MAGNETIC NORTH

REVHEADS FROM FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND AND BEYOND WERE IRRESISTIBLY DRAWN TO PICTURESQUE SPRINGMOUNT RACEWAY FOR THREE DAYS OF AUTOMOTIVE GOOD TIMES AT NORTHERN NATS 9

- KIAN HEGINEY

AS WE drove the twisting mountain roads from Cairns to Springmount Raceway, just south of Mareeba, it became pretty clear how special it is to have a drag strip in such a bloody beautiful part of the country. You'd struggle to find anywhere else that boasts views like this as the backdrop for tyre-frying action and cars nudging 180mph!

But that's exactly what's on offer at the Northern Nats, the annual three-day hoedown of horsepower that brings further heat to these already steamy Far North Queensland environs. This year not only marked the ninth time ‘round for the event, but also the second year running of the Summernats crew teaming up with the Springmount Raceway folks to help run it all.

As always, there was plenty on offer over the Friday-Sunday duration of this year's 'Nats, including drag and roll racing, cruise sessions (complete with a Summernats-style Skid Row), powerskids, show 'n' shine, and - back for its second year - the Pro Burnout Series lighting up the pad on all three days.

Yet despite all that action, Northern Nats remains a remarkably laidback, chilled-out event. With camping aplenty in the pits, locals mingled with interstate visitors as they embraced the opportunities on offer, whether it was blazing tyres or chasing times down the track without Mr Plod breathing down your neck, or simply enjoying a campsite beer and fire-grilled sausage.

Despite a week's worth of rain in the lead-up, the event days brought dry campgrounds, coolish but sunny conditions, and not a spot of rain all weekend. As the locals kept saying, it was bloody perfect drinking weather!