Matt Hanson and Leigh Wells have notched up their first AORC victory of the year in the #Aus1 Snap SMU Jimco at the final round of the championship, the TJM ProLocker Lockyer 300 west of Brisbane.
Hanson built a huge 5:31s lead on the first section and while others charged, Hanson kept his cool to finish the 300km race in an overall time of 4:58.53 to not only secure the win but also take third outright in the 2013 AORC.
“We’ve had a really good run at the front of the field from the outset here at Lockyer Valley,” said Hanson.
“To get the fastest time in prologue and then be able to capitalise on that is the ideal way to round out the year.”
Finishing second outright, 4:54s behind Hanson was Shannon and Ian Rentsch in the #33 SR Racing Jimco.
With the championship at stake Rentsch took a conservative approach on the first day, before opening the taps on the tight and technical course today to not only leap into second outright but nail down his sixth Australian Off Road Championship title.
“To win a sixth Championship means a lot to all of us. It definitely has been one of our better years,” Rentsch said.
“We have been really consistent, and the lowest position we’ve finished is second, so we’ve got to be really happy with that,” said Rentsch.
Third outright was the Queensland based team of Ryan Taylor and Josh Curran in the #24 Uni-Industries Tatum.
Plagued with brake gremlins through-out the event, Taylor drew on his experience to thread the V8 powered Tatum through the trees to maintain his place on the podium.
Michael Marson and Steve Gates continued their good form from the 4th round of the AORC at Coffs Harbour in the #32 Racer and were rewarded with fourth outright, ahead of Port Pirie’s #18 Hayden Bentley in fifth outright.
The solid performance on the weekend saw the ‘King of the Desert’ Hayden Bentley finish second outright in the 2013 AORC.
