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A strong second day in the Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash has seen the New Zealanders Raana Horan and Michael Connor win the second round of the Polaris Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship.
They started the morning out of third position and as the two leading teams struck problems, were able to go ahead in their Nissan V6 Twin Turbo-powered Jimco Pro Buggy. Throughout the event they were chased by the similar Pro Buggy piloted by Travis Robinson and Andrew Pinto, and finished just over a minute ahead.
“It’s the first one winning, it has been a long time. Twelve years coming over here, trying to win something. Been a couple of thirds but this is my best – really happy,” Horan said.
Overnight leaders Josh Howells and Gordon Tardrew led at the end of the first of three 106 kilometre laps before their Jimco/Nissan V6 TT rolled. Both were okay but out of the event.
Another of the pacesetters were Ryan Taylor and Kye Floyd (Cadillac V6 Twin Turbo-powered Tatum AK47) before they stopped ten kilometres from the end while in front. They were able to continue and finished 33rd.
Third place went to the ProLite class winners Mel Brandle and Nick Price (Alumi Craft/Nissan V6) a further seven minutes 24.4 seconds behind. The next four places went to Pro Buggys with Daniel and Charlotte Hughes (Southern Cross/Chev V8) ahead of John and Dave Morgan (Jimco/Chev), Brett Rogers and Brett Richardson (Jimco/Chev), and Josh Wilson and Andrew Panton (GET Performance Carbon Series/Chev).
Eighth and second in ProLite were Alan Dixon and Garrett Wakefield (Customfab/Nissan V6) ahead of Glenn Brinkman and Dale Moscatt who won SXS Pro ahead of the fellow Can-Am pilots Kye and Luke Camilleri. Section one class winners James Cook and Mitchell Aucote (Can-Am) had a serious miscalculations on fuel and ran out 50 kilometres into Lap 2.
Extreme 2WD front runners Brett Comiskey and Corey Cooper (Chev powered Geisler Trophy Truck) also ran dry, near the end of the second lap. However they were able to refuel and get to the chequered flag. SXS Sports honours went to Tony Ross and Jason Chipp (Yamaha YXZ), and Adam and Mitchell Jiear (Toyota) won Production 4WD.
