Benaraby Dragway evacuated after bomb threat during King of the Strip

About 1500 drag racing enthusiasts evacuated from a sports venue at its largest event of the year after a bomb threat have been allowed back in by police.

Hundreds have been evacuated from the Benaraby Dragway. Picture Rodney Stevens

More than 1000 drag racing enthusiasts evacuated from Benaraby Raceway at its largest race meet of the year after an anonymous bomb threat have been allowed back in the gates.

Spectators and competitors who travelled to the Gladstone region for the popular King of the Strip 4x4 were forced to wait outside while the Queensland Police Service bomb squad swept the dragway.

Meeting director Damian Jackson said the the initial call was made to police, who then notified the club about 1.30pm.

Multiple police crews waited on scene for the bomb squad.

Mr Jackson said the venue was given the all-clear about 3.30pm and the meeting was going to be reconvened.

“We got a call from the relevant people that there had been a threat made of multiple devices on site,” Mr Jackson said.

“We promptly evacuated 1000 to 1500 people off site; they are all currently sitting outside the gate.”

Mr Jackson said he quickly alerted the track crew before making his way to the tower to explain to drivers and spectators what was happening.

“I announced over the PA system for everybody in the crowd to start moving in an orderly fashion towards the gate,” he said.

“I made them aware of the situation… and coordinated the effort of getting people calmly out of here, which was achieved in about 15 minutes.

“I’m sure most of them understand it’s an event that’s out of our control.”

Mr Jackson said that with 86 drivers nominated, a 2000-strong crowd expected and $14,000 prize money on offer, it was the club’s biggest meeting of the year.

It started at 11am, and several rounds of qualifying had already taken place before the evacuation.

“If they get this swept up and cleaned out we’ll get everyone back in and get the meeting completed,” he said.

“We won’t have them beat us like this, whoever the culprits are.

“We will do our best to keep the event running so we can complete what we set out to do.

“We will hold a second drivers’ briefing to explain what we’re doing and how we plan to do it.”

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said they were made aware of the incident at midday.

She said no one was injured.

It has been a difficult year for the motorsports club, after their complex sustained about $50,000 worth of what appears to be targeted damage just weeks out from their first meet of the year.

Committee members of the Central Queensland Drag Racing Association (CQDRA) found cut wires, damaged and missing equipment and broken locks when they went to the Benaraby Dragway in January.

They found some of their equipment, including headphones, radios and their Christmas tree, damaged and unusable in a creek.

A GoFundMe page was set up by Monster Fabrications and Central Queensland Metal Fabrications owner Tim Mills and police were investigating the incident.