intensity level off the charts.
When the pad finally fell (relatively) silent after more than 100 insane burnouts, the judges determined Rick Fuller in LSONE the Pro-class victor, his two performances marked by constant smoke, full use of the pad and a crazy level of driver control.
Chris Orchard in the GAME OVER HSV and the ULEGAL Corolla of Mick Brasher came second and third respectively, but with all three place-getters having already earned a Pro Burnout berth prior to Rods Out, the golden ticket to the ’Nats 37 big dance went to Glenn Moran in his Mercedes C-Class, TOWIE. And with his win in the Open class, John Gibson and his KAOS VP Commodore also got a shot at the big time with a spot in the Wildcard Shootout.
Right after the last set of tyres exploded, many of the competitors hit the road to get at least part of the way to Heathcote before stopping for the night, rather than drive the whole six hours the next morning.
Rods Out 2 at Heathcote Park Raceway saw some new arrivals in the pits, including weapons like Shannon Heraud’s TUF253 Escort and the freshly completed KINGXA of Pete Grmusa. There were plenty of weary warriors back for more after the previous day, though, with the likes of Mark Siracusa’s ONIT Torana, Tim Brown in the CEMBLO VK Commodore and Heath Waddington in both BLOWNHJ and the WARBIRD XP Falcon all on board for more punishment in the hopes of clinching a win in The Grind.
Unlike the relatively small pad at The Bend, the Heathcote Park skid surface is vast, allowing for wild tip-ins and some serious wheel speed. Rick Fuller once again did two textbook skids to give the judges plenty to get excited about, while stellar performances from Grmusa’s KINGXA, Thomas McManaway’s DATO KNG ute and Scott Yates’s YATESZ Commodore had the crowd on their feet. Think fire, limiter-bashing big-block Chevs and ample blower whine.
Wal Gersekowski in 1TUFHG had his first Heathcote skid derailed by a broken steering arm, but Rob Cottrell of 4DH8RS XD fame lent him a hand to get things sorted for his second go. And boy, did Wal let it rip when he came back out! It’s always great to hear his small-block Chev roar amid the general LS noise, although to be fair, the sound of any blown V8 is always music to the ears.
After another near-faultless performance, Rick Fuller was crowned the winner of both Rods Out 1 and 2, and therefore also claimed The Grind victory for the best overall skids from the two days of carnage. The Summernats Pro Burnout ticket for Rods Out 2 went to Peter Grmusa, which means you’ll be seeing KINGXA fighting for the big $50,000 first prize at Summernats 37.
In the hotly contested Open class, Jordan Denham got the chocolates in the CMFRY Commodore, so he’ll also have his chance at Pro Burnout Series glory when he fronts up for the Wildcard Shootout come January.
Dates for the 2025 Pro Burnout Series are coming soon, but until then, Summernats 37 is almost here, and we can’t wait to see those who triumphed at the inaugural Rods Out comps giving it their all when the world’s best burnout competitors battle it out!
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. Thomas McManaway came to party in his Datsun 1200 ute, DATO KNG, throwing down both at
The Bend and Heathcote as part of The Grind comp.
2. Rob Cottrell’s 4DH8RS XD Falcon came to Heathcote Park Raceway fresh from a big win at Bindoon Burnouts in WA, and if there’s one thing Rob loves more than chips on a stick, it’s smashing tyres.
3. Mad Mick Brasher has had ULEGAL singing quite a song of late, with the Corolla’s new LS set-up giving him a combo he can lean on hard. The proof of the pudding was his third-place spot on the Rods Out 1 podium at The Bend.
4. Packing over 700 cubic inches, the big-block Chev in Chris Orchard’s GAME OVER HSV Gen-F GTS is a fearsome sight to behold, to say nothing of the all-out assault on the eardrums it unleashes when Chris sinks the boot in. It helped him to the runner-up spot at Rods Out 1, third place at Rods out 2, and second in the overall Grind stakes behind Rick Fuller.
5. TUF253 by name and by nature! Whoever said thongslappers can’t smash tyres hasn’t seen Shannon Heraud’s little Escort, the gutsy blown beast giving the sea of large Holdens and Fords a run for their money on the pad at Rods Out.
6. Jacob Lenoble and SYCO PTH travelled all the way from Queensland to smash tyres at both Rods Out events, and put in a performance worthy of the little Datsun’s moniker.
7. If it’s noise you like, then Kane Wadwell’s blown Holden ute, ROOKIE, is for you. Shooting flames from the exhaust and tyres, this weapon had everyone reaching for their earplugs.
8. There’s always plenty of hard work and camaraderie in the pits at burnout events, with the Aussie skid scene one of the closest-knit groups in motorsport.
9. Peter Grmusa supposedly retired from burnouts last year, but after his daughter called him a loser for not having a skid car anymore, he quickly set about building himself a new machine. All hail KINGXA, which boasts 702ci of blown, BNR Engines V8 between the towers and came runner-up at Rods Out 2.
10. Rick Fuller took home all the cash and all the tinware, dominating both Rods Out events and therefore claiming the inaugural victory in The Grind for the best overall skids of the two days.
11. Media man Jacko, your humble scribe JBens and commentator Dave Pendlebury were on hand to bring some added chaos to the game, although they’re clearly slacking off here – back to work, fellas!
RESULTS:
RODS OUT 1: DRAGWAY AT THE BEND
PRO
1st: Rick Fuller – LSONE
2nd: Chris Orchard – GAME OVER
3rd: Mick Brasher – ULEGAL
OPEN
1st: John Gibson – KAOS
2nd: Travis Lambert – WASNTME
3rd: Roy Hamment – LAST MINUTE
RODS OUT 2: HEATHCOTE PARK RACEWAY
PRO
1st: Rick Fuller – LSONE
2nd: Peter Grmusa – KINGXA
3rd: Chris Orchard – GAME OVER
OPEN
1st: Jordan Denham – CMFRY
2nd: Connar Walker – FEEDM
3rd: Anthony Manning – ITLLDO
THE GRIND
Winner: Rick Fuller
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