As the noise and smoke clears from Summernats 32, organisers have called the event “a huge success”.
“We set ourselves some high goals to bring the party back to this fantastic event. We are 32 years old and it’s really important that we innovate, grow and become better and that is what we did with skid row, drifting and a brand new world record,” said Andy Lopez, Summernats Co-owner.
ACT Policing was happy with the behaviour of visitors and entrants to the event held on 3-6 January at Exhibition Park in Canberra.
Over 2,000 cars and more than 100,000 people attended this year’s event which also featured the largest ever City Cruise, with 400 machines, as well as Summernats reclaiming the record for the Largest Simultaneous Burnout with 126 cars. The previous record was 119 vehicles, held by Saudi Arabia.
“We are absolutely stoked to smash the burnout world record. We think Australia and Summernats is the home of burnouts and everyone involved was determined to take it back,” Mr Lopez said.
Away from Exhibition Park, however, Braddon business owners expressed concern about the closure of Lonsdale Street from 10pm to 1am on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 January.
Braddon’s United Retailers & Traders (BURT) wrote to the ACT Government highlighting their concerns about the shutdown’s impact on local businesses. As well as asking for the closure to be cancelled, the failure to consult or communicate was raised.
Prior to the road closures, BURT spokesperson Kel Watt said January is a quiet month and “the Summernats trade is a lifeline for some businesses”.
“It’s also a missed opportunity to showcase Braddon and Canberra to interstate visitors as a destination with excellent shopping and outstanding dining,” he said.
Mr Watt said he has been in conversation with the ACT Government and advised BURT will be formally consulted on any future proposed road closures and invited to participate in the post-mortem discussions of this year’s event.
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