Summernats Highlights And Lowlights

[Falchoon]

I'll post some pics on Monday if I get a chance but I thought I first I would put pen to paper (fingers to keyboard?!) first with some random musings about Summernats.

One of the funniest things I've seen so far was a VL Commie coming out of a sidestreet onto Northbourne Ave trying to 'drift' - he managed to drift allright, straight into the gutter after doing a 180 degree spin! He managed to drive away but I'm sure his pretty chrome wheel would of been damaged.

I had been inside NATEX for about 4.5 minutes when I saw my fist unclad pair of boobies of the day! :hiwelcome:

Out of the many thousand people at Summernats I manged to find MS700 and Saleen1 without even trying. Pity I lost them again about 20 minutes later. :(

Saw Dynosteve but didn't get a chance to talk to him as he was busy telling a potentiel customer all about his Torana.

It was heaps funny to watch the guy in the giving his lowrider airbag/hudraulic equipped ZD Fairlane a workout in front of the rego inspectors in Braddon on Friday night. He got the front wheels over a foot in the air, the rego inspectors were not amused though a nearby cop seemed to be (Velvet Glove maybe?). The rego guys had already defected the Fairlane so there wasn't much else they could do.

Each year at Summernats (I've been to all 17) there is an unofficial theme. It's been the Monaro Nats and the Late model camira Nats, to name a couple of previous themes but this year it's the Rice Nats. Skylines and similar import performance cars everywhere. Especially cruising Braddon on Friday night. And big diameter chrome wheels are this year's falvour as well, on every model car from Mercedes to Mazda. Not a look I'm a fan of, I'm afraid.

Saw the APS ute and a Black XR6Twith BA 300 plates that I think belongs to Ming Automotive (Canberra APS agent). First timje I've seen an APS setup with a different-from-factory inlet manifold. Looked good, not sure which I prefer now, the Nizpro setup or the APS one. I'd have to see them side by side I guess.

I was hoping to get some BA XR6 merchandise, in particular a T-shirt but none were available. There was a caravan selling official Ford and FPV merchandise but it was just the same stuff you get at any Ford dealer. They had a baseball cap with XR6 logo on it (no turbo though ) but the 6 was in red like the 8 in XR8. Plus it was about $35, too expensive and I'm not a wearer of caps anyway. Mick (MS700) says he has polo shirts the same at his work and like me he is a little dissapointed that the "official" Ford merchandise cannot get it right. At another tent they had t-shirt with the blue Ford logo but with slightly different spelling of car name - replace the ORD with UCK. Mildly amusing but not worth $25 IMO.

This year is the shortest amount of time I've ever spent at the Nats. Got there at about 2pm on Saturday and left at about 5.45. Didn't even bother going today. Every other year I've been for the 4 days. I guess because I've been to them all before (3 as an entrant) there isn't much I haven't seen before.

[Velvet Glove]

It would be a really great festival if you took the d*ckhead factor out....even I'd go ! I have seen some pretty funny things but the overall humour is watching guys barely old enough to shave thinking they are 'all that' in a riced up Nissan, Hyundai, Mazda etc etc. I think some get a special haircut and pair of tight pants for the occasion. And some of the number plates ! I mean if the other they're after isnt there they go for something close and the result is horrendous, but very funny. Havent seen FULLSIK this year but all his brothers were down. Oh well, keeps some of us mildly amused for a few days but , for a snapshot of the general Australian population, it makes me shudder. I would say the nob ration was realing pushing 50% this year

Highlight for me is about now (6pm), people are leaving :hiwelcome:

[KittyKatSmack]

Some beautiful cars to be seen in Braddon over the weekend, and yes, lots of chrome!

Was great to see all the modified 4's coming out as well as the big muscle cars.

I loved the diversity and the range that was about this year.

Nothing wrong with all the V8's but must admit that now we get to see 4's and 6's alongside the 8's, and it will bring out the best in everyone with healthy competition!

Some great laughs indeed as lots of twits tried to push themselves beyond their limits and those of the vehicles.

Canberra in the summertime can be very warm, and if the cars aren't modded properly.... well lets just say the proliferation of cars overheating on the side of the road is testimony to GOOD mods v's CR@P mods *sniggers*

The pool party we had across the road at starlight apartments was enough to keep us all cool..... and as I said on the "other BA" forums, I didn't have to flash my t!t's with my friends like the other schlarpies! Being in a group of 20 plus people was a terrific experience, and I felt comfortable for a change, and it kept the yobbo's mouths shut this year!!! Great to see some of the girls driving the strip this year, and we all gave them big cheers as they went past!!!

Had a great time! We didn't go over to the fords or holdens as we were having too much fun with our friends at the "ricers" but c'est la vie.... it was all fun on the day!

:D

[DallasQLD]

What did you expect Velvet Glove - a meeting of the Braddon Philharmonic?

For goodness sake its an annual meeting of the neanderthals that love street /drag racing.

The nob factor is about what you should expect. that's what it is all about.

The summernats came out of the fact that Canberra couldnt get a drag way setup to suit.

[Velvet Glove]

What did you expect Velvet Glove - a meeting of the Braddon Philharmonic?

For goodness sake its an annual meeting of the neanderthals that love street /drag racing.

The nob factor is about what you should expect. that's what it is all about.

The summernats came out of the fact that Canberra couldnt get a drag way setup to suit.

Thank you for stating the obvious. After working at 12 Summernats I think I may have a fair idea of what goes on there......well far more than someone from Qld for example.

[DallasQLD]

VG: I am not to know that you have worked there for 12 years and given that you have , you must expect the nob factor as that's what it has turned into.

BTW you are not to know that I was one of the people intrumental in getting it in the first place. We assisted in the apprpval process through Sport and Rec.

I was chairman of the ACT motorsports council back then and I was also part of the team that gave you the Rally od Canberra.

Glad to see you are enjoying the "event". It stareted out as a place for street machine mag to run events and Canberra bid for it like wagga and Melbourne did.

It has evolved over the years but Street machining has taken on a whole new meaning with the advent of ricemobiles..............

It got good coverage on the telly tonite in the news..............

[Marcos]

Although I was in Canberra this weekend, I didn't actually go to the summernats, I saw enough rice all through the streets of Canberra, maybe a couple of Aussie Muscle, but nearly ALL rice...... The funny thing was seeing plenty of speedchecks and broken down rice on the way home on the freeway.

[Phils XM]

whilst there were quite a few rice burners inside it sounds like there were more on the outside.

It was a disapointment to see the d*ckhead factor is on the rise again, this year it started on Friday afternoon.

having ventured to the nats this year in a different type of car (a non jap 4 cyl) was pleasantly suprised with the general acceptance and in some cases the historical understanding of the car. This was my 11 th nats (my 1st not in a v8) I wonder how much longer for Chic Henry & crew to get serious about stamping out the morons (maybe ban the booze).

[Velvet Glove]

VG: I am not to know that you have worked there for 12 years and given that you have , you must expect the nob factor as that's what it has turned into.

BTW you are not to know that I was one of the people intrumental in getting it in the first place. We assisted in the apprpval process through Sport and Rec.

I was chairman of the ACT motorsports council back then and I was also part of the team that gave you the Rally od Canberra.

Glad to see you are enjoying the "event". It stareted out as a place for street machine mag to run events and Canberra bid for it like wagga and Melbourne did.

It has evolved over the years but Street machining has taken on a whole new meaning with the advent of ricemobiles..............

It got good coverage on the telly tonite in the news..............

Fair cop guv and I agree, when it started many years ago (late 80s) the feeling of the whole thing was very different. Car enthusiasts able to enjoy the company of like-minded people. Street machining has a whole new feel today. Lets just say there was plenty of Fast and the Furious, but not much Vin Diesel.

I saw some lovely 67 Mustangs amongst the 1000000 ricers

Cheers

[KittyKatSmack]

Although I was in Canberra this weekend, I didn't actually go to the summernats, I saw enough rice all through the streets of Canberra, maybe a couple of Aussie Muscle, but nearly ALL rice...... The funny thing was seeing plenty of speedchecks and broken down rice on the way home on the freeway.

I must admit most of the cars I saw broken down in Canberra and curb bouncing were the v8's and muscle cars..... We gave our ricers hell especially the pink ones! But got our biggest laughs from Holdens and Fords!!!

Different strokes for different folks!

:lol:

Still think it's great to see the competition hotting up between everyone and am sure it will bring out the "best" in people if we look past the worst in people.