Community & Business
26 July, 2022
Nitros set for raceway comeback
A LINE-UP of Queensland’s most interesting and powerful cars will race onto Springmount Raceway in August as the Aeroflow Nitro Funny Cars make an appearance at the Nitro Thunder in the Topics event.
The cars accompany the Aeroflow 400 Thunder Drag Racing Series as they travel across Australia, making passes down the track in between the official rounds.
The 4000 horsepower monsters are a fan favourite at the Raceway and will return after spending two years away from Mareeba due to Covid with eight cars set to run the mile on 20 August.
The cars often sport unique names like Nitro, Nitro Sheriff, King Kong, Dark Horse, Avenger and more which always proves to be a hit with the kids.
Springmount Raceway general manager of the Michael Gonzalez said the cars cannot stay in a straight line as they make their passes, doing 400kph on the quarter mile.
“These things are ground pounding, flames shooting out the sides at about three to four feet long,” “They run off nitro and use about 30 to 40 litres per pass so every 400 metres that is how much fuel they are using.
“These guys are professional paid drivers, you cannot step out of a normal car and drive one of these – they have earned the right to drive such a vehicle.”
The nitro cars can complete the quarter mile in about 5.6 to 5.7 seconds, a far cry from an average streetcar which does it in about 14 seconds.
“It is a rare chance you get to see something like this in Mareeba, usually you have to travel to Sydney or Willowbank,” Mr Gonzalez said.
For more information about the Nitro Thunder in the Topics event, specific times and to book your tickets head to the Springmount Raceway website.
