The mighty Newcastle Knights are not the only Novocastrians heading to Las Vegas to compete on the world stage, with Newcastle operator Tim Lamb gearing up for the trip of a lifetime as he prepares to depart for Las Vegas this week to compete in the Cat® Global Operator Challenge Finals on March 3 at CONEXPO 2026.
His place among nine of the world’s best machine operators comes after a standout year of competition success, culminating in a podium finish at the Asia Pacific Regional Semi-Final in Japan.
Tim’s remarkable journey began with the NSW heats and his subsequent victory at the NSW State Final, hosted by WesTrac, where he demonstrated the precision, speed and technical ability that have now made him one of Australia’s top competitors. He then went on to claim third place at the Asia Pacific Regional Final, outperforming operators from across the region while also earning the coveted Excavator Champion title.
For Tim, the opportunity still feels surreal. “Up until this trip to Japan, I had never travelled overseas — and now I’ve got a ticket to Vegas to compete against the world’s best,” he said following the regional final.
Tim’s employer, Hunter region-based civil construction company Daracon Group, is right behind Tim, willing him on as he performs on the global stage.
The company’s Plant and Transport Divisional Manager, Cory Hay, said Tim’s success was a reflection of his dedication and technical ability, as well as the ethos Daracon was founded on – having the best people and the best equipment.
CONEXPO is the largest construction event in North America, and the Cat® Global Operator Challenge is widely known as the ultimate test of operating skill, putting elite competitors through high-pressure tasks designed to challenge machine control, efficiency and safety.
Tim will represent Daracon Group, WesTrac, NSW, and Australia in front of a global audience – register via the Caterpillar website to live stream the event (March 3, 2026, at 9.00am PST) by clicking here. Earthmoving Equipment Magazine will also be on-site to bring you regular updates.
