As the engines start to fire and the dust starts to stir there is a high level of anticipation at what the 2009 season of offroad motorsport will bring. The momentum that has been gathering in the dirt looks to have shunted the world economic crisis that has been dominating the mainstream media off the track, as it surges ahead.
Looking to the west, a record number of cars are set to whip around the wheat paddocks at Smithy’s Place during round 1 of the AORC, while on the East Coast the entry field for Tuff Truck is once again over subscribed. Add in to the equation a bundle of new cars, and an equal number of the current crop that have had a huge dose of steroids during
the off season and the stage is set for a sensational year of racing in all categories.
The start of the 2009 season also heralds the start of Dirtcomp Magazines fourth year of covering events in the dirt. And while there is a friendly familiarity to the races we head off to cover… there is one thing for certain… we are just as excited to be there are we were on day one!
Randall Kilner - Editor * Footnote 26 June 2009
The finishing touches are being applied to the eagerly anticipated Edition 17 of Dirtcomp Magazine and we expect it to be mailed out to subscribers in the next fortnight. This issue is absolutely jammed to the seams with all the action in the dirt from Australia's biggest offroad motorsport competitions including the Tough Dog Tough Truck Challenge and the Australian Offroad Racing Championship, along with vehicle features, product reviews and much more. We will post the newsagency on sale dates here shortly. We would like to you, our readers, for your patience and trust you will enjoy another top quality edition of Dirtcomp very soon. Also check out our freshly updated Photo Gallery, with many more events to be added over the next couple of weeks.
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E16: Crowd Pleaser - 2008 Toperi Challenge |
 Run by the Canobolas 4WD Club, this was the first of what is proposed to be a permanent fixture on the competitive 4WDing calendar. In a similar vane to popular events such as the Woodpecker Challenge, a series of competitive stages set in an around a natural amphitheatre afforded spectators an excellent view of proceedings. With no vehicle class structure, competitors were free to run their rigs in whatever
configuration they thought would be most suitable.
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E16: Taylor Soars at Echo Valley |
 Building on the success of the Tamworth Stadium Race in November, the Blackflag Motorsport crew brought Round Two of the Rockstar Mickey Thompson Offroad Super Series back to track which was an old favourite of Queensland offroaders. The Echo Valley Raceway in Toowoomba, which was the scene of many great events in the 80’s and 90’s. Famous for it’s great spectating, big jumps and a flowing course conducive to close wheel to wheel racing, the Echo Valley track attracted a top field of 29 competitors, including the Attard’s brand new Extreme 2WD Chevy powered truck from Sydney. |
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 Pumped to the max after competing in their first Tuff Truck Challenge in 2008, Brett Thorpe and his son Mitchell set to work straight away on modifying their Advanti Racing GQ Patrol to be even more competitive for the 2009 event. Taking the Nissan even further away from it’s humble beginnings as a family wagon some ten years before. The previous decade had seen the wagon race in the A.S.C.C. events held at Black Duck and Landcruiser Mountain Park. But after a roll over on a TJM night run in 2003, the wagons competition future was sealed with the grinder brought out to chop the wagon into a tray back ute.
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No material, articles or photos may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Dirtcomp takes care in compiling specifications, prices and details but cannot accept any responsibility for errors. The opinions expressed by authors in this website and associated magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.
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EVENTS Toperi Challenge
Superior All Terrain
Tough Tracks
FEATURES Trophy Truck Build Up
Braided Brake Line Tech
Watt's Jimco
Thorpe's Tuff Truck
Redman's Outback GQ
Read Stories
We caught up with Tony and the Edge Buggies crew when we were in Western Australia earlier in the year, for a day in the dirt, with their showroom Barracuda that bears all the fruit. Designed in the a 3D modeling package, the Barracuda is the latest evolution from Edge Buggies. |
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Don't forget to grab the latest edition so you can check out the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge vehicle buildup.
Events Calendar
Click here to check out the coming Offroad Events.
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