Everything you need to know
2025 Red CentreNATS 5 - 7 September 2025
Meet us in the Middle for the Ultimate Festival of Wheels returning to Alice Springs on 5 - 7 September 2025.
Celebrate everything on four wheels over three action packed days showcasing the very best in street machines, elite show cars, hot rods, classics & exotics.
Entries for 2025 are now open. Stay tuned for the Entrant Participation Guide 2025. The Judging Guide for 2025 can be downloaded via the buttons below.
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How to enter
2025 entries are now open
- Click here to enter
- Log in. If you've never entered a RCN event before you'll need to register as a new user
- Choose Red CentreNATS11 event
- Complete the application form, remember to save as you go
- Submit and make payment
It's that easy to enter the Ultimate Festival of Wheels.
Fringe Festival
The Red CentreNATS Fringe Festival is our way of kicking off the weekend in style. Located right in the heart of town, it’s your chance to cruise in, park your entered vehicle up and enjoy the live music and entertainment, as well as grab a bite to eat before the event kicks in to top gear the next morning.
What other event in the country hosts a party to kickstart their party?
Kick off the weekend in style smack bang in the middle of town with hundreds of like-minded car nuts. Cruise in, park up and enjoy the live music and entertainment. Grab yourself some grub in town before the action kicks off the next morning. A party to start the party!
Who can do it?
Approved entrants who hold a blue, yellow or green permit are invited to park up. Entrants must be scrutineered first. If you have a Friday scrutineering time, reach out to the team and we will change it to Thursday so you don’t miss out on the festivities. The Aces and Eights crew will be cruising to town and have invited any RCN entrant to join in.
Burnouts
We know that the Burnout Comp’ fires up the crowd, and Red CentreNATS will welcome some of the nation’s toughest and best-known skid cars to the heart of the country as they battle it out for for huge cash prizes, and tickets to the Summernats Pro Burnout Series!
Of course, the Burnouts aren’t just open to the Pros and while the Pro Class is a crowd favourite, we also have the Open Class for first timers and Pro-Am drivers to make a name for themselves.
Competiton format:
- Pro Class
- Open Class
- Qualifying and finals will be one skid only
- Ultimate Redemption Round is available for all pro class entrants who don’t make the finals
Drag Racing
DYO DRAG RACING
Not every racer is a Heavy Hitter which is why we invite other racers to participate in our DYO Drag Racing.
Simply nominate your time and race as close as possible to it without breaking out — a true test of a reliable vehicle, and a consistent driver!
Competition format:
- STREET: 11.00 and slower
- PRO: 0.00 – 10.99
- BIKE
- JNR DRAGSTER
GRUDGE RACING FUN SESSIONS
If competition Drag Racing isn’t your thing and all you really want to do is have a chance to race your mates, or go heads up with another tough entrant you’ve seen cruising all weekend, then Grudge Racing Fun Sessions are for you.
HEAVY HITTERS DRAG RACING
With so much going on at the Alice Springs Inland Dragway it only makes sense that we utilise the track to lay down some times, and Red CentreNATS brings some of the nation’s fastest cars to the outback to make, break and then re-make some of the track’s fastest recorded times on Australia’s most remote quarter mile dragstrip!
We’ve distilled it down to the ultimate spectator format, too — three qualifying rounds in classes broken up by ET, leading in to an elimination format off a Pro Tree — you break out, you lose!
Competition format:
- 3 qualifying rounds
- Elimination format racing
- Heads up, pro tree
- You break out, you lose
Show 'n' Shine
Show off your ride no matter whether it’s blown a competition weapon, a lovingly restored stocker or anything in between! Park up and enjoy the views and festivities that Blatherskite Park has to offer.
Around 3pm hundreds of cars will form up for the Street Parade so get in early. The best part is you are free to leave and come back as often as you want!
Who can participate?
All entrants are encouraged to display their vehicles / bikes for all to admire! Make sure your car is presented at its best and don’t forget to tell our judges about any unique or special parts of your ride.
Yeperenye Street Parade
The Yeperenye Street Parade is an unmissable element of Red CentreNATS and is loved by entrants and spectators alike — think of it as our way of putting on a unique show for the residents of Alice Springs, and letting us enjoy all their town has to offer.
Over 800 cars and bikes — including some of our loudest and most powerful supercharged street machines — will cruise the streets of Alice Springs for what is surely one of Australia’s wildest tough laps!
Who can do it?
Registered cars and bikes as well as entrants who have obtained the correct temporary permit at scrutineering.
Power Skid Fest
After a weekend full of playing by the rules and exercising great restraint whilst out cruising, the Power Skid Fest is your chance to blow off some steam!
Head to Alice Springs Inland Dragstrip and try your hand at powerskidding the length of the drag strip, and for even more rubber-melting mayhem, cruise down the return road then cut loose on the burnout pad!
Because you’ll be busy behind the wheel we’ll even give your mates the chance to ride along as passengers so they can film for you!
Who can do it?
- Any entrant who has passed Scrutineering with their vehicle
- Passengers are welcome but they MUST be in a seat with a seatbelt on and who have signed the passenger waiver form, which will be available on the day
- All vehicles must run a bonnet for the Power Skid Fest
- Passengers must be 18 over
Scrutineering
Scrutineering is your first stop on RCN weekend. Cruise in, get your car stickered up, and head out to enjoy everything Red CentreNATS has to offer. Our friendly scrutineers work hard to get you on the road as quickly as possible so have everything you need ready to go before you get there.
Want to speed up scrutineering?
- Click HERE to view the Entrant Scrutineering Guide. Check that your vehicle meets the requirements and scrutineering will be a breeze.
- If you need a temporary permit fill in the application (more info on following page), then send it to rcnadmin@summernats.com.au. Please note, to obtain a temporary permit you will need to produce and show your physical driver’s licence to the Motor Vehicle Registry Staff at Scrutineering. Digital copies are not accepted in the Northern Territory.
Trailer or transporter parking:
- Trailer parking is available at both Blatherskite Park and ASID.
- If you and your mates are all coming to Alice Springs on a transporter, we need to know so we can make space for you and your crew! Send us an email: rcnadmin@summernats.com.au
Pre-judging also occurs at scrutineering.
Grass Driving
Get filthy and hang loose at Blatherskite Park in a series off challenging grass driving courses. Hang it sideways around tight turns, race against the clock and set the best time to win.
Competition format:
All entrants are invited to tear it up in the Grass Driving competition, which might just be harder than you think.
Take your rig through a helter skelter, twists, turns and more across a number of different courses. This will really put your horsepower and driving abilities to the test.
Who can do it?
Vehicles must be 2WD or AWD with a wheelbase maximum of 2575mm 4WD, purpose built drag racing and/or burnout vehicles, open top vehicles
and dune buggies are not permitted to compete.
4WD Course
The 4WD course is the place to test out your off-road machine. A challenging, curated course with a variety of obstacles will put you and your machine to the test.
Competition format:
There’s a range of obstacles here with a staggered difficulty — many with challenging coursework for maximum enjoyment, speedy recoveries, and some powerful 4WD action.
Lasseters Tarmac Time Trial
Red CentreNATS is all about having fun behind the wheel of your car in the heart of the country, but the truth is that not every entrant is a supercharged burnout car or a blistering quick drag racer. For those that have put together a modestly-powered street car and know how to spin the wheel, the Lasseters Tarmac Time Trial is the place where outright horsepower plays second fiddle to suspension, steering and skill!
And while the event has been dominated by compacts and nimble four-cylinder entrants in the past, that’s not to say that we don’t love to watch the muscle car guys have a go!
Competition format:
You only have seconds to manoeuvre your way through one very tight, short course without incurring any penalties. Sliding and spinning is the name of the game here, so don’t be shy.
Father's Day Cars & Coffee
Whether you’ve got one, you are one or you’re soon to be one, we celebrate Dads at Red CentreNATS given that we run over the Fathers Day weekend!
Kick off your Sunday morning and cruise out to Alice Springs Inland Dragway, park up and grab yourself a hot brew, chat with plenty of car nuts and check out some of the metal on display.
Arrive early to secure your spot.
Plus, FREE breakfast for all Park-Up entrants!
Who can do it?
Any entrant who has passed Scrutineering.
Please follow the direction of officials for access and parking.