It was a busy day for the hot rod clubs of the Franklin district on Sunday, December 7 with club Christmas parties, racing at Pukekohe raceway, the Pukekohe Christmas parade, and a new event for the calendar, “The Franklin Shootout” at Meremere Dragway.
Organized by Pukekohe Hot Rod Club (PHRC) as a fun day out, around 30 members from PHRC, Franklin Street Rods, and Iron Sands in Waiuku turned up for a low-key day of racing. Some were long-time supporters and spectators of the drag strip, but for whatever reason have never actually raced, and some whose families were involved since its inception in the ’70s and maintain a life-long involvement with the track.
With a nominal entry fee and the time to make as many passes as you wanted it was certainly a low-buck fun day for all. After a morning of skids and practices it was into DYO racing, which saw Franklin Street Rods as the eventual winners with two blokes named Gary fighting it out in the final. The Gary in the little LJ Torana narrowly edging out the Gary in the ’38 Chev coupe for the win.
