Sport
3 July, 2023
Raceway provides dose of adrenaline-fuelled action
CAR enthusiasts across the Far North got their dose of drag racing, burnouts and drifting at the seventh edition of the Northern Nats.
More than 1000 people from across Australia tookover the Springmount Raceway last weekend.
With an entertaining program across the three days (June 23-25), the Northern Nats attracted over 1300 visitors and 350 competitors across the region and interstate looking for an adrenaline fuelled experience.
Locals were the stars of the races with Kuranda’s young drifter Shyma Lelli winning the junior dragster category, while Lyn Di Mauro took the win for street and Mareeba’s Cameron De Lai took super street.
“We’re very happy with the event, we shifted the date from May to June because it was clashing with many events and it was a great success with good numbers coming through the door,” said Springmount Raceway’s operation manager Michael Gonzalez. “We’re well positioned locally but I was amazed to see people from Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Northern Territory, that’s a long way to come. It’s mind-boggling.”
Mr Gonzalez said the highlight of the event was the crowd’s excitement for the cars and support for the drivers.
“I think the most exciting is seeing the crowd’s response to a car that they’ve read about in magazines and they thought they would never get a chance to be up close to it. Next minute it’s in front of them,” he said.
“And a lot of these drivers are larger than life, which is fantastic, and to me that’s the highlight, how people react to these big cars and big personalities.”
Some of the crowd favourites for the weekend were the burnouts, where audiences got introduced to unexpectedly modified cars, and for car enthusiasts looking for a slower pace, the car exhibition was the place to go.
“People love their big burnouts, the big cars with big names and these guys travel all over Australia in large competitions and it’s a big draw card for the crowd,” Mr Gonzalez said.
“Drag racing was another big one, the chance to see a GT Falcon or a Torana like their dad used to drive creates a huge interaction with the audiences, it’s quite special.
“We held a big car show that went really well this year, if they didn’t want to compete, they could put their car in the car show and it was a relaxed component for the weekend.”
We Congratulate the following competitors on there placings.
• JUNIOR DRAGSTERWinner - SHMYA LELLI / Runner Up - NED MCQUADE
• STREETWinner - LYN DI MAURO / Runner Up - ANTHONY GINNING
• SUPER STREETWinner - CAMERON DEL LAI / Runner Up - KAY SWENSON
• COMPETITIONWinner - ANTHONY MANGANO / Runner Up - BRETT KELLY
• SUPER COMP Winner - TALIA AH LOY-WALTER / Runner Up - LEE POVEY
• BIKES Winner - MELISSA TAYLOR / Runner Up - NICOLE MCGARRY
Best Presented - Sponsored by Atherton Trophies and Engraving: Winner - LEE POVEY
• Roll Racing Winners are: Bike - JUSTIN LANGFORDCar- LEE POVEY
• Go To Whoa Winners are: Bike - WAYNE NEILSONCar - MATT SMITH
• Biggest Mile Per Hour, for Northern Nats 7, 2023 goes to: LEE POVEY
• Car of Show: REFINED
• Best Tipin: LYNCHY•Powerskid: OR WHAT•Top Female: BUGALUGZ
BURNOUTS:
6 CYLINDER1st- AUDOIN2nd- FERAL UTE
MODIFIED TOP 31st- JOYRIDE2nd- HI RI2K3rd- R U FRYED
PRO TOP 101st- ATRISK2nd- S1CKO3rd- LUXIFER (Masters Ticket)4th- SPASTIC5th- UCSMOKE (Masters Ticket) 6th- UNFAZD7th- LYNCHY8th- 2CRANKY9th- MISFIT10th- HI RI2K
