ONE of the most famous cars in Australian drag racing history is set to reappear at Willowbank Raceway, August 10. Mark Georgette was an early member of the Romans Hot Rod Club and built the first rod in Australia to be powered by a blown small block Chev.

Then Mark built a AA/A Fiat Topolino in the front room of his house in Caringbah, which was dubbed The Outrage. Mark and his brother Parker campaigned the car in the early seventies, running mid-nines in spectacular fashion. After Mark sold The Outrage, he went onto build a black Topolino that was for a time regarded as Australia’s fastest street car.

We last saw The Outrage in the 2007 Hot Rod Annual, under the custodianship of Peter John Robins in Sydney. Peter was planning get the car back up to ANDRA spec, but since then the car was purchased by Paul Davies in Queensland, a family friend of Mark Georgette. “I had chased the car in the mid-90s and missed out,” says Paul. “Mark took me for a ride in the black Fiat at Valla Park in 1983 when I was 10. That changed my life. My intention was to restore the car, but not to race it. When I brought it up to Queensland, Mark offered straight away to help out, but after six months he asked to buy the car back. I didn’t hesitate – it is his car, I was just the custodian.”

Since then, Mark has been busy getting every vintage piece of car possible onto the car, including the wheels that he fabricated way back when (one of only five sets made), the original blower, Donovan valve covers and much more. The plan is to cackle the car, so if you want to see a piece of Australian drag racing royalty fire up, be at the Nostalgia Drags at Willowbank Raceway, August 10. For more info, check out www.willowbankraceway.com.au