Motoring: Canberra’s SummerNats
by admin , under Columns, The Magazine
1 ON 1 WITH PETER GRMUSA
When did you compete in your first burnout competition?
About five years ago. When I was young, I was into doing burnouts on the street. As I got older, I decided to take it to a more professional level.
How many events do you enter?
It varies, but usually between seven and 12 per year, including events where show promoters pay me to turn up to do demonstrations.
What is the most important burnout event on the calendar?
Definitely Summernats in Canberra. That’s the one everyone wants to win; that’s where you make a name for yourself.
What did it take to win the Summernats Burnout comp two years in a row?
I didn’t really go there to win the first year, I just wanted to enter and have a good time. I think my driving style is what got me the points, and the crowd’s reaction. I set a new standard that year because I threw the car around the pad much harder than most other competitors traditionally did.
What makes the sport so addictive?
It’s just the adrenalin rush. When you’re out there, nothing else matters, you’re just living in the moment. It’s the ultimate outlet.
How does it feel to bring a crowd to its feet with your performance?
To see a grandstand of several thousand people going crazy, and to know that you have their full attention for that moment, is indescribable. It’s one of those things that you just have to experience.
What are the requirements for a competitive burnout car?
A purpose-built burnout car needs to be able to produce the kind of results that will meet the judges’ strict criteria. First, you need instant smoke—and lots of it right from the start. Next comes driving skill, which determines how well you can control the car in the tight confines of the burnout pad without hitting the guard rails. And, finally, of course, crowd reaction. If the crowd isn’t impressed, chances are the judges won’t be, either.
How important is big horsepower?
In my opinion, it’s very important at competition level. You can do impressive ‘skids’ with fairly low horsepower by changing your diff ratios, but if you want to be competitive and chase the big prize money, you need to spin those wheels as fast as possible.
What number does your engine rev to in a competition?
On average, up around 7000 to 8000rpm, but I‘ve had it up to 10,000rpm.
Impressive! Is there anything special about the tyres you use?
Yeah, they’re brand new at the start! They have to be. Second-hand ones won’t go the distance, even though a ‘skid’ only goes for three minutes at the longest. The shortest lifespan I’ve had from a set of new tyres was 18 seconds from start to being shredded off the rims. Try doing that in your family sedan!
What does it cost to build a competitive burnout car?
You can build a car for as little as $10,000 if you just want to have fun, but a serious burnout car can cost up to $120,000, depending on how showy you want to be. The build cost of my Falcon when it won Summernats was only $35,000, but I had a lot of help. Of course, that win attracted sponsorship, which helped get the car to where it is today.
What is the most important thing to consider when building a burnout car?
Well, I use a ‘highway diff’ with a gear ratio of 3:1. That allows the back wheels to spin at huge revs in top gear. To make that happen requires a tremendous amount of horsepower. If you don’t have the power, it will just die on the spot, which is why this motor is punching out around 1500hp.
To put that in perspective, your average family VZ Commodore puts out about 175hp. Also, there are no rear brakes on the car and front tyre pressure is at 20psi for control. The rear suspension is set up to be rock hard.
How do you practise for a major event?
Due to my earlier ‘hoon’ days, I’ve had plenty of practise, and I know this car really well. I don’t recommend that newcomers practise on the streets. There are plenty of organised events nowadays. Just turn up and do your best, you’ll soon get the hang of it.
What advice can you give anyone who’s thinking about getting into professional burnout competitions?
Work within your budget and go into it to have a good time. Remember that it’s all about entertainment. The audience has paid their hard-earned money to see the show— entertaining them should be your priority. And be professional. If people come up to you after the show and want to talk to you, make time for them.
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