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Post #1
  15th August 2004 - 12:29 PM
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I often hear many people mention the old "Operation D.R.A.G" on the site. I was going back through some old notes and things I had and found some really good information that I thought people might be interested in that either knew of it and didn't know what happend to it, or were to young to know. So here you go; Operation D.R.A.G. stood for Drag Right And Gain- a longer life It was started by a few intelligent Q.L.D. Police Officers that were members of the Blue Light Association trying to make a difference to the countries trouble youth. This was started back in 1993. They had the help of the Q.L.D. Monaro and Torana Clubs and then started holding $10 a head race meets at the now old "Sufers Paradise Raceway". It was a huge success. There were two cars, those being a Holden VR Calais, and a Ford Falcon EF. The Calais was origianly a test mule at Holden's Lang Lang and donated by Holden Australia. It was powered by Holdens V6. It was then taken out along with the I.R.S. and donated to the Gold Coast T.A.F.E. The new engine was either built from donations or money raised, NOT ONE CENT CAME FROM GOVERNEMENT FUNDING. It is now powered by a fully race prepped, steel crank 4 bolt Chevy 350, with a Holley 850, Dart stage II heads with a manual shift TH400 running a 4800rpm stall. It also had a nine inch rear axle, ladder bar and roll cage that was donated by a company called Weldwell. From the information I have and it's back in 2001, it had a best time of then 10.49 down the 1/4 mile. The Ford Falcon was donated by Ford Australia. The Falcon was running XR6 gear and was still laying down very respectable 14sec passes down the 1/4 mile without any major tweaking at all. It had a modified C4 auto and locked diff. That's a dam respectable time for basically a not heavily modified XR6  !It was set up as a business, as stated in 1993. It comprised of 6 officers in the committee. Inspector Alex Irwin and Melissa Burton as the Treasurer. Jim Harrison looked after the equipment, John Clark was the manager of both the cars, Steve Delissa co-ordinated the racing and finally Andrew Geddes was in charge of promotions and marketing. Unfortunitly the whole thing fell apart when the officers once again went above and beyond the call of duty by helping out at one of the McDonalds "Happy Days". The officers involved took along both the cars to show the public. Uneducated, ill informed "do gooders" caused sever trouble as they beleived the cars were funded by tax payers and claimed it was a waste of tax payers funds  ( freakin do gooders). NOT ONE CENT WAS EVER RECEIVED FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR USED IN THE BUILDING AND RACING OR ANY PART OF THESE CAR OPERATIONS, IT ALL CAME FROM COMMUNITY DONATIONS. I'm not sure what eventually led to the demise of this excellent proactive police work, I know it's now not in operation but if you do know then please post it up. It's a massive loss these days to us all in the car scene that this isn't still operating because gee it would be a terrific "bridge builder" with the Police and government if it was. ^^^INFORMATION CAME FROM STREET MACHINE COMMODORE ISSUE 1 2001^^ *****INFORMATION BELOW PROVIDED BY SHANE (OVL666)****************** Officers that were also involved heavily, and were the 3 original starters were Sgt Steve Bain, Sgt Mark Jackson, Sgt Graham Marwood. Another officer by the name of Snr Cnst John Clarke also gave a much needed helping hand. Major sponsors were Gold Coast Custom Exhausts, Wheeldon's Towing (BoostedS15's dad business) and Aussie Diffs. The only reason for it's demise was due to redevelopment by Nisfan on the land which was used. Shane (OVL666) was a big part of this when it first started off til it's demise. THANKS TO SHANE (OVL666) FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUPPLIED. This post has been edited by king of the concrete jungle: Aug 16 2004, 07:42 PM --------------------  Bite off more than you can chew, then chew like hell! View IH8WRX here https://www.boostcruising.com/readersrides/entry/6/9374.html |
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jimbo
Post #2
an idea like operation drag is the only way that the police will ever combat the road toll. it may not effect it majorly, but at least they would be giving people like us a place to go rather than risking it on the streets. |
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lo beema
Post #3
Off the topic but the Petrie council is woking with a bunch of car clubs to get the old lakeside raceway up and running so it can be used to get us youngins off the roads and onto a track to drag, drift and race in a safe location. I agree though that operation DRAG was a good thing and something like that needs to come back, it was good to be around police and not getting defected..... good to watch the VR race and get beaten 2.... |
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MR. 04XIV
Post #4
I remember going to "operation drag" a number of times and watching the "COP THIS" AND "COP THAT" drag cars. I remember wowing at this guy who was racing a Landcruiser Sahara Turbo with modifications down the strip....it ran pretty quick, just wish i could remember it's ET's. |
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QikRXTurbo
Post #5
I remember that Sahara. I forget what times it pulled but it was a very slippery track. Shame it's all been ripped up now... |
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HOON69
Post #8
just finished posting a pic of a operation drag police car the old vn i think it was i do have pics of the ones your on about but cant find em pitty they didnt continue on with it,just imagine the amount of money and ppl they'd be taking off the streets... |
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PIMPIN
Post #9
One of the police drags cars are still sitting in a garage on the Gold Coast, it was funded by a copper who received no money what so ever from the government to run that car. As for operation drag being closed down there were many reasons but the main 3 were local complaints, major money needed to make the track safe, and the owner of the site wishing to develope it for profit. |
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March_Hare
Post #10
The land was sold in order for developments to continue, thats what spelled the doom of the track. It wasnt just a drag strip, there was a race track there too. It used to be an entire precinct, there used to be a dirty speedway too. There were plans to improve the site in the late 90's, even convert the track into use for road races, but due to the encroaching population it would never have made it through council. Noise, traffic, ownership of the land, it all was a problem. |
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They cant touch shit though, firstly it is heritage listed, secondly it is still owned by the Pine Rivers Shire Council, they are still going to appeal the decision of heritage listing but have not set a date for it to happen. Until it goes to court, or so much pressure is put on the council, you wont see anything happen to the complex. |
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Supra MKIII
Post #12
if it too loud i think they should open something like it on the coast but away from houses's, raise the enrty a lil for the first year or so to get abit of money back from the cost of building it and yeah open it every weekend, for starters it would be ALOT easyer for the coast/tweed ppl to get to then willowbank and if it was open everyweekend it would give a place for ppl to race instead of on the roads, i myself now don't race unless its at willowbank (could also be because im not licenced |
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It was closed down and ripped up by the japs that own the golf course behind. They bought the circuit yrs ago and shut it down cos of the noise (affecting the rich overseas tourists game), they opened it for operation DRAG because it was a police sorta thingy but they didnt expect the levels of noise and pollution not to mention ppl that would show up to the events so when operation DRAG got shut down the shut up the circuit. (or so ive been told.....i know the golf course owners own it but the rest is hearsay from ppl who play at the course). Shame really cos it was a mad place to go, but getting outta there on a busy arvo was hell. 
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Yeah i said they were working with car clubs to get it up and running again, like how it used to be open for drag racing and stuff on weekends......i didnt say it was open for it........ Hopefully it will soon though cos im tired of driving 2 willowbank to c cars race legally. But probably wont happen and the police and so forth will still wonder y we race on empty suburban streets in the wee hours of the morn. Not that im promoting street racing nor do i participate in it (licence suspension tends to make u stick 2 the speed limit like a bug on a windshield). Im just sayin that they wonder y ppl street race and yet all the places were u can do it safely are closing down or a cut lunch and compass trip to get there. |
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BoostedS15
Post #17
Rick alot of your information is correct but not all. |
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Its a bit like that isnt it - money is more of a priority than lives - Residents dont give a shit about the greater good - police eventually exploit their authority Its getting ridiculous.... Makes breaking the law somewhat excusable. Police are reversing their good work and I think something has to give, sooner rather than later. |
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