SANCTUARY is defined as refuge or safety from pursuit, persecution, or other danger. There is no better word to describe the aim and energy of the people behind the Avalon $5k Burnouts.

While there is no golden ticket on offer for the Burnout Masters or a plethora of media standing padside, this humble pad circled by Avalon Speedway is a serious burnout playground, built on a grassroots philosophy that all are welcome as long as you respect your fellow human and have fun.

With blue skies above and a gentle wind blowing, the annual $5k comp was the perfect day out for competitors and spectators alike.

Competitors had brought their cars to Avalon from as far as Mount Gambier for their chance to take the $5k home. There was a Young Guns division to give those between 15 and 18 a chance to skid in front of a crowd.

Of course, there could only be one winner, and that was Kieren Leek, aka LEEKY, in his schmick VY SS wagon.

TOP 10

1. LEEKY – Kieren Leek

2. SENDIT – Nash Pasquazzi

3. QUIET 1 – Trent Brooks

4. JACKASS – Jack Meade

5. SHYVY – Tim Robins

6. NONAME – Luke Manolis

7. DNTCARE – Aidan Smith

8. FELONY – Gerard Fredrickson

9. XLOOSE –

10. BIG JIM – Jim Lavia

AWARD WINNERS

Young Gun: VX7375 – Xander Stewart

Limiter Legend: CRABBY

Best Tip-in: SENDIT

Top Six: TOLLEY

Nash Pasquazzi made the trip all the way from Mount Gambier. The ’71 HG Prem was originally owned by his old man and spent 10 years under a tarp in a paddock before Nash pulled it into the shed three years ago. Everything on the car except the trans was built by Nash, right down to the diff housing and conversion kit. The old girl runs a stout LS, Powerglide and 9in combo.

Rumour has it that Jack from Drumborg knows of a remote burnout pad somewhere in the Victorian countryside. Bloody rumours. His skills at Avalon certainly showed he had maybe done a skid or two previously. What really caught our eye, though, was his immaculate WK Stato. The LS1 from JE Engines has all the right internals – custom cam, ported heads, VZ rods, race bearings and aftermarket pistons are just the start. The methanol beast is married to a Powerglide with a 4000rpm stall. A custom tailshaft and spooled 3.45 diff centre finish off the power delivery. Fully tubbed, the Stato was an eight-month shed build.

Luke Manolis of Bacchus Marsh and his VE Commodore are part of the extended BNR Engines family. A twin-throttle EFI keeps the 6.0-litre angry all day long. Tunes by Sass Automotive and pipes by Taylah Made Exhaust are also part of the NONAME story. When we asked Luke about his car, he wanted to thank Tim, Jack, Dean and little Levi.

Can’t remember the last time we saw a longroof win a burnout comp. The superbly presented VY SS wagon of Kieren Leek was a deserved winner. A Lloyds Garage LS2 is the heartbeat. This VY project has been two years in the making so far. Kieren plans to do a bunch of burnout comps around the country over the next 12 months. A wagon aficionado, his other project is HK Prem wagon destined to be a tough streeter.

At 53 years young, Jim is in love with burnouts. His neat XE Falcon is certainly a conversation starter. Running a 6.0-litre LS and T400 with a BorgWarner diff has divided both Ford and Holden fans. Love it or hate it, Big Jim smashed tyres all day long at Avalaon with the grin of Cheshire Cat.

Gerard Fredrickson of Chelsea Heights drove his VX SS like he was on the run. Hiding out in a cloud of massive smoke, it was the incredible sound from the Lloyds Garage-built LS1 that gave his position away.