The 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship is fast approaching, with the ARB Big Desert 480 hosted by VORRA, just over two weeks away. With around 50 entries received to date, today is not only the final chance to secure your ticket to Rainbow but to register for the all-important bonus points and gain an edge right from the start!
The championship kicks off in the Victorian Mallee town of Rainbow over the last weekend in March with the ARB Steel-It Big Desert 480, won last year by Western Australian Beau Robinson.
This year’s title chase will again feature a star-studded line up, with five out of the top ten drivers from last year’s standings already confirmed for the Big Desert 480. Clayton Chapman (#15), last year’s Rainbow runner-up, and 2024 ARB podium sitters Simon Tucker (#110) and Matthew Burrows (#3) will be back in action, whilst the ever-consistent Craig Barnett (#68) and rising star Lachlan Campbell (#651) are both primed for strong campaigns.
Defending ARB Australian Class champions Barnett, Tucker, Brendan Forssman (#201), Ross Newman (#6681), and Steven Graham (#1065), are all set to compete at the first round. Whilst, former ARB champions Brent Martin (#909) and Aaron Haby (#57), alongside notable names Mark Burrows (#21), Tom Owen (#30), Peter Sibson (#412), Jake Williams (#437), Brett Comiskey (#434), and Stuart Chapman (#1014) will return to the Rainbow.
Following Rainbow, the championship will continue with the Riverland 400 held at the New Well Station in Waikerie, South Australia. Making its return to the ARB scene for the first time since 2018 at a new location, the idyllic Riverland township of Waikerie will host Round 2 from Friday the 11th to Sunday 13th of July.
The Waikerie Off Roaders have planned a similar format to that of the Pines, short course racing on the Saturday, before unleashing competitors into the Riverland wilderness on Sunday to decide a champion at an event that will be a new experience for most competitors.
The ever-popular Gundy 500 will be up next, famous for its melon hole terrain, and renowned as one of the toughest challenges in Australian off road, the Queensland border-town of Goondiwindi will come alive over the 9th and 10th of August.
Incorporating many private properties across a diverse 80km circuit, the Gundy 500 now held at ‘Torridon’ will showcase Australia’s finest drivers including back-to-back champion Clayton Chapman.
The final round of the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship, the Teagle Excavations Pines Enduro will once again take place in Millicent. Located on the beautiful Limestone Coast of South Australia, the highly anticipated Pines Enduro will run over the 26th – 28th of September.
Featuring wheel to wheel short course action, a reverse grid format and the picturesque Tantanoola Forest – Millicent has played host to many offroad legends, no more than Danny Brown who will look to secure his fourth consecutive title at this year’s edition.
If you are looking to gain an early advantage heading into the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship, today is your final chance to lock in those bonus points. Registration is not a requirement to receive championship points, however teams who register by the end of today will receive bonus outright and class registration points – REGISTER HERE.
To keep the competition fierce and encourage participation, the ARB championship committee have also introduced a new pointscore structure moving forward. The finishing order, for both outright and class remains the same, determined based on the largest total cumulative distance of laps completed, with competitors who cover the same distance ranked by cumulative time.
Any competitor(s) who fails to complete 1 lap in the event but finished prologue will be assigned finishing position(s) behind the lowest ranked competitor who has completed greater distance ranked according to their prologue result.
Even if a competitor fails to complete the prologue, they will still be assigned points, ensuring that everyone who starts the prologue will score points, no matter where they finish.
With a format designed to encourage participation, the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship is shaping up to be another enthralling year for all competitors, from seasoned champions to first-time racers.
From the intense competition at Rainbow to the new challenge of the Riverland 400, the iconic Gundy 500, and legendary Pines Enduro; season 2025 promises an unforgettable ride.
Register today to secure your advantage in this year’s championship!
