Motor Racing
30 March, 2024
Rally deemed 'best ever'
Last weekend's race is being called the best Big Desert 480 ever, with 54 entries taking to the track over the weekend.
Last weekend's race is being called the best Big Desert 480 ever, with 54 entries taking to the track over the weekend.
Finishing in first place outright was #1113 Beau Robinson, with #15 Clayton Chapman and #1142 Andy Brown coming in second and third respectively.
Less than 30 cars finished the event, with 24 retiring over the competition course, which has previously been labelled one of the most challanging but most fun in the competition.
The event brings Rainbow to life each time - hundreds of competitors and crews, support staff, families and spectators inundate the town and max out all vacant accommodation for the weekend.
Scrutineering and a display of the cars in Federal Street kicked off the weekend on Friday night, before Saturday's Prologue and Section One races, with Section Two held on Sunday.
Victorian Off Road Racing Association Incorporated (VORRA) president Tony Carabott said the event had a new lease of life with the recently-appointed committee onboard.
"The committee brought a new approach and new ideas to the table," Mr Carabott said.
"This included a naming right sponsor, class and event sponsors.
"Everyone worked in harmony and the event flowed well."
Mr Carabott estimated 1200 people attended the event - competitors, spectators and volunteers - up about 150 people on last year's numbers, and including visitors from Queensland and Western Australia.
The action wasn't reserved to those at the track, with the event live streamed across the world - a new initiative this year that Mr Carabott said would have reached millions.
"All three days were live streamed," he said.
"It went all over America, New Zealand, South Africa - because people all over the world love off road racing."
Mr Carabott descibed the weekend's track conditions as "excellent."
"The track was a bit dusty on Sunday morning because the wind was still, and it was a bit rough at the desert end, but that is off road racing," he said.
"The feedback from competitors was it was awesome and tough.
"They are rating it as one of the toughest events in Australia, if not the toughest - tougher than Finke, and that is the biggest desert race in Australia.
"We also had a good finish rate for competitors this time, with more cars actually finishing the race.
"All round, it was an awesome event."
Mr Carabott said planning for the next year will begin in about a month, meanwhile competitors will head to Hillston for Round 2 in July.