Jake Myers wins second Burnout Masters crown at Summernats

Jeff Hanson, Narrandera Argus

Jake Myers created history at Summernats 35, winning his second Burnout Masters crown. Tearing up the asphalt in his 1966 Mustang, known fondly as S1CKO, in front of the 100,000-strong crowd in Canberra earlier this month, Myers didn’t disappoint, defeating winner of both the Masters and Championship at ‘Nats 33 Rick Fuller and his new ride FULLONX, ahead of Michael Pratten in SPASTIC.

It is the 26-year-old’s second Burnout Masters crown after he won his first title in the same car back in 2019, and he is more than proud of the achievement.

“A lot of people have been trying to win this event their whole lives, and to have won it twice; it is a bit surreal,” Myers said.

“There is a lot of maintenance and build up towards the event, and a lot of work behind the scenes that people don’t see, and to be able to go to Summernats and win again, I just couldn’t be happier.”

The Myers family have built a lot of their success around S1CKO, which is now a four-time Burnout Masters champion, after helping Jake’s father Gary Myers to victories in 2004 and 2011, with the Mustang continuing to deliver over the years.

Jake admitted it took a lot of hard work to have the car in good order for each event.

“We had just done two whole seasons with the car without pulling the engine down, and at the end of 2022, we decided to pull the car off the road before Summernats,” Myers said.

“It involved things like new rings, bearings, and checking over everything and we got the heads rebuilt.

“Nothing was wrong with it, but we try and keep on top of those things before something does go wrong, and it proved itself at Summernats by winning a fourth Burnout Masters.”

Few cars on the Aussie street machine scene are as iconic as Myers’ 1966 Mustang. Jake – a proud Narrandera product – was given the keys to the car by his father, who is a legend of the sport, and the rest has been history.

“He got that when he was 17 years old. He pretty much went to the first Summernats and started a burnout competition,” Myers said.

“He won six championships, and then they brought in the Burnout Masters competition, and he won two of them in 2004 and 2011.”

Summernats 35 was a big event for the Myers clan. Not only did they debut the Mustang’s old-school look, but Jake’s dad Gary was inducted into the John Peterson Burnout Hall of Fame, kicking off the event with an impressive skid prior to the start of the Last Chance Wildcard Shootout.

Still, despite being the Myers family and Summernats royalty, getting to the event doesn’t happen overnight, and Jake explained that everyone involved had to prove their worth before getting the chance to compete in the Burnout Masters at Summernats.

“You have to actually qualify for a golden ticket throughout the year at other events,” Myers said.

“Not just any Joe Blow can go and compete, and you have 40 of the toughest cars that have earned their spot competing for the biggest prize of the year, and it’s always a tough competition at Summernats.”

When asked about the competition, and what it took to compete, Myers said it was like nothing else in the world.

“The adrenalin gets running and pumping, and you don’t think about it,” Myers said.

“It’s hard to explain until you’re in the car and on the start line. I have been around it my entire life, and travelling around Australia with mum and dad, I guess you could say I was born into it and it’s in my blood, but there is nothing like it.”

The legendary S1CKO is nearing retirement, and while the family will never sell their legendary Mustang, Myers hopes to unleash a new car in 2025.

“Dad has been offered an open cheque book for the car, but you can’t replace it; it’s a family heirloom, meaning for us it is priceless, and to build a car of that calibre, you would be looking at spending $150,000,” Myers said.

“I am actually building a new car myself, and I’ve been slowly building it for four years.

“The plan is to have a quiet year this year, and then try and have it ready to go for Summernats 25.

“We want to eventually retire the Mustang, hang up the keys, and compete with the new car.” 

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 19 January 2023.