South Australians Kyle Tucker and Ian Wedding #14 have piloted their Ultimate Jimco into the lead on a dusty opening day of the ARB Big Desert 480 at Rainbow, Round 1 of the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship.
Tucker who is making his national round debut this weekend prologued in fourth, and after passing both Clayton Chapman #15 and Aaron Haby #57 on lap one, swiftly found himself in the lead following the exit of Brent Martin #90.
Albeit the lead, Tucker’s advantage is just 25 seconds, with last year’s runners-up Clayton Chapman and Adam McGuire #15 the best of the chasing pack courtesy of another impressive day in the Rainbow desert.
Aaron and Chelsea Haby #57 overcome an early drama to cross third in their Element Prodigy, 6.50mins behind Chapman, whilst Next Gen star Tom Owen #30- and eight-time Australian champion Mark Burrows #21 rounded out Saturdays top five.
Steven Graham #1065 is the best of the Class 10 brigade in sixth, with Class 6 young gun Lachlan Campbell #651, Peter Sibson #412, Matthew Burrows #3, Michael Shipton #585, Brendan Forssman #201, Heath Weedon #779, Ross Newman #6681, and Michael Hackney #888 all heading their respective classes.
Thirty-five crews completed todays 160kms, with notables to not finish including Brent Martin #90, Brett Comiskey #434, Tom Dixon #83, James Tyrell #1036, Jake Williams #437, John Wisse #1025, and David Colman #70.
Racing gets underway at 8.30am tomorrow, with four 80km laps to decide the fourth STEEL-IT ARB Big Desert 480 champion.
