The leading contenders in this year’s Comiskey Mining Services Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) believe that completing each event will take precedence over securing eye-catching victories, setting the stage for an exciting four-round title showdown.
Participants are focusing on a strategic approach as the AORC gets underway this weekend at the Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash in south-west New South Wales.
With one fewer round available for gathering points throughout the season compared to previous editions, maintaining consistency will be vital.
The seasoned duo of Beau Robinson and Shane Hutt are considered the frontrunners for the AORC title as the opener approaches, particularly following the decision of reigning champion Travis Robinson (Beau’s brother) and Paul Currie to skip this event.
Though Travis plans to make his return for the 50th anniversary Finke Desert Race in June, Beau is aware of the significant opportunity that awaits him in Pooncarie, having finished as runner-up in the 2025 AORC championship.
“It’s crucial; our goal is to secure as many points as possible here, and then we’ll give our all at Finke,” Robinson commented.
“Accumulating points is essential at Pooncarie, especially if unexpected issues arise later in the season. We learned that the hard way last year,” he added.
The competitive trophy truck field at Pooncarie includes prominent entries such as Brent Smoothy’s Mason Aussie Special, Brett Comiskey alongside Corey Cooper, Darren Wright with Scott Brown, and Philip Lovett paired with Luke Stanley in the #897 Racer 1.
Robinson and Hutt will again compete in the Extreme 2WD class with their Mason Gen 2 Spec Trophy Truck, ahead of a much-anticipated new entry debut at Finke.
Kiwis Boston Morgan-Horan and his reliable navigator Will Haddock lead a robust field in the 2WD category, accompanied by South Australia’s Hannah Bentley and Scott Gould, alongside podium finishers Nicholas and Alex Burt.
In the fiercely competitive SXS Championship, 31 entries have been confirmed for Pooncarie across the SXS Pro and SXS Sport classes. Noteworthy competitors include Glen Ackroyd with Michael Price, Lachlan Bailey with Jordan Zollo, and SXS veteran Greg Campbell.
Defending Motorsport Australia SXS Champion Bailey resonated with Robinson’s perspective on the importance of finishing in the abbreviated season.
“Our plan is to defend the title while finishing as many races as possible,” he remarked.
“We’ve made some modifications to the car, including new front arms and enhancements for reliability, but the driving experience remains unchanged.”
Reflecting on his impressive 2025 AORC season, Bailey noted the vital importance of finishing each event – a lesson learned from years of pursuing round-by-round victories.
“I believe we achieved our highest finish rate in 2025, with only one DNF. If we had finished that one, we would have been far ahead. Finishing is crucial for any championship,” Bailey emphasised.
In other developments within the Pro Buggy category, the absence of defending champion Jared Percival at Pooncarie presents a significant chance for another competitor to seize the opportunity. Paul Tuck-Lee is among those aiming to capitalise on this void, joined by 2025 podium finisher Cooper Western.
The Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash will kick off on Friday with the Coomealla Club Show n Shine event at 3pm AEST.
The on-track action will commence on Saturday, 11 April, featuring the Method Race Wheels Prologue at 11am AEST.
Compiled by SportArena.au.
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