Another January is over and with it another Summernats is done and dusted.
With the influx of flagship cars as well as what is always regarded as the hottest day of the year, the 29th year of Summernats was the second in a row in which a non-V8 came away with the prestigious Grand Champion award. That being said however, the much acclaimed Mazda that came away with the top honours was a shoe in amongst the sea of lion and blue oval badged behemoths.
Much can be said about the spectacle that is Summernats. Some say the belligerent wrong-doers with reckless attitudes towards personal and not so personal safety that attend this festival of fire do nothing but promote the maligned and degraded brand the name Summernats was identified with in days gone by.
Others say that since Chic Henry sold the carnival of chaos, the new owners have continuously raised the bar and ushered in a new era of automotive debauchery, just without as much debauchery. The emphasis of family days, the assurance of safety and the inclusion of key cars such as the Red Bull Racing V8 Supercar wheeled by Jamie Whincup assist in stimulating the friendly attitude and encourage local law enforcement bodies to praise the lack of attacks on a Saturday night.
I love the Summernats as much as the next red meat eating, methanol whiffing male but to me it feels like the makeup gun that Homer made Marge "Homer, you've got it set on crack whore!". At the end of the day the Summernats will always be a celebration of all that is masculine. You can tone down all that made it everything it was to begin with, but as long as people are willing to shred compressed rubber to appease the shirtless masses who are willing to pay $8 for a can of beer, then you will have 100,000 people streaming through the gates at $70 a ticket.
I for one think that the Summernats as a brand will go from strength to strength doing just what they're doing: providing a locale at which to perform burnouts as much as your hearts content and present your hard earned and built ride for the inspection and admiration of your peers. So long as they show that they are making an attempt to curb the alcohol fuelled violence and endorse a family friendly event, then the public just may be appeased.
Next year will be no different, with Summernats turning the dirty 30, it will prove to be a true spectacle. Lets just hope the ACT government doesn't have other plans. With the revenue the Capital receives from this revelry of rev-heads I highly doubt anything will happen to waylay the event.
See you at the track
- Willie