Rentsch Focused on 5th AORC Crown

At the mid-point of the five round 2009 Australian Off Road Championship, the race for the title is starting to heat up. In a prime position to add another AORC Crown to their mantle piece are the reigning Champs, Shannon and Ian Rentsch. Who have laid down a solid foundation over the first three rounds. From which they can launch an assault on a fifth Australian title in their twin turbo Nissan V6 powered Chenowth.

“The car has been running exceptionally strong and reliable this season. With the competition heating up, Offroad events have turned from endurance to sprint races which means the car is pushed to the limit lap after lap. It is great to have such a reliable package thanks to Shane Wilson Race Engines, Joe Gibbs Oils, CP Pistons, Quantum Racing Products, Motec and Albin’s Transmissions.” Said Shannon
The first round of the season in Western Australia, saw Shannon and his dad Ian pick up from where they left off at the end of 2008. Taking the win at the ARB Pinjarra Engineering Hyden 450 in a time of 2hr 38min 48.33sec after duelling with the Peter Kittle Motor sports Jimco driven by David Fellows, through the fast flowing wheat fields at Smithy’s Place, near Wave Rock in WA.

After opening their 2009 AORC points account in the West, the SR Racing Team headed to central Australia for the Tattersall’s Finke Desert Race. Putting the fanfare of the Friday night scrutineering behind them, Rentsch qualified 4th in Saturdays prologue and was in the mix on the first leg of the race to Finke, before a broken throttle cable and later a flat tyre sidelined the team. Trackside repairs were made and the #1 Buggy flew into Finke in 21st position. Mondays return leg saw Rentsch sprint back to Alice Springs, slicing half an hour off Sundays time and posting the quickest time for a buggy from Finke to the finish line. Moving the crew from 21st to just outside the top ten in 11th outright.

On level pegging after the first two rounds, Fellows and Rentsch went toe to toe at the PWR Sunraysia 500 held at Mildura. Just seconds separated the pair in the prologue, setting up a see-sawing battle over the four 115km laps through the bull dust and fast station tracks of Tapio Station. After four hours and almost 500km of racing Fellows pipped Rentsch by just 58 seconds.
“We were going well until the final lap when we had a bit of trouble with the accelerator sticking, which made it difficult. So we were glad to get back in one piece really. It has been a good weekend!” said the second placed Shannon Rentsch

Fellows win gives the Peter Kittle Motorsport Team a narrow lead in the championship. However, heading in to the home straight of the AORC season, the Rentsch Team returns to the happy hunting grounds of the ARB Teagle Excavations Pines Enduro which they won in 2007 and 2008 and the Albins Goondiwindi 400 in Queensland. Where they have proven to be unstoppable in recent years, winning every race through the some of offroad racings harshest terrain since 2004.

“Looking ahead to the Pines Enduro, we are aiming for a win to earn some valuable points towards the Championship. This track is one of my favourites. The dead sand at Millicent makes for dust free, close and exciting race not only for the racers but the spectators as well. This is the crunch time of the season and we plan to give it all we’ve got.”
“It’s definitely an exciting time in offfroad racing with all championship rounds being televised on channels Ten’s HD One. Offroad Promotions have taken our great sport to the next level by bringing high quality, exciting and professional coverage to Australian screens. If you haven’t seen it you’re missing out.” Rentsch continued.