Street Machine Summernats 2023 survival guide

It's that time of year again! We’re limbering up for what’s promising to be the most spectacular instalment yet of Australia’s biggest horsepower party, Street Machine Summernats 35, which rolls into Canberra 5-8 January 2023.

Over 2700 car entries and all Platinum spectator passes sold out months ago, so it’s very likely that we’ll see record crowds pouring through the gates over all four days to smash some slushies and watch tyres get sent to tread cemetery.

Speaking of which, with that many cars on hand, you can guarantee Skid Row will be pumping hard all weekend, while the burnout pad will again host the best of the best for both the Burnout Masters and Burnout Championship titles, as combatants vie for over $40K in prize money across both classes.

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Records are looking to get broken indoors as well, with Summernats staff hinting there could be over 30 brand-new builds being unveiled in the Top 60 Elite Hall during the Meguiar’s Great Uncover, which has now moved to Thursday night to really kick the weekend off in a big way.

We suspect the other reason the unveilings have been moved forward is because Friday night will be all about the killer line-up on the music stage. Aussie rock legends Shannon Noll, Diesel, Daryl Braithwaite and Jon Stevens will rock the main stage all night long, kicking off at 6pm.

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Our friends at MPW will be in the dyno hall all weekend running tuning workshops and the Haltech Horsepower Heroes dyno competition, while outside, the fan-favourite lawn mower racing will be kickin’ up grass from Friday, as well as a special celebrity mower race on Saturday. The Canna Main Arena will also play host to Fashions on the Field, the body art comp, and of course the mullet competition.

The Drift Cadet crew will be back once again doing demos and ride-alongs all weekend in their sliding machines, while Tuff Street will showcase Australia’s gnarliest machines right next to Skid Row.

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The Fringe Festival held in the streets of Braddon is also back and even bigger this year. Held on Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm, it’s where you can see all manner of wild Summernats entrants cruising the streets.

Combine all that with the Saturday-afternoon Supercruise and Brooke Evers, The Stafford Brothers and Bliss N Eso performing on Saturday night, and this is shaping up to be the best Street Machine Summernats yet!

Highlights:

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Skid Row

The action on Skid Row kicks off from 1pm on Thursday, where any entrant can blaze tyres at full noise without getting kicked out!

Meguiar's Great Uncover

If you thought last year was a big one for unveilings, it ain’t got nothin’ on what ’Nats 35 has in store.

There’s going to be over 30 cars being shown for the very first time, and it’s also been moved to Thursday night to give the punters an extra day to gawk at the immaculate machines.

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Fringe Festival

The Summernats Fringe Festival returns to Braddon this year, where organisers shut down a large portion of Canberra’s CBD from 6pm until late to allow Summernats entrants to cruise the streets and hit the bars and restaurants. It’ll make for an awesome atmosphere, and will be running both Friday and Saturday nights.

Music acts!

It’s an Aussie rock fest Friday night on the main stage, with Shannon Noll Diesel, Daryl Braithwaite and Jon Stevens kicking arse from 6pm.

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Grand Champion award

The road to Summernats Grand Champion gets serious on Sunday morning, with the motorkhana and go-to-whoa events on the pad from 11am, before the Grand Champ is crowned at 12:30.

More awards!

Silverware also gets handed out for Tuff Street, PPG Supreme and the Haltech Horsepower Heroes.

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Burnout Masters

The Burnout Masters return to the pad on Saturday for the final eliminations before Sunday’s Top 10 shootout. They’ll light up the crowd from 4pm.

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Mowers & Mullets

Saturday is a massive day on the main stage, with body art and mullet competitions, the celebrity mower race, and the traditional twilight Supercruise.

Don’t be a goose!

As you may know, Summernats 34 got pretty wild on the cruise route on the Saturday afternoon. The ’Nats team let it roll on a bit more than usual on that occasion because we’d all been locked up for two years.

However, ACT Police and WorkSafe have made it very clear that we all need to keep our cool on the cruise route like we normally do.

The ’Nats team work hard to keep punters away from your pride and joy, so do your bit to help keep everyone safe and enjoying the event. If you muck up on the cruise route, you may be removed from the show and could be that person who gets the event closed down. For a day, or forever.

So rip a skid at Skid Row. Do burnouts on the burnout pad. Cruise on the cruise route. It’s that simple.

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Street Machine merch!

Our merchandise stand will be back in the Rare Spare Pavilion this year, with our brand-new LITRE8 T-shirt on offer. We’ll also have books, stickers, hats, tank tops and a whole lot more, so make sure you come say g’day and grab some SM swag.

SCHEDULE:

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DAY ONE

Thursday 05 Jan

The first day of Summernats used to just be about sign-in, getting through scrutineering and jumping on the beers, but it’s now morphed into one of the most important days of the whole weekend.

Cruising kicks off at 9am, with Skid Row opening gates at 1pm.

For the burnout warriors, Thursday afternoon plays host once again to the Last Chance Wildcard Shootout for the Burnout Masters, with 33 drivers hanging it all out for a final opportunity to secure a spot in Saturday’s eliminations.

For the first time ever, the Meguiar’s Great Uncover has been moved forward to Thursday night, so the Elite Hall is going to be packed to the brim as the covers are pulled off a record 31 never-before-seen builds. The Top 60 finalists show will also be in the mix from 7pm.

It’s all going to make for a huge first day!

Schedule

07:00-20:00: Entrant camping check-in & scrutineering
09:00-21:00: Cruise route open
11:00-22:00: Public gates open
12:00-13:00: City Cruise
13:00-20:00: Skid Row
16:00-18:00: Last Chance Wildcard Shootout
19:00-21:00: Top 60 Finalists Show
19:30-20:30: Meguiar’s Great Uncover

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DAY TWO

Friday 06 Jan

The second day of ’Nats 35 sees the dyno hall kick into gear for both the Haltech Horsepower Heroes comp and MPW tuning masterclasses, while the Drift Cadets get sliding from 9am for demo sessions and passenger rides.

The Tuff Street showcase gets underway, and while the Masters take a break, the Burnout Championship eliminations hit the pad from 1pm.

The Fringe Festival in Braddon will see local streets bustling with Summernats entrants from 6pm ’til late, while on the Canna Main Stage, a mega-concert featuring Aussie rock legends Shannon Noll, Diesel, Daryl Braithwaite and Jon Stevens gets underway from 6pm.

Schedule

09:00-20:00: Public gates open
09:00-21:00: Cruise route open
09:00-20:00: Haltech Horsepower Heroes
10:00-15:00: Tuff Street Showcase
11:00-20:00: Skid Row
13:00-18:00: Burnout Championship eliminations
18:00-23:00: Braddon Fringe Festival
18:00-23:00: Concert: Shannon Noll, Diesel, Daryl Braithwaite, Jon Stevens

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DAY THREE

Saturday 07 Jan

Saturday is historically the biggest day of any Summernats, and this year will be no exception. It’s a massive day on the Canna Main Stage, with Fashions on the Field, body art and mullet contests all day.

There’ll also be the celebrity mower race, as well as silverware handed out for the Elite judging and Tuff Street.

The burnout action ramps up as well, with two sessions for Burnout Championship eliminations, before the Burnout Masters hit the pad for their knockout round at 4pm.

The traditional Supercruise around the main arena will lead into music acts DJ Brooke Evers, The Stafford Brothers and Bliss N Eso, with the night topped off with a fireworks spectacular. And remember, kids, there’s still one more day to go!

Schedule

09:00-10:00: Motorkhana
09:00-16:00: Street Finalists display
10:00-15:00: Tuff Street final judging
11:00-20:00: Skid Row
11:00-13:00: Burnout Championship eliminations
13:00-13:30: Celebrity Lawn Mower Race
13:30-14:00: Fashions On The Field
14:00-14:30: Body Art Nationals
14:30-15:00: Mullet Competition
14:00-16:00: Burnout Championship eliminations
15:30-16:00: Elite awards
16:00-18:00: Burnout Masters qualifying
18:00-23:00: Fringe Festival Braddon
19:00-20:00: Supercruise
20:00-22:45: Concert: Brooke Evers, The Stafford Brothers, Bliss N Eso
22:45-23:00: Fireworks

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DAY FOUR

Sunday 08 Jan

Sunday is the last day of the Summernats, and it’s a day of silverware all across the EPIC precinct as champions are crowned.

Earlybirds can head to the burnout pad to watch Australia’s mintest machines duke it out in the motorkhana and go-to-whoa for Australia’s ultimate show car prize, Street Machine Summernats Grand Champion.

The PPG Supreme display is also a highlight of Sunday morning, with their awards handed out later in the day.

The MPW dyno cell hosts the finals for the Haltech Horsepower Heroes, and after lunch the Burnout Championship finals get underway.

From 3pm, 10 of Australia’s best burnout combatants will face off for ultimate bragging rights and a huge cash prize in the Burnout Masters final face-off, and then Summernats 35 comes to a close as everyone packs up and reminisces about what’ll doubtless be a Summernats for the ages.

Schedule

09:00-17:00: Public gates open
09:00-10:00: Go-to-Whoa
09:00-14:00: Skid Row
09:00-16:00: Cruise route open
09:30-11:30: PPG Supreme display
10:00-13:00: Haltech Horsepower Heroes finals
11:00-12:00: Grand Champion driving events
12:00-12:30: Magnificent Seven presented
12:30-12:45: Grand Champion presentation
13:00-15:00: Burnout Championship finals
15:00-16:00: Burnout Masters finals
17:00: Summernats close