This weekend, Rainbow will once again reverberate with the sound of more than fifty off-road racing vehicles for the 2025 edition of the STEEL IT ARB Big Desert 480.

This event is the first round of the 2025 ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championships, hosted by various organisations from the local Rainbow community, and is promoted and organised by the Victorian Off Road Racing Association Inc.

Members of the public can get up close to the competitors during the street party on Friday evening, when the vehicles undergo scrutineering to ensure they are compliant and capable of completing the gruelling 480-kilometre race.

While this is taking place, a variety of catering options will be available for the public to enjoy.

The evening also includes briefings for the various groups of volunteers and officials, such as recovery and media.

Although the competition starts at 10 am the next morning with the Prologue, the Rainbow Rises Events Centre will be a hive of activity from 6.30 am with crews signing on and briefing, a welcome by motorsport chaplain Mark Bateman and Hindmarsh Shire Mayor, Ron Ismay and the opportunity for competitors to complete a reconnaissance lap of the short course.

The prologue event is a timed single lap of the short course which will determine the starting order of the two lap race around the long course in the afternoon.

At midday, Mayor Ismay will once again welcome those present, and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy will officially open the new facilities.

Section 1 of the Big Desert 480 will commence at 1 pm which will see the competitors complete two laps of the long course that will take them to the edge of the Big Desert and back twice, with three hours and fifteen minutes allowed for this.

Seven hours and fifteen minutes will be allocated for competitors to complete Section 2 on Sunday which involves four long laps, with a compulsory 45 minute service period between laps two and three.

Trophy presentation for first, second, and third outright positions will be conducted after the first ten competitors have finished, and the presentation of trophies for the different class will take place after the last finisher crosses the line.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY 28 March

4:00 pm - Scrutiny and Street display – OPEN Federal Street, Rainbow *Competition vehicles must be presented as competition ready e.g. spare wheels fitted, numbers fitted, etc.
8.00 pm - Scrutiny – CLOSE
8:30 pm - Vehicles released from display

SATURDAY 29 March

10:00 am - ARB Big Desert 480 – PROLOGUE
12:00 pm - Welcome by Mayor Ron Ismay and Opening of the new facilities by Member for Lowan Emma Keely
1:00 pm - START ARB Big Desert 480 – Section 1 (2 laps – allowed time 3hours 15minutes)

SUNDAY 30 March

8.30 am - START ARB Big Desert 480 – Section 2 (4 laps)
(2 laps – 45-minute service – 2 laps) (allowed time 7 hours 15 minutes)
Trophy presentation for 1st, 2nd & 3rd outright positions will be conducted after the first 10 finishers.
Trophy presentation for classes after the last finisher.