Milner leads AORC Round 5 wins

After almost two months off the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) was back with a bang at Dungog, New South Wales, in the form of a time carded enduro.

Daniel Milner didn’t miss a beat aboard his KTM taking the class win in E3 along with the fastest time of the day. Daniel Sanders continued his great season aboard his Husqvarna taking out the E2 class, making it five wins in a row this season. In E1 it was a breakout victory for Fraser Higlett who pushed through the tricky Dungog conditions to claim his first win of 2018.

The paddock today took on over 40km of tight and technical trails, and then jumped into two tests, the Cross Test and the Enduro Test. The Cross Test was an open grass track that saw the bikes open and hit some high speeds. On the other hand, the Enduro Test was tight and technical, keeping the riders on their toes at each turn.

Daniel Sanders – AORC 2018 Round 5

It was business as usual for Michael Driscoll in the EJ class, taking the win aboard his Yamaha to continue his perfect season in the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC). In the J4 class it was Kyron Bacon taking the win on his Honda, whilst in J3 Will Riordan showed his class taking the win and in J2 it was Kobe Conley using the Dungog conditions to his advantage.

Jessica Gardiner stood up to the task and took out the Women’s class, whilst Richard Chibnall continued his form in the Veterans. Geoffrey Ballard was back to his best in the Masters class proving to be just a class above throughout today’s racing. In a first for AORC, the vintage bikes were welcomed to Dungog with the Evo Pre 86 machines and it would be Ashley Sprenger taking the inaugural win.

E3 – Round 5

Milner was a man possessed today, putting the field to the sword with serious speed from the first test and showing his class. The KTM rider made the tight technical cross test look a breeze whilst he opened up his KTM 500 on the grass based enduro test, stopping the clock at 45:44.564.

Lachlan Stanford continued his consistent season aboard his Husqvarna machine, finishing with a time of 47:25.407. Rounding out the podium on his new ride, Scott Keegan who was on a KTM for the first time this season, clocking a time of 47:50.130.

Milner was happy to be back on the bike at AORC and put a tough month behind him, “The time off definitely helped me and after a rough last month I came here extremely determine to get out here and get a good result.

Daniel Milner – AORC 2018 Round 5

“The trail here was unbelievable a lot of time must have gone into putting that together, then the tests just had awesome lay outs on both the cross and enduro tests. It was just an awesome day and the tracks were good fun,” finished Milner.

Round 5 E3 Provisional Results

Daniel Milner (KTM Factory Enduro Racing Team) 45:44.564
Lachlan Stanford (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) 47:25.407
Scott Keegan 47:50.130
Broc Grabham 48:14.342
Thomas Mason 49:14.903

E2 – Round 5

Sanders continued his rich vein of form in AORC after returning from overseas racing this year, claiming his fifth win in a row aboard his Husqvarna. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Sanders who took a hard fall during his sight lap, but he regained his composure to once again take the class victory with a 46:19.584.

Josh Green backed up his efforts at Hattah during the break putting his Yamaha into second position, stopping the clock at 47:02.420. In third it was the man in orange, Lyndon Snodgrass finishing the day with a time of 47:11.989, look for Snodgrass to push Sanders and Green for a top two finish tomorrow.

Round 5 E2 AORC Provisional Results

Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Factory Racing Team) 46:19.584
Josh Green (Active8 Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team) 47:02.420
Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Factory Racing Team) 47:11.989
Wil Ruprecht (Active8 Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team) 47:28.295
Stefan Granquist 48:18.960

E1 – Round 5

The improvement of Higlett has been noticeable this year with impressive results earlier in the season and a strong Yamaha Australian Four-Day Enduro performance, but today he took another step forward collecting his first E1 victory of the season.

The Husqvarna rider finished with a time of 47:03.373 to put an end to the Luke Styke’s winning streak. Styke wasn’t far off the pace, finishing with a time 47:08.606 to put his Yamaha in second position. Taking the final step on the podium was Jack Simpson who showed great skills throughout the day, pushing his KTM all day and stopping the clock at 48:26.559.

Fraser Higlett – AORC 2018 Round 5

Round 5 E1 AORC Provisional Results

Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Factory Racing Team) 47:03.373
Luke Styke (Actvie8 Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team) 47:08.606
Jack Simpson 48:26.559
Brad Hardaker 49:52.676
Tomas Ravenhorst 50:11.967

125cc Amateur Cup – Round 5

A first for both AORC and Dungog Motorcycle Club saw the Amateur 125cc Cup join the proceedings, and it would be Geoff Braico who took out the class on his Husqvarna. Ben Grabham did his best to keep Braico honest, but had to settle for second place. The last step of the podium went to Stuart McWilliam who fought all the way to the finish.

Round 5 AORC 125cc Amateur Cup Provisional Results

Geoff Braico 48:38.420
Ben Grabham 49:24.835
Stuart McWilliam 58:25.931

EJ – Round 5

Driscoll has been in a class of his own in season 2018 and today was no different for the Yamaha rider, putting time on his competition right from the word go. Driscoll completed his day with a time of 1:16:42.848.

In second place and showing great improvement since moving into the EJ class, Joshua Brierley put in a great ride on his Husqvarna stopping the clock at 1:19:05.269. Harrison Teed found his way onto the last step of the podium with a solid ride in the Dungog conditions, finishing Round Five with a time of 1:20:11.094.

Michael Driscoll – AORC 2018 Round 5

Driscoll enjoyed the Dungog conditions, “The tracks were really good out there and for me I enjoyed that they were short, and the trail was a bit dusty that did make it hard for us but all in all it was a good day for us. I felt fresh all day and I’m looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow,” said Driscoll.

Round 5 EJ AORC Provisional Results

Michael Driscoll (bLU cRU Yamaha Racing Team) 1:16:42.848
Joshua Brierley 1:19:05.269
Harrison Teed 1:20:11.094
Corey Hammond 1:21:22.766
Mitch Brierley 1:21:31.592

J4 – Round 5

Bacon looked to be really enjoying the Dungog conditions as the Honda rider put good time on the field early in the day, before taking the win and finishing with a time of 30:58.663.

J4 Class heading out – AORC 2018 Round 5

New South Wales local Korey McMahon would have to settle for second place at round five, after stopping the clock at 32:39.204 on his KTM. Matthew Pye was solid around the Dungog track, put in consistently good times throughout the day and finishing on the last step of the podium with a time of 33:34.217.

Round 5 AORC J4 Provisional Results

Kyron Bacon 30:58.663
Korey McMahon 32:39.204
Matthew Pye 33:34.217
Raife Dooley 34:28.532
Bailey Smith 34:43.325

J3 – Round 5

Riordan continues his stellar 2018 season grabbing his fifth win in as many starts, once again leading the field aboard his KTM, finishing the day with a time 32:18.971. In second place was Angus Riordan who has moved into the J3 class after jumping up from J2 and did he make it look like a good fit.

Angus pushed the whole day but couldn’t quite reel his brother in, settling for second with a 32:20.634. Rounding out the podium behind the Riordan brothers was the Yamaha rider in Blake Hollis, who continued his solid season with another podium.

Round 5 AORC J3 Provisional Results

Will Riordan 32:18.971
Angus Riordan 32:20.634
Blake Hollis 32:34.685
Ned Chapman 34:16.382
Thomas Teed 34:46.641

J2 – Round 5

Conley set the pace at Dungog and didn’t look back in the J2 class, taking the win with a time of 35:23.548 and setting himself up for a big weekends racing. One of the usual suspects at the top of the J2 class, Mackenzie Johnson once again found himself on the podium with a time of 35:56.248 aboard his Yamaha.

The podium was rounded out by Zac Perry who had a consistent day but just couldn’t find the same speed as both Conley and Johnson, ending the day with a time of 35:57.057.

Round 5 AORC J2 Provisional Results

Kobe Conley 35:23.548
Mackenzie Johnson 35:56.248
Zac Perry 35:57.057
Billy Hargy 36:09.473
Will Dennett 36:12.660

Women’s – Round 5

Gardiner has continued her stellar season by taking the win today at Dungog, in front of a home crowd Gardiner didn’t disappoint, showing great speed on her way to victory. The Yamaha rider stopped the clock at 55:12.131.

Jessica Gardiner – AORC 2018 Round 5

Emelie Karlsson has been quite consistent this season and just couldn’t find the speed of Gardiner to challenge for the win, finishing in second with a time of 55:18.906. Danielle Foot would round out the podium after a solid days riding but finished a lap behind clocking in with a time of 50:16.722.

Round 5 AORC Women’s Provisional Results

Jessica Gardiner (MX Store, Ballards Off Road Team) 55:12.131
Emelie Karlsson 55:18.906
Danielle Foot 50:16.722- one lap down
Courtney Rubie 53:56.892- one lap down
Holly Cuneo 1:06:35.224- one lap down

Veterans – Round 5

Chibnall is showing this season that he is the rider to beat this season, once again showing a clean pair of heels to take the win with a time of 52:36.550. Jade Gartlan battled away in second place and pushed all the way to the end of the day but settled for second place checking in at 53:18.375.

Just missing out on second place was Simmo Arthur who battled throughout the day but just couldn’t quite catch Gartlan, rounding out the podium after stopping the clock at 53:32.428.

Round 5 AORC Veterans Provisional Results

Richard Chibnall 52:36.550
Jade Gartlan 53:18.375
Simmo Arthur 53:32.428
James Burgess 47:50.635
Peter Rudd 49:00.563

Masters – Round 5

Ballard was a man on a mission today when he got out on the bike, and he didn’t put a foot wrong as he took out the masters win with a time of 55:04.708. With the tough task of trying to reel Ballard in, Scott Campbell pushed all the way till the end but had to settle for second stopping the clock at 59:00.096. Brett Kenny was the rider who landed on the final step on the podium with a time of 50:56.905.

Round 5 AORC Master’s Provisional Results

Geoffrey Ballard 55:04.708
Scott Campbell 59:00.096
Brett Kenny 50:56.905- lap down
Ian Jenner 51:14.342- lap down
Jeff Curley 51:51.836- lap down

Pre Evo-86 Vintage – Round 5

In a first for AORC, the Pre Evo-86 Vintage bikes hit the Dungog track and what an effort it was for the riders to put the older machines to the test. It would be Sprenger who would find a way to victory, pushing his bike to the limit and finishing with a time of 57:24.592.

Pre Evo-86 Vintage – AORC 2018 Round 5

Gavin Fisher was another who battled the Dungog conditions and found speed out there, stopping the clock at 58:24.022. The innagural podium was filled with Andrew Dennett who took the final spot with a ride that saw him end the day at 59:14.402.