MERBEIN South’s Brett Plant took out the inaugural Nandaly 300 off-road racing event at the weekend.
Plant completed the 300km course in three hours and 14 minutes, four minutes ahead of second-placed Brad Chasemore.
The veteran racer has been racing for 40-odd years and was stoked with his win, which came a few days after celebrating his 58th birthday.
“It was awesome,” Plant said.
“The conditions were perfect. It was good fun, I really enjoyed it.
“The track was pretty rough by the end and I was worried I was going to run out of fuel, but I got there in the end.”
Plant’s lap times remained consistent throughout the course of the weekend.
His first lap was his slowest, completing it in 39 minutes and 34 seconds, as he got a taste of the course and what it had to offer.
“I only purchased this car late last year and this was my third race in it,” Plant said, noting it was also his first single-seater.
“I was in radio communication with my son so that made life a bit easier.
“It was a matter of getting a feel for the car, picking my line and setting the pace.”
Plant said the car had a “promising future”, noting this was his second outright win in his last three races.
The self-confessed bush mechanic said he spent many hours preparing the car for the race, and his efforts paid off.
Growing up in Ouyen, Plant said he was introduced to motorsports from a young age.
“I always had bikes growing up and the Mallee Rally and Hattah races were always a highlight as a spectator,” he said.
At the ripe age of 17, he took ownership of an EH sedan which he built from scratch.
“It was a bit of junk but I put a bit of work into it and got it going by the time I was 19,” Plant said.
“It was very satisfying. I wasn’t really successful but I had a lot of fun and that was the main thing.”
His racing career has taken him across Australia, including Finke.
And whilst he’s tried to walk away from the sport altogether, he conceded he couldn’t.
“It’s in my blood – I’m hooked.”
His son, Robert, has followed in his footsteps and the duo plan to keep racing for as long as they can.
The duo is now focused on round two of the ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship which will take place at Hillston from July 7.
“It’s a costly sport and we’re self-funded but we’ll keep doing as many as we can, or as many as the car and body can handle,” Plant said.
