KTM Enduro Racing Team rider Daniel Milner and his KTM450 EXC-F claimed a back-to-back victory at the Australian Off Road Championship’s third and fourth round at Miva in Queensland.
On Saturday, he fended off the challenge of Josh Green and KTM’s Jack Simpson, who kept his little KTM 250 XC-F singing all day long to earn the fifth AORC podium of his young career, while Sunday’s victory came ahead of Green and Lachlan Stanford.
The performance extends Milner’s lead in both the Outright and E2 categories. “The first day was really good; it was nice and relaxing and easy, just making sure I could get every line right,” said Milner. “And then today was a bit more motocross-friendly so the moto guys came out swinging. It’s the first time this year I’ve been beaten in a test. Simmo and Greeny were on my hammer all day but I pushed as hard as I could and came away with the win.”
Milner’s team mate, teenager Lyndon Snodgrass finished the weekend with 6, 4 outright scores, and took part in a mighty tussle with seasoned campaigner Lachlan Stanford for E3 class supremacy, putting the KTM 300 EXC into second place on both days. “The tracks were awesome today so it was good to be tearing it up out there,” said Snodgrass. “With sixth yesterday and fourth today, it’s been the best Queensland round I’ve ever had. Me and Lachy had another big battle again but he ended up getting me in the end. It was a little bit hard at the beginning of the day picking lines on the two-stroke, but once I got it sorted I was really enjoying it. In the deep ruts and in and out of the trees, it was pretty awesome.”
In the E1 category, 21-year-old defending Champion and Peter Stevens Motorcycles rider Jack Simpson looked set for a repeat performance today, but in his efforts to eclipse Milner, cut the course and was penalised five minutes for the infraction, which dropped him to third in class and 15th outright.
Factory support racer Tom Mason rounded out KTM’s podium haul, when he powered his Bolton’s Motorcycles KTM 500 EXC-F to two more podium finishes in the E3 category.
Glenn Kearney – KTM Enduro Racing Team Manager: “An excellent weekend. I’ve raced in Queensland countless times over the years and it’s always been dusty so to get a perfect weekend of weather, the track was as good as it gets – we had three world-class tests and a ton of race time over the weekend. As a team, Milner was top-shelf all weekend and didn’t lose a test all day. Got his lead out to around 30 seconds and held it there. Green got close in one of the tests there and he just countered and took eight seconds out of the next lap time. Really impressive. Lyndon was battling for fifth yesterday and for third today, with Lachy. He’s still learning little things here and there, but he’s got the speed, which is the hardest part to learn. Getting him to mature a little bit with his race craft and decision-making is the next thing, but he’s a quick learner. Mick and Harry were working great on the bikes and the team is working well together.”
Australian Off Road Championships Rd.5 Results:
1 Milner DANIEL 1:16:30.614 KTM
2 Josh GREEN 1:17:04.746 YAMAHA
3 Jack Simpson 1:17:38.732 KTM
4 Lachlan STANFORD 1:18:02.179 HUSQVARNA
5 Graham RILEY 1:18:18.408 YAMAHA
6 Snodgrass LYNDON 1:18:25.829 KTM
7 Fraser HIGLETT 1:18:42.069 HUSQVARNA
8 Driscoll MICHAEL 1:18:44.980 YAMAHA
9 Grabham BROC 1:18:53.649 HUSQVARNA
10 Scott KEEGAN 1:19:39.670 YAMAHA
Enduro 1
1 Jack Simpson 1:17:38.732 KTM
2 Scott KEEGAN 1:19:39.670 YAMAHA
3 Wil RUPRECHT 1:20:41.223 YAMAHA
Enduro 2
1 Milner DANIEL 1:16:30.614 KTM
2 Josh GREEN 1:17:04.746 YAMAHA
3 Graham RILEY 1:18:18.408 YAMAHA
Enduro 3
1 Lachlan STANFORD 1:18:02.179 HUSQVARNA
2 Snodgrass LYNDON 1:18:25.829 KTM
3 Tom MASON 1:20:49.488 KTM
Australian Off Road Championships Rd.6 Results:
Outright
1 Milner DANIEL 1:11:26.031 KTM
2 Josh GREEN 1:12:26.499 YAMAHA
3 Lachlan STANFORD 1:13:36.693 HUSQVARNA
4 Snodgrass LYNDON 1:13:51.248 KTM
5 Graham RILEY 1:14:13.393 YAMAHA
6 Fraser HIGLETT 1:14:28.729 HUSQVARNA
7 Grabham BROC 1:14:51.169 HUSQVARNA
8 Driscoll MICHAEL 1:14:52.098 YAMAHA
9 Scott KEEGAN 1:14:55.673 YAMAHA
10 Granquist STEFAN 1:14:57.257 YAMAHA
Enduro 1
1 Scott KEEGAN 1:14:55.673 YAMAHA
2 Wil RUPRECHT 1:15:46.893 YAMAHA
3 Jack Simpson 1:11:41.468 KTM
Enduro 2
1 Milner DANIEL 1:11:26.031 KTM
2 Josh GREEN 1:12:26.499 YAMAHA
3 Graham RILEY 1:14:13.393 YAMAHA
Enduro 3
1 Lachlan STANFORD 1:13:36.693 HUSQVARNA
2 Snodgrass LYNDON 1:13:51.248 KTM
3 Tom MASON 1:16:28.913 KTM
Yamaha Australian Off Road Championship points after round 6:
Enduro 1
1 Wil RUPRECHT 92
2 Jack SIMPSON 89
3 Scott KEEGAN 87
Enduro 2
1 Daniel MILNER 100
2 Josh GREEN 88
3 Graham GRAHAM 75
Enduro 3
1 Lachlan STANFORD 97
2 Lyndon SNODGRASS 91
3 Tom MASON 80