Headlined by former ARB Australian  Off Road champions Brent Martin #90 and Aaron Haby #57, this weekend’s STEEL-IT ARB Big Desert 480, Round 1 of the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship will again be a battle of survival.

With a strong field of 48 crews committed to the championship opener hosted by the Victorian Off Road Racing Association (VORRA), there are many familiar and fresh names primed for the challenge of Rainbow.

Two-time ARB Australian off road champion Martin #90 will lead the field in his Ultimate Jimco, and after a testing twelve months he will be eager to replicate his winning performance from Rainbow in 2022.

Aaron Haby #57 is another expected to challenge for the title in his Toyota powered Element Prodigy, the 2019 ARB Australian championship winner will be looking to add a maiden ARB Big Desert 480 crown to his extraordinary resume.

Back-to-back Gundy 500 titlist, and last year’s Rainbow runner up Clayton Chapman #15 will spearhead a quality list of contenders including, third generation racers Kyle Tucker #14, and Tom Owen #30 who are set to make their Rainbow debuts, and Matthew Burrows #3 fresh off back-to-back ARB Australian podiums.

In a field featuring a crop of Next Gen stars, the experience of last year’s ARB Australian championship runner-up Simon Tucker #2, 2024 Finke runner-up Brett Comiskey #434 and multi time Australian champion Mark Burrows #21 will add even more intrigue to the event.

Jake Williams #437 in his Class 4 Geiser, three-time defending ARB Australian Ultimate champion Craig Barnett #68, Tom Dixon #1183, plus Class 10 front runners Steven Graham #1065, and Stuart Chapman #1014 will be others vying for Rainbow supremacy.

In the class previews, Mark Degruchy #88, Dave Colman #70, Dale Standen #92, and Richard Andrews #137 round out their respective classes, whilst defending Class 2 ARB Australian champion Brendan Forssman #201 and Queenslander Brian Bradford #264 will lock horns in Class 2.

Last year’s Class 6 ARB Australian runner-up Lachlan Campbell #651 is another young star on the rise and will lead the biggest class of competitors at Rainbow. Notables joining Campbell at the season opener include the ever-consistent Matthew Hummer #633, Darren Frankling #678, Jeremy Horne #609, and Taylah Apostoles #607.

Arguably the closest fight for class honours at the ARB Big Desert 480 will be the 2.5 litre brigade, with a quality line up which includes Russell Hartnett #1012, Rod Visser #1057, Bodie Tickner #1093, James Tyrell #1036, and John Wisse #1025 all ready to make their mark.

Peter Sibson #412 and Roland Polchow #468 are others to watch out for in Class 4, whilst Michael Shipton #585, Ross Newman #6681, Heath Weedon #779, and Michael Hackney #888 are sole class representatives.

The 2025 ARB Big Desert 480 would not be possible without the support of event and championship partners ARB 4X4 Accessories, Mickey Thompson Tyres, Raceline Wheels Australia, AORRA and Dynamic Wheel Co, along with naming right sponsor STEEL-IT; and class sponsors GRC Motorsport, Penhall Fabrications, Millie’s Media, Warragul Machining & Mechanical Repairs, Quality Metal Solutions, SBH Engineering and Polaris Ballarat.

A massive thank you also to the minor sponsors, local community, property owners, and the Rainbow Rises Events Association Inc, who work tirelessly in support of the event, including catering, track set up and preparation, which without, the ARB Big Desert 480 would not be possible.

There is plenty to look forward to this weekend, as the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship gets underway in Rainbow, with all eyes on who will become the fourth ARB Big Desert 480 champion.

The STEEL-IT ARB Big Desert 480 in Rainbow kicks off the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship this weekend, the 28th-30th of March.