> "...is circle work a casual race (going round a circle? ) or is it a quick recovery from a mistake?"

Neither Helen.

Circle work is simply a deliberate act undertaken to express sheer exuberance. The utes take it in turn to drive round and round in the dust, generally near the station's (="farm's") shearing shed where everybody "slept". Disappearing from view into the red dust whilst doing so is greeted with wild enthusiasm by the assembled party goers (see pic).

Check http://www.outbackmag.com.au/contact/readers/utes/circle.html for THE definitive circle work pic!!

As alluded to in the excerpts, there is a tendency for circle work to be more common these days at revhead shows - often as a sideshow to a burnout competition. I wouldn't swap the smell and taste of red dust from traditional circle work with the stink of rubber burning on concrete for anything - it's just not the same!

stales