2013 AORC ROUND 1 - PREVIEW - JUST 4X4S

2013 AORC Round 1 - preview

Returning to the AORC for a final hurrah, the Hyden 450 has attracted competitors from all corners of the continent to the West Australian wheat belt for the 2013 season opener.

The event kicked off with scrutineering today, Good Friday, in near-perfect conditions, providing spectators with the opportunity to check out the impressive offroad racers up close. Machinery ranges from 700+ horsepower twin turbo buggies to 6-litre Chev V8-powered trophy trucks and 4WDs.

Headlining the field of over 70 offroad race cars is reigning AORC Champions, Matt Hanson and Leigh Wells in the twin turbo V6 powered #1 SMU Jimco. Hanson is ready to hit the ground running after winning the "King of the Dunes" event held in Portland, Victoria a few weeks ago. The Victorian has also had a stint behind the wheel of Andy Ryan's Alumicraft buggy at the Parker 425 in USA during February.

"2012 was a great year for the team and we are looking forward to doing it all again," said Hanson. "We're aiming for back to back championships but we realise there are a lot of races, a lot of heats and many corners to get through to achieve that again."

Also targeting a good start to the season are two former Australian Champions: Victorians Shannon & Ian Rentsch in the #33 SR Racing Jimco; and South Australia's Hayden Bentley in his #18 Racer Engineering single seat buggy. After finishing third outright in 2012, NSW driver Gerald Reid is another entrant on the hunt for a good start to the season in his Gulf Western Oil Probuggy.

West Australian pilots, Eric Phillips, Brad Cooper and the Robinson brothers, Travis and Beau, will be looking to 'repel the invaders' on home turf and keep the silverware in the West for the final running of the Hyden 450.

Racing commences on Saturday, March 30, at 11.15am with the prologue and hotly contested top ten shoot out, before the drivers are unleashed on the first of five laps of the 85km course on Saturday afternoon, with racing concluding on Easter Sunday, March 31.