AORC ready for 2021 return to racing

Scheduled for 19-21 March, the Cobb & Co. Hotel St. George 399 is hosted by the South East Queensland Off Road Association (SEQORRA), who have announced some major changes to this year’s event to mix things up.

The course will run in the opposite direction to previous years, there’s a new Clerk of Course and a new event format, too.

Most AORC events run scrutineering on Friday, followed by the prologue and one section on Saturday, with the final section on Sunday. For 2021, organisers of the Cobb & Co. Hotel St. George 399 have moved the prologue to Friday, while the weekend’s racing will be made up of heats on both Saturday and Sunday.  

SEQORRA President Kym Barber says he’s looking forward to the return of racing and expects the changes to the course and format will be a hit with spectators and competitors alike after they were successfully trialled at a mini event held late last year when COVID-19 restrictions eased.

“We’re pretty happy with all the changes we have made ahead of the event, especially since we didn’t lose any distance despite having to change it up,” Barber said.

“The track seems to flow better in reverse and the decision to move prologue to Friday means we get a lot more time for action on Saturday and Sunday. And anybody who has problems has more time to fix their vehicles.”

While unconfirmed at time of writing, spectators are expected to be allowed to attend the AORC season opener using the course’s grandstand, where more than 20km of the 60+km track is visible.

2021 BFGoodrich Motorsport Aust. AORC Calendar

Rd 1:    19-21 Mar         Cobb & Co Hotel St George 399, QLD

Rd 2:    12-14 Jun         Tatts Finke Desert Race, NT

Rd 3:    23-25 July         Can-Am Loveday 400, SA

Rd 4:    27-29 Aug         Hindmarsh Shire Rainbow Desert Enduro, VIC

Rd 5:    21-24 Oct          Kalgoorlie Desert Race, WA

For series updates and more information, go to: aorc.com.au

Photo: Terry Hill Photography