The 2024 Sandhills Open Road Challenge took place on the county road between Arnold and Dunning on Saturday. A 55-mile rally style open road race through the scenic Nebraska Sandhills. Winners were crowned in 12 different race and speed classes during the awards banquet Saturday evening.
It was announced during the awards presentation that a first was achieved at this year’s event and that was “perfection”. Mike Black of Garland, TX achieved a perfect time in matching his target speed in the 105 mph class. Black was driving a 2022 Chevy Corvette.
Other category winners on Saturday included:
Extreme 95 mph class – Ethan Budke of North Platte with navigator Don Wood in a 1992 Toyota MR2 – Average speed of 91.856 mph
Extreme 120 mph class – Todd Grantski of Utica, NE with navigator Dylon Grantski in a 2020 Ford Mustang – Average speed 113.585 mph
80 mph class – Kirk Sharp of Valentine, NE with navigator Kort Grooms in a 2015 Chevy Corvette Z06 – (-.468 seconds off perfect time)
Vintage 85 mph class – Brent Skiles of Holdrege, NE with navigator Jim Duering in a 1986 Chevy Corvette (+1.029 seconds off perfect time)
90 mph class – Samer Damer of Parkville, MO with navigator Debbie Damer in a 2018 Chevy Camaro SS 1LE (-.436 seconds off perfect time)
95 mph class – Cooper Walton and Rob Walton of Overland Park, KS in a 2006 Nissan 350Z (+.051 seconds off perfect time)
100 mph class – Blue Offutt of Surprise, AZ with navigator Jim Webster in a 2005 Mercedes Benz C55 AMG (+.140 seconds off perfect time)
110 mph class – Dan Rohrbach of Aberdeen, SD with navigator Braden Malsam in a 2014 Chevy Corvette (+.224 seconds off perfect time)
115 mph class – Chad Christensen of Roca, NE with navigator Aaron Wells in a 2011 Chevy Corvette Z06 (+.099 seconds off perfect time)
120 mph class – Doug Jones of Ipswich, SD with navigator Daniel Jones in a 2017 Ford GT (+12.442 seconds off perfect time)
125 mph class – Robbi Smith of Arnold, NE with navigator Derek Rose in a 2022 Dodge Challenger Hellcat (-.086 seconds off perfect time)
