Snodgrass, Milner & Sanders win AORC Round 2

Upon the close of Round 2 of the 2019 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), Toowoomba’s temperatures and dry conditions put the world class line-up to a final test. With the sun beating down and humidity to boot, competitors tackled a new Off-Road Advantage Track that demanded strong technical skill.

Daniel Milner – AORC Round 2, 2019

Coming out on top after the three tests was Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Racing Team) for E1, Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) for E2, Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) for E3 and Kyron Bacon (MX Store, KTM) for EJ.

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!

Over three tests on the WR 450 Track, the Round 2 titles were awarded to Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off-Road Team) for the Women’s, Kirk Hutton for the Masters, Lee Stephens for the Veterans, and Adam Giles for the 2 Stroke Cup!

Images courtesy of John Pearson Media

AORC Round 1 – E1

Arriving at the new Off-Road Advantage Track, Snodgrass came in with a point to prove. Managing the new track’s conditions alongside stifling heats, Snodgrass grappled with his bike to clinch a first place victory ahead of Round 1 Champion, Luke Styke (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) by just over four seconds!

London Snodgrass – AORC Round 2, 2019

Closing out the podium in third place was Michael Driscoll (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube), who flew ahead of his trailing competitors to clinch the final podium spot for two days running!

Reflecting on today’s success, Snodgrass explained that, “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!”

MX Store’s Matthew Phillips retired earlier today due to an injury.

AORC E1 Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Racing Team) 38:03.337
2. Luke Styke (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) 38:07.726
3. Michael Driscoll (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) 38:48.957
4. Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) 39:09.410
5. Jonte Reynders 40:35.042
6. Seton Broomhall 43:43.988
7. Lachlan Allan 44:30.347
8. Joseph Cole 46:05.772
9. Mackenzie Bowser 46:07.220
10. Jarrad Vanderhor 46:15.756

AORC Round 1 – E2

Taking out a consecutive round title this weekend was KTM’s 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 – AORC Round 2, 2019

Landing in second place, just over three minutes behind Milner was Active8 Yamaha Yamalube star, Josh Green. Green finished off the day’s three tests with a time of 38:33.191 ahead of Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off-Road Team). Carpentier closed off the podium ahead of Broc Grabham, with a time of 39:03.107.

With an undeniably successful weekend in the books, Milner highlighted that the opening rounds of the AORC season, “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,” explained Milner.

Daniel Milner topped the podium from Joshua Green and Jeremy Carpentier – AORC Round 2, 2019

AORC E2 Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) 37:04.789
2. Joshua Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) 38:33.191
3. Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off-Road Team) 39:03.107
4. Broc Grabham 41:17.709
5. Brad Hardaker 41:57.983
6. Kristian Sprenger 42:34.533
7. Kaleb Treasure 42:56.997
8. Wesley Keeley 43:17.885
9. Brent Dean 43:30.524
10. Jack Judge 43:31.188

AORC Round 1 – E3

Closing off 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 Motul Pirelli Sherco Racing Team’s 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 – AORC Round 2, 2019

Covered in celebratory Champaign, Sanders stated, “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,” explained Sanders.

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.

AORC E3 Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) 37:27.786
2. Andrew Wilksch (Motul Pirelli Sherco Racing Team) 40:10.830
3. Beau Ralston 40:31.481
4. Jesse Lawton 41:47.381
5. Matt Murry 43:37.824
6. Daniel Welsh 45:26.922
7. Daniel Middleton 45:49.855
8. Timothy Lonsdale 46:42.994
9. Jackson Caldwell 46:48.398
10. Luke Morrison 48:28.428

AORC Round 1 – EJ

Newcomer to the EJ class and training alongside teammate Matthew Phillips, Bacon has left Toowoomba with two deserving titles under his belt! Bacon lead the charge today to finish just shy of 50 seconds ahead of second place holder, Joshua Brierley.

Kyron Bacon – AORC Round 2, 2019

“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 stated.

Brierley finished with a time of 41:09.418, with Harrison Teed taking out the final podium position with a time of 41:53.032. With such a small length of time separating the top three in EJ this weekend, great racing is expected as we head into Rounds 3 & 4 in Dungog, New South Wales (NSW) next month!

AORC EJ Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Kyron Bacon (MX Store, KTM) 40:21.778
2. Joshua Brierley 41:09.418
3. Harrison Teed 41:53.032
4. Korey McMahon 42:38.214
5. William Price 43:05.254
6. Cooper Sheidow 43:38.153
7. Riley Nancarrow 44:00.211
8. Nathan Howe 44:08.461
9. Matthew Pye 44:31.791
10. Matt Waters 44:32.447

AORC Round 1 – J4

Dominating once again in J4 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.

Blake Hollis – AORC Round 2, 2019

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.

AORC J4 Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Blake Hollis 40:11.651
2. Mackenzie Johnson 41:29.590
3. Oscar Collins 41:58.118
4. Charlie Milton 42:04.277
5. Cody Chittick 42:08.592
6. Zac Perry 42:23.625
7. Kobe Conley 43:30.128
8. Jay Simister 45:34.060
9. Hayden Campbell 45:51.944
10. Clay Parsons 46:42.581

AORC Round 1 – J3

After finishing second on Saturday, McGillivray came into Round 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 – AORC Round 2, 2019

“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,” explained McGillivray. “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.”

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 2 Provisional Results

1. Riley McGillivray 40:57.774
2. Campbell O’Donnell 41:25.296
3. William Dennett 43:17.461
4. Kodi Stephens 43:18.250
5. Jack Bithell 44:11.868
6. Maxwell Liebeknech 44:24.802
7. Kelly Woolston 46:47.542
8. Jethro Carriage 46:57.343
9. William Cooper 47:03.253
10. Jake Hayes 47:12.359

AORC Round 1 – J2

Taking the class title for Round 2 was Jett Arnold, 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
With two minutes separating the top three, the competition is expected to be fierce as our junior’s head into Rounds 3 & 4 in Dungog, New South Wales!

AORC J2 Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Jett Arnold 43:59.560
2. Campbell Hall 44:40.490
3. Max Phillips 45:00.793
4. Kyle Sandstrom 47:43.948
5. Luke Chellas 48:30.285
6. Jack Shearer 48:55.449
7. Thomas Vance 50:08.795
8. Jack Hendrickson 51:34.044
9. Max Mensforth 52:32.781
10. Jet Brien 54:46.064

AORC Round 1 – Women’s

Delivering a glittering performance on the WR 450F Track, Gardiner remained a dominating force in the Women’s class, taking out a consecutive class title! Living up to her campaign in chasing the current record for the Women’s titles, Gardiner lead the class by just over three minutes!

Jessica Gardner – AORC Round 2, 2019

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, the racing proved her growing comfort in the new discipline.

“So far so good! I’m still racing in Motocross as well, but I’m loving the challenge and change in riding Enduro,” explained Milesevic. “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 2 Provisional Results

1. Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off-Road Team) 44:21.944
2. Emma Milesevic 47:36.299
3. Ebony Nielsen 48:16.332
4. Danielle Foot 48:57.051
5. Emelie Karlsson 49:28.960
6. Zoe Boccari 56:57.933

AORC Round 1 – Veterans

Stephens continued his domination, clinching his consecutive class title, leading the Veterans by just over 20 seconds! With a time of 43:19.237, Stephens was trailed by Matthew Keipert, who finished Round 2 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!

Lee Stephens – AORC Round 2, 2019

AORC Veterans Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Lee Stephens 43:19.237
2. Matthew Keipert 43:43.326
3. Christopher Thomas 44:30.010
4. Benjamin D’Arcy 45:30.266
5. Jason Pearce 45:55.472
6. Daniel Sawtell 47:39.455
7. Paul Chadwick 47:40.939
8. Luke Ablitt 48:41.890
9. Phil Newman 51:19.834
10. Daniel Wall 51:54.248

AORC Round 1 – Masters

Moving on up to the Masters class after previously competing in Veterans, Hutton came out victorious to take out the Round 2 Masters class title! With a time of 44:12.694, Hutton lead the charge on the WR 450F Track, juggling both a highly technical test and stifling Queensland heats.

Reflecting on his success, Hutton noted that, “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.

Fraser Higlett – AORC Round 2, 2019

“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,” highlighted Hutton.

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 2 Provisional Results

1. Kirk Hutton 44:12.694
2. Timothy Martin 45:34.107
3. John Baker 47:36.194
4. Ian Jenner 48:11.147
5. Craig Treasure 48:30.065
6. Peter Rudd 49:47.717
7. Ian McGillivray 49:58.049
8. Kenneth Hicks 50:19.411
9. Andrew Dennett 50:29.575
10. Zac Williams 50:40.066

AORC Round 1 – 2 Stroke Cup

It was a very successful weekend for Giles, who has left Toowoomba with two class trophies under his belt. 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.

AORC 2 Stroke Cup Round 2 Provisional Results

1. Adam Giles 42:25.605
2. John Isherwood 46:53.488
3. Todd Charlick 48:56.977
4. Luke Francis 50:56.691

After a successful weekend hosted by the Toowoomba Motorcycle Club, AORC returns on April 6-7 in Dungog, New South Wales for Rounds 3 & 4 with two days of Enduro formats.