Ultra4 Australia – Round 3

Thanes Creek (formerly The Drivers Compound)📅 10–12 October 2025

Round 3 of the 2025 Ultra4 Australia Championship delivered in every way. With an unknown track ahead of them, competitors were met with more than anyone expected — changing terrain, mechanical carnage, and some of the toughest racing we’ve seen all season.

Heading to Thanes Creek (formerly known as The Drivers Compound, a rally training ground) on short notice, teams were greeted with dry, dusty conditions that tested driver and navigator precision, along with vehicle durability, across the entire weekend.

Friday – 6-Hour Enduro

From the opening laps on Friday, it was clear this round would be unforgiving. Tight, ever-changing technical sections and demanding rock climbs forced competitors to balance aggression with mechanical sympathy.

Early laps reshuffled the order and proved that survival would be just as important as outright speed. With key Unlimited points contenders stuck in the pits from the outset due to mechanical issues, Energised Motorsport and Torque It Up were left chasing the weekend.

For the first time in a long while, the pits were centralised to the racetrack. Teams suffering mechanical issues were able to make their way back for quick repairs and get their rigs back out into the fight. As a result, we saw a larger-than-normal field finish the race.

The real battle came down to the top-speed section. Madmatt Gillian and Ben Kreemers in the Madmatt Racing Toyota LandCruiser took top-speed honours from Bruce and Tannen Fraser in the AMMotorsport Jimny Ultra4, with Adam Collins and J Robson claiming third in the Mod Class Jimny.

We also saw newcomer Itchy Foot Racing take on the Enduro solo in his Mod Class Patrol — something we haven’t seen since Remy Lowson in his Ultra4. Josh quickly discovered that winching solo off an obstacle isn’t much fun. However, he was making strong progress until overconfidence through the jumping whoops turned into a cartwheel, ending his weekend early.

Saturday – Attrition Was the Real Opponent

Saturday’s racing saw drivers attack a reverse layout of the Enduro track. The already punishing rock climbs and rutted creek beds were now cut the opposite way — and they showed no mercy.

We saw championship leader AMMotorsport exit early after tearing the entire front end out of their Ultra4 — the result of a season’s worth of racing fatigue. That opened the door for Energised Motorsport and Torque It Up to gain much-needed points.

Both teams, however, were still battling lingering mechanical issues from a hardened season and a brutal outing at Cliffhanger. There were determined attempts to claw back points, with Torque It Up securing valuable finishes to lock in second in the championship standings.

Thanes Creek quickly earned its reputation. We saw:

• Broken steering components

• Overheated engines

• Snapped CVs and driveline failures

• Recovery winch dramas

Championship Implications

Round 3 tightened the 2025 championship battle across both Unlimited and Mod Class. Valuable points were secured by teams who simply finished cleanly, while several title contenders now face an uphill battle heading into the remaining rounds.

Momentum has shifted — and the pressure is building.

Standout Performances

Several crews delivered exceptional drives under immense pressure, navigating the technical terrain with precision and patience.

Navigators played a critical role all weekend, guiding drivers through sections where one wrong line meant lost minutes — or a winch session.

At Thanes Creek, consistency was king.

The Spectator Energy

Fans were treated to close-up action across multiple obstacles, with the sound of high-horsepower Ultra4 machines echoing through the park all weekend.

The pits were buzzing. The viewing areas were packed. The atmosphere was electric from start to finish.

There’s nothing quite like watching a full-tube chassis Ultra4 car slide sideways around a high-speed corner — or claw its way up a scrabbly rock face just metres away.

Looking Ahead

With Round 3 complete, the 2025 Ultra4 Australia Championship moves into its decisive phase as teams regroup and begin planning for 2026.

Repairs will be made. Lessons will be learned. Rivalries will simmer.

If Thanes Creek proved anything, it’s this:

In Ultra4 Australia — finishing is winning.

We’ll see you all next year.