Stefan Granquist has ensured the Australian Off-Road Championship title will go to the wire, after winning the ninth round at Kyogle on Saturday.
Husqvarna Motorcycles-backed off-road racer Stefan Granquist has ensured the Australian Off-Road Championship title will go to the wire, after winning the ninth round at Kyogle on Saturday. Granquist backed up his win with a narrow P2 result on Sunday, as fellow Husqvarna riders Sam Pretscherer, Emelie Karlsson and Billy Hargy also featured on the class podiums over the weekend.
Riding the mighty 2023 Husqvarna FE 501 in the E3 class, Granquist was able to master the hot, dusty and technical special tests to claim his second round win of the year on Saturday. He also had to withstand pressure from behind, as he finished the day with a winning margin of just over 10 seconds.
Sunday again saw Granquist right in the hunt going into the final test. Not one to be left wondering, he pushed his limits and had a small crash, meaning he had to settle for a solid P2 result. He was joined on the podium by Simford Motorsport Group’s Pretscherer with two third-place results over the weekend.
In the EW ranks, the always-consistent Karlsson steadily worked her way into contention as both days progressed. After finishing third on Saturday, Karlsson and her 2023 Husqvarna FE 350 were embroiled in a tight four-way battle for Sunday’s 10th round. She responded to the challenge and won the final special test on her way to a runner-up result.
In addition, Billy Hargy also put in a strong showing in the EJ class, with a pair of second-place results over the two rounds of racing.
The Australian Off-Road Championship season will conclude when rounds 11 and 12 will be held at Dungog, NSW, from October 14-15.
Stefan Granquist: “It was a great weekend and there was some good racing going on. The tests were super-technical, hot and dusty, but I really enjoyed it, especially yesterday’s racing. It felt good to get my second win of the year, but I was a little disappointed not to take the win again on Sunday. I came into the final test just a few seconds behind, and I’d rather go down trying, than try and play it safe and settle for second. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out and the points-chase is pretty tight now – it’s going to come down to the final round in Dungog in a few weeks time.”
Emelie Karlsson: “There were some good things to take out of this weekend. I went down on the first lap on Saturday and spent the rest of the day playing catch-up, but I struggled with the loose, technical conditions. I didn’t lose as much time off the start today and there was a good four-rider battle for most of the day, which was a lot of fun. I finished closer to the leader than I have all year, and I’m pretty satisfied to see the hard work paying off.”
2023 Australian Off-Road Championship – Kyogle, NSW
Round nine results:
E3
1. Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna)
2. Riley McGillivray (KTM)
3. Sam Pretscherer (Husqvarna)
4. Patrick McGillivray (KTM)
5. Thomas Henry (Beta)
EW
1. Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha)
2. Ebony Nielsen (Beta)
3. Emelie Karlsson (Husqvarna)
4. Taylor Thompson (GASGAS)
5. Courtney Rubie (KTM)
EJ
1. Will Dennett (Yamaha)
2. Billy Hargy (Husqvarna)
3. Jett Yarnold (Yamaha)
4. Jackson Horley (GASGAS)
5. Luke Chellas (KTM)
Round 10 results:
E3
1. Riley McGillivray (KTM)
2. Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna)
3. Sam Pretscherer (Husqvarna)
4. Patrick McGillivray (KTM)
5. Thomas Henry (Beta)
EW
1. Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha)
2. Emelie Karlsson (Husqvarna)
3. Ebony Nielsen (Beta)
4. Taylor Thompson (GASGAS)
5. Ariana Collins (Husqvarna)
EJ
1. Will Dennett (Yamaha)
2. Billy Hargy (Husqvarna)
3. Jett Yarnold (Yamaha)
4. Jackson Horley (GASGAS)
5. Max Midwinter (KTM)