Enduro green light
Australia’s leading off-road car-racing enthusiasts are set to push highly modified vehicles to the limit in the southern Mallee town of Rainbow next month.
The usually sleepy Hindmarsh Shire hamlet is set to roar to life from August 4 to 6 after Rainbow Desert Enduro organisers confirmed they had an official green light for the event.
The enduro, scheduled as the final round of Australian Off Road Championships and already pencilled in as an annual event, represents further consolidation of the region’s love affair with high-level motor sport.
Organisers expect Rainbow’s population to swell by up to or beyond 1000 as drivers, teams, fans and the region’s sporting curious gather to watch the unique racing action unfold.
There seems little doubt that fans of thrill-seeking competition and raw power are in for a treat.
Some vehicles in the quickest categories at the enduro will tap into 800-horsepower engines with capabilities of tackling challenging multiterrain surfaces at speeds of up to 240 kilometres an hour.
Victorian Off Road Racing Association, with members from across Victoria, is driving the event in partnership with Hindmarsh Shire Council, West Wimmera Health Service, Graincorp and the State Government.
Association president Brett Price said fans were assured of top-quality racing.
“We’re talking about custom-built vehicles with the capacity to travel across rough ground very quickly and to withstand extreme jumps and other hazards. The cars are basically designed to be as fast and as tough as possible,” he said.
“But there are about 10 racing categories, which means there will be vehicles of all shapes, size and power.
“And we’re not just here to race.
“We’re also looking at the longterm benefits of the town and are determined to leave a strong, positive impression. The community has been awesome and we want to help get the locals involved in the sport. We’re pretty excited.”
The number of drivers and their teams, fresh from churning through the dust in the championships’ Finke Desert Race leg in central Australia, was still growing yesterday.
Mr Price said final government-authority approval to race on the 75-kilometre Crown Land course, west of Rainbow and now complete with a new spectator-viewing area and three portable site buildings, was the result of 12 months of hard work.
“The club is ecstatic after all the work and we’re excited not only about the event but the future of the event in successive years,” he said.
Mr Price said he expected race entries to climb to about 60.
“Several multi-championship-winning Australians have already entered and what adds to the occasion is that mathematically just about anyone can win the championships. This means competition will be intense,” he said.
“Everyone has come on board. Next week we will be marking the track. Any competitor who misses the opportunity to race at Rainbow will be kicking themselves afterwards.”
Organisers have expanded the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport event to include a major community celebration in Rainbow’s Federal Street on the Friday night before racing.
There will be show and shine displays, helicopter rides and other attractions from 4pm. Racing action will start at 9am on both Saturday and Sunday.