It's nearly as old as the Monaco Grand Prix, was first held decades before Bathurst, and continues to draw a crowd of thousands.
This little-known car race in southern Western Australia, the Albany Classic, is loved by drivers and fans alike.
Racing at high speeds, a range of vehicles from modern to historic hurtle around the historic streets of Albany — WA's oldest town — each June.
It's one of only a handful of 'around the houses' races held across the world, which grew in popularity in the 1930s.
The style of motor race involves small towns or cities allowing a motor race through its streets with crowds able to watch on from close proximity.
The most famous example is the Monaco Grand Prix — one of the world's most famous motorsport events — where race cars have hurtled around the streets of Monte Carlo since 1929.
"I’d like to think Albany is the Monaco of Australia for the around the houses," competitor and race committee member Phil Shepherd said.
Historic race born out of the Depression
The first race was an effort to boost the town's economy during The Great Depression.
"Albany got together during the Depression to hold a festival, use the trains and bring people to Albany for the weekend to inject some money into the economy," he said.
A newspaper clipping from the Western Mail in 1936 described 10,000 thrilled spectators watching on.
"The race was the first of its kind ever staged in Australian states and provided plenty of thrills," it read.
The event ran annually for three decades until insurance issues in the 1960s made it unviable.
It was reborn in 1991 and has remanded a staple of the Albany calendar ever since, drawing thousands of spectators each year.
"I love how the spectators are so close. If you compete at a track, they might be as close as 100 metres here. You literally high-five them on the other side of the concrete," Mr Shepherd said.
"Where else can you do a skid legally around your town hall?"
"It’s so much fun to see the smiles on the crowd, the ability to get kids to sit in the car and pretend one day they might be doing it."
While originally an event to draw visitors, the race has grown the popularity of motorsport in the south coast city.
"Albany drivers have grown substantially since 1991 when it was mainly for visiting drivers. Now about 20 per cent are local drivers, which is great," Mr Shepherd said.
"There are only two 'around the houses' events left in Australia, one here and one in Northam."
'Puts a smile on our face'
Mr Shepherd entered three vehicles this year; all classic Jaguars from the 1950s and 60s.
Mr Shepherd said some of the cars that race today are from the 1930s.
"Here we are nearly a hundred years of cars, and they are still going around in doing something they did in 1936," he said.
"That's impressive."
