The Northam Motor Sport Festival is back for another year, however 2019’s edition is a little different – the event will be celebrating their momentous 20th anniversary.
While the official event celebrates its 20th year in the Western Australian country town, the history goes back well into the 1960s, when Northam first held motor sport events for the surrounding country towns.
Over the weekend in April, the entire of Northam is transformed from a regular country town district into a designated racetrack and entertainment festival.
For the festival’s Competition Secretary Paul Bartlett, he was thrilled with how the locals embrace the event.
“The locals get around it because it’s a fun festival and an attraction for them. It’s a spectacle in their own backyard.” Bartlett said.
"The main streets of a country town are turned into a race circuit once a year and are re-living the tradition of the original events that were held in these towns 50-60 years ago.
“I don’t think there are many events in Australia, or the world for that matter, that do this sort of festival and I believe the event itself is one of two events of a similar nature run in Western Australia.
The on track action kicks off with the Mt Ommaney hill climb and Minson motorkhana on the first day of the festival before the Northam Mitre 10 Flying 50's regularity takes place on the second day.
With vehicles ranging from 1920 and 1930s JKL type cars all the way through to Group N cars, more than 80 competitors are expected to compete across the weekend.
Despite the number being lower than previous years, Bartlett believes the quality of competitors and overall atmosphere in the town will still be as good as it ever has been.
“I was up in Northam recently and everything is looking really good,” Bartlett added.
“We haven’t got as many competitors compared to other years due to few events taking place on the same weekend, as well as a few being unable to get their cars up after another event we held last week.
“It might not be the same as usual but we still exceeded the number we initially anticipated so I think it’s going to be fantastic event”
Other entertainment available to the travelling fans throughout the weekend will be a host of live bands, markets, car displays and children's entertainment. The best of all is that it is free for spectators.
Click here for more information on the Northam Motor Sport Festival.
The Northam Motor Sport Festival takes place in the Northam Shire in Western Australia on 6-7 April.