Got the fever
Corporal Neil Reeves captures all the on-and off-track action at the Gold Coast Indy 300

A champ car approaching at high speed hugs the corners with ease.

An F-111 passes at low level with the trademark dump and burn.

A champ car roars into the distance in the Queensland heat. I lay flat on the track to get this angle.

Photos by CPL Neil Reeves

INDY fever engulfed the Gold Coast and the City of Brisbane in October and I had been lured by the fast pace and thundering sounds of screaming cars and engines.

I was fortunate enough to be granted a photographer accreditation for the entire Indy 300 event.

I had never been to the event before and wasn’t quite sure what I was in for. The air buzzed with roaring engines and people cheering from all directions. It was like a giant party wherever you looked.

Everyone was busy preparing cars, selling memorabilia, shopping, drinking, and moving from one side of the track to another. The track never stood still – there was always something happening.

The ADF had a strong presence at Indy, with the Defence recruiting van positioned close to the Holden memorabilia site. A new ASLAV was pleasing the crowds, belting around the circuit spinning its turret as it went.

The Roulettes performed another flawless display, with running commentary on every manoeuvre.

The F-111 dump and burn stole the show once again. Three times the F-111 roared past at low-level. The first pass was slow, with all wheels down. The second was flat-out with the wings tucked back.

And finally, the dump and burn was a truly awesome sight – flames pelting from the rear of the aircraft. The crowd stood in silence as the F-111 lit up the sky.

It turned out to be a fantastic event for both the V8 super cars and the champ cars. The weekend had it all – rain, sunshine, crashes, fast cars, trucks, planes, bikes and, this year, night racing as well.