Ahhhhh…there’s a sweet smell of burning rubber in the air…must be Summernats time.

Depending on your perspective, the January event is seen either a chance to experience some amazing works of automotive art or a testosterone and booze-fuelled boganfest…or sometimes maybe a little bit of both.

I’ve done a few Summernats in my time and, while I loved seeing the fruits of car enthusiasts’ labour, I wasn’t so down with the whole female objectification that goes on (you know, the calls of “show us ya tits!” and women parading in front of thousands of drunk guys for the chance to be Miss Summernats).

It’s this side of the Summernats that can make the world of cars and powerful engines seem exclusively a bloke’s domain…but there are plenty of women who are part of this world. My sister, Lindi, is one of them.

I spoke to her to get her take on Summernats and women in the world of cars, and I asked when she first became interested in cars.

“I can’t remember ever NOT being interested in cars,” she said. And neither can I.

She was the nine-year-old using her shoe to backseat “steer” our rented holiday car around the winding curves of New Zealand’s roads; she was the 14-yearold begging our parents to be able to control the gear stick from the passenger seat of our Holden Commodore; she was the 17-year-old who snaffled herself a little second (or third or fourth) hand Datsun as soon as she had her P-plates.

The town where we spent our teenage years was Narrandera – home to the Easter Hot Rod Run. Once a year, literally hundreds of enthusiasts descend on the sleepy town for the Show and Shine, creating an incredible rainbow of gleaming ducos. This was inspiration for an already keen motorhead…and then she married a mechanic! The rest, as they say, is history.

She and her husband, Jason, have been seeking out  and restoring hot rods for years. One of their most prized possessions is The Rocket – a Ford XK Falcon from the early 1960s (pictured above)…but they’ve had a parade of gorgeous cars, from a classic XL ute to a more recent XD ute with a monstrous V8 engine.

So, what’s the attraction to old cars? I mean, they don’t go nearly as well as late model versions and they don’t have any of the modern comforts.

“I can’t really put it into words…all I can say is that if I’m in a bad mood and I take The Rocket for a spin, I can guarantee you I’ll pull up a happier person. You don’t drive an older car to get somewhere fast. You don’t drive it for the luxury or comfort. It’s about the experience.”

“And for us, classic cars have become a real family affair. We’re members of the local car club, and there’s never a run where kids aren’t involved…and we’re bringing up our kids to be interested in cars; to respect them and love them as we do.”

Lindi and her husband used to be yearly visitors to Summernats, but haven’t been back since their eldest son was born 14 years ago. That begs the question…do they think the Summernats is as family friendly as the organisers claim? Would they bring their (also car-crazy) kids to the festival?

“Look, I might bring them up for a day trip…but once the sun goes down, we’d be out of there. I’d love them to be able to see the cars, the drags, the dynamometer and the burnouts…but not some of the dodgier behaviour that goes on.”

Yes, there’s something about mixing thousands of young (and some not-so-young) guys, cars and a whole sh*tload of alcohol that makes nights at EPIC during the ‘nats an adult only affair.

But, listen to the organisers and they’ll tell you that the Summernats of today is a far cry from the event that I used to attend in the ’90s…you may still hear the telltale roar of V8s across the weekend and Canberra will have its fair share of drunken yobs around the streets; but there’s also a lot of enjoyment to be had for people of all ages. At least during the day.

What’s your opinion of the ‘nats? Are you looking forward to them or dreading them? Will  you be going – or taking your kids along?