Sydney Jamboree in Australia

Turbo Lag Then Drag

Words and photos by Jon Van Daal

Australia is very lucky to have a well-supported Import drag racing program that is only second in size to Puerto Rico. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Sport Compact Car promoter Ray Box has been passionately supporting the bracket since the mid-1990s through his Jamboree events. Despite earning great respect from the racers and the fans, sometimes luck just seems to desert the very best laid plans as happened at the Sydney Jamboree.

While the sun shone down brightly on a pristinely prepared Sydney Dragway there were no race cars going down the track when I arrived. It seems that the computer in the tower wasn’t talking to the tree even though it had done so the night before. I can only remember once where I had to sit next to a lonely race track and that was due to high cross winds affecting the higher horsepower cars getting thrown about when their chutes caught the breeze.

As technicians worked away it was thought that the novelty of a flag starter should be introduced despite the fact that there weren’t any mph or ET clocks working either. Still, the sight of a pretty blond throwing down the flag took one’s mind off the fact that the tree had decided to not play ball at all. Nearly five hours later those ten bulbs finally flickered to life and every competitor was then given one qualifier to get down the track.

Rob Taylor