Outer Bounds Racing’s Beau Robinson, along with navigators Shane Hutt and Jake Clucas #1113 are the official 2024 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Champions after a thrilling finale at last weekend’s Teagle Excavations ARB Pines Enduro 400.
In what was an incredible fight for the title in Millicent, it was the Western Australian who ended up taking his maiden Australian crown in the OBR Mason Motorsports TT after crossing in fifth.
Despite an outright victory at the ARB Big Desert 480, and a second at ARB The Gap 440, Robinson’s fighting 16th place finish at the ARB Gundy 500 proved to be his most pivotal in the season long title chase.
Unfortunately for championship leaders prior to the Pines Clayton Chapman and Adam McGuire #15, they were unable to finish after engine failure on lap three forced them into retirement.
With the ARB silverware heading back to WA for the first time, championship newcomers Simon and Kyle Tucker #110 were just as thrilled to close out their season in second outright, 11 points adrift of Robinson.
The South Australian father and son duo also claimed Class 1 honours in a year highlighted by their fifth outright finish at Rainbow, and subsequent top eight finishes at the final three rounds.
For a second year running Matt Burrows and Jay Mitchell #3 finished the championship in third, the Class 1 chargers overcome a few mechanical issues to defend their outright podium in a year buoyed by a fourth-place finish at Hillston, and a seventh at Rainbow.
2024 ARB Class 6 champions Jackson Evans and Sam Raper #635 finished the year in outright fourth in the teams Polaris Pro R, Evans had a terrific season highlighted by three class wins, a terrific ninth outright at Millicent, and top ten finishes at both Rainbow and Gundy.
In one of the stories of the year, Cougar Racing’s Craig and Megan Barnett #68 secured a third consecutive ARB Australian Ultimate Class Championship; in doing so they rounded out the top five outright courtesy of top ten results at Rainbow, Hillston, and Millicent.
All classes were once again hotly contested across the four rounds, with Steven Graham #1065, Brendan Forssman #202, John Smith #445, Ross Newman #6681, Darren van der Woude #554, and Darren Gill #760 all claiming ARB Australian class titles.
Steven ‘Bowie’ Graham and daughter Ella #1065 survived a stern test from young gun Sam Bentley #1018 in the Class 10 battle, Graham’s eighth place finish at the Pines, and a 6th on home soil ensured a third consecutive ARB Class 10 crown. Fellow Griffith members Dean Meginley & Dean De Marco #1087 finished behind Bentley in third.
Brendan Forssman and Leigh Whitehand #202 claimed a maiden ARB Australian Class 2 championship on the back of four victories, likewise Class 66 stalwart Ross Newman and Chris Leonard #6681 who successfully completed The Gap 440 and Pines Enduro.
John ‘Doc’ Smith signed off in style at the Pines with navigator Grant Manion #445, the proud South Australians survived Darren and Bailee Mott #435 in the final round showdown for ARB Australian Class 4 supremacy.
With three class podiums in 2024, Smith who officially retired from racing at the presentation night also held off Pines victors Peter Sibson and Greg Barker #412 who finished the year in third.
Victorian’s Darren and Kayleen Gill #760 took home their first ARB Australian Class 7 title after a third runner up finish of 2024; whilst championship runners up Heath and Michelle Weedon #701 closed out their title defence with a Pines class victory.
In other results, Darren van der Woude and daughter Amelia #554 made it two from two wins for the year at the Pines to claim another Class 5 crown, with Andrew and Jack Cameron #570 settling for second.
Chris Land and Tanya Gaudry #80 capped off their most memorable year to date in the teams V8 Jimco, the North Queenslanders finished a close second in the Ultimate Class behind Barnett; with a third at the Gap 440 their best result.
Despite winning both The Gap 440 and Gundy 500 outright, Clayton Chapman and Adam McGuire #15 had to settle for sixth outright, and third in the Ultimate Class after their unfortunate final round dramas; still a season to be proud of for the Queenslanders.
David and Alice Middlemiss #2/117 rounded out the Class 1 podium, a great achievement considering they could only attend two rounds in 2024; whilst 2023 ARB Australian class champions Darren Frankling and Rob Hackney #1110 in second, and Andy Brown with navigator Danny Hardman #1142 finished behind Robinson in Class 11.
Class 6 young gun Lachlan Campbell and Father Greg #607 pushed eventual class champion Evans all the way at the Pines, with four podiums across 2024 they locked down second place, ahead of Victorians Matthew Hummer and Aaron Lukschanderl #633 who also had an impressive season in third.
The 2024 season would not have been possible without championship partners ARB 4X4 Accessories, Mickey Thompson Tires, Raceline Wheels and AORRA, plus all the clubs including VORRA, Griffith Offroad Club, Goondiwindi Motorsports Association and the Millicent Sand Buggy Club for all their work, along with the competitors, crews and supporters who make it a true national championship.
The ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship will now turn its attention to the 2025 schedule, with the calendar to be released in the coming weeks.
By TC Media
Pics courtesy of Clutch Life Media & Show n Go Photography
