Four months after the thrilling conclusion to the 2022 season in Kalgoorlie, the 2023 Polaris Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) kicks off this weekend with the Markwell Group Gold City 450.
New to the AORC, a huge entry list of 56 crews will contest the inaugural national event in Charters Towers, Queensland, with only a handful in the bumper field having been to the North Queensland Off Road Racing Association’s unique course.
Over the weekend, crews will face nine laps of the 50-kilometre course, which is made up of a variety of terrain.
With five rounds making the 2023 season, this weekend’s opening event features a star-studded line up, full of high-profile crews looking to start their seasons on a high.
JAMES COOK AND MITCH AUCOTE ARE THE DEFENDING MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA SXS CHAMPIONS
Boasting the largest field in the entry-list are the 22-crew SXS Pro class, led by reigning champion James Cook. While fellow contenders Greg Campbell, Glenn Brinkman and Glen Ackroyd will surely act as Cook’s biggest challengers.
There are plenty of other notable names heading to the Gold City, including Ally Howells, Andrew Mowles, Joshua Wiedman, Simon Evans, Phil Lovett, Geoff Pickering and Bradley Geraghty.
With the event seeing its highest ever field, compared to its previous status as a state round, North Queensland Off Road Racing Association secretary Don Young was thrilled with the entry list.
“We are absolutely over the moon with the amount of crews who have entered the event, and we’re excited to put on a good show for all those who will be making the journey,” Young said. “The club has been working extremely hard in hot, steamy conditions to get this complex up to a level beyond expectation, as this is the biggest field we’ve had here. We’re confident crews will enjoy the event.”
Spread over three sections, the competition will commence with Prologue on Saturday morning at 8:15am AEST, before the round’s first section begins at 11:30am.
Sunday’s action will see Section Two begin at 7:30am, and the third at 1:30pm AEST.
Before the official competition gets underway though, all crews and their vehicles will be on display for locals at the town’s Mitre 10 on Friday from 2:00pm.
Fans can keep up to date with the event through the AORC’s live blog and social media channels – including on 7plus, which was recently announced as the returning broadcast partner of the championship.
The 2023 Polaris Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship season begins with the Markwell Group Gold City 450 in Charters Towers, Queensland, on 10–12 March.
Source: AORC
Photo: Dakar Press Team Australia
