25th Summernats attracts record crowds, no arrests

Canberra's annual Summernats car festival closed on Sunday, the four-day event attracting record crowds while passing off without any arrests.

More than 90,000 people attended the 25th Summernats at Exhibition Park (EPIC), a substantial increase on last year while there was also a 20% rise in competitor numbers.

Police have praised organisers of Australia's biggest car festival for running an arrest-free event with Superintendent Lesa Gale saying police patrolled the venue on foot and bikes for the first time in several years.

Superintendent Gale stated "we're overall very happy with how all event-goers and the community have behaved throughout the duration of the event this year.

"I think that's primarily due to the efforts of Summernats event organisers who have this year been very proactive in engaging with ACT Policing and have been very quick to respond to any incidents that have occurred within the EPIC precinct itself."

Superintendent Gale added that she was pleased there were no arrests, adding "our members have been able to provide support to event security so that when security have required some assistance we've been there in support of them quite rapidly and in a very proactive way which I think has contributed to the reduction in any incidents having occurred there this year."

However, while there were no arrests, organisers have permanently banned some revellers from the event.

Summernats co-owner Andy Lopez says at least two people have been given lifetime bans, stating "we had a couple of people that came to the event this year that we never want to see again.

"There was one incident at the burn-out track which I won't go into, don't need to go into necessarily. It was in a controlled environment but it was still an incident that we were unhappy with.

"The second one revolves around an incident with a security guard and I believe that would be a matter for the police."

Nearby residents have not been so happy with Julie Smith from the Watson Community Association saying the event continues to cause problems for residents near the venue.

Smith told the ABC "we have the experience of larrikins doing burn-outs around the suburb, we get constant noise.

"We get the smell of the rubber burning which can be quite unsettling and quite unpleasant."

Smith stated there has been less drunken and violent behaviour in her suburb compared to previous years, adding "we think it could be still improved by taking the burn-outs out of it.

"It's a legitimate event but the burn-outs are not an appropriate activity for that venue. It's too close to an urban area, it's too noisy."

While there had been ongoing speculation the festival could relocate to Sydney, Lopez says the solid turnout means the event is now "sustainable" from a money-making point of view.

Lopez struck an agreement with the ACT Government on the weekend to bring the long-running car festival back to Canberra in 2013 and is negotiating with the event in Canberra for the next 25 years.

Lopez explains "the Summernats are not here looking for a handout from government. We're talking with government about making our life and our event easier in the ACT.

"Exhibition Park has been making a number of improvements to the venue and the facility and we are pleased to see that and we have a range of ideas that would not only benefit the Summernats, but would benefit other long-term stakeholders here like the Canberra Show, the Folk festival and so on."

The event injects about $15 million into the local economy.