17 Oct RIP Michelle Beneke

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Michelle Beneke – Auntie Michelle of the Nitro Den – on Tuesday 14 October, after a long illness bravely borne.

Auntie Michelle came to drag racing through her son Shaun, best known for his exploits with Flat Four Racing. She first visited the Killarney strip as a spectator in the 1990’s, but it just wasn’t in her nature to sit still. She soon became a familiar face around the pits and an integral part of the support network without which motorsport just can’t function.

In the early 2000’s she and her husband Christo took over the Nitro Den, the small ‘cooldrinks and chips’ outlet at the exit of Pertamina Fastron Corner, and over the next two decades it became the social hub of the spectator area at drag racing.

Everybody knew Auntie Michelle, and she had a smile and a greeting for everyone; it’s hard to imagine a drag racing event without her friendly face behind the counter at the Den.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Christo, Shaun, Jenny, Liam and family.