In only a short number of years, the Pats Diesel Services Dalby 100 hosted by the Gympie Auto Sports Club has exploded in popularity. This weekend 73 eager crews will converge on the property Weranga to contest Round 2 of the 2022 ARB Mickey Thompson Tyres QLD Off Road Championship, after the opening round at Leyburn was postponed due to wet weather.
Headlined by two-time PDS Dalby 100 champion Clayton Chapman #15, who claimed back to back wins in 2019 and 2020 in his Chapman’s Racing Unlimited Razorback, the weekends field is full of talented drivers all biting at the bit to get their season off to a flying start.
Last weekend’s Yore Contracting 100 Moranbah champion 16 year old Kye Camilleri #666 finished third outright at the PDS Dalby 100 last year in his Can-Am and is amongst a number of crews who will be fighting it out for an outright position. Stuart Chapman #17 will look to add his name to the Dalby honour board in the teams Chenowth, whilst the highly talented Josh Wiedman #1172, who finished Dalby fourth last year, will be an even bigger force again in 2022 after his step up into Class 11.
Last years’ ARB QLD Championship runner up Richard Tassin #691 will start his outright quest this weekend in his Class 6 Can-Am, likewise the hard charging Zac Marsh #614 who will put it all on the line at the season opener. Other names to keep a watch on include last weekends’ Moranbah runner up Craig Krog #23, who continues his QLD Championship endeavours in the Black Betty Racing Razorback, along with Warialda’s Derek Rose #62 and Sam Egan #188; two genuine outright contenders seeking a maiden Queensland podium result.
Each class will be hotly contested at the 2022 PDS Dalby 100, with the Unlimited Class set to be no exception. Joining the Chapman brothers, Rose and Krog will be Jason Keane #44 in his recently acquired Jimco, Jim #25 and Troy Duff #25a who have double entered the Chenowth and Mitchell Upton #999.
Fresh off his 2021 Class 1 Championship, Darren Angel #160 will join Egan in leading a small field of 3.5litre vehicles into action at Dalby in his Kadco. Property owner Pat Philp #182 and Karin-Ann Crawford #182a will double enter their Jimco, whilst QLD regular Rowan Clarke #128 will look to challenge his more fancied rivals.
Steven Kildey #412 in his Chev powered Holden Colorado will spearhead the Class 4 brigade, which includes an array of podium chances. Paul Youman #472 in his Hillbilly Racing Razorback Fusion is always looking to entertain the crowd, so too Dan McKenzie #451 who will debut his home-built Trophy Truck on the weekend. Others to keep an eye out for include Nathan Duffield #493in his stadium truck, likewise Matthew Hills #426, Colin Desbrow #481 and young female competitor Jasmine Chellew #413 who has recently returned from an event in Alice Springs.
Expected to be a dominant force once again across 2022, Class 6 front runners Tassin, Marsh and young gun Camilleri won’t have it all their own way on Saturday. Aaron Nicoll #665 is still relatively new to the Can-Am game though is one to watch, experienced campaigner David Loughnan #611 who is double entering his Can Am with Amy Loughnan #611a will look to improve on his 6th outright last season, whilst James Mogford #6195 fresh off a fifth place finish at Moranbah can’t be discounted. Others seeking Class 6 silverware include Christian Rich #619, Aaron Phillis #624 who has doubled entered their newly purchased ex Kye Floyd Can Am with wife Anna Phillis #624a, Justin Rider #627, Paul Herviou #680, Jasmine Chellew #628 and Jamie Henderson #647.
Queenslander regulars Michael Ranson #507 in his Mitsubishi Triton and Tyler Youman #527 peddling the teams Toyota Hilux will fight it out for Class 5. Sam Nicoll #305 is the sole Class 3 competitor and will look to lock in some consistent lap times in his Suzuki powered Rivmasta.
Former Australian Class 2 Champion Russell Hartnett #245 will head the class in the teams Razorback, set to take on Darren Orr #226 who has double entered his Lothringer with wife Nicci #226a, so too siblings Allick #288 and Brooke Tierney #288a who will make their Dalby debuts.
2021 Class 6s Champion Darren Brandon #689 in his Polaris fronts as the favourite in the stock standard SXS class at Dalby, Brice Derrick #696 who finished seventh last year, Tony Patterson #675, Leila Chapman #616, young gun Luke Brandon #690, Kane Prechelt #694 and Lara Brandon #689a who shares her Father’s Polaris round out the contenders.
Class 10 is once again brimming with outright hopes, as Brett Baker #1013 and Michael Marson #1032 lead the ambush in their Racer Engineering flyers. Others to keep a watch on are Declan Cummins #1005 on his return to off road racing, Steven Orr #1051, David Bennett #1050, Ben Duff #1080, Damian Cowdroy- Ling #1081, Kelvyn Kruger #1030 plus the double entered entry of Bryan #1027 and Zac Peterson #1027a.
Josh Wiedman will be joined by Matthew Reed #1177 in Class 11, Cherie Robson #6639, Matt Gardiner #6644 and Ross ‘Speedy’ Newman #6681 are Class 66 entrants, whilst Amber Topfer #722 in her short wheel based Pajero and Cam Speirs #724 will battle for Class 7 honours. Ross Challacombe #838, Anthony Dalton #849 and Luke Peterson #878 will do likewise for Class 8 silverware.
Future Champions stars Lincoln Taylor #6678 and Toby Musico #6688 are primed for another duel; this year at Dalby they will be joined by Porscha Taylor #6624 and Hollie Gardiner #6644 in a fantastic class initiated by the Queensland Championship.
The Queensland Off Road Racing Championship would like to thank their major naming right sponsors ARB and Mickey Thompson Tyres for continuing their strong partnership into 2022, whilst expressing full gratitude towards the other championship sponsors, including Fraser Coast Sand & Gravel, Lucas Papaw Remedies, North Lakes Best Western Hotel, Chapmans Performance Dyno Tuning and Method Race Wheels Australia.
There is so much to look forward to over the weekend at Dalby with perfect racing conditions expected after the recent rainfall. With the 2022 ARB Mickey Thompson QLD Championship finally getting underway, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will become the fourth Pats Diesel Services Dalby 100 champion. With full camping and catering available both days, see you at the track. Queensland racing is alive and well!
