Team Toyo hell men ready to roost dirt and hunt silverware.
A national series cut short has drawn 73 keen competitors to what is one of the most popular and visually dramatic rounds on the off-road racing calendar.
Agitated off-road racing armaments will tomorrow carve conifer laneways through picturesque Tantanoola Pine Forest in Millicent, South Australia for the Teagle Excavations ARB Pines Enduro 400.
Right in the heart of SA’s limestone coast, Team Toyo hell men will be roosting dirt and hunting silverware.
In Extreme 2WD, Greg ‘Why would I lift?’ Gartner will be lighting the Open Country M/T-R’s in the big blue #410 F-150 trophy truck.
With a strong season under his belt, Gartner is well known for his pace at Millicent and will take the fight to the top end turbo buggies the track favours, wringing every horse from the Ford SVO V8.
The fearsome green Toyo-shod Razorback steered by Andy Murdock will join Gartner in the battle for class honours in X2WD.
His first race weekend since a plagued Finke, Danny Brown has a faster motor and first place ambitions.
“Pines is my favourite race of the year and we always do well there. Hoping to see the top step, looking for a podium,” said Brown.
“It’s a sandy track, a few days of rain has made the sand a bit heavier which keeps the dust down. The Toyos will hook up really well, we will need their traction in the sand to get moving and then the turbo cars will come into their own.”
With lurking undergrowth, sand covered straights and tight corners the Toyo race rubber has its work cut out.
“It’s heavy going powering down those straights, it makes the right tyre choice and the fine line between right tyre pressures for traction critical,” says Brown.
“There is a lot of fast guys here and competition is going to be fierce. This race is won on the first lap, so we’ll go and have a crack. The V8s will do in prologue but the long straights in the race will have the turbo cars eating them up.”
A father vs son showdown is brewing between Danny and his dad Andy Brown campaigning the #45 Saber V8 buggy, with no quarter given on track.
“There’s always a bit of banter between us. I’m waiting for the time we qualify next to each other. It will be the most expensive first corner in off-road racing history. I’m not going to give him an inch and he won’t give me one, either.”
Joining Danny and Andy in the pro-buggy class is the svelte flame-spitting #23 Jimco, with Matthew Kittle on the tools. His virgin run at Pines, this will be car #23’s last outing for 2015. Macca is excited for a finish after a tough season of racing.
“It’s looking like clear skies, low dust; I have never raced here before and I am excited to possibly get a chequered flag this weekend.
“There are a lot of guys coming to get a last run. It’s going to be a tough field, our pace is up there and we will push hard from prologue.
“The turbocharged buggies will definitely have the better run this weekend. The course is straight and fast, top gear stuff. The buggy works well in high speed sections; I am getting my confidence up in the tight and windy bits. We have found the correct balance and we are excited to get out there.”
Forza Team Toyo!
