2019 BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia runner-up Roydn Bailey is confident he will be back bigger and better in 2020 and will be targeting the number one plate.

 

Since his arrival in the championship in 2018, Bailey has managed to fly under the radar of the majority of his rivals, securing a number of a solid results and working his way up the standings in the SXS Turbo class.

 

The South Australian’s charge was rewarded last year in the Championship’s season finale as a number of top end drivers failed to make an impact in the rain-affected Hindmarsh Shire Rainbow Desert Enduro, allowing Bailey to claim second outright.

 

Despite being a worthy competitor for the coveted Australian runner-up title, a position which belonged to teammate Toby Whateley the year prior, Bailey admits he felt a bit fortunate to finish so high.

 

“We were over the moon with all of the results from last year,” Bailey said.

 

“We knew we’d be high up in the class but to end up where we did – the credit really goes to my team for working hard.

 

“We were a bit lucky I would say as it was our second year competing and the first full year in the whole series, which I feel was a breakout year. We may have had similar problems to other people but we were lucky enough to the pick up the pieces and get good results.”

 

With the championship now extended to five rounds, thanks to the addition of the Kalgoorlie Desert Race and the Can-Am Loveday 400, which Bailey would consider his home track, the championship is now more open than ever.

 

And because of his rise in form and confidence in 2019, Bailey now has the belief and the expectation to keep his position around the big boys and challenge for back-to-back class titles.

 

“We are definitely going around again in 2020. We are already entered the Championship and will have a new updated model of the SXS Turbo we had last year,” Bailey added.

 

“Our plan is to do all five rounds, starting with St George and see how we go. If we have a bad three or four rounds. We will have to assess the Western Australian round, but at this stage I really want to go to all of them.

 

“We are going to go in with some confidence. We’ve always known we were going to be in the top five for the class for the past two years and last year proved it. We are pretty confident that we might have the outright speed against the other guys and we also have the race smarts with the car setup which will act as a leveller.

 

“To start with, we would be going for the 601 plate and if we get the chance to go for that outright number one position, we certainly will.

 

“If the track is leaning to the SXS a bit more, that will help us out. Obviously, everyone is going for it and that’s what we will trying to get too. We are all going to be going for the top position.”

 

The 2020 BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship kicks off in April with the Cobb and Co St George 399 to take place on 3-5 April.