By CASEY NEILL
Need for speed set to get hoons off the streets…
DRIVERS will hit the streets this month in a bid to bring back Easternats to curb hooning in and around Keysborough.
Jon Davison established the off-street racing event in 1997 to “get kids off the street” and planned to question Greater Dandenong councillors at their 14 September meeting about bringing it back.
Following three years of illegal ‘drag racing’ on the Dandenong Bypass each weekend, Keysborough South Action Group this month suggested running an off-street racing program at Sandown Racecourse similar to one at Calder Park.
But Melbourne Racing Club spokesman Jake Norton said the venue didn’t have a permit to host such events and that nearby homes and Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulations would prevent one being issued.
Mr Davison said the council in 2009 claimed he hadn’t abided by his event permit.
“So (Sandown owner) Melbourne Racing Club terminated the agreement,” he said.
“I warned them they’d have a lot of trouble on the streets.
“The drivers have got to have somewhere to go to have an ‘automotive expression session’.”
Mr Davison said up to 18,000 people took part each year, that council logs showed only two or three resident complaints per event, and that he had met EPA conditions.
“We complied with everything that was asked,” he said.
“I brought a lot of trade and commerce into the area.”
Paul, who didn’t want his surname published, is organising a “peaceful gathering” in the coming weeks as a show of support for the event.
“It gives everybody somewhere to go and enjoy themselves in a safe environment,” he said.
Dandenong mechanic David Robinson said it brought in plenty of trade for his and other local businesses.
“It definitely energised small business for sure,” he said.
He said the demand for legal, off-street drag racing was “massive” and that Calder events were at capacity.
Resident David, who didn’t want his surname published, said he’d seen up to 10 cars “all bunched up doing group drag races going east bound along the bypass”.
He said a speed camera would discourage the hoons.
“Police should run regular spot vehicle checks of our hoon speedsters’ vehicles,” he said.
“From the sounds of their machines, a lot would not pass basic roadworthy inspections or meet standard vehicle certifications.
“The only way to bring these hoon drivers into line is to hit them hard and regularly.”
Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Andrew Smart said police had “quite a few things planned” to combat hooning.
“It’s at the forefront of our minds,” he said.
Cardinia Highway Patrol members impounded a Subaru WRX for 30 days after detecting its 25-year-old driver travelling at double the 80km/h speed limit on the Dandenong Bypass in Keysborough about 11.50pm on Friday 4 September.
The following day the same police impounded a Holden HSV after watching its 23-year-old driver perform a burnout on Princes Highway in Noble Park.
