THESE days we all want massive cube big blocks and huge injector hats to sling us down the dragstrip, but there are a bunch of guys and gals that can’t go past a trusty six pot. Eight years ago the late Mark Stewart launched the Six Banger Nationals with the Warwick Drag Racing Club in Queensland and the event continues to grow each year, with 90 entries facing the starter in 2015. The event is open to both old-school and modern high-tech sixes, be they in a straight or V6.

Toowoomba’s Andrew Hoey took out this year’s Blown/Turbo championship in his wheelstanding supercharged EH Holden, edging out Brisbane racer Dale Brown, who broke out by 0.003 seconds! Andrew’s EH ran a series of stonking 7.1-second passes.

Mick Borg took out the Modified class and the Grand Champion award in his formidable Holden-powered digger, narrowly beating mate Bob Sinclair in his front-engine dragster with a 6.112-second pass.

Street Machine’s Rick Welch won the trophy no-one wants to win, the Norm Stewart Hard Luck Award, which he nabbed when he ran a 9.70-second pass and spat a rod in the deep end. Photo by Phil Kustom.

The Dixie Chicken humpy of Ron Holtz jagged the runner-up spot in the Stick Shift class, running in the high eight-second zone over the eighth mile. Ron is looking forward to swapping the red 202ci for a super-hot 145ci grey six, backed by a Doug Nash five-speed ’box.

Rod William’s T-bucket packs a Ford crossflow six, assisted by a 4/71 blower and Hilborn injection. It ran a new PB of 6.52sec at 112mph. “It was a pretty good weekend, I got to race both my kids on Father’s Day,” Rod said. “They both dusted me, too. And not because their car was faster, they had better reaction times, too.”

Rod’s girls Emily (16) and Chloe (19) share the driving in the family rear-engine dragster. This one is propelled by the EFI turbo Ford six that once powered Rod’s T-bucket. Emily raced in the Six Bangers proper and set a new PB of 6.09 seconds at 112mph.

Ken Stephenson’s awesome blown Holden-powered FED was plagued by traction issues. On his final pass, Ken finally found some traction and tried to launch into the timing box! Photo by Warren Jackson.

Darryl Marsh’s altered runs a Toyota 2JZ-GTE powerplant, with twin 66mm turbos helping it to low five-second times.

Shane Corr’s chopped humpy runs a hot 202 with triple 2in SUs through a three-speed all-synchro ’box. It frequently wants to get all four wheels off the ground at once!

Michelle Lynch’s chopped Morris runs a 186 with triple SU carbs and a Trimatic. It has run as quick as 14.9 seconds over the quarter mile.

Norm Stewart takes the famous PANIC altered for a spin.

Scott Van Strien’s VL Commodore is different from most, with Ford XR6 turbo power!

Greg Larsen’s turbocharged XP sedan ran a best of 8.24sec and won four races in a row before retiring with a sick turbo.

Aaron Schubert’s XR ‘Little Mule’ Falcon wagon.

Phil Penny’s little Honda S600 runs a Toyota 2JZ-GTE with a massive single turbo and was getting down the track in the mid-fives.

Mark Riek’s turbocharged and EFI grey-powered FX Holden was a recent SM feature car, and Mark was chuffed to get it out on the track. He ran some low 10-second passes and is already thinking about a bigger stall converter, o-ringed copper head gaskets and more boost for next year.

Michael Douglas’s LJ is one of the quicker full-bodied Holden six-powered cars getting around, running in the low sixes.

Simon Berger’s EH ute is another former Street Machine feature car. Simon was over the moon to take out the Classic class, running high eights. The ute runs a red motor with the assistance of a Toyota blower.

Blake March in the family HB Torana, a genuine survivor of the Surfers era.

Luke Hauser’s ’84 Corolla runs turbo Buick V6 power for a best of 6.36 seconds at 111mph.