VX Commodore shows why burnout competitions Down Under are just better.
This Australian-built burnout comes to us from the YouTube channel of MrSkiddatand it features a Holden Commodore VX participating in a burnout competition in New Zealand. With the help of what is likely a worked-oner LS1, this four-door GTO goes crazy with the tire smoke for nearly two minutes – reminding us that burnouts are better Down Under.
Burnout Competitions Down Under
In the United States, burnout competitions are few and far between. They also generally consist of a vehicle sitting stationary, smoking the tires for a minute or so, or until a tire pops. This confined design allows Americans to hold burnout competitions in tight spaces such as car shows or in the burnout box at a drag strip.
In Australia and New Zealand, burnout competitions and exhibitions are held in big, open areas surrounded by concrete barriers. The participants are encouraged to move around as much as they want. These madmen toss their high-powered cars around in circles in order to create as much smoke as possible before a tire fails.
This video is a beautiful example of how a burnout competition is done correctly in New Zealand, courtesy of a Holden Commodore VX.
The Holden Commodore saw its lengthy reign as one of Australia’s greatest performance cars come to an end in 2017 with the end of local production. Fortunately, thanks to modified machines like the one in the video above, these cars will never be forgotten. This particular VX has likely been modified to more-efficiently destroy its rear tires. However, unlike many burnout competitors Down Under, this car appears to be street-friendly.
In any case, the Commodore starts the fun with the car sitting in place, smoke pouring from the tires and the engine bouncing off of the rev limiter. After a few seconds, the driver lets the Holden sedan roll out into the large, open area and the smoky donut action begins. Around the 1:30 mark, it looks like one of the tires begins to come apart, but the driver keeps the rubber roasting right up to the end of the two-minute clip.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
