Zac Marsh #614 entered new territory on Sunday, securing a maiden outright victory at the rescheduled Federal Short Course supported by Speciality Services QLD, Round 1 of the 2023 ARB Mickey Thompson Tyres Queensland Off Road Championship hosted by the Gympie Auto Sports Club.
Mechanical issues on Sunday morning to overnight leader Richard Tassin #691 left the door ajar for the rest of the field, and it was Marsh on the back of a flawless display of short course racing in his Can Am who took advantage. Marsh who finished third at the corresponding event last year, held off the experienced Tony Fehlhaber #138 by over a minute for a breakthrough triumph.
Only seven seconds separated Class 1 victor Fehlhaber, who recorded his best finish in several years, and Junior champion Josh Weidman #6105 who fought to the wire in a dramatic battle for second and third outright respectively.
Class 1 runner up Guy Hicks #163 nailed down his best career result on Sunday, a spirited run left the single seater competitor a mere 19 seconds off a podium finish in fourth outright. In another lively performance, Luke Brandon #690S snared the Class 6S title and runner up trophy in the Juniors in his Drells Run Racing Polaris, taking home a well-deserved fifth outright in the process, 13 seconds off the pace off Hicks.
Steven Orr #1051 continued on his solid form from 2022 collecting the Class 10 silverware in his Four Orrs Racing Jimco, crossing in sixth outright, with BJ Duff #1080 and Andrew Murphy #1013 rounding out the class podium. Aaron Phillis #44 claimed the Ultimate Class crossing in seventh, whilst Queensland stalwarts Steven Kildey #412 and Christian Trusz #816 dominated their respective classes, with less than a second separating them respectively in eighth and ninth outright, ahead of Class 6S runner up Tony Patterson #675S who closed out the Federal top 10.
Current Queensland Class 5 champion Tyler Youman #527 got his title defence off to the perfect start, holding off Jack Butler #508, and Tony Butler #520 for Federal honours. Class 2 regular Colin Gaven #295 overcame Taylor Teichmann #236 and his Milk Boys Racing team mate Mark Andrew #295A at the season opener, whilst Clayton Chapman #715 had to overcome a late mechanical drama to outlast first time competitors Jack Huxstep #711 and Stephen Blake #724 by the barest of margins for the Class 7 title.
Hollie Gardiner #6689 survived a tight battle with Future Champions newcomer Lincoln Wilcox #717 to record a class victory at Federal, with 2022 Queensland champion Toby Musico #6688 taking home third.
Amongst the other class results, Rohan Williams #29 finished second in the Ultimate Class on his return to racing, as David Loughnan #104 in his new Honey Badger, Jamie Henderson #477 and Kane Prechelt #694S closed out their respective class podiums. Tyson Howard #6168 held on for third spot in the hotly contested Class 6 field, Sebastian Peterson #717 secured third place in the Juniors, Symon Knight #1175 claimed Class 11, likewise Nigel Pearce #6608 in Class 66, whilst former Queensland champion Ross Challacombe #838 and Stuart Zlotkowski #811 rounded out Class 8.
In the ladies class, Kate Swinglehurst #631 drove superbly all weekend to take home the title and 22nd outright, whilst last year’s Federal champion Leila Chapman #616S and Anna Phillis #624 secured the remaining silverware.
40 from the 60 starters completed full race distance at Federal, with notable DNFs from the action packed weekend including Jason Bennett #676S, Luke Peterson #878, Ian Baker #149, Katelyn Long #6626, Jason Keane #1021, Richard Tassin #691, Tony Dalton #849, Matt Gardiner #589 and Rob Stieber #1082
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 2023, whilst expressing full gratitude towards the other championship sponsors, including Dynamic Wheel Co, Lucas Papaw Remedies, Premium Soil Conditioners and Fertilisers, Comiskey Mining Services, North Lakes Best Western plus Polaris Farm & Garden Produce.
The 2023 ARB Mickey Thompson Tires Off Road Racing Championship will now turn its immediate attention to Round 2, the Burdekin 300 held over the 29th and 30th of April.
