‘Incredibly rare’: hotted-up cars converging on Canberra for the first Tuff Day Out
This Sunday at Exhibition Park, motorsport enthusiasts will come together, bringing their pimped out motorcycles and cars to support the Tuff Day Out. Organisers hope the event will promote better outcomes for men’s mental health and help save lives through suicide awareness.
An entrant getting ready to travel to the Tuff Day Out.
Long time Queanbeyan resident and Tuff Day Out organiser Andrew Thurling says mental health touching his family was a key motivator for organising the event that’s been two years in the making. Having cancelled the event twice due to COVID-19, Andrew’s excited to finally see everyone’s efforts come together on the weekend.
“We came up with the concept for it and we just came up with the name Tuff Day Out because everyone has tough days,” Andrew says.
“And cars have a tough image, and Harleys and other motorbikes, and we just wanted to get the message out that mental health does effect everyone.”
A blown 454 T bucket pushing out 600HP.
More than 150 rare cars and motorcycles will be on display at the event, travelling from as far as the NSW central and south coasts, Sydney, Melbourne, and even from central western NSW. Andrew says only the most exclusive, high quality vehicles were invited to attend.
“We made the event invite-only to keep the standard high, and we wanted variety of cars that are rare to see locally,” he says.
“We’ve got everything from burnout cars to drag cars to show cars to V8 jet boats to sprint cars and time attack cars. There’s every type of car.”
A blown 350 WB Holden ute.
All proceeds of the Tuff Day Out will go to Beyond Blue and Queanbeyan-based charity Picking Up the Peaces.
“Picking Up the Peaces work with a lot people that have PTSD and a lot of ex-military people, helping them rehabilitate,” Andrew says.
“We chose those two organisations because we wanted to support people locally but also nationally.”
A Toyota Hilux with a 427 Windsor, turboed and pushing out 850HP.
Delicious food will be available from Papa Joe’s van at the event, as well as coffee and drinks. Some of the bigger cars, including the burnout cars and drag cars are also looking to do start-ups as well as showing and displaying.
“There’s live music and the folks from Canberra Reptiles are bringing crocodiles and snakes for the kids to handle,” Andrew says.
“There’s also a big raffle as well, it’s up to about $15,000 worth of prizes. Those tickets haven’t been sold prior so you need to be there on the day.
383 cubes of HX Holden “XFACTR”.
“It’s turning out to be massive – we’ve got 104.7 behind it and we’ve got CPS Concrete Group as the major sponsor, which is cool. Brad Gordon, Billie Lefty and I are all excited to see the cars and see the community get behind this event.”
Tuff Day Out details
When: Sunday 2 October 2022, 11am-7pm
Where: Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), Flemington Road, Mitchell
Entry fee: $5.00 (under 16 free)
No alcohol or dogs allowed
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About the Author: Holly Winchester
Part Jennifer Coolidge, part Jennifer Garner (gaudy and geeky), Holly idolises Dolly Parton and Princess Di and loves NRL. When she's not creating killer content, you’ll find Holly at the Maccas drive thru getting her chai latte fix or buying 1990s memorabilia for the walls of her Googong home. Specialist subject: the Woolies carpark.
