2025 VORRA Presentation Night
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Thank you to all that attended the 2025 VORRA Presentation Night! What a great night surrounded by great people! Congratulations to all award recipients, well done!
General Awards BRIGHT SPARK AWARD – Two Winners This is the award for a “moment of brilliance”… or more accurately, a moment of creative decision-making under pressure. First BRIGHT SPARK AWARD: This competitor demonstrated world-class talent in replacing belts repeatedly at the same event. Honestly, by the end of the weekend he could have run a pit-lane drive-through belt-changing service. Congratulations, Cameron Grayson! Second BRIGHT SPARK AWARD: This competitor impressed us with his skills on… the angle grinder. Some people prepare cars. Some people prepare art. This guy prepared his car to get through scrutiny. Congratulations, Scott Coulson! BENCH RACERS AWARD Chosen by last year’s winner (Mark Burrows) —which means someone who talks a big game gets to give the prize to someone who talks an even bigger one. Congratulations: James Tyrrell! MOST DEDICATED PIT CREW This person attended more events than most of us attend birthdays, offered technical expertise, helped everyone, and still found time to take photos in precarious positions. He’s basically the Swiss Army Knife of the pits. Congratulations, Brad Chasemore! NERVES OF STEEL – NAVIGATOR For those brave enough to ride beside drivers who occasionally think “brake” is just a suggestion. And the winner, for exceptional courage (or poor decision-making… we’ll let history decide): Congratulations, Nat Pike! DEDICATION AWARD This award goes to someone who puts in more hours behind the scenes than most people put into Netflix. Our Recovery Coordinator, always there, always reliable: Congratulations, Marg Krelle! RISING STAR AWARDS Driver – Rising Star A young gun from one of off-road racing’s legendary dynasties. The name “Burrows” and “winning races” go together like tyres and dust. Congratulations, Tom Burrows! Navigator – Rising Star Even younger, just as keen, and already braver than most adults. Congratulations, Blake Pike! VORRA DOUBLE AWARD For those who competed in both Rainbow events this year. That’s two races, two weekends of dust, many weekends of “just one more thing to fix.” Congratulations, Peter Sibson! HIGHEST PLACED VORRA MEMBERS AT NATIONAL LEVEL For outstanding performance in national competition. They make VORRA proud and make their competitors nervous. Congratulations, Dale Martin and AJ Rowe! Club Championship The 2025 rounds were King of the Dunes, Darren’s Day Out, Moyston Short Course, Nandaly 300, Rainbow Rises 240 and Avalon. A season full of tough battles, tight finishes, and late nights fixing things that “definitely won’t break again.” Drivers Competition was fierce—only one point separated first and second. 3rd – $200 – Brock Pendlebury – 108 points 2nd – $300 – Darren Ferguson – 220 points 1st – $500 – Peter Sibson – 221 points Congratulations Peter Sibson 2025 Club Champion Navigators Because of single-seat cars and rotating partners, the navigator standings are their own beast and do not correlate with the winning drivers. 3rd – Wayne Donnelly – 81 points 2nd – Ally Jennings – 108 points 1st – Greg Barker – 135 points |
Gerry & Ede Memorial Trophy
This trophy is in honour of VORRA members, Gerry Hoekstra and Ede Taric, who tragically died in racing accident on 4 September 2022. This is awarded to someone who has shown determination, over the racing season, hasn’t given up and kept trying all year. Russell Eckermann. Recognition Of Service Awards These people are the reason events happen. Without them, you’d all be at home pretending to work on your cars instead of actually racing them. Nat Pike – Treasurer, CRO, and keeper of peace and sanity Tony Carabott – President, who gives us relentless 24/7 commitment and enthusiasm Norelle Eckermann – Committee, Rainbow community liaison, and the person who keeps us fed (the true hero) Erasmo Di Mauro – Committee and event preparation wizard Rita Carabott – Membership Officer and event documentation master Ryan Oldfield – Committee and Club Championship scorekeeper Russell Eckermann – Committee, Rainbow promotion, event operations, and track preparation (sometimes for hours that defy logic) Joshua McPhee – Committee, track prep trooper and event escort Amelia Chasemore – Socials promotion and photography, making us look far more professional than we are Dee Sibson – Secretary and voice of reason Mark Heemskerk – Clerk of Course, ring-master of the organised chaos Robert Zwarteveen – Communications guru—responsible for the magic behind the radios James Mutch – Additional communications support—because radios never behave Rowena Keller – Rainbow Rises Events Association, helping keep the catering running smoothly |
2024 VORRA Presentation Night
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Congratulations to all Award Recipients!
Club Championship: Drivers: 1st. Peter Sibson 2nd. Glenn Pike 3rd. Dean Williams Navigators: 1st. Greg Barker 2nd. Christy Jorgensen 3rd. Neil Woolley Bright Spark Award 1: Roland Polchow Bright Spark Award 2: Jason Munro Bench Racers Award: This year’s award is chosen by the previous year’s winner, Daren Wells. Mark Burrows Most Dedicated Pit Crew Award: Mark Smith Nerves of Steel Award: This award is for a navigator who has bravely been in the car with potentially questionable drivers. Josh McPhee Dedication Award: Ryan Oldfield Rising Star Award: This award is to recognise an upcoming VORRA driver who is showing potential to be a competitive off road racer at both club and national level. Fredrick Polchow VORRA Double Award: This is for VORRA members, who have competed at the two VORRA events we hosted at Rainbow this year, ARB Big Desert 480 and the Rainbow Rises 240. Peter Sibson Highest Place VORRA Members at a National Level Award: This award goes to the VORRA members with the highest placing at a National Level, in either the ARB AORRC or MSA AORC championships. Beau Robinson & Shane Hutt Gerry & Ede Memorial Trophy: This trophy is in honour of VORRA members, Gerry Hoekstra and Ede Taric, who tragically died in racing accident on 4 September 2022. This is awarded to someone who has shown determination, over the racing season, hasn’t given up and kept trying all year. Vaughn Hogan & Sam Bell Recognition of Service Awards: These awards are for a club member who volunteers in the lead up to, planning and during our events and joins our monthly club meetings. We thank them for their time and efforts in making our club and events the best they can be. Nat Pike Marg Krelle Norelle Eckermann Mark Heemskerk John COWBOY Paydon Graham Nuske Amelia Chasemore Raz Di Mauro Dee Sibson Tony Carabott Life Membership Award: Dee Sibson |
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2023 VORRA Presentation Night
Thank you to all the club members who supported the club in 2023 and attended the presentation night. Congratulations to all the winners.
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Club Championship:
Drivers: 1st Mark Foster 169 points, 2nd Brant Knight 89 points and 3rd Lachlan McIntyre 82 points Navigators: 1st Glenn McIntyre 92 points, 2nd Neil Woolley 90 points and 3rd Alain Benoitin 82 points Full championship results Gerry & Ede Memorial Trophy: This trophy is in honour of VORRA members, Gerry Hoekstra and Ede Taric, who tragically died in racing accident on 4 September 2022. This is awarded to someone who has shown determination, over the racing season, hasn’t given up and kept trying all year. The winner of this award competed at several national events, including Finke and some club events. I would like to acknowledge in particular his Finke results. In his beam car, who took 6hrs, 40 mins to complete the event, when Brent Martin completed the whole event in 3hrs 32 mins. Congratulations Jason Gibbins. Rising Star Award: This award is to recognise an upcoming VORRA driver who is showing potential to be a competitive off road racer at both club and national level. Congratulations – Lachlan McIntyre. VORRA Double Award: This is for VORRA members, who have competed at the two VORRA events we hosted at Rainbow this year, ARB Big Desert 480 and the Rainbow Rises 240. This year, we had a few competitors, and we combined their outright results and placings against other VORRA members, to calculate a total score. Congratulations – Brock Pendlebury for the overall highest place by only one point. Highest Place VORRA Members at National Level This award goes to the VORRA members with the highest placing at a National Level, in either the ARB AORRC or MSA AORC championships. The contest over the year was fiercely fought out between VORRA members Brent Martin and Matt Burrows. Coming out on top, this year again proving they are the champions, by winning back-to-back ARB AORRC Championships. Congratulations – Brent Martin and Andre De Simone. Vintage Driver: The recipient of this award has been racing since the late 1990’s and raced this year but has since retired at the ripe old age of 78! He has raced his home-built buggy for many years and he is a competitor, volunteer, life member and, current committee member of VORRA, congratulations Lawrie Penpraze. Youngest Driver: This award is for the youngest VORRA driver in 2023, born on 20 October 2003 – he has just turned 20. This is his first year of driving, and in his dad’s car, he has been very competitive, and we look forward to watching him over the following years. Congratulations Lachlan McIntyre. |
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Shortest Race at Rainbow:
This competitor went the shortest distance at a VORRA event in Rainbow, they got the car off the trailer, but didn’t even make it to prologue at our Rainbow Rises 240 event in March, congratulations Jeremy Holt.
Bright Spark Award:
This award is for a competitor whose memory failed them at our Rainbow Rises 240 event in August. Leaving their log book at home and having to drive several hours back to collect the book, to be able to race the event.
Congratulations Sean Ratcliffe.
Bench Racers Award:
This year’s award is chosen by the previous year’s winner, Leigh Wells.
Congratulations Daren Wells, who is the 'God Father' of bench racing and can captivate an audience and keep them engaged with his stories, whether they are long or told before.
Wells Commentary Award:
This award is selected by Daren Wells and the recipient is a pit crew member for the MBR - Mark Burrows Racing team for his continued and dedicated support and efforts at each event - ensuring both cars cross the finish line at the end. Congratulations Mick Shannon.
Nerves of Steel Navigator Award:
This award is for a navigator who has bravely been in the car with potentially questionable drivers (he he), the nominees were.
Congratulations to the navigator for Robert Gussenhoven, Wayne Donnelly.
Recognition of Service Awards
These awards are for a club member who volunteers in the lead up to, planning and during our events and joins our monthly club meetings. We thank them for their time and efforts in making our club and events the best they can be.
Morris Williams in recognition of your dedication to the club and to the committee for more than 30 years, holding the positions of Competition Secretary, President and Membership Secretary and Club Permit Scheme officer for over 10 years. This includes many years of volunteering and scrutineering at hundreds of events of all levels, all over Australia.
Gary Conrad in recognition of your volunteer contribution to recovery, timing, scrutineering and setup for our club events and club championship rounds throughout 2023.
Cass Ritchie in recognition of your volunteering and dedication to the committee and events over the past 16 years, the last six years as Treasurer, on the organising committee and as event secretary for our club, state, and national events at Rainbow each year.
Russell Eckermann in recognition of your volunteered hard work and many hours contributing to the development of the track and facilities for our events at Rainbow in 2023.
Travis Conrad in recognition of your contribution to the club and sport, you have been the Clerk of Course for the past 15 years and almost every event in Victoria this year!! Your professionalism, level headedness, fairness for competitors and compassion during difficult times, is valued and respected within our club and events. You are a pleasure to work with. We look forward to seeing you on the track racing your new car next year, with Alistair sitting beside you!
Thank you:
Thank you to Jess Ritchie for organising tonight’s event, the trophies and all the fine details to make this night a success. Also for her contribution to the VORRA committee over the past 3 years as Secretary, Media and Social Secretary. Additionally, to this, her efforts in the lead up to and during each of our events, hasn’t gone unnoticed, she has been a great help to both Travis as Clerk of Course and Cass as Event Secretary at these events. Along with putting together and posting all competitor entry profiles for every round of the ARB Championship over the last two years.
This competitor went the shortest distance at a VORRA event in Rainbow, they got the car off the trailer, but didn’t even make it to prologue at our Rainbow Rises 240 event in March, congratulations Jeremy Holt.
Bright Spark Award:
This award is for a competitor whose memory failed them at our Rainbow Rises 240 event in August. Leaving their log book at home and having to drive several hours back to collect the book, to be able to race the event.
Congratulations Sean Ratcliffe.
Bench Racers Award:
This year’s award is chosen by the previous year’s winner, Leigh Wells.
Congratulations Daren Wells, who is the 'God Father' of bench racing and can captivate an audience and keep them engaged with his stories, whether they are long or told before.
Wells Commentary Award:
This award is selected by Daren Wells and the recipient is a pit crew member for the MBR - Mark Burrows Racing team for his continued and dedicated support and efforts at each event - ensuring both cars cross the finish line at the end. Congratulations Mick Shannon.
Nerves of Steel Navigator Award:
This award is for a navigator who has bravely been in the car with potentially questionable drivers (he he), the nominees were.
Congratulations to the navigator for Robert Gussenhoven, Wayne Donnelly.
Recognition of Service Awards
These awards are for a club member who volunteers in the lead up to, planning and during our events and joins our monthly club meetings. We thank them for their time and efforts in making our club and events the best they can be.
Morris Williams in recognition of your dedication to the club and to the committee for more than 30 years, holding the positions of Competition Secretary, President and Membership Secretary and Club Permit Scheme officer for over 10 years. This includes many years of volunteering and scrutineering at hundreds of events of all levels, all over Australia.
Gary Conrad in recognition of your volunteer contribution to recovery, timing, scrutineering and setup for our club events and club championship rounds throughout 2023.
Cass Ritchie in recognition of your volunteering and dedication to the committee and events over the past 16 years, the last six years as Treasurer, on the organising committee and as event secretary for our club, state, and national events at Rainbow each year.
Russell Eckermann in recognition of your volunteered hard work and many hours contributing to the development of the track and facilities for our events at Rainbow in 2023.
Travis Conrad in recognition of your contribution to the club and sport, you have been the Clerk of Course for the past 15 years and almost every event in Victoria this year!! Your professionalism, level headedness, fairness for competitors and compassion during difficult times, is valued and respected within our club and events. You are a pleasure to work with. We look forward to seeing you on the track racing your new car next year, with Alistair sitting beside you!
Thank you:
Thank you to Jess Ritchie for organising tonight’s event, the trophies and all the fine details to make this night a success. Also for her contribution to the VORRA committee over the past 3 years as Secretary, Media and Social Secretary. Additionally, to this, her efforts in the lead up to and during each of our events, hasn’t gone unnoticed, she has been a great help to both Travis as Clerk of Course and Cass as Event Secretary at these events. Along with putting together and posting all competitor entry profiles for every round of the ARB Championship over the last two years.
