CDR Yamaha’s Hollis takes Round 5 honours at the AORC

With tough, tight racing on the grass sprint format tracks today, competitors kicked their bikes into gear in the hope to redeem championship points and take the top step on the podium at Round 5 of the 2016 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship at Murray Bridge, South Australia.

With fine weather and a flat track, The Yamaha AORC produced some close racing as over 300 competitors took on the tough terrains today. The record entry numbers bringing in spectators from all over the country to witness the E1, E2, E3, EJ, Vets, Womens’ and Masters National Championship classes maneuver over the obstacles and fight through the trees.

The E1, E2, E3 and Transmoto 19 and Under classes competed on the Grovescaff test today.

E1

E1 competitor and KTM mounted Jack Simpson showed his knowledge and talent on the Grovescaff grass track, much like a Motocross track from Simpson’s background. The young rising Off-Road star concluded the day with a time of 1:05:43.063 and took out the E1 win ahead of Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team’s Glenn Kearney.

Despite his battle with young Simpson today, Husqvarna mounted Kearney couldn’t quite catch the KTM star, only a fraction off his pace, concluding the day with a 1:05:43.803 time. The top four all finished with in the same minute of each other, however it was Riley Graham who rounded out the top three today with a finishing time of 1:05:53.123.

“I started off really well this morning, the first test was perfect, but unfortunately in the second test I stalled the bike and came off which made my time poor so I was battling all day to get back up to the pointy end,” Jack Simpson said.

“I had a few fast sprints in the middle of the day, and in the last test I thought I threw it away but managed to come out with the win, which is great.

“Last round was very difficult because I hadn’t ridden in those conditions before so it was nice to come down here and change my bike setup to suit the Motocross style more and it seemed to have work, and I felt really comfortable on the bike today,” Simpson concluded.

E2

CDR Yamaha’s Chris Hollis was victorious after rounding out today top the time sheet, handing him the Round 5 win and the E2 win despite his misfortunate crash on the last test. Hollis improved his pace and remained unbeatable to snatch up a finishing time of 1:04:19.672, knocking Daniel Sanders (E3) off his winning streak. KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Tye Simmonds (1:04:30.365) playing to his strengths as a previous Motocross rider, wrangled his way around the flat grass track in fine form to bring home second place at Round 5, while Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Joshua Green (1:05:45.492) just couldn’t meet the speed of Hollis and Simmonds, finishing third in the E2 class after racing concluded today.

“I feeling pretty good after todays results, unfortunately in the last test I had a big crash at the start, which rattled me but I managed to pick the bike up and keep going,” Hollis said.

“The boys are working hard now to get the bike ready for tomorrow’s racing. The grass tracks are fun and it was more tight than I expected, and quite long.

“I don’t feel any pressure leading into tomorrows racing, I am just going to try and recover from my crash today and with the different track tomorrow it should be nice, close racing,” Hollis concluded.

E3

Playing on the misfortune of his fellow competitors it was Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team’s Lachlan Stanford who snatched up the first place in the E3 class while Active8 Yamaha Yamalube’s Beau Ralston finished in close second just a fraction off the pace from Stanford.

After just one test this morning it looked as though the current championship points leader and undefeated KTM Enduro Racing Team Rider Daniel Sanders couldn’t be beaten, however after a small crash in the second test for Sanders, and an injury to the muscles in his leg the KTM mounted rider battled it out to finish in third (1:05:27.964).

Stanford expressing his thoughts on todays racing was happy to bring home the win in the E3 class, and noted that he is prepared for Round 6 tomorrow.

“I am feeling really good, I am happy to have finished the day winning the last test outright,” Lachlan concluded.

“I am pretty stoked with my results today and I managed to take Chucky (Daniel Sanders) off the top step so pretty happy with that.

“I knew the track was going to be a lot different today with the open grass track so I have been practicing a lot to prepare. Although, the conditions out there were not what I was expecting, it was tough.

“The test today was a lot more technical which separated the field more, but I finished on a high today and won’t change anything heading into tomorrow,” Stanford concluded.

Transmoto 19 and Under (EJ)

With seven tests to get the job done today for the Transmoto 19 and Under competitors, there was no slowing the athletes as the championship points dangled in front of the gunning competitors. Wil Ruprecht adjusted to the track conditions today, working hard off his Sherco 450cc machine to finish on top of the time sheets ahead of his fellow Transmoto 19 and Under competitors with a 1:06:53.964 time. Current championship points leader, KTM mounted Nic Tomlinson finished the day in second place with a concluding time of 1:06:57.211. With less than a minute separating second and third, Fraser Higlett rounded out the top three times, finishing with a time of 1:07:49.798.

Vets

Despite the dust and the tight track it was Vets competitor Rowan Pumpa who was victorious today, battling off his fellow competitors with consistent times to finish the seven tests in 1:11:34.382 marginally in front of second placed Craig Wease, who finished with a concluding time of 1:14:37.433. Wease wasn’t with out pressure from Leigh Bentley who put his machine to the test finishing only just off the pace with a concluding time of 1:14.56.822.

The Women’s and Masters classes today competed on the Yamaha Test.
Women’s

By the second test of the day it was Jemma Wilson who looked to be undefeated amongst the girls, Wilson holding her form despite pressure from Yamaha mounted Jessica Gardiner. The 2015 ISDE World Champion remained consistent, finding her groove on the bike by the end of the day finishing with a 1:04:21.315 time. Second placed Gardiner concluded the day with a 1:04:56.224 lap time while Emilie Karlsson (1:06:48.869) performed on her Yamaha to round out the top three times at Round 5.

Masters
Current championship points leader Jason Salopayevs unfortunately had a crash in the sighting lap this morning seeing him unable to compete in the racing today. Despite a delayed start this morning for the remaining Masters field it was Michael Widdison who couldn’t be beat, adding valuable championship points to the board finishing with a 1:05:51.071. Peter Schaper put in a tough battle to attempt to knock Widdison off the top spot however despite making up time throughout the day he finished second (1:06:34.552) while Adrian Fitzgerald (1:06:41.763) applied himself to finish third at the conclusion of today’s racing.