South Australian’s Toddy Lehmann and Bradley Jacob #85 have claimed outright honours on a dramatic Sunday at the 2025 ARB Waikerie Hotel Riverland Enduro, Round 2 of the ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship.
Lehmann survived the high attrition rate, and a treacherous New Well Station layout to secure his first ARB Australian round victory in a dominant front running display.
Starting Sunday with a narrow advantage, Lehmann extended his lead to 2.30mins at the break – before seeing it fade away over the following two laps to a surging Greg Gartner.
Unfortunately for 2018 Waikerie champions Gartner and Jamie Jennings #410, a flat tyre at the halfway mark of the final lap ended their title aspirations, giving Lehmann a clear passage to his maiden national triumph.
It was an emotional moment for Lehmann who collected his fourth race win in his newly acquired Jimco – this one being his finest.
“I’m really proud of the win, the car was faultless all weekend. We knew Greg was coming, and we probably took it a little easy on that fourth lap, but we just kept peddling and got it done,” said Lehmann.
Despite losing time changing the tyre, Gartner and Jennings secured second outright in their Geiser Bros Trophy Truck, with the Class 4 victors outlasting a late flurry from Aaron Haby and Declan Fritchley #57 in their Element Prodigy by just 32 seconds.
Class 1 Alumicraft competitor Jay Mitchell #121 who impressed many in his national debut as a driver, and fellow Griffith club members Steven Graham and Jason Richards #1065 claimed their respective class titles, with the pair crossing six minutes apart in fourth and fifth.
Graham continued his terrific start to the 2025 season with consecutive Class 10 victories; however, he didn’t have it all his own way at Waikerie.
The new provisional ARB Australian championship leader trailed Stuart Chapman #1014 by 1.6 seconds overnight, and 10 seconds at the service break, before a late fight back secured a remarkable 1.7 second success.
Chapman who snared second in class, and sixth place outright will head to Gundy next month buoyed by his performance at one of the countries harshest tracks, whilst Streaky Bay’s Simon Tucker and Rylee Skinner #2 crossed seventh outright, just 8 seconds off Chapman.
Peter Sibson and Greg Barker #412 nailed down second in Class 4 and eighth outright – just 7 seconds adrift of Graham, with Class 6 champions Lachlan and Greg Campbell #651 and Class 10 podium sitters Travis and Alistair Conrad #1006 rounding out the ARB Waikerie Hotel Enduro top ten.
Brian Bradford and Robert Venz #264 made the trip down from North Queensland worthwhile collecting the Class 2 silverware, whilst Michael Shipton and Paul Chorlton #585, Heath and Michelle Weedon #779, Michael Hackney and Shane Ryan #888 all reigned in their respective ARB Australian championship classes.
n other results, newcomers Cameron Grayson and Baillee Farley #697 finished ahead of Paul and Max Renouf #620 to round out the Class 6 podium, with Kyle Tucker and Ian Wedding #14, Brendan Forssman and Liam Williams #201, along with Richard and Lauren Andrews #137 all claiming class silverware.
After watching several fall away on Saturday including ARB Big Desert 480 champion Clayton Chapman #15, Mark Hardman #88, and Russell Hartnett #1012, Sunday saw notables Tom Owen #30, Brent Martin #90, Kyle Tucker #14, Craig Barnett #68, Michael Shipton #585, and Paul Tinga #1010 all bow out during the intense six lap section.
The 2025 ARB Waikerie Hotel Riverland Enduro would not have been possible without the support of ARB 4X4 Accessories, Mickey Thompson Tyres, Raceline Wheels Australia, AORRA and Dynamic Wheel Co, naming right sponsor Waikerie Hotel and Motel; along with platinum sponsors Sutton Ford Waikerie, Sprint Freight and Logistics, District Council of Loxton Waikerie and Ramco Earthworx.
The 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship will now turn its attention to Round 3, the ARB Gundy 500; held over the 8th-10th of August.
By TC Media
Pics courtesy of Lehmann Motorsport Photography
