"We'll be pushed, but we're getting there.
"The cars are chokka down [the grades]."
Wellington's Aaron Thomas, standing with his immaculately-prepared 1954 Ford Pop, had no problem with the delays.
"That's racing, it's all good. It's a good day out."
The contingent from the Cam Country Inc club, who run the Port Road Drags in Wellington, always have a strong connection to their local cousins.
"All the Wanganui guys like coming down to Port Road, so we like coming up to support you guys," Thomas said.
With its chrome 8 cubic engine, twin turbos and nine-speed gearbox, he had just pulled an 8.8 second run at 245km/h, although he would go considerably quicker later to win the Fastest Chev grade in 7.4s.
But his ride has a lot of sizzle with its steak, as the Ford Pop received the best presented car award.
"I started building this 10 years ago and it's still ongoing," Thomas said. "Only converted to twin turbo two years ago. Money [spent]? I couldn't tell you, lost count a long time ago."
Preparing his 1969 Ford Mustang, fellow Wellingtonian Todd Hall could sympathise.
"Just to get it ready for the track is 20 to 30 hours," he said.
Having to make little adjustments on valves, leads, points and getting "the arse end altered", Hall had pulled a 7.7s run, down from the 6.8s personal best he has made among his four trips to the Wanganui drags.
"But the way the track is today, it's hard to get those times. Having said that, it will get faster with more rubber down on the track."
He also had no problems with the delays, seeing the hard work the Wanganui Rodders members were doing to correct it.
"We know what goes in to putting on an event like this."
Rivers said that, as usual, the large group of local sponsors had to be thanked for all their assistance.
Among the award winners, Wanganui's Arron Wood received the Ivan Jones Memorial Trophy for being the best performed local.
