LOCAL ARB Off Road Racing driver Andy Ryan turned his season around in front of hundreds of local fans at Stackpoole on the weekend.
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The ARB 400 event attracted 250 campers who turned out to see 71 competitors locked in high-octane battle.
Andy Ryan came second in the Pro Buggy blue ribbon event thanks in part to the reliability offered by a newly fitted 6000cc engine.
The race held roughly 20 kilometres north of Goolgowi was the third of the season.
Ryan failed to finish in the first race and was plagued by engine troubles in the second.
“We were wrapped with the new engine, even though it’s probably down about 200 horsepower on the guy who won the race,” Ryan said.
“But there’s only so much power a buggy can use and if you drive consistently and you’re quick through the rough stuff you can be competitive.
“A bit of local knowledge helped on a track like that.”
Ryan was in the lead until the visors on both he and his navigator’s helmets fogged up, forcing the pair to let Jack Rhodes from South Australia pass and build a four-minute lead.
Ryan encouraged his brother Mat, who navigated another buggy that was forced out of the race with damage after just 10 kilometres.
Locals Karl and Jay Power competed in the Super 1650 Buggy race and finished on three wheels after breaking their steering and crashing into trees.
After the weekend’s racing Andy Ryan and his navigator Evan Triaca from the ACT are now within cooey of the ladder but by Ryan’s own admission the rest of the competition will need Carl Haby from South Australia to capitulate.