Top speed and superior spectating on offer as the AORC lands on Toyo turf.
The Toyo Tires Riverland Enduro is Team Toyo’s home race, South Australia being home base for Toyo’s off-road racing program. The track is designed with spectators in mind it is one of the fastest and most varied courses on the AORC calendar, drawing racers from around the country.
The race conditions at the Waikerie track are a proving ground for cars and drivers, with sustained high speeds and changing terrain placing tremendous pressure on drive trains.
The tracks limestone surfaces are also extremely hard on tyres. Toyo’s Open Country M/T-R, has proven itself near unbreakable on scores of laps at race speed around the track.
Brad Gallard, following mechanical drama with the Peter Kittle Motorsport #454 Jimco trophy truck at Finke will be working hard in front of a home crowd, hoping to improve on last year’s third outright.
The race is a highlight for Brad.
“My favourite thing about the Riverland Enduro is the country atmosphere. It’s still a race, so relaxed is the wrong word, but the event is comfortable for me, it’s great to be there. It’s a very good feeling to be racing just an hour from home,” says Brad.
With a long history of racing in the Riverland, Brad’s local hero status isn’t all champagne and podium finishes.
“The worst part of the Riverland Enduro is not finishing. I have more DNF’s than I do finishes from 13 starts at Waikerie. It’s a track the gets the better of me. It’s my home race, the locals really get behind you and its game on, and you can push a bit hard. Bit of the red mist,” he says.
Matt Kittle in the 3500cc twin turbo PKMS Jimco will be duelling the likes of Shannon Rentsch and Jack Rhodes in the Pro-Buggy class.
“The best part of the event is speed of the track,” says Matt. “Getting to take the car up to its top speed at 220km/h or more is always a good rush.”
“There is plenty of action for spectators, and the road jump that spectators can stop at on the way in to the main Toyo area is massive”
The side by side start (also a plus for spectators) is a bit of a challenge, pushing drivers hard off the line. Drivers are incentivised to launch hard, or suffer some spray.
“If you don’t get a good start then you get showered in rock!” says Matt.
Toyo man Greg Gartner has also been getting in plenty of practice since Finke, running third outright at his own event at Moorex earlier this month. The #410 F150 is ready for a hard charge, following a great performance in 2014 that he will build on this year.
Hayden Bentley, after a second place in the X2WD class at Finke, wants to take his new Racer Engineering trophy truck to the next level.
“I have only done the event once in the last 10 years, but I like that it has a bit of everything. Fast stuff, mallee scrub, limestone, everything.”
With the home ground advantage, Team Toyo are primed once more for a great weekend of racing.
Stay tuned to the Toyo blog and Toyo Tyres Australia Facebook page for regular updates.
Check out the spectator guide here.
Check out the registered list of entrants here.
