After 16 hours of almost non-stop driving at speeds exceeding 190 kilometres an hour, the Rocket Man is still strong.
Originally purchased for $200, Junee Gasworks spent $3600 making it race-worthy ahead of the October 26-28 Lemons Endurance at Wakefield Park.
Despite navigating around 63 other cars on the two kilometre Goulburn track, the car sustained not even one bump.
“We were told at the start that every eight metres, there’d be one car, and most of them are doing 190 to 200 kilometres an hour, it was absolutely chaotic,” said team captain Kerry Phelan.
“But our simple objective was to stay in the race, and we did.”
A joint objective was to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation Australia. An estimated $180,000 was raised to the charities benefit.
Between the six drivers sharing the distance, there was a combined 140 years worth of racing experience.
Only 38 cars made it to the finish line, with the Junee teams in their midst.
It was an attrition rate of almost four cars per hour.
With its racing days now behind it, the Rocket Man will retire to the Gasworks Museum alongside last year’s Falcon.
Emma Horn
National videographer, filmmaker, and editor. Former features and weekender writer for The Daily Advertiser. Small, quiet, and a student of the Julie Bishop School Of Staring. Usually dressed in something colourful, always snacking on something homemade. Friend to most mothers and all dogs. Got stories? Get in touch. emma.horn@austcommunitymedia.com.au
National videographer, filmmaker, and editor. Former features and weekender writer for The Daily Advertiser. Small, quiet, and a student of the Julie Bishop School Of Staring. Usually dressed in something colourful, always snacking on something homemade. Friend to most mothers and all dogs. Got stories? Get in touch. emma.horn@austcommunitymedia.com.au
