With one of the hottest summers on record sweeping across Australia it was no doubt that the opening rounds of the AORC were going to be a dry affair. A late venue change from the forgiving location of Miva, near Gympie meant an alternative needed to be found.
Enter stage left – Toowoomba Motorcycle Club. With a purpose built facility at Murphy’s Creek just north of Toowoomba it breathed new life into the national series as it stumbled to get a start in 2019.
After what seems like a thousand years since we’ve been treated to a wet (or even slightly damp) race venue, the hot topic upon arrival was how the steep, hilly country would stand up to the brutal punishment dished out by around 250 riders considering the dry conditions.
Early on the Saturday morning it was clear that air filters were going to earn their keep this weekend. The parade lap was an exercise in riding by feel, as in many cases there was little reference to go off.
With no breeze to shift the wind most of the track turned into a foggy, asphyxiating haze. Thankfully the gaps between riders once racing started were enough to support a level of safety deemed fair by all involved.
As far as riders went, not much changed in the off-season. Michael Driscoll was added to the team roster at the ThreeSix Motorsports Offroad team of AJ Roberts’ with the loss of Lachie Stanford from the Husqvarna team being the only major changes over the break.
Matty Phillips and Beau Ralston made long awaited returns to the field however. Matty in a mentoring role for the up and coming Kyron Bacon, both being KTM mounted and Ralston running his own show backed by Schwarz Excavation on a Husqvarna in the E3 class.
It was evident that the break had done nothing to dull the competition between the two fastest riders in the country in Daniel Milner and Daniel Sanders with only fractions of a second separating them over tests during the entire day.
Milner was king of the E2 class with Sanders showing ominous form in E3. It’s clear to see that both riders are committed to conquering others in their respective classes but the thrill of beating each other still reigns supreme.
The Women’s competition again showed strong promise with the likes of Yamaha mounted Jess Gardiner battling it out with Emelie Karlsson for the top step of the podium with Danielle Foot on a Sherco and Emma Milesevic making up the minor placings. True to her recent form, Jess came away victorious both days in the horrid conditions.
On Saturday the tracks deteriorated quickly. Not only for the pros but also the Women’s, Vets and Juniors to the point where they became almost unrideable with some sections ending as a half-metre deep rut filled with powder.
At the conclusion of racing, most riders ventured out to walk tracks they would ride the following day for Round 2. After some suggestions were made regarding track changes, some of the pro track was realigned in the interest of safety.
Sunday morning saw the heat return to further dry out the surface (if that was possible) with the temperatures soaring to around 38 degrees during the hot part of the day. As racing got underway it was clear the track wasn’t going to last.
As each lap wore on the surface became more treacherous and after three laps a group of riders brought their concerns to the course officials who in turn, after some deliberation, agreed it was unsafe to continue. It was a shame for the Toowoomba club that the racing ended prematurely but it was entirely out of their control.
Considering they only had around 6 weeks notice to facilitate a national event, the fact it even went ahead was a credit to the club and all involved. Despite the amount of speed carried by the top riders, it was in the end the weather that won the day.
Unfortunately earlier in Round 2, while showing some blistering speed considering his time off the bike, Matty Phillips sustained a leg injury and had to be taken from the track to have it assessed. Without knowing the full extent of the issue it’s hard to make an informed guess as to when he’ll be back but let hope it’s soon.
Rounds 3 & 4 will be held at Dungog on the April 6-7 with an Enduro event being run both days to test not only the pace of the riders but also the fitness and endurance needed to spend the whole day in the saddle.
With reports that there has been some good rain in the area I’m hopeful the tracks will only partially dry out but I don’t think the chances of a dust free event are good. Here’s to hoping though…
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The LATEST News
Kawasaki tames ‘The Beast’ at Daytona
Bollinger Draws First Blood at GNCC
Cooper and Harwood Win NZ MX Champs
Snodgrass, Milner and Sanders Win Toowoomba AORC
Simpson Wins Opening Round of British MX Champs
Toni Bou Wraps Up 2019 X-Trial Championship
Major Sponsors Announced for MX Nationals
Honda Switches to Bridgestone Tyres
Kings and Queens of Canberra This Weekend
Honda ‘Ride Red’ Program continues in 2019
Kawasaki Tames ‘The Beast’ at Daytona
The famous Daytona Speedway hosted the tenth round of the AMA Supercross Championships last weekend and it was as good a night as it can get for Kawasaki with Eli Tomac earning an important win in the 450 class while Austin Forkner kept his championship win streak alive in the 250 East class.
Daytona AMA Supercross 2019 – Round 10 – Image by Hoppenworld
The Ricky Carmichael designed layout was nicknamed ‘the beast’ as it had a bit of everything thrown in with a very technical ‘1000 feet’ rhythm lane, two sand sections, a wall jump and a series of off-set small whoops called ‘moguls’.
Daytona AMA Supercross 2019 – Round 10 – Image by Hoppenworld
Despite the deteriorating track conditions Tomac looked untroubled as he went on to win for the third time this season while Webb showed his intestinal fortitude to finish second despite looking far from comfortable in the early laps and once again it was Musquin rounding out the podium in third, this time ahead of Baggett, Joey Savatgy, Zach Osborne, Justin Hill, Roczen, Justin Brayton, Reed, Dean Wilson and Shane McElrath who rode his KTM250SX-F at Daytona.
Eli Tomac
“Earlier in the day Marvin had a lap time that was two and a half seconds faster than me so I was questioning myself so we were playing catch up but then we made some improvements through practice and even in the main, it took some time to get into the groove and I got shuffled back to third but I finally found my lines, was making good time in the whoops and to get this third win at Daytona is pretty special.”
Daytona AMA Supercross 2019 – Round 10 – Image by Hoppenworld
450SX Main Event Results
Eli Tomac
Cooper Webb
Marvin Musquin
Blake Baggett
Joey Savatgy
Zach Osborne
Justin Hill
Ken Roczen
Justin Brayton
Chad Reed
Dean Wilson
Shane McElrath
450SX Points after 10 of 17 Rounds
Cooper Webb – 222
Eli Tomac – 203
Marvin Musquin – 203
Ken Roczen – 201
Blake Baggett – 161
Dean Wilson – 149
Chad Reed – 137
Justin Brayton – 127
Joey Savatgy – 124
Aaron Plessinger – 123
250 East Coast Report
Forkner and Sexton have been the fastest riders all day and it wasn’t long before they were 1-2 with Cooper in third and that is the way it stayed until the chequered flag while Mitchell Oldenburg, Alex Martin and Brandon Hartranft all made their way into the top six after poor starts.
Daytona AMA Supercross 2019 – Round 10 – Image by Hoppenworld
Austin Forkner
“The start helped and doing that big rhythm every lap, it was easy to miss-time it and the whoops were tough so the difference for me was to not make any mistakes, I made some small ones but there were only six turns in the track which weren’t a big deal, it was getting the ruts in the rhythm sections and the whoops which were tough.”
Daytona AMA Supercross 2019 – Round 10 – Image by Hoppenworld
250 East Coast Main Event Results
Austin Forkner
Chase Sexton
Justin Cooper
Mitchell Oldenburg
Alex Martin
Brandon Hartranft
Kyle Peters
Joshua Osby
Kyle Cunningham
Martin Davalos
250SX Podium – Daytona AMA Supercross 2019 – Round 10 – Image by Hoppenworld
250 East Coast Points after 6 of 9 Rounds
Austin Forkner – 125
Justin Cooper – 102
Chase Sexton – 102
Alex Martin – 78
Martin Davalos – 71
Brandon Hartranft – 71
Jordon Smith – 70
Mitchell Oldenburg – 69
Kyle Cunningham – 65
Kyle Peters – 62
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Bollinger Draws First Blood at Wildboar GNCC
The deep sand of Palatka, Florida hosted the opening round of the GNCC and it was Steward Baylor Jnr who managed to earn the outright win against his KTM teammate and defending champion Kailub Russell while Josh Strang earned a solid seventh outright and sixth in the XC1 class in his debut for the Kawasaki team.
Steward Baylor Jr – Image by Ken Hill
Ben Kelly scored fourth outright and first in the XC2 class ahead of rising stars Jonathan Girroir and Michael Witowski while Aussie girls Tayla Jones and Mackenzie Tricker were split on the WMX podium by the talented Becca Sheets and it was Jesse Ansley who won the 125cc XC3 class.
Tayla Jones – Image by Ken Hill
The second round will be next weekend in Washington for ‘The General’ GNCC where the inaugural eMTB (Electric Mountain Bike) round will be included in the championship.
Overall Top 10 with Points
Steward Baylor Jr – 30
Kailub Russell – 25
Thaddeus Duvall 3 – 21
Benjamin Kelley – 18
Trevor Bollinger – 16
Joshua Toth – 15
Josh Strang – 14
Jonathan Girroir – 13
Michael Witkowski – 12
Andrew Delong – 11
Steward Baylor Jr on the podium – Image by Ken Hill
XC2 250 Pro with Points
Ben Kelley. 30
Jonathan Girroir – 25
Michael Witkowski – 21
Evan Smith – 18
Tegan R Temple – 16
Ben Parsons – 15
Jonathan T Johnson – 14
Philippe Chaine – 13
Alex Teagarden – 12
Zack Hayes – 11
FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am with Points
Jesse Ansley – 30
Cody J Barnes – 25
Jake H Froman – 21
Michael Beeler Jr – 8
Nate Smith – 16
WXC with Points
Tayla Jones – 30
Becca N Sheets – 25
Mackenzie Tricker – 21
Korie Steede – 18
Brooke Cosner – 16
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Cooper and Harwood Polish Off NZ MX Champs
Taupo’s iconic Digger McEwen Park hosted the fourth and final round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships and it was veteran Cody Cooper who managed to win his seventh MX1 championship by just six points over defending champion Kirk Gibbs while ironman Hamish Harwood won the MX2 and MX125 championships.
Cooper came into the final round with a slender 3-point lead over Gibbs and he extended that to 6 after winning the opening moto but he then lost the second shortened moto to Gibbs before completely dominating the final race to earn the championship.
Cody Cooper
“It was hard, one of the hardest races I’ve ever done I think, it was kind of good that I got a bad start because I managed to find some good lines that I would not have seen. It was a blessing in disguise really.
Kirk Gibbs
“I wasn’t feeling well actually at the start of the day. I woke up last night feeling cold and hot and I had diarrhoea this morning. I felt like I wanted to be sick. I drank some sugary drinks and that seemed to help. The last race I got out front early but struggled with the track a bit. Cody rode really well and passed me. I made a big mistake and came off the track. I lost a lot of ground and he got away and ended up winning.”
Kirk Gibbs
Kayne Lamont finished 3-8-3 after a crash in the red-flagged second race, giving him fourth overall for the weekend and third in the championship.
Kayne Lamont
“I was third in the championship, the same as last year, behind the same two riders – they just swapped places this season. I was a bit frustrated with my pre-season injury but I’m pleased to be healthy coming out of these three rounds. I’ve got a good base to work from for the winter and I’ll prepare better and hope to stay injury-free for next season.”
Kayne Lamont
There was a unique sound that rang out throughout the entire 12 motos that made up the four rounds of the MX1 championship and that was the screaming KTM250SX two-stroke of apprentice electrician Blake Gillard who ended the championship in a more than credible fifth outright.
MX1 – Total Points Round 3
Cody Cooper – 72
Kirk Gibbs – 69
Cohen Chase – 56
Kayne Lamont – 53
Hadleigh Knight – 47
Blake Gillard – 44
Cam Negus – 40
Sam Guise – 40
Roydon White – 35
Richard Horne – 29
2019 FOX NZ Motocross Championship – MX1
Cody Cooper – 285
Kirk Gibbs – 279
Kayne Lamont – 233
Cohen Chase – 186
Blake Gillard – 166
Brad Groombridge – 151
Hadleigh Knight – 141
Roydon White – 139
Sam Guise – 130
Jacob Steel – 129
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Hamish Harwood competed in 24 motos and won most of them to earn the MX2 and MX125 championships ahead of class fields and it even more impressive when you figure in the fact that Hamish is working full time as a house builder between each round.
Wyatt Chase and Max Purvis rounded out the podium in the MX2 class while it was 15-year-old Ben Broad who earned the runner up position in the MX125 class ahead of Joshua Bourke-Palmer.
Hamish Harwood
“This is the first time I’ve won two titles in one season, four in a row for MX2 and now a 125cc title too. I didn’t make it easy for myself in the MX2 class. I had a couple of bad starts, but I only finished outside of the top three on one occasion. I had good points lead at the start of racing at Taupo, so I wasn’t too concerned about winning every MX2 race today.”
MX2 – Total Points Round 3
Wyatt Chase – 72
Hamish Harwood – 67
Mason Semmens – 56
Ethan Martens – 49
Morgan Fogarty – 44
Kyle Hartley – 41
Maximus Purvis – 40
Broc Martens – 35
Sam Cuthbertson – 33
Shaun Fogarty – 32
2019 FOX NZ Motocross Championship – MX2
Hamish Harwood – 265
Wyatt Chase – 214
Maximus Purvis – 203
Morgan Fogarty – 177
Brad Groombridge – 108
Maximus Purvis
MX 125 – Total Points Round 3
Hamish Harwood – 75
Benjamin Broad – 66
Tommy Watts – 56
Joshua Bourke-Palmer – 56
Jack Dunlop – 46
Cam Dillon – 44
Ethan Waters – 43
Zac Jillings – 39
Joseph Andrell – 32
Charlie Richardson – 25
2019 FOX NZ Motocross Championship – MX 125
Hamish Harwood – 300
Benjamin Broad – 234
Joshua Bourke-Palmer – 221
Tommy Watts – 215
Jack Dunlop – 172
Snodgrass, Milner and Sanders Win Toowoomba AORC
The Queensland country town of Toowoomba hosted the opening two rounds of the AORC last weekend and it was an action packed weekend in dry and dusty condition but as you would expect the cream always rises to the top and it was Daniel Sanders, Daniel Milner, Lyndon Snodgrass and Luke Styke who managed victories in the major classes.
Sanders was three minutes ahead of Beau Ralston and Andrew Wilksch on the opening day and it was a similar margin back to Wilksch and Ralston on the second day – Jesse Lawton and Matt Murray rounded out the top five on both days.
Daniel Sanders
“I experienced some crashes this weekend but kept my body healthy to recover as quickly as I could. Coming out of this weekend I know how much harder I need to work on my fitness to close those gaps ahead of Dungog next month.”
Daniel Sanders – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Yamaha AORC E3 Round 1 Provisional Results
Daniel Sanders 58:18.484
Beau Ralston 1:02:19.321
Andrew Wilksch 1:02:35.440
Jesse Lawton 1:06:09.427
Matt Murry 1:08:07.233
Daniel Welsh 1:10:06.429
Timothy Lonsdale 1:10:45.304
AORC E3 Round 2 Provisional Results
Daniel Sanders 37:27.786
Andrew Wilksch 40:10.830
Beau Ralston 40:31.481
Jesse Lawton 41:47.381
Matt Murry 43:37.824
Daniel Welsh 45:26.922
Daniel Middleton 45:49.855
Timothy Lonsdale 46:42.994
Jackson Caldwell 46:48.398
Luke Morrison 48:28.428
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Milner clocked the fastest day outright both days but in the E2 class he won the opening day by well over two minutes from Joshua Green, Jeremy Carpentier, Broc Grabham and Brad Hardaker and that line-up was repeated on Sunday with Milner’s margin cut to just 90 seconds over Green.
Daniel Milner
“Yesterday I found myself struggling in navigating the track, keeping the ball rolling and knowing what gear to ride. It doesn’t matter how hard we test in the off season, conditions seen today really put you to the test, all in all it was an awesome weekend for me, and I’ve picked up where I left off from last year. Everyone on the field seems to be getting faster, and it really goes to show that us Aussie riders are putting it to the world.”
Daniel Milner – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Yamaha AORC E2 Round 1 Provisional Results
Daniel Milner 58:12.545
Joshua Green 1:00:36.815
Jeremy Carpentier 1:01:43.370
Broc Grabham 1:05:06.627
Brad Hardaker 1:05:19.209
Kristian Sprenger 1:06:58.993
Kaleb Treasure 1:07:18.907
Brent Dean 1:08:08.480
Jack Judge 1:08:24:042
Wesley Keeley 1:08:35.773
AORC E2 Round 2 Provisional Results
Daniel Milner 37:04.789
Joshua Green 38:33.191
Jeremy Carpentier 39:03.107
Broc Grabham 41:17.709
Brad Hardaker 41:57.983
Kristian Sprenger 42:34.533
Kaleb Treasure 42:56.997
Wesley Keeley 43:17.885
Brent Dean 43:30.524
Jack Judge 43:31.188
Defending champion Styke narrowly got the win on day one over Snodgrass, Michael Driscoll, Fraser Higlett and Matthew Phillips (digest that line-up for a second) but on Sunday Snodgrass got the win by just 4 seconds over Styke, Driscoll and Higlett – unfortunately Phillips retired with an injury.
Lyndon Snodgrass
“Round 2 featured a different track that was more technical than yesterday. Coming into today I made some small changes, studied the new track extensively during yesterday’s walk, and today ended up being a lot better!”
Lyndon Snodgrass – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Yamaha AORC E1 Round 1 Provisional Results
Luke Styke 1:00:11.804
Lyndon Snodgrass 1:00:44.286
Michael Driscoll 1:01:12.331
Fraser Higlett 1:01:27.354
Matthew Phillips 1:03:22.590
Jonte Reynders 1:04:10.772
Seton Broomhall 1:07:58.887
Lachlan Allan 1:09:14.454
Kye Malone 1:11:00.681
Alexander Ruloff 1:12:36.447
AORC E1 Round 2 Provisional Results
Lyndon Snodgrass 38:03.337
Luke Styke 38:07.726
Michael Driscoll 38:48.957
Fraser Higlett 39:09.410
Jonte Reynders 40:35.042
Seton Broomhall 43:43.988
Lachlan Allan 44:30.347
Joseph Cole 46:05.772
Mackenzie Bowser 46:07.220
Jarrad Vanderhor 46:15.756
Matthew Phiilip’s protégé Kyron Bacon lived up to expectations to win the EJ class while Jess Gardner (Womens), Kirk Hutton (Masters), Lee Stephens (Veterens), Adam Giles (2-Stroke Cup), Blake Hollis (J4), Riley McGillivray (J3) and Campbell Hall (J2) all won their respective classes.
Kyron Bacon – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Yamaha AORC EJ Round 1 Provisional Results
Kyron Bacon 1:03:47.489
Joshua Brierley 1:04:06.772
Harrison Teed 1:05:20.839
William Price 1:06:57.405
Korey McMahon 1:07:55.681
Cooper Sheidow 1:08:00.325
Matt Waters 1:09:45.791
Riley Nancarrow 1:10:22.995
Nathan Howe 1:11:08.932
Jordan Ryan 1:11:24.177
AORC EJ Round 2 Provisional Results
Kyron Bacon 40:21.778
Joshua Brierley 41:09.418
Harrison Teed 41:53.032
Korey McMahon 42:38.214
William Price 43:05.254
Cooper Sheidow 43:38.153
Riley Nancarrow 44:00.211
Nathan Howe 44:08.461
Matthew Pye 44:31.791
Matt Waters 44:32.447
AORC Women’s Round 1 Provisional Results
Jessica Gardiner 1:13:37.414
Emelie Karlsson 1:15:26.672
Ebony Nielsen 1:18:10.896
Emma Milesevic 1:18:41.568
Danielle Foot 1:21:02.977
Zoe Boccari 1:35:23.828
Charlotte Gamble 1:58:19.594
Isabella Hood 2:11:14.505
AORC Women’s Round 2 Provisional Results
Jessica Gardiner 44:21.944
Emma Milesevic 47:36.299
Ebony Nielsen 48:16.332
Danielle Foot 48:57.051
Emelie Karlsson 49:28.960
Zoe Boccari 56:57.933
Women’s Podium – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC Masters Round 1 Provisional Results
Kirk Hutton 1:10:43.091
Timothy Martin 1:15:21.955
John Baker 1:17:56.029
Ian Jenner 1:18:18.986
Craig Treasure 1:18:20.476
Peter Rudd 1:18:20.476
Adam O’Connor 1:20:46.668
Andrew Dennett 1:21:20.530
Ian McGillivray 1:21:54.783
Kenneth Hicks 1:22:29.499
AORC Masters Round 2 Provisional Results
Kirk Hutton 44:12.694
Timothy Martin 45:34.107
John Baker 47:36.194
Ian Jenner 48:11.147
Craig Treasure 48:30.065
Peter Rudd 49:47.717
Ian McGillivray 49:58.049
Kenneth Hicks 50:19.411
Andrew Dennett 50:29.575
Zac Williams 50:40.066
AORC Veterans Round 1 Provisional Results
Lee Stephens 1:10:18.984
Benjamin D’Arcy 1:12:16.018
Matthew Keipert 1:12:23.882
Christopher Thomas 1:12:57.099
Jason Pearce 1:15:20.680
Daniel Sawtell 1:16:22.776
Paul Chadwick 1:17:00.579
Luke Ablitt 1:20:20.680
Phillip Chillemi 1:21:57.526
Phil Newman 1:22:35.185
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AORC Veterans Round 2 Provisional Results
Lee Stephens 43:19.237
Matthew Keipert 43:43.326
Christopher Thomas 44:30.010
Benjamin D’Arcy 45:30.266
Jason Pearce 45:55.472
Daniel Sawtell 47:39.455
Paul Chadwick 47:40.939
Luke Ablitt 48:41.890
Phil Newman 51:19.834
Daniel Wall 51:54.248
AORC 2 Stroke Cup Round 2 Provisional Results
Adam Giles 1:10:52.544
John Isherwood 1:15:40.846
Todd Charlick 1:18:53.919
Luke Francis 1:23:35.349
AORC 2 Stroke Cup Round 2 Provisional Results
Adam Giles 42:25.605
John Isherwood 46:53.488
Todd Charlick 48:56.977
Luke Francis 50:56.691
AORC J4 Round 1 Provisional Results
Blake Hollis 53:02.256
Mackenzie Johnson 54:32.036
Zac Perry 55:33.284
Oscar Collins 55:58.836
Charlie Milton 56:14.068
Hayden Campbell 59:00.487
Cody Chittick 59:22.145
Kobe Conley 59.25.085
Jay Simister 59:43.729
Lochie Stafford 1:01:05.230
AORC J4 Round 2 Provisional Results
Blake Hollis 40:11.651
Mackenzie Johnson 41:29.590
Oscar Collins 41:58.118
Charlie Milton 42:04.277
Cody Chittick 42:08.592
Zac Perry 42:23.625
Kobe Conley 43:30.128
Jay Simister 45:34.060
Hayden Campbell 45:51.944
Clay Parsons 46:42.581
AORC J3 Round 1 Provisional Results
Campbell O’Donnell 55:19.273
Riley McGillivray 55:25.586
Kodi Stephens 56:49.768
William Dennett 57:20.674
Tom Park 58:08.907
Jack Bithell 58:58.440
Maxwell Liebekner 59:11.116
William Cooper 1:00:41.351
Kelly Woolston 1:00:53.803
Jake Hayes 1:02:32.856
AORC J3 Round 2 Provisional Results
Riley McGillivray 40:57.774
Campbell O’Donnell 41:25.296
William Dennett 43:17.461
Kodi Stephens 43:18.250
Jack Bithell 44:11.868
Maxwell Liebeknech 44:24.802
Kelly Woolston 46:47.542
Jethro Carriage 46:57.343
William Cooper 47:03.253
Jake Hayes 47:12.359
J3 Podium – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC J2 Round 1 Provisional Results
Billy Hargy 57:11.271
Campbell Hall 57:27.053
Jett Arnold 58:38.884
Max Phillips 59:46.669
Luke Chellas 1:04:36.666
Kyle Sandstrom 1:05:49.553
Jack Shearer 1:06:02.664
William Vella 1:06:18.928
Jack Hendrickson 1:07:35.950
Eli Tripcony 1:08:33.760
AORC J2 Round 2 Provisional Results
Jett Arnold 43:59.560
Campbell Hall 44:40.490
Max Phillips 45:00.793
Kyle Sandstrom 47:43.948
Luke Chellas 48:30.285
Jack Shearer 48:55.449
Thomas Vance 50:08.795
Jack Hendrickson 51:34.044
Max Mensforth 52:32.781
Jet Brien 54:46.064
Simpson Wins Opening Round of British MX Champs
Shaun Simpson has put together a 1-2 result to win the opening round of the British MX1 championships ahead of Tommy Searle who was second overall with 3-1 results and third was Lewis Tombs with 5-4 results.
MX1 Moto One
Shaun Simpson 31:07.023
Harri Kullas 31:49.581
Tommy Searle 32:36.734
Mel Pocock 32:45.749
Lewis Tombs 33:02.766
MX1 Moto Two
Tommy Searle 32:15.581
Shaun Simpson 32:38.463
Jake Millward 32:57.623
Lewis Tombs 33:04.516
Ryan Houghton 33:06.107
MX1 Overall
Shaun Simpson – 47
Tommy Searle – 45
Lewis Tombs – 34
Jake Millward – 29
Ryan Houghton – 27
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Toni Bou Wraps Up 2019 X-Trial Championship
Marseille, France has hosted the penultimate round of the 2019 FIM X-Trial World Championship and as expected Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou won his 13th X-Trial title to incredibly take his world championship tally to 25.
Toni Bou
Bou´s direct rival for victory in Marseille was Gas Gas’ Jeroni Fajardo, who progressed from Heat One in sensational fashion by countback after he and TRRS’ Adam Raga were tied. But Fajardo was unable to complete any of the demanding Grand Final sections, and Bou already had victory on the night sewn up with a clean Section Five – his third completed section of the lap.
Toni Bou
“It´s been as demanding as it has enjoyable. This was my first chance to claim the Championship and I took it, even though it wasn´t easy. The sections meant we had to give our absolute best, and that meant the spectators enjoyed the show. But I was keen to claim the title here and avoid being under pressure in X-Trial Andorra, where there were will already be enough expectation as it is my home race. Now I know that we will be there to celebrate, and I hope to win in front of my fans to finish the season. This thirteenth title has been more complicated than some of the others, since my rivals have really pushed hard all season and I have never been able to relax. But I have gradually been improving and tonight has been the culmination of my hard work.”
Toni Bou
Adam Raga, meanwhile, saw his fading Championship hopes extinguished for another year against Bou´s dominance.
Adam Raga
“It was a tough X-Trial right from the start, and I didn´t manage the time very well on the second lap, so ended up short on time and out of the Final. The atmosphere was incredible and the public really pushed us with their encouragement.”
Toni Bou tops the X-Trials podium
The next date on the X-Trial calendar will see another Champion declared as the riders head on to Vendée for the X-Trial of Nations on 13th April.
Major Sponsors Announced for MX Nationals
Williams Event Management (WEM), promoters of the MX Nationals, have announced that on the back of an ongoing relationship with LINK International, Pirelli has the naming rights to the MX2 class while Motul will be the MXD title sponsor along with brands including Polisports and RK Chains.
MX Nationals – Image by Scottya
GAS Imports via their leading product THOR will be the MX1 title sponsor as well as round six and eight presenting partners, GAS will also be represented by other key products including Neken, EBC Brakes, Akrapovic throughout the series.
Kevin Williams – Series Director
“As I approach my 23rd year of running the Australian MX Nationals, I’m very excited to announce the continued support of LINK International as well as GAS Imports, these brands play an integral part in the motocross industry and it’s great to have their support for the 2019 championship.”
In other MX Nationals news, Yamaha Motor Australia have again renewed their partnership within the national motocross scene, their continued support and commitment to the Pirelli MX Nationals insures a strong 2019 series ahead.
Series promoter Kevin Williams also expressed his thoughts on the long and ongoing partnership with Yamaha Motor Australia.
Kevin Williams
“Yamaha have been an integral part of the motocross landscape for as long as i can remember. The on going support for not only the series but teams and privateers alike, along with the innovative bLU cRU experience engaging and capturing the future talents of the sport. They are a brand I’m proud to be partnered with.”
National Sales and Marketing Manager Matthew Ferry, explained the importance of the long partnership they have with the MX Nationals.
Matthew Ferry
“We have been a long time partner of the MX Nationals. The series provides for a large variety of motocross talent from the professionals all the way down to the bLU cRU 65 cup riders. The series helps create the dreams and aspirations for the up and coming riders and stars.”
The opening round of the 2019 season takes place next weekend (March 17th) at Appin Raceway on the outskirts of Sydney, NSW.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Honda Switches to Bridgestone Tyres
With the full support of their lead rider Brett Metcalfe, Honda’s factory off road/motocross racing team in Australia have partnered with Bridgestone Tyres for the 2019 Australian MX Nationals and Supercross Championships.
Lincoln McFayden – Executive General Manager of McLeod Accessories
“McLeod’s are committed to providing race ready Bridgestone tyres to customers. The new range of Battlecross tyres are the race level spec ‘Made in Japan’ tyres that Bridgestone now sell to the general public as well. This is so important to us, to be able to sell the exact products we race, right here in Australia; it’s something not all tyre manufacturers can claim, it’s the Bridgestone advantage that’s for sure.”
After finishing the year out with a solid 2nd overall in the Australian Supercross Championship, Brett Metcalfe was eager to get some solid testing under his belt before making any changes to his set up.
Brett Metcalfe
“At this level we are always working on ways to improve ourselves and the bike. I have raced with Bridgestone before and I know what they are capable of. We needed to be sure we would stay at that level and I believe we will be at an advantage on many tracks with the new tyres. The predictable drive in certain conditions was incredible. Bridgestone has such a good variety with 4 different terrain options and we will be able to take advantage of them as conditions change throughout the day when racing.”
Metcalfe and the team have made it clear they want to come into the new season with the same competitive momentum they finished with in 2018.
Round 1 of the MX Nationals will be held on 17th March in Appin, NSW.
Kings and Queens of Canberra This Weekend
Fairbairn Park will host the annual Stay Upright Kings & Queens of Canberra dirt track meeting this coming weekend Both the Pro Open and Pro 450 classes have attracted the biggest entry which will necessitate three heats of racing in each round.
Abrum and Bailey Richards lead the locals in those classes taking on a blend of experienced campaigners and some more recent recruits in to the senior ranks.
Victorian Bradley Burns always rides the Canberra track well, and he leads the experienced brigade along with South Coast rider Kale Galeano, former Canberra rider Michael Vecchi, consistent Sydneysider Nathan Smith and Edward Grabham from Forbes.
Racing this weekend will showcase the likes of former Australian Junior champion Kye Andrews from Taree, Melbourne rider Bryce Holmes, Tom Herrick from Temora, Connor Ryan and Jake Farnsworth from the Central Coast.
Albury rider Jesse Davies and South Coast Jake Schneiders will contest the Pro Open class as well as clashing in the small line-up of slider machines.
ACT riders are prominent among the entries for the older age brackets (over 35s and 45s) and the Pre 1985 machines which invariably provide plenty of close racing amid invariably great spirit shown by the competitors. Dirt Track Sidecars are also programmed with entries drawn by various NSW country clubs.
Junior racing continues to impress with all the age divisions produce exciting racing from riders who quickly establish themselves as polished performers.
Taree rider Hayden Nelson has an Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship to his credit and his most recent outing showed his versatility as he contested the Australian Junior Championship round for road racing and supermoto.
The oldest junior class (for 13 to Under 16s) is always a feature with Melbourne rider Max Berry likely to be battling for honours with Central Coast rider Harrison Ryan, Callan Butcher from Temora and Jack Joel from Gunnedah.
Saturday sees practice at 9am followed by the first round of competition, while on Sunday it will be straight in to racing at 9am.
While the finals of all classes of racing will wrap up the meeting on Sunday, an additional feature has been added to the Saturday afternoon schedule when fans will see two Shoot-Outs when senior and junior riders will compete in a series of one-on-one battles to find the winners.
The Fairbairn Park track is situated on Pialligo Avenue, Majura and best of all spectator entry is free.
Honda ‘Ride Red’ Program continues in 2019
In 2018, Honda Racing in Australia launched a new off road racing program, geared around supporting privateer riders working towards a factory seat and becoming future Motocross and Supercross stars.
This year, Honda have extended the program to incorporate three new female riders in a bid to support more of Australia’s up and coming talent in all areas of off road racing.
Emma Milesevic, Tanesha Harnet and Alysha Goullet will spearhead Honda’s female Ride Red campaign, with hopes to inspire other sportswomen to chase their respective dreams.
Glyn Griffiths – Honda’s Brand and Motorsport Manager
“Over 1000 females compete across all disciplines of motorcycle racing each year and when these three talented riders contacted Honda for support we were thrilled to provide them with a RIDE RED contract. Tanesha Harnett is no stranger to the Honda family, having raced as a very successful rider in Honda’s Junior program with Lee Hogan. Supporting female talent is something we are proud of and to offer a pathway for Tanesha to continue to grow her moto career was really important to us, along with the inclusion of 2 other talented riders, it’s going to be a great season.”
Tanesha Harnett will race in the MXD of the MX Nationals and the Women’s Nationals as well as her State Championship.
Tanesha Harnett
“Honda supported me through juniors and their loyalty towards me as I head into seniors is sincerely appreciated. This program is fantastic and to be given the chance to continue my career with Honda is awesome. I look forward to another year of competition and learning.”
Emma Milesevic will race selected Australian Off Road Championship events, including Hattah and the Women’s Nationals.
Emma Milesevic
“Wow, this is an amazing opportunity. I have raced around the world and to come home and get an opportunity like this is a dream come true. My Auntie raced Honda and won many women’s motocross titles and I hope to do the same and make my family, Honda and our sponsors proud.”
Emma Milesevic
Alysha Goullett will race in selected MXD races, the Women’s Nationals and her respective State Championship.
Alysha Goullett
“This is my first real sponsorship and I won’t take it for granted. Sometimes all we need is some encouragement and I will do my best to represent everyone and show all of the girls out there that all you need to do is try and not to give up on your goals.”
Honda’s Ride Red program was developed to encourage senior competition participation by providing support to privateers. Penrite Honda Racing’s team owner Yarrive Konsky worked with Honda to get the program up and running.
Yarrive Konsky
“Growing up racing was difficult. The hardest part, aside from the expense was getting the right information. I didn’t know how to train, eat or set my bike up effectively. RIDE RED provides riders with what they need. Not all riders use our factory suspension and engine providers, but they can. They can also talk to our factory riders and capitalise on their wealth of experience. We have an open door policy.”
Honda Genuine will continue to be the Ride Red team’s title sponsor and the entire 2019 Honda Genuine Ride Red includes:
Emma Milesevic – CRF250R – MXD, Women’s Nationals and selected Off Road Events
Tanesha Harnett – CRF250R – MXD and Women’s Nationals
Alysha Goullet – CRF250R – MXD and Women’s Nationals
In typical Queensland fashion, Round 1 of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) kicked off in steamy conditions, with temperatures reaching into the mid-thirties, alongside dry, dusty conditions.
A new highly technical WR 450 Track pushed the world-class line-up from start to finish as they fought for podium real estate, with Daniel Milner quickest on track for Round 1.
Daniel Milner
With the completion of Day 1 (Round 1) Luke Styke claimed the E1 victory, Daniel Milner took out E2, Daniel Sanders claimed E3 and newcomer to the Senior category Kyron Bacon won EJ.
On Day 2 (Round 2) of the AORC, Toowoomba’s temperatures and dry conditions put the world class line-up to a final test. With the sun beating down competitors tackled a new Off-Road Advantage Track that demanded strong technical skill.
Coming out on top after the three tests was Lyndon Snodgrass for E1, Daniel Milner for E2, Daniel Sanders for E3 and Kyron Bacon for EJ.
Daniel Milner
“I gelled well with the KTM 350 EXC-F this weekend and it’s an unbelievable package for technical terrain like we had here in Toowoomba. My weekend was awesome, I just tried to stay smooth and consistent without many mistakes, even though we did have a couple of lay-downs along the way! I think every rider did. All in all, I’m absolutely stoked with how the first two rounds have started off the series and now I’m excited for the next event.”
Daniel Sanders
“To win both days in E3 was good, especially battling up front with [Daniel] Milner for the overall, so it was a strong weekend. The Husqvarna FE 501 was definitely competitive for me and I will keep working to gain strength so I can throw it around more to make the most of it in the coming rounds. It’s been a positive start to the season and now we will look ahead from this stage in the season.”
Daniel Sanders – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
The Junior competitors in classes J2, J3 and J4 faced a challenging Day 1 (Round 1) test on the Yamaha bLU cRU Track that forced a reliance on technical skill, with the Sprint format demanding the fastest test time every time, and proved the undeniable skill that continues to emerge from Australia’s junior Enduro talent. Upon the close of the day’s action, Billy Hargy took out the best time for J2, Campbell O’Donnell for J3 and Blake Hollis for J4.
In true Australian Junior Enduro fashion, Round 2 proved how strong the emerging Enduro talent is, racing the same bLU cRU Track as Round 1. Coming out on top for Round 2 on the bLU cRU Track was Jett Arnold for J2, Riley McGillivray for J3, and Blake Hollis for J4.
Toowoomba also greeted the Women’s, Masters, Veterans and 2-Stroke Cup, as they tackled the five tests on the nearly eight kilometre track. Coming out on top for Day 1 of the 2019 AORC season was Jessica Gardiner for the Women’s class, Kirk Hutton for the Masters, Lee Stephens for the Veterans and Adam Giles for the 2 Stroke Cup.
Over three tests on the WR 450 Track, the Round 2 titles were fought out by the Masters, Women’s, Veterans and 2 Stroke Cup classes, with the wins awarded to Jessica Gardiner for the Women’s, Kirk Hutton for the Masters, Lee Stephens for the Veterans, and Adam Giles for the 2-Stroke Cup!
E1 – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Reigning E1 Champion, Styke, maintained his place at the top of his class, achieving the fastest test times in E1 on Day 1. Styke finished ahead of Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Racing Team) and Michael Driscoll (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) to take out the gold, with a time of 1:00:11.804.
Luke Styke
Snodgrass continued to apply the pressure to Styke throughout the day, finishing just under 23 seconds behind the reigning Champion. Taking out the remaining spots in the top five was Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) and homegrown Australian legend, Matthew Phillips (MX Store, KTM), with a time of 1:01:27.354 and 1:03:22.590 respectively.
Arriving at the new Off-Road Advantage Track on Day 2 (Round 2), Lyndon Snodgrass came in with a point to prove. Managing the new track’s conditions alongside stifling heat, Snodgrass grappled with his bike to clinch a first place victory ahead of Round 1 Champion, Luke Styke by just over four seconds!
Lyndon Snodgrass
“Overall it was a good weekend for me! I didn’t feel super-confident in the sketchy conditions, but to get second yesterday and then win today is a good feeling and I’m really happy with the result. Riding the KTM 250 EXC-F is awesome for me, it’s really light and handles so well, which was positive for me this weekend. To get these results in such tough conditions is definitely good for the KTM Enduro Racing Team. Round 2 featured a different track that was more technical than yesterday. Coming into today I made some small changes, studied the new track extensively during yesterday’s walk, and today ended up being a lot better!”
Lyndon Snodgrass – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Closing out the podium in third place today was Michael Driscoll, who flew ahead of his trailing competitors to clinch the final podium spot for two days running. Fraser Higlett claimed fourth for the second day in a row.
Fraser Higlett
“It was a tough weekend for me, that’s for sure. The results weren’t what I wanted, but I pushed through and scored decent points, which is good. This gives me something to work from for the rest of the year and I know where I can be if I put it all together. I did have a few good test times, but struggled with some crashes this weekend, and I hope that the next rounds are more positive in terms of results. My Husqvarna FE 250 was really solid all weekend though, so now we will look ahead to the next one.”
Fraser Higlett – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
MX Store’s Matthew Phillips retired earlier today due to an injury.
Yamaha AORC E1 Round 1 Provisional Results
Luke Styke 1:00:11.804
Lyndon Snodgrass 1:00:44.286
Michael Driscoll 1:01:12.331
Fraser Higlett 1:01:27.354
Matthew Phillips 1:03:22.590
Jonte Reynders 1:04:10.772
Seton Broomhall 1:07:58.887
Lachlan Allan 1:09:14.454
Kye Malone 1:11:00.681
Alexander Ruloff 1:12:36.447
AORC E1 Round 2 Provisional Results
Lyndon Snodgrass 38:03.337
Luke Styke 38:07.726
Michael Driscoll 38:48.957
Fraser Higlett 39:09.410
Jonte Reynders 40:35.042
Seton Broomhall 43:43.988
Lachlan Allan 44:30.347
Joseph Cole 46:05.772
Mackenzie Bowser 46:07.220
Jarrad Vanderhor 46:15.756
Lyndon Snodgrass on the podium with Luke Styke and Michael Driscoll – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC E1 Standings after Round 1 & 2
Lyndon SNODGRASS 47
Luke STYKE 47
Michael DRISCOLL 40
Fraser HIGLETT 36
Jonte REYNDERS 31
Seton BROOMHALL 29
Lachlan ALLAN 27
Joseph COLE 24
Mackenzie BOWSER 21
Alexander RULOFF 20
E2 – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
2018 treated Milner well, and Round 1 of the new 2019 season proved no exception. Milner finished with the fastest time for the day in the E2 class, while maintaining a steady lead over the five tests.
Daniel Milner – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Upon the close of test five, Milner clocked in a time of 58:12.545, ahead of Joshua Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) by just under two minutes, and Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off-Road Team) by just shy of three minutes.
Broc Grabham and Brad Hardaker took out the remaining spots in the top five, with just under 12 seconds separating Hardaker from Grabham’s time of 1:05:06.627.
Taking out a consecutive round title on Day 2, was Daniel Milner, who remained well ahead of the pack throughout the day. Regardless of tough conditions and yesterday’s crash in the final laps, Milner remained steadfast to clinch both the Round 2 E2 title as well as the fastest time for the day!
Daniel Milner – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Landing in second place, just over three minutes behind Milner was Josh Green, who finished off the day’s three tests with a time of 38:33.191 ahead of Jeremy Carpentier. Carpentier closed off the podium ahead of Broc Grabham, with a time of 39:03.107.
Daniel Milner
“The biggest thing I took out from this weekend was the right technical skills are required to ride my new 350. Yesterday I found myself struggling in navigating the track, keeping the ball rolling and knowing what gear to ride. It doesn’t matter how hard we test in the off season, conditions seen today really put you to the test! All in all it was an awesome weekend for me, and I’ve picked up where I left off from last year. Everyone on the field seems to be getting faster, and it really goes to show that us Aussie riders are putting it to the world.”
Yamaha AORC E2 Round 1 Provisional Results
Daniel Milner 58:12.545
Joshua Green 1:00:36.815
Jeremy Carpentier 1:01:43.370
Broc Grabham 1:05:06.627
Brad Hardaker 1:05:19.209
Kristian Sprenger 1:06:58.993
Kaleb Treasure 1:07:18.907
Brent Dean 1:08:08.480
Jack Judge 1:08:24:042
Wesley Keeley 1:08:35.773
AORC E2 Round 2 Provisional Results
Daniel Milner 37:04.789
Joshua Green 38:33.191
Jeremy Carpentier 39:03.107
Broc Grabham 41:17.709
Brad Hardaker 41:57.983
Kristian Sprenger 42:34.533
Kaleb Treasure 42:56.997
Wesley Keeley 43:17.885
Brent Dean 43:30.524
Jack Judge 43:31.188
Daniel Milner claimed top spot from Green and Carpentier – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC E2 Standings after Round 1 & 2
Daniel MILNER 50
Joshua GREEN 44
Jeremy CARPENTIER 40
Broc GRABHAM 36
Brad HARDAKER 32
Kristian SPRENGER 30
Kaleb TREASURE 28
Brent DEAN 25
Wesley KEELEY 24
Jack JUDGE 23
E3 – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Round 1 saw Sanders kick off the E3 with a difficult start, crashing in the first test. In his typical fashion though, Sanders remain cool and collected, picking himself up and dusting himself off to take out the fastest time for the E3 class.
Daniel Sanders
With a time of 58:18.484, Sanders was trailed by Beau Ralston by just over four minutes, followed on by Andrew Wilksch (Motul Pirelli Sherco Racing Team). Finishing up the top five places in Round 1 was Jesse Lawton and Matt Murry, with respective times of 1:06:09.427 and 1:08:07.233.
Closing off Day 2 of the weekend with two consecutive E3 title wins was Sanders, leading the charge ahead of the competition by just shy of three minutes. Sanders finished the day with a time of 37:27.786. Trailing behind in second place was Andrew Wilksch, who maintained a strong presence across the weekend to hold onto his place in the top three for the E3 class!
Daniel Sanders
“It was a pretty successful weekend finished off with some Champaign to boot. I experienced some crashes this weekend but kept my body healthy to recover as quickly as I could. Coming out of this weekend I know how much harder I need to work on my fitness to close those gaps ahead of Dungog next month.”
Daniel Sanders – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Rounding out the podium in third place for Round 2 was Beau Ralston, finishing behind Wilksch by just over 20 seconds, with a time of 40:31.481.
Yamaha AORC E3 Round 1 Provisional Results
Daniel Sanders 58:18.484
Beau Ralston 1:02:19.321
Andrew Wilksch 1:02:35.440
Jesse Lawton 1:06:09.427
Matt Murry 1:08:07.233
Daniel Welsh 1:10:06.429
Timothy Lonsdale 1:10:45.304
AORC E3 Round 2 Provisional Results
Daniel Sanders 37:27.786
Andrew Wilksch 40:10.830
Beau Ralston 40:31.481
Jesse Lawton 41:47.381
Matt Murry 43:37.824
Daniel Welsh 45:26.922
Daniel Middleton 45:49.855
Timothy Lonsdale 46:42.994
Jackson Caldwell 46:48.398
Luke Morrison 48:28.428
Daniel Sanders claimed top honours from Wilksch and Ralston – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC E3 Standings after Round 1 & 2
Daniel SANDERS 50
Andrew WILKSCH 42
Beau RALSTON 42
Jesse LAWTON 36
Matt MURRY 32
Daniel WELSH 30
Daniel MIDDLETON 27
Timothy LONSDALE 27
Jackson CALDWELL 24
Luke MORRISON 22
EJ – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Coming out on top on Day 1 in EJ was Bacon, who maintained a consistent form all day regardless of the heat or dust. Bacon retained high speeds and clear focus to remain in the top two of the leader board all day.
Kyron Bacon
Bacon finished the day with a time of 1:03:47.489, ahead of Joshua Brierley who finished the day on 1:04:06.772. Third place was clinched by Harrison Teed, coming in hot on Brierley’s heels with a final time of 1:05:20.839. Rounding out the top five was William Price and Korey McMahon, with respective times of 1:06:57.405 and 1:07:55.681.
Reflecting the day’s events, Bacon explained that ‘the heat was a struggle, but the hardest aspect to manage was the dust. The conditions changed throughout the day as each test passed, making it even harder to remain fast and consistent.
On Day 2 (Round 2) in the EJ class, Bacon left Toowoomba with two deserving titles under his belt, after leading the charge to finish just shy of 50 seconds ahead of second place holder, Joshua Brierley.
Kyron Bacon
“I had an awesome day today ending up in the top ten fastest times for one of the tests. Hopefully we can continue to back up the success this weekend in Dungog next month.”
Kyron Bacon – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Brierley finished with a time of 41:09.418, with Harrison Teed taking out the final podium position with a time today of 41:53.032. With such a small length of time separating the top three in EJ this weekend, great racing is expected at Rounds 3 & 4 in Dungog, New South Wales (NSW) next month.
Yamaha AORC EJ Round 1 Provisional Results
Kyron Bacon 1:03:47.489
Joshua Brierley 1:04:06.772
Harrison Teed 1:05:20.839
William Price 1:06:57.405
Korey McMahon 1:07:55.681
Cooper Sheidow 1:08:00.325
Matt Waters 1:09:45.791
Riley Nancarrow 1:10:22.995
Nathan Howe 1:11:08.932
Jordan Ryan 1:11:24.177
AORC EJ Round 2 Provisional Results
Kyron Bacon (MX Store, KTM) 40:21.778
Joshua Brierley 41:09.418
Harrison Teed 41:53.032
Korey McMahon 42:38.214
William Price 43:05.254
Cooper Sheidow 43:38.153
Riley Nancarrow 44:00.211
Nathan Howe 44:08.461
Matthew Pye 44:31.791
Matt Waters 44:32.447
AORC EJ Standings after Round 1 & 2
Kyron BACON 50
Joshua BRIERLEY 44
Harrison TEED 40
Korey MCMAHON 34
William PRICE 34
Cooper SHEIDOW 30
Riley NANCARROW 27
Nathan HOWE 25
Matt WATERS 25
Mathew PYE 22
J4 – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Already a household name in Australian Enduro racing, Blake Hollis finished Round 1 with the best time of 10:32.818. Hollis sat pretty amid the heat and dust, ahead of Mackenzie Johnson by just over a minute, with Johnson finishing today with a time of 54:32.036. Rounding out the J4 podium today was Zac Perry with a time of 55.33.284.
Dominating once again in Round 2 on Sunday in the J4 class was Hollis, who increased his lead throughout today’s challenging conditions to just over one minute. With a time of 40:11.651, Hollis found his feet early in the first of four tests, moving faster and faster as the day progressed. Following Hollis in second was Mackenzie Johnson, with a time of 41:29.590. Rounding out the podium in third today was Oscar Collins, with a time of 41:58.118.
Blake Hollis
AORC J4 Round 1 Provisional Results
Blake Hollis 53:02.256
Mackenzie Johnson 54:32.036
Zac Perry 55:33.284
Oscar Collins 55:58.836
Charlie Milton 56:14.068
Hayden Campbell 59:00.487
Cody Chittick 59:22.145
Kobe Conley 59.25.085
Jay Simister 59:43.729
Lochie Stafford 1:01:05.230
AORC J4 Round 2 Provisional Results
Blake Hollis 40:11.651
Mackenzie Johnson 41:29.590
Oscar Collins 41:58.118
Charlie Milton 42:04.277
Cody Chittick 42:08.592
Zac Perry 42:23.625
Kobe Conley 43:30.128
Jay Simister 45:34.060
Hayden Campbell 45:51.944
Clay Parsons 46:42.581
Blake Hollis – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC J4 Standings after Round 1 & 2
Blake HOLLIS 50
Mackenzie JOHNSON 44
Oscar COLLINS 38
Zac PERRY 35
Charlie MILTON 34
Cody CHITTICK 30
Kobe CONLEY 27
Hayden CAMPBELL 27
Jay SIMISTER 25
Clay PARSONS 20
J3 – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Campbell O’Donnell clinched a top time for the J3 class on Day 1 of 55:19.273, slipping ahead rival Riley McGillivray by just over six seconds! The final podium position was nabbed by Kodi Stephens with a time of 56:49.768.
Campbell O’Donnell
Round 1 delivered a showstopping performance as the three podium holders exhibited proof of Australia’s leading junior talent in Enduro raving, with O’Donnell, McGillivray and Stephens each landing a fastest time in one of the five tests.
After finishing second in Round 1 (Saturday), McGillivray came into Day 2 with confidence, finishing the four tests to take out first place. With a time of 40:57.774, McGillivray remained strong and consistent all day to take the lead.
Riley McGillivray
“My plans this weekend were to stay smooth and consistent, whilst putting in the best laps I could manage. Coming from Victoria, I definitely struggled with the heat yesterday, so today I worked really hard on keeping cool. This round has given me a heap of experience and has shown me what I’m going up against this season in the J3 class.”
Riley McGillivray – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Taking out the remaining places on the podium for Round 2 was Campbell O’Donnell and William Dennett, with respective times of 41:25.296 and 43:17.461.
AORC J3 Round 1 Provisional Results
Campbell O’Donnell 55:19.273
Riley McGillivray 55:25.586
Kodi Stephens 56:49.768
William Dennett 57:20.674
Tom Park 58:08.907
Jack Bithell 58:58.440
Maxwell Liebekner 59:11.116
William Cooper 1:00:41.351
Kelly Woolston 1:00:53.803
Jake Hayes 1:02:32.856
AORC J3 Round 2 Provisional Results
Riley McGillivray 40:57.774
Campbell O’Donnell 41:25.296
William Dennett 43:17.461
Kodi Stephens 43:18.250
Jack Bithell 44:11.868
Maxwell Liebeknech 44:24.802
Kelly Woolston 46:47.542
Jethro Carriage 46:57.343
William Cooper 47:03.253
Jake Hayes 47:12.359
J3 Podium – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC J3 Standings after Round 1 & 2
Riley MCGILLIVRAY 47
Campbell O’DONNELL 47
William DENNETT 38
Kodi STEPHENS 38
Jack BITHELL 31
Maxwell LIEBEKNECHT 29
Kelly WOOLSTON 26
William COOPER 25
Jethro CARRIAGE 23
Jake HAYES 22
J2 – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Taking out the best time for Round 1 in the J2 class was Billy Hargy with a time of 57:11.271. Second place was clinched by Campbell Hall, who came in hot after Hargy with a time of 57:27.053. Hargy and Hall maintained a classic Tango throughout the days tests, as each fought for fastest times across the five tests. Taking out the final podium place for Round 1 was Jett Yarnold with a time of 58:38.884.
Billy Hargy
Taking the win Round 2 in J3 was Jett Arnold on Sunday, leading the charge ahead of his rivals by just over forty seconds. Arnold took some time to find his feet during today’s four tests, but once the confidence set in, he flew through the remainder of the day, finishing with a time of 43:59.560.
Following Arnold in second place for Round 2 was Campbell Hall, with a time of 44:40.490. Rounding out the podium today in J2 was Max Phillips, with a time of 45:00.793
AORC J2 Round 1 Provisional Results
Billy Hargy 57:11.271
Campbell Hall 57:27.053
Jett Arnold 58:38.884
Max Phillips 59:46.669
Luke Chellas 1:04:36.666
Kyle Sandstrom 1:05:49.553
Jack Shearer 1:06:02.664
William Vella 1:06:18.928
Jack Hendrickson 1:07:35.950
Eli Tripcony 1:08:33.760
AORC J2 Round 2 Provisional Results
Jett Arnold 43:59.560
Campbell Hall 44:40.490
Max Phillips 45:00.793
Kyle Sandstrom 47:43.948
Luke Chellas 48:30.285
Jack Shearer 48:55.449
Thomas Vance 50:08.795
Jack Hendrickson 51:34.044
Max Mensforth 52:32.781
Jet Brien 54:46.064
AORC J2 Standings after Round 1 & 2
Jett YARNOLD 45
Campbell HALL 44
Max PHILLIPS 38
Kyle SANDSTROM 33
Luke CHELLAS 32
Jack SHEARER 29
Billy HARGY 25
Jack HENRICKSON 25
William VELLA 23
Max MENSFORTH 21
Women’s – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Reigning Women’s Champion, Jessica Gardiner, commenced the 2019 season in perfect form as she pursues her campaign to smash the Women’s title record out of the park.
Jessica Gardiner
Gardiner finished Day 1 with a time of 1:13:37.414, ahead of Emelie Karlsson by just shy of two minutes. Karlsson finished the day with a time of 1:15:26.672, managing both the high heats, dust and her recovering foot injury to grab second place. Ebony Nielsen trailed Karlsson to take out third place for Round 1 by just under three minutes.
On Sunday’s Round 1 on the WR 450F Track, Gardiner remained a dominating force in the Women’s class, taking out a consecutive round win! Living up to her campaign in chasing the current record for the Women’s titles, Gardiner lead the class by just over three minutes!
Landing in second behind Gardiner was Emma Milesevic with a time of 47:36.299. A maiden voyage in Enduro racing for Milesevic, who currently continues to compete in Motocross, today’s racing proved her growing comfort in the new discipline.
Emma Milesevic
“So far so good! I’m still racing in Motocross as well, but I’m loving the challenge and change in riding Enduro. I’m trying to bring the same speed and aggression from my Motocross racing, whilst also refining my technical skills.”
Third place was clinched by Ebony Nielsen, who managed an impressive weekend to hold onto the final podium spot, with a time of 48:16.332.
AORC Women’s Round 1 Provisional Results
Jessica Gardiner 1:13:37.414
Emelie Karlsson 1:15:26.672
Ebony Nielsen 1:18:10.896
Emma Milesevic 1:18:41.568
Danielle Foot 1:21:02.977
Zoe Boccari 1:35:23.828
Charlotte Gamble 1:58:19.594
Isabella Hood 2:11:14.505
AORC Women’s Round 2 Provisional Results
Jessica Gardiner 44:21.944
Emma Milesevic 47:36.299
Ebony Nielsen 48:16.332
Danielle Foot 48:57.051
Emelie Karlsson 49:28.960
Zoe Boccari 56:57.933
Women’s Podium – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
AORC Women’s Standings after Round 1 & 2
Jessica GARDINER 50
Emma MILESEVIC 40
Ebony NIELSEN 40
Emelie KARLSSON 38
Danielle FOOT 34
Zoe BOCCARI 30
Isabella HOOD 27
Charlotte GAMBLE 27
Masters – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Returning to the AORC pits in Masters is household name, Kirk Hutton, who took out the best time for the class on Day 1 of 1:10:43.091. Moving from the Veteran’s class to Masters, Hutton made a seamless switch to his new class, leading the charge ahead of Timothy Martin by just over four minutes! Rounding out the podium today in third place was John Baker with a time of 1:17:56.029.
Come Round 2, Hutton put on a repeat performance to lead the charge on the WR 450F Track, juggling both a highly technical test and stifling Queensland heats to a 44:12.694 time.
Kirk Hutton
“Today was a little bit harder than yesterday considering we tackled the Pro’s track, which was tough straight from the get go. It was unfortunate that we didn’t have any rain because the conditions made it that bit more difficult. The competition this weekend has been great, making it an absolute pleasure to compete in a sport I love. I haven’t seen Tim Martin since 1996, so it was fantastic to race against one another once again.”
Kirk Hutton – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Filling out the remaining podium positions was Timothy Martin and John Baker, with a time of 45:34.107 and 47:36.194 respectively.
AORC Masters Round 1 Provisional Results
Kirk Hutton 1:10:43.091
Timothy Martin 1:15:21.955
John Baker 1:17:56.029
Ian Jenner 1:18:18.986
Craig Treasure 1:18:20.476
Peter Rudd 1:18:20.476
Adam O’Connor 1:20:46.668
Andrew Dennett 1:21:20.530
Ian McGillivray 1:21:54.783
Kenneth Hicks 1:22:29.499
AORC Masters Round 2 Provisional Results
Kirk Hutton 44:12.694
Timothy Martin 45:34.107
John Baker 47:36.194
Ian Jenner 48:11.147
Craig Treasure 48:30.065
Peter Rudd 49:47.717
Ian McGillivray 49:58.049
Kenneth Hicks 50:19.411
Andrew Dennett 50:29.575
Zac Williams 50:40.066
AORC Masters Standings after Round 1 & 2
Kirk HUTTON 50
Timothy MARTIN 44
John BAKER 40
Ian JENNER 36
Craig TREASURE 32
Peter RUDD 30
Ian MCGILLIVRAY 25
Andrew DENNETT 24
Kenneth HICKS 23
Adam O’CONNOR 23
Veterans – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
Kicking off the opening round of the 2019 season, Lee Stephens came out on top with a time of 1:10:18.984, ahead of Benjamin D’Arcy by just shy of two minutes! Taking out the final place on the podium in third was Matthew Keipert with a time of 1:12:23.882.
Today’s competition across the field in the Veterans class was fierce, with many of the top 10 placed featuring in the top three times across the five tests.
Lee Stephens – 2019 AORC Rounds 1-2
Stephens continued his domination on Sunday’s Round 2, clinching consecutive class wins, leading the Veterans by just over 20 seconds! With a time of 43:19.237, Stephens was trailed by Matthew Keipert, who finished with a time of 43:43.326.
Nabbing the final podium position in third, was Christopher Thomas, who finished behind Keipert by just over forty seconds!
AORC Veterans Round 1 Provisional Results
Lee Stephens 1:10:18.984
Benjamin D’Arcy 1:12:16.018
Matthew Keipert 1:12:23.882
Christopher Thomas 1:12:57.099
Jason Pearce 1:15:20.680
Daniel Sawtell 1:16:22.776
Paul Chadwick 1:17:00.579
Luke Ablitt 1:20:20.680
Phillip Chillemi 1:21:57.526
Phil Newman 1:22:35.185
AORC Veterans Round 2 Provisional Results
Lee Stephens 43:19.237
Matthew Keipert 43:43.326
Christopher Thomas 44:30.010
Benjamin D’Arcy 45:30.266
Jason Pearce 45:55.472
Daniel Sawtell 47:39.455
Paul Chadwick 47:40.939
Luke Ablitt 48:41.890
Phil Newman 51:19.834
Daniel Wall 51:54.248
AORC Veterans Standings after Round 1 & 2
Lee STEPHENS 50
Matthew KEIPERT 42
Benjamin D’ARCY 40
Christopher THOMAS 38
Jason PEARCE 32
Daniel SAWTELL 30
Paul CHADWICK 28
Luke ABLITT 26
Phil NEWMAN 23
Daniel WALL 21
2-Stroke Cup – 2019 AORC Rounds 1 & 2
In an exciting first for the 2019 season, AORC welcomed the new 2-Stroke Cup category, catering for 125cc up to 250cc machinery. Taking out the top spot in Round 1 was Adam Giles with a time of 1:10:52.544.
Trailing behind Giles to take out second place was John Isherwood, with a time of 1:15:40.846. Rounding out the podium for the 2 Stroke Cup was Todd Charlick, following on behind Isherwood by just over three minutes.
It ended as a very successful weekend for Adam Giles, who has left Toowoomba with two class trophies under his belt following Sunday’s racing of Round 2. Giles dominated during the three tests, keeping ahead of his competition to finish the day with just over a four-minute lead!
The remaining podium positions were clinched by John Isherwood and Todd Charlick, with respective times of 46:53.488 and 48:56.977. The 2-Stroke Cup will return as a supporting class at Dungog, New South Wales, from April 6-7.
It was evident that the break had done nothing to dull the competition between the two fastest riders in the country in Daniel Milner and Daniel Sanders with only fractions of a second separating them over tests during the entire day.
On Saturday the tracks deteriorated quickly. Not only for the pros but also the Women’s, Vets and Juniors to the point where they became almost unrideable with some sections ending as a half-metre deep rut filled with powder.
At the conclusion of racing, most riders ventured out to walk tracks they would ride the following day for Round 2. After some suggestions were made regarding track changes, some of the pro track was realigned in the interest of safety.
Sunday morning saw the heat return to further dry out the surface (if that was possible) with the temperatures soaring to around 38 degrees during the hot part of the day. As racing got underway it was clear the track wasn’t going to last.
