Red CentreNATS today announced a massive shake-up for 2027, with $200,000 in prize money across burnout and drag racing set to bring some of Australia’s toughest cars and biggest names to Alice Springs.
The gloves are off for Pro Burnouts, with $100,000 in prize money, 100 drivers and two massive $50,000 shootouts creating what is set to be the richest burnout competition in the world.
Drag racing gets the same treatment, with 160 racers chasing $100,000 across two $50,000 shootouts, and a new eighth-mile competition format designed to bring some of the fastest cars and biggest names in Australian drag racing to the desert.
It will make Red CentreNATS 2027 the richest drag racing event in Australia and marks a major step up for an event that has always done things differently. Here’s how it is going to work:
War in the Desert 01 & 02
Red CentreNATS presents two separate $50K+ ‘War in the Desert’ dial-your-own eighth-mile drag racing shows across the weekend at Alice Springs Inland Dragway. Four classes. 160 spots in each field. One compulsory qualifier. Then it’s straight into the shootout.
The classes are Most Wanted (4.00-5.49 dial-in, 32-car field), Outlaw (5.50-6.99 dial-in, 32-car field), Street Fighter (7.00-9.99 dial-in, 64-car field) and Outlaw Bike (4.00-7.56 dial-in, 32-bike field).
Each shootout pays out $50,000 and they break down like this:
| CLASS | WINNER | RUNNER-UP |
|---|---|---|
| Most Wanted | $20,000 | $2,000 |
| Outlaw | $12,500 | $1,250 |
| Street Fighter | $7,500 | $750 |
| Outlaw Bike | $4,000 | $400 |
Prize money is also paid to quarter-final runners-up.
The best overall package from the category winners will also take home the RCN Most Wanted, Outlaw, Street Fighter or Outlaw Bike Champion Trophy.
You’ll find more info and entries at the Street Machine Shed. The variety in all classes should be insane! Picture some stupid-fast Drag Challenge and Kenda Radial cars potentally lining up against blown altereds and dragsters in the Most Wanted class. Fun!
The World’s Richest Burnout Competition
Red CentreNATS presents Desert Thrash 01 and Desert Thrash 02 at Alice Springs Inland Dragway.
There’s no qualifying round. When you roll onto the pad, that run counts.
Two shows. Two chances at $50,000 Pro prize money. A limited field of 100 cars. And both rounds are official Castlemaine Rod Shop Pro Burnout Series qualifier rounds. The Pro Burnout field will be limited to 100 cars, with the the Open Class spots uncapped.
The prize money for each shoot out breakes down thusly:
| PLACE | PRIZE MONEY |
|---|---|
| Winner | $30,000 |
| 2nd | $10,000 |
| 3rd | $5,000 |
| 4th | $3,000 |
| 5th | $2,000 |
The best judged Pro burnout overall across the competition wins the RCN Pro Burnout Champion Trophy. No additional prize money applies.
Open Burnouts run as part of both Desert Thrash shows, with each Open Class shootout offering $5000 in cash
| PLACE | PRIZE MONEY |
|---|---|
| Winner | $3,000 |
| 2nd | $1,500 |
| 3rd | $500 |
$10,000 total Open Burnout prize money across the weekend.
The best judged Open burnout overall wins the RCN Open Burnout Champion Trophy. No additional prize money applies.
Enter now in the Street Machine Shed!
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