Summernats 25

     

 

         

Summernats 25 Run Report

This year Summernats celebrated its Chrome Jubilee - marking the 25th year of the event - by hosting thirteen cars from the Canberra Torana Club. This was achieved through the Council of ACT Motor Clubs who were invited to coordinate local classic car clubs to present their finest for Sunday's Muscle Car Exhibition.

Early morning rain did not deter eleven of our vehicles – the other two belonging to Adrian and Trevor who attended the event separately as fully fledged entrants – from congregating at the Dickson College car park at 8am (ish). In the name of diversity we had five pointy ones, four hatches and two with extra doors. Around 30 of us were then given wrist bands and each car a sticker which allowed FREE and heavily restricted NO CRUISING entry to Summernats 25. We then took off in convoy down the road under threatening skies towards Gate 7 on Wells Station Road . The gate that we actually entered will forever remain a mystery as we were promptly ushered to form our own CTC display on a tarred section at the back of EPIC nowhere near the main arena.

It came to light that this was just our VIP staging area as the powers that be nervously instructed us to move so off we CRUISED to pole position on the grassed arena right behind the main gate. It was an awesome sight seeing us all CRUISING single file through the heart of Summernats attracting many looks on the way. Needless to say the confusion was worth it and as the saying goes “good things come to those who wait”.

Many of us then began reliving former glories – a few of us having entered the event as early as Summernats 4 – before the heavens opened scattering us in all directions and rendering any previous efforts to clean and polish useless. This was a great time to take to the pavilions and listen to the sound-off and take advantage of the Rare Spares 20% off everything sale. There were still a lot of tough cars to be seen and talked about on the Sunday and I believe that most of us CRUISED out of the event – some through the main gate - by about 2 pm.

Special thanks and congratulations must go to Adrian who won the Summernats 25 Street Encouragement Award in his silver LX four door, Rick and Yvonne from the Hunter Valley Torana Club for joining us as honorary members in their Strike Me Pink LJ, Lawrie who took some really great photos (some of which were actually of cars), Rob for being a Summernats gate official who had no idea at all of where we were supposed to go and lastly but not leastly the Event Co-Ordinator of the Council of ACT Motor Clubs Bruce Perry for his great efforts in organising such a great event.

Excepting the inclement weather it was a great day and I am sure many will be keen for a repeat dose of no CRUISING next year given that Summernats 26 has again been secured by the nation's capital.

Have fun and please be careful out there.

Stephen G

© Copyright Canberra Torana Club Inc.