Dave Downie, a past Cannonball Cup competitor, is participating in the Street Machine Drag Challenge for the first time this year. He is pictured (second from left) with fellow Cannonball competitors Mark Rudolph, Chris Stork and Tim Bailey and his ZF Fairlane.
Deniliquin’s Dave Downie will turn heads later this month when he rolls into the 10th annual Street Machine Drag Challenge with a car few would expect.
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The Street Machine Drag Challenge is a five-day test of endurance.
More than 280 of Australia’s fastest street-registered cars race at a different drag strip each day.
They drive hundreds of kilometres between races, without trailers or support.
It is a unique mix of drag racing and long-distance driving that pushes both driver and machine to the limit.
Dave, 49, is best known for his Cannonball Cup ZF Fairlane, a survivor he has road-tripped across the country.
But this year, he will front up to the challenge in a 2002 Suzuki Vitara.
The little soft-roader might look like it belongs in a shopping centre car park, but under the bonnet it hides an LS1 V8 on nitrous.
“I purchased the car off a good mate of mine from Queensland, so I already knew all the details,” Downie said.
“It drives bloody beautiful, and it’s a nice surprise for people when you take it to the drag strip.”
The Vitara runs a cammed LS1 with a matching valvetrain, a 200-shot of nitrous, a Turbo 400 gearbox and a HiLux diff.
Downie said the setup makes 586 horsepower at the wheels.
“I’m running the PSR drag radials, and it lifts a wheel at Wilby,” he said.
Those full-size 275 radials give the Vitara a tough stance in the staging lanes.
“I’ll even drive it on the street with those on sometimes. It does keep people guessing.”
The car has run a best of 10.2 seconds in previous hands at Willowbank, while Downie has so far managed 10.5 at 128mph.
Dave Downie will take on the Street Machine Drag Challenge in his 2002 Suzuki Vitara. Photo by Woosta Media.
“Eventually, I’ll look to get it into the nines, but for the drag challenge, if we can run low 10s and finish, that’ll do me.”
This will be Downie’s first time competing Street Machine Drag Challenge after years of going along as a spectator in his Fairlane.
“I’m really excited,” he said.
“People who know me know I’m not afraid of a road trip. I drove the Vitara from Tocumwal to Wilby for War in the Sticks.
“To be truthful, I drive the thing daily. It’s beaut. I take it to do shopping, the whole lot.”
The 10th annual Street Machine Drag Challenge runs from Wednesday, October 29 to Sunday, November 2 across South Australia and Victoria.
More than 280 street-registered cars will race at a different drag strip each day before driving to the next under their own power - no trailers, no support and no excuses.
Spectators are welcome at every stop, with wall-to-wall racing, tyre smoke and real street car action.
Visit dragchallenge.com.au for tickets and more information.
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