Hot wheels: James Keeble with his 1998 Holden Commodore, which was voted Ballarat’s Hottest Car and (inset) Blake Kelly’s yellow 2011 Camaro, which was the runner-up. MAIN PICTURE: KATE HEALY
LOVE is blind when it comes to Ballarat’s Hottest Car.
More than 50 vehicles were entered in The Courier’s iPhone app competition, including polished hot rods and retro classics.
But, it was James Keeble’s beaten-up 1998 Holden Commodore which took out top spot, with 231 votes.
The Canadian resident said he hadn’t really expected to win the competition with a picture of his Commodore parked out the front and covered in dirt.
“I was a little bit surprised, but I guess people can just relate to it. It’s the Aussie battler,” he said yesterday.
“A few of my mates voted for it, but nothing too over the top. They thought it was pretty funny. They all wanted to get a photo in front of it and a few autographs.”
Mr Keeble hadn’t washed his prized Commodore by the time The Courier arrived to take a photo, but maybe that was because it had a chequered past when it came to cleaning.
“The coat-hanger aerial is only there because I forgot to put the aerial down in the car wash,” Mr Keeble said.
He has had the car – his first – for about four years.
“I’d probably be lucky to get $50 for it in the scrapyard, but it’s worth a lot more to me,” he said.
More than 750 people cast their vote in the competition, which ran online at thecourier.com.au this week and last. The runner-up was Blake Kelly’s yellow 2011 Camaro.
