In stark contrast to yesterday’s four seasons, Mother Nature turned on near perfect racing conditions for the first competitive day of the 2016 ARB Off Road Racing Series.55 teams headed off for the 18km prologue and 100km long course reconnaissance for the ARB Griffith 400.Jack Rhodes and David Pullino in the Jimco #91 topped the time sheets in what was a dramatic qualifying session, edging out local and property owner Andy Ryan and Dave Smith by 2.78seconds to secure first place on the start grid for Saturday afternoon’s one lap 100km sprint through the Stackpoole farmlands. Rhodes was extremely lucky to hold onto his pole position after a miscalculation sent him off the track after the whoop section, completing a full 360 to return to the course, much to the delight of the crowd.
Andy Brown and Mark Sedran #45 were just 1.529seconds shy of Ryan to round out the prologue podium, and 3.071 seconds ahead of son Danny Brown and George Apted in the Jimco #42 to secure family bragging rights for the ARB Griffith 400 prologue. Dale Martina and Adrian Rowe #103 completed the top five, 15.032 seconds off the pace of Brown junior.