Need more high-octane action?
On Friday morning, once the smoke cleared from the burnout pad, you could see the crowds by the fence with their skin black from the burnt rubber hanging in the air.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The crowds whistled and hollered, egging on the drivers revving their engines until their of tyres exploded with clean up crews moving in to pick up pieces of still smoking rubber, or pouring sawdust over engine fluid.
Michael Kajewski, 19, and Ali Benson, 18, were Canberra locals in love with the festival who had come to watch the burnouts, they were both covered in rubber from hanging on the fence by the burnout pad.
"It's fantastic, man. I live for this, this is my Christmas," Mr Kajewski said.
"Better than Christmas actually," Ms Benson added.
Ms Benson said the behaviour marring Summernats reputation had been much better this year.
"There's been less, I suppose, harassment but I've been coming since I was probably six years old, you sort of tune it out.
"You know what you're getting in to, but I still love coming, would do it very year."
Luke Braba, Shane Crowley, Harry Munier and Harry Heyea, all from across the NSW region, were chatting excitedly about the weekend ahead with three of them barely recognisable under a layer of burnt rubber.
The atmosphere was a big drawcard for them, with Mr Braba drumming it down to 'three Bs', "boobs, burnouts and blowers", and they didn't seem phased by the bad reputation hanging over Summernats.
"I think some of the Canberra people don't like it but it brings so much money to the town," Mr Braba, 24, said.
"You can't get rid of Summernats, because Summernats is what Canberra is."
"Basically it's the public servants I reckon," Mr Munier, 20 said.
"The dickheads that they talk about, they don't come here either," Mr Crowley, 20, said.
Mr Crowley said he had only missed three Summernats since he'd turned six, and Mr Braba had marked all seven of his Summernats on the back of his singlet.
Summernats co-owner Andy Lopez said the event had been going well, with record turnouts of people and cars.
"The Australian street machine community have come out as one to celebrate our big birthday with us," Mr Lopez
"The other great beneficiary of the Summernats is the ACT economy."
