Burnouts and drag races on streets of Alice Springs at the Red CentreNATS

Beloved Alice Springs car festival the Red CentreNATS has drawn about 700 registered entrants for this year's event. The event's program featured street cruising, drag races, burnout competitions and a street parade. According to estimates, the festival — now in its 12th year — boosts the Alice Springs local economy by about $5 million each year. Sitting in the passenger seat as her dad lined up in his classic Ford Falcon XC 393 Stroker to drag race at the 12th annual Red CentreNATS, Montana Taylor looked jubilant, and proud. The teen and her dad, Ben, had travelled from South Australia to be a part of the festival that celebrates all things horsepower. "I love it so much, I'm so glad I get to come and experience this," she said, with a massive grin. She said she could not wait to drive her dad's car. "Maybe one day," Mr Taylor said. The Taylors are among the 700 registered entrants into this year's Red CentreNATS — more than half of whom come from interstate, boosting the local economy by about $5 million each year. The weekend's program was huge, featuring street cruising, show and shines of the incredible array of vintage and new muscle cars, drag races, burnout competitions and a street parade that stopped the town. Labours of love A pale blue 1984 Holden Kingswood ute shone bright against the red-brown of the dirt dragway. It was right at home — it had been in Alice Springs its whole life, according to owner Paul Totani. Mr Totani, whose family has been in town since the 1960s, is a licensed aircraft engineer and pilot. But on Saturday he swapped the sky for the dirt, tearing down the drag strip, dust flying. "It's a family heirloom. It will go to the kids later on, but we get it out once a year for Red CentreNATS," he said. At the show and shine car display, dozens of automobiles sparkled in the sun and inside the Alice Springs Convention Centre. Proud owners stood beside their lovingly cared-for cars, excited to share their stories. Parading the past Sitting on the back of utes, in deckchairs and on car roof-racks, Alice Springs turned out in force and lined the streets for the annual Red CentreNATS street parade. Hundreds of cars rolled around the town's largest roundabout at the base of the MacDonnell Ranges, which glistened in the afternoon sun. One of the spectators was Alice Springs local Lisa Morgan, who said events like the Red CentreNATS helped Alice Springs to shine. She has volunteered for the event for years. "Everyone bands together for the excitement, and the rumbles," she said.