Motor Racing
4 April, 2025
Victory for Chapman Off Road Racing
The ARB Steel-It Big Desert 480, held on March 28-30 at the Rainbow Rises Events Centre, marked the highly anticipated Round One of the ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship.
The event attracted a field of 48 cars, making for an action-packed weekend full of racing and excitement.
The festivities kicked off on Friday evening with a Scrutiny and Street Display held in Federal Street from 4-8.30pm.
It was a lively event, with cars undergoing scrutiny before the race, giving fans the chance to get an up-close look at the vehicles and chat with drivers and navigators.
Local community groups and food outlets were bustling with activity, offering everything from BBQs and hot beef rolls to fish and chips, donuts, and pizza.
The Eureka Hotel also saw a good turnout, serving up hearty counter meals.
The racing officially began on Saturday with the Prologue, which established the starting order for the competition.
Mayor Ron Ismay welcomed participants and spectators to the event, while Mark Bateman from Motorsports Chaplaincy delivered a prayer for safety and success.
Section One commenced at 1:00 PM, with drivers completing two laps of the 80-kilometre track.
By the end of Day One, Car 14, Tucker Motorsport, led by Kyle Tucker with navigator Ian Wedding, emerged as the quickest on the gruelling course. A total of 40 cars finished the section.
On Sunday, Section Two consisted of four laps of the challenging track, with a 45-minute service break after the first two laps.
The track stretched across Rainbow Rise, Pella Road, Burma Road, Schilling Road, and Milmed Rock track, winding its way through the Big Desert and reaching speeds of over 200 kilometres per hour.
After a thrilling day of racing, the winners were decided by 1pm.
The outright first-place honours went to Car 15, Chapman Off Road Racing from Cooroy, Queensland.
Clayton Chapman and Adam McGuire, driving the Razorback in the Ultimate Class, were consistent throughout the weekend and finished with a 13-minute buffer over their closest rivals.
Second place went to Car 1065, TEN65 Racing from Griffith, New South Wales.
Steve "Bowie" Graham and Jason Richards, driving their Alumicraft in Class 10, made a remarkable charge from their starting position on Saturday to secure an impressive finish.
In third place was Car 21, MBR from Burrambeet, Victoria. Mark Burrows and his son Tom, navigating in their MonkFab in the Ultimate class, put in a strong performance, narrowly missing out on second place.
The Rainbow Rises Events Association Committee and volunteers received praise for their tireless efforts in preparing the site for the weekend.
A new toilet and amenities block near the pit area was one of the improvements made this year, alongside a large storage shed offering a variety of food, drinks, and coffee to keep participants and spectators fueled throughout the event.
The ARB Steel-It Big Desert 480 was a resounding success, and the excitement doesn’t end there.
More events are lined up for the Rainbow Rises Events Centre later in the year, including the Rainbow Rises 240 and the possibility of another Tractor Pull.
With the first round of the ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship now behind us, all eyes are on the next leg of the series at Waikerie Riverland Enduro South Australia on July 11-13.
