MOPAR Sunday hits Willowbank Raceway for the 16th time, 29 July. We had a ball there last year; here are just some of the cars that went fast and caught our eye. Click here for info on this year’s event.

1. Qualifying kicked off bright and early, and saw Malcolm McIntosh waiting patiently in the staging lanes alongside his black VE Safari wagon. “I snapped an axle last year and that simple repair snowballed into a near-complete drivetrain rebuild,” he laughed. A bottom-end freshen-up of his 408 stroker and a completely new top end combo had the small-block feeling strong, with Malcolm keen to crack an elusive 10-second pass. A 10.84@123mph certainly didn’t disappoint!

2. Steve Little’s VJ Charger is perfect for both street and strip with its stunning black exterior and stout driveline. The 360 mill propelled the VJ to a 12.5-second best at 108mph

3. Local couple Angela and Guy Masson are a case-in-point, and have recently finished Angela’s pink champagne-coloured VF hardtop after purchasing it a few years back as an unfinished project. “It’s the first time I’ve ever drag-raced any car, and so far have run a 12.7@108mph,” said Angela.”The engine is a 360 running a 727 auto and Dodge 8.75-inch diff. I can’t wait to race against Guy next year; it’ll be on for sure!”

4. One of the busiest people at any Mopar Sunday is the always-jovial Jason Sladden, who not only pilots his own 480-cube big-block CL ute, but looks after the driving chores for George Bourne’s ever-popular red VF hardtop. “George’s 422-cube small-block VF now has a new fuel system and rear suspension set-up that saw it hook up hard, but it got a little twitchy in the top end so needs further sorting. It hung that front wheel for ages off the line, so we’re making serious power. It’s a matter now of refining the steering and suspension to help it run straight.” The VF cranked out a healthy 946rwhp on the dyno later that day, earning the pair the Highest HP Assisted and Horsepower Hero awards. “I think I was more surprised than anyone!” Jason laughed.

5. Michael Thomas’s VH hardtop runs a 360/727 combo and ran a best of 13.04 at 104mph – the potential no doubt limited by 2.92:1 gearing

6. Our Scotty was on-song and mowing through the rounds of 13.00-14.99 Mopar Street Eliminator in his VG Safari, with its four-barrel 265 Hemi running a string of consistent 14.0s. But his starter motor cranked for the last time in the staging lanes and knocked him out for the semi-final round.

8. Shaun Pask always puts on a great show in the Knuckle Duster AP5 wagon! The blown 500ci combo pushed it to a best of 9.40 at 140mph

9. Gasp! Grant Wallace’s ’54 DeSoto runs 350 Chev power! Backed by a TH700 ‘box, the car is a great all-rounder, but electrical gremlins restricted him to a best of 12.01 seconds at 108mph

10. Adam Lane had a blast in his VIP-fronted VG hardtop. Powered by a tunnel-rammed 383ci big block and backed by a ‘glide and Truetrac-equipped Dana rear, the VG blasted out a best of 10.0 at 135mph

11. Peter Klockner debuted his ‘Metal Mauler’ VC gasser at Mopar Sunday in 2016, but broke the trans on his first burnout! This time he set a PB of 13.33-seconds, won his class and recorded a perfect 0.000 reaction time!

12. Gerard Kinsley’s VP Pacer Hardtop is beautfully finished in Thar She Blue. It runs a 383ci big block, 727 auto and BW diff, with Gerard’s son Sam pushing it to a best of 12.6-seconds

13. Greg Emberley’s 1966 Dodge Coronet is a Mopar Sunday mainstay and was back after a freshen-up to its single-turbo 500ci donk and a new Hughes XP4 Powerglide. Despite rushed preparations, the guys ran a stonking best of 7.31-seconds at 192mph – the quickest pass of the event

14. Mark and Rhonda Knowles were running their factory V8 AP6 sedan. The car runs a mild 318 and ran a best of 13.94-seconds