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Thousands of spectators, 954 bikes, 323 bikes, four precincts of action and a record-making street parade proved a winning formula for the Rare Spares Rockynats.
Entrants, spectators, trades and sponsors have been singing the praises of the inaugural three-day car festival held in Rockhampton over the Easter long weekend.
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Rockynats was presented by Rockhampton Regional Council in conjunction with Summernats., and the program included street drags, drifting, burnouts and show ‘n’ shine.
It started on Friday with the street parade which, with 856 cars and 198 bikes, was the biggest ever held in Australia.
Advance Rockhampton manager of tourism and events, Annette Pearce, said the crowds were fantastic, with 40,000 people passing through the precincts over the three days.
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Subscriber only Wet weather has forced the cancellation of the street drags on day three of the Rare Spares Rockynats. The high-speed action was set to start in Quay Street at 9am Sunday but Advance Rockhampton manager of tourism, marketing and events, Annette Pearce, said in the best interests of safety, the event would not go ahead. Rain on Saturday night also cut short the burnouts at the Reaney Street precinct by about 90 minutes. Those events would be added to Sunday s program, which includes the championship and Masters finals. Ms Pearce said anyone with a Saturday-only Rockynats ticket would be allowed entry to the burnouts precinct on Sunday.
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Making the eight-hour, 720km journey from Townsville to Rare Spares Rockynats was all about having fun for Shane Cattle.
The proud Chrysler enthusiast was one of countless Rockynats entrants who continuously looped back around to Quay Street on Saturday to race in the street drag eliminations.
“I came down from Townsville because it sounded like a bit of fun, so I thought lets do it,” he said. Shane Cattle launches off the line in his 440 big block Dodge hard top against a R35 Skyline GTR in the Rockynats street drags. Picture: Rodney Stevens
The modified car enthusiast said coming to Rockynats was a family affair for the Cattle’s.
 It s been great so far - down here on Quay Street today and yesterday in the street parade, which was sensational. A heap of Rocky people turned out for it. It was great to be part of it and great to see the local community get involved. Thousands of people flocked to Rockhampton s CBD on Saturday during day two of Queensland s biggest car festival.   They marvelled at the spectacular custom and classic vehicles in the show n shine, admired gleaming motorcycles in the bikes precinct and took in the high-octane action of the street drags. Robert said this was the first time he had entered his car in an event.
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Making the eight-hour, 720km journey from Townsville to Rare Spares Rockynats was all about having fun for Shane Cattle.
The proud Chrysler enthusiast was one of countless Rockynats entrants who continuously looped back around to Quay Street on Saturday to race in the street drag eliminations.
âI came down from Townsville because it sounded like a bit of fun, so I thought lets do it,â he said. Shane Cattle launches off the line in his 440 big block Dodge hard top against a R35 Skyline GTR in the Rockynats street drags. Picture: Rodney Stevens
The modified car enthusiast said coming to Rockynats was a family affair for the Cattleâs.