Street Machine Nationals 50th-anniversary cruise at Griffith’s Biggest Lap in October

Many consider the first Street Machine Nationals in Griffith over the 1975 Easter long weekend to be the birth of street machining here in Australia. With 2025 marking the 50th anniversary of this formative event, the organisers of Griffith’s Biggest Lap charity event have invited a select group of legendary street machines and notable personalities to headline this year’s Lap on the weekend of 4-5 October.

LEFT: Tony Ross won Top Street Machine Overall at the very first Nationals in his stunning FC. And yep, he still has the car and the trophy
RIGHT: Rod and Carol Hadfield’s Lincoln lowrider

The invite list includes a veritable who’s who from the past 50 years of Australian street machining, including Tony Ross and his immaculate FC Holden (SM, Aug ’22), winner of Top Street Machine Overall at the first Nationals. Peter Fitzpatrick is also bringing his multi-award-winning FC (SM, Nov ’10); Rod and Carol Hadfield will be there with their Lincoln lowrider; John McCoy-Lancaster is rolling out Graham Stubbs’s Malibu Magic; and Bob Grambau, who attended the first Nationals, is bringing his recently revamped black EH (SM, Aug ’25).

LEFT: Bob Grambau’s EH sedan. RIGHT: Alex Gerrard EH wagon

Other luminaries taking part include Alex Gerrard with his EH wagon and Paul Atkins in his legendary HR Premier (both featured in SM, Apr-May ’82); Darren Fosberg’s ’55 Chev (SM, Sep ’25); the HR sedan of Stephen Booth (SM, Oct ’12) alongside his son Nathan’s 2015 SMOTY-winning HR ute (SM, Dec ’14); and Steve Hodges in his HG ute (SM, Nov ’24), which has been returned to its Summernats 8 Top 10 guise especially for the event.

MORE Steve Hodges’ iconic Pro Street HG Holden ute

Steve Hodges’s HG ute won Top Street Machine – Show at the Street Machine Nationals in Wagga in 1993! He’ll have the ute in Griffith for the anniversary event

As much as it’s about the iconic cars, the event also celebrates the people who’ve had a major influence on the development of Aussie street machining.

Summernats founder Chic Henry’s ’62 Impala was a familiar sight at the early Street Machine Nationals in Canberra, and his daughter Angela is bringing the iconic Chev down from Queensland. Benny Gatt was an integral part of the drag racing that was held in conjunction with early Street Machine Nationals, and he’s bringing his Mercury. Legends like Wayne Pagel and Mick Fabar will also be in attendance.

Joining these 30-odd icons will be a further 40 of the best club cars from Griffith and surrounding areas.

Peter Fitzpatrick’s tough EH won Best Engine Bay at the first Street Machine Nationals in Griffith. Peter will be rolling in his ‘Trilogy’ FC for the 50th anniversary

Griffith’s Biggest Lap is described as a 500-strong moving car show. Headlining the event is a massive cruise up the main street of Griffith from 6 ’til 9pm on Saturday night. This will be followed on Sunday by a Show ’n’ Shine at Solar Mad Stadium – for which spectator tickets are $10 each.

While there is no formal judging, entrants will be vying for one of five custom-made trophies. Peter Fitzpatrick, Owen Webb, Angie Henry, Rod Hadfield and Tony Ross have each been asked to create their own one-off trophy to present to their personal pick from the event.

While the invite-only 50th-anniversary event is closed, entries are still open for the Biggest Lap, which is capped at 500 cars.

All proceeds go to Can Assist and Riding for the Disabled, and organisers would like to thank Enthusiast Motoring Insurance and Street Machine for making the event possible. Head to griffithsbiggestlap.com.au for more event info.

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