When it comes to high revving, screaming burnout machines, Jono Kelly’s 3FIVE5 VK Commodore is up there with the best and most well known.

The South Australian tours the country belting off rubber at just about every pad he can get to, and he’ll be one of many top tier burnout machines to lay rubber at our Rods Out Tailem Bend leg at The Bend Dragway on 1 November.

“I’m looking forward to it, there’s some good competition, and that pad is a challenging one, so it should make for a good night,” says Jono.

Jono’s steer at The Bend comes fresh off the back of a third place in the Pro Burnout series at Red CentreNATS #10. “I love going up there, I’ve been to nine and only missed one, and having a steer in the drags is always a good time as well.” In fact, this year Jono second in the 11 second bracket of the Heavy Hitters drags at RCN.

After beginning its life with 308 then LS2 power, these days 3FIVE5 uses a Dodge RP57 NASCAR V8 engine. “I get Brett at BNR Engines to do my motors. He set it up to take the Powerglide, but we had to heavily modify the car to get the engine to fit,” says Jono. “The subframe is spaced down, and we had to modify the rails – it just didn’t want to fit!” he laughs.

Given a NASCAR-spec engine is designed to turn at 9000rpm on an oval track for over two hours, a 60-odd second burnout is a walk in the park for the dry-sumped donk. “Parts can be tricky because it all has to come from the States, but its been really good so far,” says Jono.

When we caught up with Jono at Red CentreNATS #10, he had his daughters Emily and Phoebe along for the weekend, driving a much tamer red VK HDT replica. “That’s a car I put together as a nice cruiser, I’ve given it to them, but I still drive it plenty!” he says. 

You can catch Jono on the pad at Rods Out The Bend on 1 November, grab your tickets online here!