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OFF-ROAD VICTORY FOR TEAM TOYO

Team Toyo end the 2015 off-road racing season on the podium.

Team Toyo’s Danny Brown, George Apted and Greg Gartner are bringing home silverware after securing a hard-fought podium positions over the weekend.

Victoria’s Danny Brown and George Apted steered the #42 Toyo Tires buggy to outright victory in the final round of the ARB Off-Road Racing Series in Goondiwindi, Queensland.

Starting from pole after a blistering performance on Saturday during prologue and the Top 10 Shoot Out, Danny and George gave no quarter to the championship leaders breathing down their necks.

“We have wanted to win this, we came so close last year and the year before. Goondiwindi has been cruel to us in the past,” said Danny.

During the 2014 event the #42 buggy’s engine gave up 30 kilometres shy of the finish line on the final lap, negating a three-minute lead on the field.

The Albins ARB Goondiwindi 400 is renowned for being one of toughest tracks on the Off-Road calendar. With conditions dusty, the clean air afforded to the first starter is invaluable.

“There are ‘melon holes’ the size of a car, in some ways it’s the hardest race in Australia, there are so many things that can bite you, and coming off track almost guarantees rolling the car,” Danny said.

Danny Brown and George Apted

With a small accident damaging the buggy’s shocks, Danny was forced to salvage the right-hand suspension from father Andy’s buggy, after Andy was forced to withdraw after hitting a post at 200km/h.

“We started the final stage leading by just 23 seconds. Because the shock wasn’t valved for the car, a jolt knocked off our gas canister, meaning we had no shocks for whole last section. We managed to stay in front but it beat us up. I thought the front of the car might snap off!,” said Danny.

Despite the failing suspension, Danny and George pulled off a spectacular win, recording the fastest lap of the weekend on their final circuit, minus one shock absorber.

In Stadium Super Trucks, South Australian off-road menace Greg Gartner took silverware in his second SST drive, at the high-flying sports Sydney debut.

At home on the dirt at Valvoline Raceway, Greg qualified second, won race two and finished second outright from the night’s three races.

Against a highly experienced field of US drivers Robby Gordon, Sheldon Creed and Keegan Kincaid alongside the likes of V8 racer Paul Morris and stunt man Matt Mingay, Greg’s ability in the trucks grew with every minute of seat-time.

“We started down the back of the field in race two and we got going and I was following Paul Morris and he made a mistake and I didn’t look back,” said Greg. “Everything went really well for us.

“There was a lot of tussling and banging and crashing, but second overall has us really excited. I am loving the challenge.”

Greg Gartner

Both Danny and Greg complimented the performance of their Toyo Open Country M/T-R and Open Country A/T II tyres, respectively.

“We ran the same front tyres from the Pines Enduro. They have over 1000 race kays on them and they still look new,”said Danny.

THE RACE BEYOND THE PINES

Team Toyo hell men ready to roost dirt and hunt silverware.

A national series calendar cut short has drawn 73 keen competitors to what is one of the most popular and visually dramatic rounds on the off-road racing calendar.

Agitated off-road racing armaments will tomorrow carve conifer laneways through the picturesque Tantanoola Pine Forest in Millicent, South Australia, at the Teagle Excavations ARB Pines Enduro 400.

Right in the heart of SA’s limestone coast, Team Toyo hell men will be roosting dirt and hunting silverware.

In Extreme 2WD, Greg ‘Why would I lift?’ Gartner will be lighting the Open Country M/T-R’s in the big blue #410 F-150 trophy truck.

With a strong season under his belt, Gartner is well known for his pace at Millicent and will take the fight to the top end turbo buggies the track favours, wringing every horse from the Ford SVO V8.

The fearsome green Toyo-shod Razorback steered by Andy Murdock will join Gartner in the battle for class honours in X2WD.

His first race weekend since a plagued Finke, Danny Brown has a faster motor and first place ambitions.

“Pines is my favourite race of the year and we always do well there. Hoping to see the top step, looking for a podium,” said Brown.

“It’s a sandy track, a few days of rain has made the sand a bit heavier which keeps the dust down. The Toyos will hook up really well, we will need their traction in the sand to get moving and then the turbo cars will come into their own.”

With lurking undergrowth, sand covered straights and tight corners the Toyo race rubber has its work cut out.

“It’s heavy going powering down those straights, it makes the right tyre choice and the fine line between right tyre pressures for traction critical,” says Brown.

“There is a lot of fast guys here and competition is going to be fierce. This race is won on the first lap, so we’ll go and have a crack. The V8s will do in prologue but the long straights in the race will have the turbo cars eating them up.”

A father vs son showdown is brewing between Danny and his dad Andy Brown campaigning the #45 Saber V8 buggy, with no quarter given on track.

“There’s always a bit of banter between us. I’m waiting for the time we qualify next to each other. It will be the most expensive first corner in off-road racing history. I’m not going to give him an inch and he won’t give me one, either.”

Joining Danny and Andy in the pro-buggy class is the svelte flame-spitting #23 Jimco, with Matthew Kittle on the tools. His virgin run at Pines, this will be car #23’s last outing for 2015. Macca is excited for a finish after a tough season of racing.

“It’s looking like clear skies, low dust; I have never raced here before and I am excited to possibly get a chequered flag this weekend.

“There are a lot of guys coming to get a last run. It’s going to be a tough field, our pace is up there and we will push hard from prologue.

“The turbocharged buggies will definitely have the better run this weekend. The course is straight and fast, top gear stuff. The buggy works well in high speed sections; I am getting my confidence up in the tight and windy bits. We have found the correct balance and we are excited to get out there.”

With an international legacy in off-road racing, Toyo Tires continues to attack the dirt in 2015.

In partnership with the best drivers in Australian off-roading, Toyo has again committed to the 2015 off-road season.

2015 promises to be a defining year in local off-road racing history with nine races across two series.

The 40th anniversary of the infamous Finke Desert Race looms large, and with an unprecedented field and the extreme quality of race cars teams are more committed than ever to getting their formula right early. Toyo’s Open Country M/T-R continues to earn favour and preference among teams across all classes.

In addition to supporting teams, Toyo Tires has again taken the naming rights sponsorship for the Toyo Tires Riverland Enduro. The AORC round will see the fastest on dirt descend on the small town of Waikerie, South Australia, between July 24 and 26.

Interest in off-road racing has been piqued by Robby Gordon and the Toyo Tires Stadium Super Trucks at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.

This weekend off-road racers will turn their wheels in anger for the first time this year, at the Griffith 400.

Fresh from his SST debut, Team Toyo’s Brad Gallard will be putting the first race hours on the hotly anticipatedNASCAR-powered Peter Kittle Motor Sport Trophy Truck. Gallard, long-time navigator Scott Modistach and the PKMS team are keen to storm tracks nationwide, starting with Griffith.

“This weekend we will shake the truck down, get some seat time and make sure everything is on point,” said Gallard.

“We are definitely racing for a class victory in Extreme 2WD. Other than that we will get as far up the ladder as we can.”

The snarling PKMS truck will be joined by Matthew Kittle in the PKMS Pro-class buggy. The Jimco has seen some serious upgrades for 2015.

“Different turbos have given the buggy a lot more power down low and overall performance has improved dramatically, with a lot more speed. We have bigger suspension, bigger brakes, greater stopping power, and handling over whoops is well improved,” explained Kittle.

“We’re hoping to have a good crack at the championship. We got all the gremlins out and we will be making some noise this year.”

All round nice guy and trophy truck hellman Greg Gartner will be also be churning dust in the Riverina this weekend. Like many, the always humble Greg looks to Finke to define his racing season.

“There are so many good quality race cars. Everyone wants to get out and have a go and get their cars ready for the season. We will run as many events as possible but the 40th anniversary of Finke is going to be a special race,” Greg said.

“We are certainly looking at the championship. We will review where we are at after Waikerie.”

Danny Brown and dad Andy will be heading out to Griffith in the pro-class buggy and trophy truck respectively.

“We are definitely planning on making an impact wherever we turn up!” said Danny.

Suffering some late-in-the-piece engine replacement dramas, Danny’s plan for Griffith starts with a hard charge in qualifying.

“We have no time to test before Griffith. It looks like it will be quite hot and dusty there this weekend so the plan is to qualify as best as possible and go from there,” he said.

Finke Ironmann Billy Geddes won’t be repeating the double at this years’ Finke, but he has upped the stakes with his truck, Hellboy, and is taking no prisoners this year.

“Robby Gordon gave me some quiet advice that will come in handy. We are building a new motor and expecting over 700 horsepower. The extra power will make a difference when we are working at ten tenths. There is a fine line, especially at Finke: the extra power is such an advantage when you are charging,” he said.

“We are planning on getting up the pointy end and taking a few more risks this year. There’s nothing to lose by having a red hot go. I told my navigator Jamie that the Finke prologue will be an unpleasant experience.”

Geddes also wished his teammates all the best for the season opener.

“Let all the Toyo guys know we are wishing them good luck at Griffith.”

Hayden Bentley is also starting the season, fresh from a run with off-road royalty BJ Baldwin and Robby Gordon at the legendary Mint 400 in Nevada in the US. Bentley raced on the Toyo Open Country M/T-R, on the ultra-reliable 39-inch tyre.

Mark Lacey will also be campaigning his distinctive Micklefab trophy truck throughout the year on Open Country M/T-R’s.