A souped-up skid machine that drinks methanol, eats tyres and spits out the rest is vying for supremacy at Queensland's biggest legal burnout competition – and its driver wants people to know this is "not just a bogan sport".
Craig Meston is among thousands of revheads who have rolled into Rockhampton this weekend for the three-day Rockynats car festival.
The Cairns-born driver has gained a name for himself on the competitive burnout circuit for his bright fuchsia 1986 Holden Commodore – aptly named PINKY – but still gets butterflies before an event.
"I've dry-retched a few times," he says.
"It scares me a bit and makes me really nervous, but then I kind of want to conquer that and prove to myself that I can do it."
Burnouts and the law
For decades, mostly young men have driven to the Cairns suburb of Woree on Thursday nights to show off their hotted-up street machines in the car park of a popular fast-food restaurant.
Mr Meston used to be among them, and admits his first foray into burnouts was not in the controlled, legal sporting environment in which he now competes.
"[I would] sort of play around and cause a bit of havoc," he says.
Queensland hooning laws have tightened since those early days, with police able to impound, immobilise and even confiscate and crush vehicles, depending on the offence.
Driving in a way that makes unnecessary noise or smoke now carries a maximum fine of $2,875, while anyone driving carelessly or street racing is liable for up to a $5,750 fine or six months' jail.
Mr Meston says there are plenty of burnout pads and cheap and legal competitions around regional Queensland for young drivers that want their fix.
"There's almost an event every weekend," he says.
"It's definitely a lot safer doing it at an event and not doing it on the street.
"You'll keep your licence and you'll keep your car."
Expensive adrenaline
Mr Meston lives in Ipswich these days, and towing his pride and joy to Central Queensland on a flatbed trailer comes at considerable expense.
"Over the years … I'd have to have a punt and say I'm probably up to $130,000 into the sport including the car and everything like that," he says.
"A competition, a weekend away with the car, can average about $5,000."
He reckons it's worth every cent.
"Rockynats as an event is absolutely unreal – it's spread out over Rockhampton on both sides of the river," Mr Meston says.
"Where the burnouts take place is at one of the boat ramps. They basically transform the car park into our little stadium."
He bought PINKY as a standard-issue Commodore but has made it almost unrecognisable, complete with a new engine, methanol fuel system and in-built roll cage.
The engine bay has caught fire, and he once drove it into a wall while competing at an event in Mackay.
"It just hurts the pocket a little bit, and the pride, but that's about it," he says.
The perfect burnout
There is more nuance and skill involved in the sport than meets the untrained eye, with a 100-point judging system that awards smoke, ability and control.
"I don't know if the perfect burnout exists, but I've seen some guys go very close," Mr Meston says.
He has invested a lot into the sport, and hopes events like the Rockynats will help legitimise it in the eyes of everyday Australians.
"It's not just a bogan sport. It's people spending a lot of time and money on cars and making them as high quality as they can – and then driving them in a style that pushes the boundaries," Mr Meston says.
"We have a way to go, but it's definitely becoming a bigger and a [more] well-known sport, especially in Australia.
"The Americans are trying to have a crack at it. They're not as good as us yet, but they're getting there.
"With that and with us doing it safely and showing that it is a safe sport, I think that will definitely help push it in the right direction."
