WEST Aussies like to make the point that Motorvation has actually been running longer than Summernats, but after celebrating 30 years of horsepower parties last year, a change in management at Perth Motorplex put the event on shaky ground. The good news is, Motorvation will be back in 2017 – but for one day only: Saturday 21 January.

While the length of the event has been shortened, there are a couple of silver linings, the main one being a huge reduction in entry fees. There is over six hours of cruising scheduled, and if you’ve ever been to Motorvation you’ll know that cruising West Aussie-style usually means a few sets of smashed tyres! Think of it as a high-intensity version of the event, rather than one that’s been cut back.

There are good reasons for the one-day-only format. There have been massive changes during the off-season, with the long-standing management team of the Miocevich family and Kevin Prendergast hanging up the boots, so the management is currently being handled by VenuesWest, a government statutory authority that reports to the Minister for Sport & Recreation, and they simply don’t have the resources to run the event for three days.

While it’s only one day, it’ll be a long one, with entrants and traders coming in at 6am before the cruising kicks off at 10 and continues practically non-stop until 4pm, alternating between MV Muscle Cruise, Super Cruise and Smooth Cruise, providing plenty of cruising opportunities to suit any style of driving.

From 4pm it’ll get serious, with the cruising limited to the pits while the Megaskid comp kicks off on the drag strip. At 5:30pm the KFC Burnouts will tear into action in the Snakepit, and there’ll be another five hours of tyre-frying and cruising to get through.

While there won’t be an Elite Pavilion this year, it will be back for next year, but there will still be a judged Show ’n’ Shine as well as the Audio Precision Sound Off for those that like to dust trophies. But most importantly, Miss Motorvation is still a happening thing. Oh yeah.

For more information or to enter, head to www.motorvation.com.au.