Magnificent motors and mullets to star at Summernats

With his wife Helen in earshot, Stephen Barrie is a little sheepish when asked how much he spent restoring his beloved Holden Torana. "At least $100,000," he says diffidently. Despite the expense, and the six years he spent restoring, upholstering, painting and polishing, Mr Barrie is immensely proud of his hot rod. "The best part of it is, anywhere I show it, the amount of people that take photos of it," he said. "A couple of years ago, I had it here and there was young kids wanting their photo taken so I open it up, and they sit in it and it just makes their day. "That's the best thing about having a car like this. It's just the reward you give back on people's appreciation of it." The Torana, an icon of Australian motorsport history, is always a fan favourite. Mr Barrie has a personal attachment to it too. The first car he owned as a teenager was a Torana, turned onto the car by its association with Bathurst 1000 legend Peter Brock. His current model, which he bought after Brock was killed in a crash during a rally event in 2006, will be displayed with pride at Summernats - Canberra's annual carnival of souped-up cars, questionable mullets and fully sick skids. In its 37th edition, organisers are hoping for the biggest burnout competition in its history, with entries for January's event selling out in record time. About 130,000 people are expected to attend the four-day long festival, with the automotive offering supported by performances from Aussie rock royalty Jet and Thirsty Merc and the much-anticipated Mulletfest. As well as the excitement and noise it brings to the streets of Canberra, ACT Business, Arts and Creative Industries Minister Michael Pettersson said Summernats contributed $43 million to the local economy. "That is $43 million going into small and local businesses, hotels, restaurants," he said. But Summernats' return is sure to attract disdain from some residents of the usually-quiet bush capital, with the event dogged by perennial complaints from Canberrans about loud revving at night and irksome burnout smoke.