David Chandler won the Dondingalong off-road challenge over the weekend (June 2-3) with his navigator Jonathon Ryan.
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The pair guided their pro buggy home one minute and 55 seconds ahead of fellow pro buggy competitor Darren Williamson, with Thomas Dixon (also in the pro buggy class) 10 seconds behind Williamson.
The race, which was round two of the Hunter Rivmasta NSW off-road racing championship, consisted of five heats.
Kempsey Macleay Off-Road Club vice-president Todd Wilson said it was a tough battle for the competitors on Saturday due to the rain.
"Saturday was brutal," he said. "We had a lot of people going to the medics to get their eyes washed out from the mud. Everyone that got through Saturday deserved to win a trophy.
"All that wet weather brings a few mechanical issues. You're alternators can fill up with mud, that caused a few issues with some people.
"Electrical systems can also get wet... we do our best to have everything waterproof but that's not always possible.
"The navigators are very important in those conditions too. Having a navigator on the go with the rags could mean the difference between winning and losing."
Fortunately, the rain eased on Sunday as the sun poked its head out, creating near perfect conditions for the competitors.
"On Sunday, it was probably the best conditions you can get to race," Wilson said. "It honestly doesn't get better than that.
"There was no dust around and all the mud got thrown off the track after the first heat. Dust and mud usually slows the racers down and there was none of that on Sunday, it was just really good racing."
Wilson said the ability to adapt was crucial for the competitors on the weekend as the weather conditions abruptly changed overnight.
"They need to be able to adapt," he said. "You can see just how important that skill is when you look at the break down of the lap times and see the positions changing in each heat.
"Some people were just getting used to the wet weather and then had to adapt again for the dry conditions."
Wilson said the Dondingalong off-road challenge was a great success overall.
"The weekend is just such a success story. All the volunteers did such a great job, the recovery crews worked tirelessly and I think it all went off without a hitch."
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