Simon Tucker Claims Victory at Mino Pave 250: Simon Tucker, a regular in the Polaris Motorsport Australia Off-Road Championship (AORC), secured a thrilling 25-second victory in the Mino Pave 250 over the weekend. Navigated by his daughter Lucy Tucker, the pair outpaced 28 other crews, including strong competitors Daryl Nissen and Andrew Harness. This win marks the third round of the Motorsport Australia South Australian Off-Road Championship.
The top three of the event also featured Andrew and Teagan Mowles, who had initially led the first section of the race but ultimately finished almost two minutes off Tucker’s pace. All podium finishers drove Prolite buggies, with the top non-Prolite crew of Adam Bierl and Nyree Burminghamm taking fourth place and winning the Pro Buggy class.
The weekend’s second section was the most significant, with Tucker leading Nissen by 23 seconds. Mowles suffered a minor issue on the penultimate lap of this section, finishing almost two minutes behind Tucker. Mowles had outpaced Tucker in the first four laps, which mitigated his losses. Tucker and Nissen exchanged fastest lap times in the third and final sector, with Nissen winning by three seconds. However, Tucker’s steadiness made him the Mino Pave 250 winner.
Other class winners were plentiful beyond the podium. Adam Bierl and Nyree Burminghamm led Pro Buggy in fourth place. The Prolite class dominated the day, with Rich and Lauren Andrews in fifth place.
Super 1650 champions Brad Geraghty and Warne Kirley finished sixth, while SXS Pro winners Tom Hicks and Lachy Rochfort finished seventh. Sportslite class champions Gavin Chant and Ian Langford finished seventh, followed by Performance 2WD class leaders Andy Maxwell, Makayla Maxwell, and Chris Pickert. Aaron and Breanna Harre won Extreme 4WD.
The Adelaide Buggy Club will host the next Motorsport Australia South Australian Off Road Championship round from September 30 to October. Tucker’s Mino Pave 250 win may boost his title chances, generating enthusiasm for the next events.
The Mino Pave 250 consisted of 12 laps around a 20-kilometer off-road course. The top three crews—Tucker, Nissen, and Mowles—set the fastest times in all three sections of the race. The event began with Mowles going 10 seconds faster than Tucker in the first lap. However, Tucker regained his footing, and his well-calculated performances in the subsequent laps earned him the win.
An interesting facet of the race was the father-daughter duo of Simon and Lucy Tucker. Their teamwork and consistency throughout the event demonstrated the unique bond and level of trust necessary for such a collaborative sport. The race became a victory for Simon Tucker and a family achievement that will likely be a memorable chapter in their racing careers.
With a line-up of strong competitors and thrilling moments, the Mino Pave 250 lived up to the excitement that fans of the Motorsport Australia Off-Road Championship have come to expect. Simon Tucker’s decisive win sets the stage for an electrifying remainder of the season as racers look ahead to the next round in Adelaide.
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