Haby on song in Parilla

Tuesday 04 May, 2021

Photos: Bob Taylor

Last year’s BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Central East Off Road Cup winner Aaron Haby has added another major victory to his growing resume with an emphatic win in the Symons-Clark Logistics Richard Bennett Memorial Enduro.

Taking place in the Parilla farmlands, the Motorsport Australia SA Off Road Racing Association Multi Club Series’ opening round of the season saw 33 crews feature in the race that was dominated by Haby and his two co-drivers, Chelsea Haby and Kevy Nott.

Spread across three sections, two of which were three laps of the six kilometre prologue course and the final one being eight laps of the full 32 kilometre course, the endurance event proved a challenging one just 16 crews managed to complete the 292 kilometres.

Showcasing the same pace and raw skill that saw him claim the BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Central East Off Road Cup against some of the biggest names in Australia last October, Haby comfortably led from the start and went fastest in all three sections.

While his first two section wins were won within a minute, it was the final section where he truly hit his straps, steering his Element Pro buggy to the line eight minutes faster than the next quickest duo – taking his total victory to more than 10 minutes.

As Haby was out in a league of his own, the battle for second place was far closer as just 30 seconds separated three crews – the eventual winner of that fight being Andrew Fitzgerald and his granddaughter Maddy Barrett.

Trailing the second placed crew by a further 19 seconds and pinching the final spot on the podium was the Northern Territory pairing of Andrew Mowles and Jacob Booth – the duo outmuscling Ivan Schmocker to fourth place by 21 seconds.

However, while the battle for second proved to be a thrilling one, it was the duel for a top five finish which was arguably the best of the weekend as it went right down to the wire.

Claiming fifth spot was Daryl Nissen and Andrew Harnes after the duo produced a mighty comeback performance to pip Brett Rogers and Brett Richardson by less than two seconds.

Rogers and Richardson led at the end of the second section by around one minute and 46 seconds before Nissen and Harmed stormed home on the final lap to secure fifth place by the smallest of margins.