From 11 to 13 July, five of our very own Junior Moto and Enduro riders will be lining up for the largest junior desert race in Australia, the Penrite Hattah Desert Race.
This is Australia’s largest motorcycling race with over 700 riders entirely, taking place on the 11th – 13th July 2025 upon sand paddocks and in amongst bushland just outside of Mildura.
There’s no denying that Condobolin breeds them tough out here and raises legends from the ground up in all areas of sport. However, a sport that truly doesn’t receive the attention and respect it deserves, is the discipline that 5 of our local riders showcase and practise regularly at our local Condobolin Auto Sports Club (CASC).
We have an outstanding group of upcoming motorcyclists with natural talent that do their share of casually rocking up for club days in town and roll out of town to head away to other titles.
Some of which include motorcycle championships at state and national levels… and others who are aiming for a future Condo750 title. Each and every single of one these kids put in notable
dedication and should be celebrated for going forward to chase their dreams in this iconic race!
Ashton Frost, Chad Worland, Ted Smith, Rowley and Sonny Lister are amongst the Condobolin Auto Sports Club Juniors who are heading off to bring home an iconic third attempt in the Penrite
Hattah Desert Race.
This is a prestigious, highly anticipated and nationally recognised race that is known for its top level contenders that come to compete.
It has always been a demanding and challenging race for those who have competed.
Many community members within our own town can relate to the diverse and at times adverse conditions having competed within different eras of the race itself – but these days, it’s different.
The current climate of this race is phenomenal. Imagine a sea of bikes heading out for a look lap; rubbing shoulders and knocking bars, all cruising at walking pace through the pits.
It’s freezing, it’s loud, you’re shivering. Not from the cold but from the pure nerves and adrenaline from sending your son out to join in the swarm of bikes that is rumbling through the pits. This is
just the rigmarole for a compulsory sight lap … which to them means; stay calm, stay focused and look at your lines … create your game plan.
The race itself is colossal – the preparation, the lead up, the nerves, the huge crowd and the atmosphere rumbles you from the inside out.
It’s not something that any senior competitor, let alone a junior could ever prepare for. Even as a spectator this just takes your breath away … perfectly described by Ashton Frost, who has competed twice in the junior category but gearing up to make his senior debut in the up to 250cc 4stroke class, ‘It’s an off road race that is tough and challenging – it’s a physically and mentally
gruelling race that tests the limits of man and machine. A thrill that definitely gets the heart rate pumping. It’s a milestone to finish!’ Motorsport runs deep in Condobolin … you don’t have to look far to find rev heads from every era. Many of which would have been born, bred and some found still racing at our local racetracks. CASC is a completely volunteer based committee that runs off the love for Motorsport, family networks and adventure.
Many of these club members are parents who operate the canteen, the track flags and marshalling in between pit stops, tyre changes
and Zooper Dooper breaks … all this whilst still producing well rounded competitors and a large amount of young riders that we should all support and be proud of.
Current President of the club, Jake Worland expressed his excitement and message to the large number of club members heading from our town and outer region, ‘On behalf of Condo Auto Sports, we wish all our Condo local kids and extended Condo Club Kids from our area, Good Luck – our 5 that live here in Condo make up a group of about 25 kids heading to Hattah all up from our great club and we are truly proud. Ride fast – with the goal of many finishes and we hope to see one of our fast kids up on the podium’.
Within the group of approximately 25, will be Charlie Fox- Ashwin and Drew Medcalf racing within the big wheel 85s from Tottenham Motorcycle Club.
Club President, Max Fox-Ashwin expressed his appreciation for the both clubs collaborating in providing many opportunities for motorcycling amongst our younger generation, “I think it’s a great
experience for them to be able to race in such a big event as juniors along with the motorcycle racing family we have formed between our towns and beyond”.
These clubs provide opportunities for kids who need, want or seek bike time for the love of riding but also helps them head off to larger events like Hattah and give it a red hot go.
‘I put pressure on myself to do well, but I love it. It’s addictive, teaches discipline and resilience. Mum and Dad always tell me to just do my best, get ‘On the Boppa’ and Mum always says ‘love you!’’ says Sonny Lister, who is competing in Junior 12-16 years 85 class this year. Within the club and our community, there is strong heritage that comes with racing. No matter where their riding
career path took them – they all know what it’s like when they’ve had to leave town to chase the thrill … just like this young group is setting off to do in a couple of weeks.
The boys agreed that racing can be costly and puts demands on their family … but they all expressed how thankful they were to be able to make new friends, travel to see the country and truly gain as a young person and athlete from riding motos.
‘I like going fast and making new friends everywhere I go. Racing and competing helps me with my decision making skills like “thinking fast” and making “fast decisions”. It gives me more courage and is great for my physical fitness’, as reflected by Chad Worland, who will be competing in the under 13s 65cc class.
However, not everything has gone to plan within the last calendar year for some of the boys in this group. Despite some unexpected setbacks within the last six months for Sonny Lister and Ted Smith.
Both boys have needed to undergo serious recovery to ensure they fix injuries correctly.
Sonny had sustained a fractured wrist from competing at a State MX title in Dubbo recently making a full recovery in time for the big dance.
After a practise accident earlier this year, Ted was airlifted by air ambulance after tearing his abdomen. Both boys requiring lengthy recoveries but this does not keep them from doing what they love most.
‘The main way it helps me grow, are the challenges that you face. It can be so hard sometimes, tough tracks, tough conditions – the MUD! It can throw some pretty crazy things at you, like my injury at the beginning of this year – I still cannot believe that happened!’ Ted recalled. In Ted’s words, he will be ‘giving it a crack on my 85 this year’.
The race itself is something truly worth watching and celebrating for these ‘Condo kids’ who go down to have fun but also go down to fly the flag for Condobolin and the Central West, New South Wales.
When asked what it’s really like, Rowley Lister who will be racing in the under 13s 65cc class said ‘Race day is the big attraction but we have so much fun over the whole week’ he reflects on staying at the caravan park, collecting signatures and free merchandise on Friday Night Scrutineering as well as acknowledging the sisters who come along and love it too but not forgetting to dob in one last person … ‘Yeah Presentation night is heaps of fun also – lots of turbo whistles and Dad even made up our own Condo Auto Sports Hattah song’. Overall, this is not just a race … and these kids aren’t just another race number heading out on that track – they are our Condo kids who we will sing loud and proud for!
Be sure to check out the next CASC club meeting to watch our all our home grown kids of all ages show the talent they have here at the home track or if you are wishing to support our next generation this year at Hattah, you can watch via the Live stream via YouTube on the 11th, 12th and 13th July 2025. Juniors compete early Saturday morning with Seniors completing prologue on Saturday afternoon with their main race on Sunday.
Are you a lover of Motorsport with some time on your hands? If Motorsport volunteering has you interested, we have many local events that run annually and throughout the calendar year – with Yellow Mountain being a large drawcard in August, there’s always helpful roles you can assist in and still enjoy the weekend.
Reach out to our local clubs and committees below to see how you can support Motorsport in our local region – Condobolin Auto Sports Club President: Jake Worland; Condo750 Chairman: Bruce Patton; and Tottenham Motorcycle Club: Matt Fox-Ashwin.
Contributed by Becc Kontrec.