Generations race through the dust near tiny SA town
Meet the SA family and its distinctive green falcon taking on rough terrain near a town of less that 100 people.
The roar of a V8, clouds of dust and the sight of cars launching themselves through the rough terrain have made the Bob Shegog Memorial Wynarka Enduro a spectacular weekend of off-road racing.
Among the 46 cars taking on the demanding Moorlands Road course over the weekend was a genuine Callington family effort: the Thorne Racing Team, with father Darren, sons Nathan and Heath Thorne, and navigator Orleans Graetz taking on the challenge.
The Wynarka Enduro formed the penultimate round of the 2026 Southern States Off-Road Club Challenge, with competitors facing 14 laps and around 280 kilometres of racing.
For the Thorne family, however, the weekend was about much more than simply getting around the track.
| Sponsored |
You might like
Motorsport has been part of the family’s life for generations, and Darren Thorne has been behind the wheel for more than 25 years.
The family connection to racing runs particularly deep, with Darren even meeting his wife at a motorsport event many years ago.
“Yeah, Dad met Mum at the speedway all those years ago,” Nathan said.
“The Wynarka Enduro has been on our family racing calendar for years; it’s an incredible event … wouldn’t miss it for quids.”
Now the next generation is continuing that tradition.
Stay informed, daily
Darren recently bought back a car he originally built for a customer around 15 years ago, allowing the family to bring the machine back into competition.
The green BF class five Falcon, powered by a Holden LS V8 and carrying car number 532, was back where it belonged: on the dirt and making plenty of noise.
This time, Darren wasn’t the only Thorne playing a vital role.
Nathan Thorne was helping keep everything moving in the pits, while his brother Heath Thorne took the driver’s seat alongside navigator Orleans.
And they certainly gave the Wynarka crowd something to watch.
The Falcon’s Holden V8 produced an incredible sound as Heath attacked the course, throwing up dust and pushing the car through corners, rough sections and the jumps.
For spectators and photographers lining the track, the Thorne Falcon quickly became a crowd pleaser.
Wynarka is renowned for giving spectators plenty of action, with cars passing viewing areas numerous times during the race.
For the Thornes, it was another chapter in a family racing story that began decades ago – one that looks set to continue with the next generation firmly involved.
At Wynarka, the Thorne family wasn’t just racing a car; they were carrying on a family tradition.
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
