his year saw Rangiora play host to the 34th running of Muscle Car Madness. From humble beginnings in a local supermarket car park, attended by around 70 vehicles, the original attendees had no idea where the event would go or if it would still be around all these years later. Roll around 2024, and the event is stronger than ever, well supported by the local car guys and car enthusiasts throughout New Zealand. Whether organiser Craig Stare has hit the right recipe or the perfect location, there is no denying that Muscle Car Madness has become woven into the fabric of the car community here in the South Island, and with many making the pilgrimage each year, it’s hard to see the interest waning any time soon. Each year, while walking around the Rangiora A&P showgrounds, homeattending, carrying on the tradition. The camping plays a massive role in giving the event that fun, feel-good vibe, and this year was no different, with some people parking up in the paddock next door early on Tuesday morning. The gates don’t open to campers until 6pm Wednesday, so this shows how enthusiastic some are to secure their ideal spot for the weekend. Once the gates are open, entrants make their way in, lock down their required sites, and get set up for the days ahead. The weather forecast this year was for more dry, hot days, and that’s what was delivered: nor-west winds blowing heat over Canterbury, making taking refuge under any shade mandatory if you were to survive the weekend. Thursday was very much set-up day, getting tents up, stocking supplies and helping others when needed. Later that night was a cruise through town, which also took vehicles to nearby Kaiapoi to do a loop before returning to camp. Friday was the first of the ‘big’ days, with cars lining up for the annual cruise out to the Ashley Gorge. It was great to see a massive turnout this year with numbers about the best they have ever been on this 36km drive through some beautiful countryside. Once all the cars had filed in and were parked up, entrants were treated to a great lunch while others took the time to cool off in the nearby river. After some R&R, entrants could make their way back to Rangiora in their own time, some choosing to stop off and attend the nearby Redneck Ranch for some paddock fun. Ben and Jamie Winter were kind enough to allow entrants the use of the track, which is used for their annual Rust and Dust weekend. Each vehicle had the opportunity to do several timed laps to eventually find the fastest driver, which was easier said than done due to how dry and dusty the track became. While some took it seriously, others were more interested in putting on a display of their driving skills, or lack of, much to the amusement of spectators. Saturday was big, and we mean BIG, with cars coming through the gates from 7am to take part in the show. Many stalls were setting up early, with plenty of food vendors spread around. The coffee vendors appeared to be busy first thing, probably in no small part to the many who may have overindulged the night before. One entrant we spoke to had gone to bed at 5am and was woken at 7am so he could get his car cleaned and set up. Once completed, he planned on returning to camp for a power nap, and judging by how he looked, that was probably a good idea. The show is always popular with entrants and spectators alike, and judging by the streams of people coming through the gates, this year was no exception. There were so many highlights this year, such as Trev Halstead travelling all the way down from Hamilton in his award-winning ’51 Studebaker. The car is simply stunning and is a credit to Trev and his skills as a car builder. Trev was rewarded with People’s Choice and a place in the Top 10. Another exceptional car on display was the Haliday’s Hauler, a 1941 Willys coupe owned by Greg and Diane Haliday, who brought their amazing car down from Auckland. Fitted with a Ray Barton 472 Hemi wearing a BDS 10/71 blower and Holley EFI, this car wowed the crowd all day. Other features on the Willys included a chassis built by Rocket Speed Equipment, Wilwood four-wheel disc brakes, all steel body covered with DNA candy apple red and copper pearl over a black base paint, and an amazing interior done by Gabe Lopez Jnr of Gabe’s Street Rods Custom Interiors. This car had to be seen in person to appreciate all the details and quality of workmanship, much like Trev’s Studebaker. Some great local businesses brought out an awesome array of vehicles to highlight what was happening in the car-building industry. Muscle and Classic Restoration had a gorgeous red 1957 Chev Bel Air on display that is nearing completion. The car speaks volumes about the quality of workmanship they turn out. The same can be said for the 1955 Chev Delivery on the D A Panel Beating stand. This is a local Rangiora business that is turning out some world-class vehicles. The blue Delivery is sporting an Art Morrison chassis, LS3 engine and six-speed auto. The arena was filled to the brim with cars, with quite the mix, everything from hot rods and classics to low-riding trucks and Aussie classics. For those taking a break from the abundance of automotive art, one could stroll through the rows of stalls containing dozens of vendors selling car models, signs, clothes, pictures and many other things. With the temperature hitting close to 30 degrees, many people had already made their way down to the burnout pad for the most popular weekend event. Kick-off was 1.30pm, and once the drivers’ briefing was out of the way, competitors began lining up for their shot at smoking out the crowd. And speaking of crowd, this was simply one of the largest crowds seen at the burnout comps in years, with spectators crammed in everywhere. With such dry conditions in Canterbury, safety was paramount, with plenty of fire and safety guys on hand ready to spring into action should the need arise. From a field of around 23 cars, these were whittled down to a Top 10 who would be competing on Sunday. Once the burnouts were done, many made their way to shade or grab a drink as the heat was just relentless. The rest of the afternoon was spent roaming the rows of cars and vendors and viewing the cars for sale area. Once the gates were closed to the public, campers came out to cruise and, well, as the saying goes, ‘what happens in camp stays in camp’. Sunday dawned warm again, and the morning was quiet. The camp started clearing out early as people got on the road early to head home. The arena was only half-full compared to Saturday, but it still made for a good showing. Most came for the burnout final, set down for 1.30pm, with 10 competitors going hard for a spot in the top three. The judges certainly had their work cut out trying to score it. Some awesome performances were put on, making it even more impressive due to the small pad. And no sooner had the last car driven off the pad, people began leaving, pretty much putting an end to Muscle Car Madness for another year. If you have never been, or it’s on your to-do list, get along next year as it marks the 35th anniversary of the iconic event.
