This year’s event marks the fourth time the enduro has run in remembrance of one of the club’s younger drivers in Jason Patterson In a thrilling shake up of the usual off road format, the fourth round of the North Queensland Super Series will see drivers take to the competitive course for seven consecutive hours at this weekend’s Pato’s 7 Hour Enduro.
Hosted by the North Queensland Offroad Racing Association Inc (NQORA), the long course event will give drivers the opportunity to put both their car and their skills behind the wheel to the ultimate test.
This year’s event marks the fourth time the enduro has run in remembrance of one of the club’s younger drivers in Jason Patterson, who sadly passed away in 2020.
Competitors will navigate the 18 kilometre course at Broughton’s Millchester Motor Sports Facility in teams of two cars, breaking up the challenge by taking turns on the course in the hopes of beating the current 28-lap record held by Chris Sollitt and Peter Nunn, who have won the last two events.
As well as the main two-car endurance competition, the day will also feature a smaller scale Ironman challenge, with Ironman competitors allowed to take on the track as single car teams to achieve a maximum of 36 laps.
“Endurance events are a great mixture,” Event Secretary Don Young said.
“They’re not just based on outright speed. You need to work with your teammate to keep your car going.
“Of course, you still need to do it as quickly as you can to get as many laps as possible, but you need to look after your car a bit more.
“It also allows you to work in tandem if there’s something wrong with your vehicle, unlike a normal race where if something was wrong with your vehicle, you’d lose a lap. In an endurance this won’t take you out of the running.
“And Sollitt and Nunn are looking for someone to knock them off their winning streak.”
Racing will begin at 9am and conclude at 5:30pm, before the top prize is awarded to the team that completes the most laps within the seven-hour period.
The Pato’s 7 Hour Enduro takes place at Millchester Motor Sports Facility on Sunday 7 October.
Keyword: Queenslanders gearing up for Pato’s 7 Hour Enduro