Singleton’s Mark Eveleigh in buggy 907 raced away with the event title.

Eveleigh was kept honest by Wollongong’s Dale Chadburn, in buggy 32, and for a while by local Darren Stocks (913).

Local competitors Peter Sowter, Darren Stocks, Brent Hopkins, Murray and Conrad Bignell, Mick Latimore and Troy Tisdell were all capable of taming the variable surface that the Nabiac track is famous for.

But it was Eveleigh who accepted the winner’s trophy, describing the event as “one of the best this year”.

The round was run over two days. Saturday’s racing started at 10am and consisted of six laps with the vehicles leaving at 30 second intervals.

Sunday was an earlier start with cars racing over the longer course.

This year’s Nabiac Airport Challenge was run under ideal conditions, with the 11km long course drying out and being used on Sunday.

Local drivers Conrad Bignell (196) and Mick Latimore (136) were the best placed locals, finishing second and third respectively in the Pro Lite division.

Taree’s Peter Sowter (985), a favourite for the event won “most towed buggy”, Taree’s Darren Stocks (913) was doing well before retiring in the last heat with a broken gearbox and Murray (Farmer) Bignell (996) lost a wheel while fighting his way back.

“Off road racing is a sport where the buggies rule. Lots of power, lots of suspension travel and very little weight mean a very fast car raced over terrain that would break even the best four wheel drive vehicle,” David Weller said.

“Some of the holes that develop in the track would swallow a four-wheel-drive and caravan, yet these people race at speeds that defy logic.”

Race director, Gloucester’s Greg Channon, was very happy with his band of hard working volunteers and credited the success of the event to them.