SYDNEY’S Dave Rogers was hoping to join the Drag Challenge circus with his big-block-powered HK Monaro last year, but things didn’t quite work out.

Still, he did manage to join us at Heathcote Raceway for the Streetcar Shootout part of the event, where he won the Radial Aspirated class.

“We actually drove the car to Heathcote from Bendigo and then ran 9.06 naturally aspirated on 275 radials. We would have driven it back to Bendigo, but we got so many runs on the day that we wouldn’t have made it back, so we had to go get the trailer,” Dave laughs.

The car sees plenty of use in Sydney, however. “I do a bit of driving with it,” Dave says, “plus I like doing Powercruise, Supernats and all that stuff. I also love racing at the nostalgias and in APSA X275. We’re looking at bolting some gas to it at the moment, so I can get a little closer to the 8.50 index, but I’ll run naturally aspirated in Drag Challenge; Terry and those guys are a bit too fast for me.”

Currently the HK GTS Monaro runs a Mansweto Racing-tuned 540ci big-block with a ’Glide and nine-inch, and it’s gone 9.04@149mph. Fuel choice at the moment is either E85 for the street or methanol for the track, but that might change with the planned Wilson nitrous system upgrade.

As for Drag Challenge, Dave is a fan and keen to get amongst it. “A lot of friends did it last year. The concept is awesome and I was disappointed that we couldn’t do the whole event. It’ll be great.”