Travis Robinson and navigator Paul Currie switched to an Extreme 4WD 7.0lt V8 Mason Trophy Truck for this year’s event, after several years in a Pro Buggy. They won the Prologue and completed the first leg to Finke in 1:38:26.
They went 3:04 quicker than 2024 winners Beau Robinson and Shane Hutt in their Ext 2WD 7.0lt V8 Mason Trophy Truck. Third a further 3:35 adrift were last year’s runner ups Billy Geddes and Alan Geddes, second in Ext 2WD in a 6.0lt TSCO Trophy Truck.
Out of the 102 starters, 27 failed to make the 226kms from Alice Sprints to the remote community overnight stop.
Despite some mechanical gremlins and a lost tyre, New Zealander Boston Morgan-Horan salvaged fourth with Will Haddock in their turbo V6 Geiser Bros Trophy Truck.
Fifth and first in Prolite were John Towers and Bruce Young in Towers’ V6 Lustrum. They placed ahead of the Pro Buggies of Michael Zacka/Dylan Blake (7.0lt Pro Buggy Jimco) and Josh Howells/Shaun Harris (turbo V6 Jimco).
Then followed Michael Dolan/Nathan Cade (Ext 2WD 7.0lt Brenthel), Brent Smoothy/Shane Elphinstone (Ext 4WD Mason) and Jared Percival/Matt Gallasch (turbo V6 Pro Buggy Element Prodigy).
Danny Brown and George Apted (turbo V6 Alumi Craft Pro Buggy) came in 11th, with Danny’s father Andy along with Daniel Hardman nursed their 7.0lt Alumi Craft to 12th after a rollover in Saturday’s Prologue.
Among the fancied contenders that DNF’d were Aaron and Tanner James, Kye Camilleri/Luke Hendry, locals Locky and Paddy Weir, Kent Battle/Adam Franklin and Brad Gallard/Dean Keyes.
Best of the SXS class runners who were hard hit with retirements, were Jeff McNiven and Jake Nicholson with 19th outright in a Can-Am Maverick. Casualties included SXS Prologue winner Lachlan Bailey/Nathan Sracek, Glenn Brinkman/Jacci Huges and Zac Marsh/Richar Tassin.
The second round of the BF Goodrich Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship will resume from 7.15am local time on Monday morning.
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