News 8 Aug 2010

AORC: KTM's Price continues dominance in South Australia

Motorex KTM's Toby Price took back-to-back wins at rounds nine and 10 of the AORC series over the weekend at Kapunda in South Australia.

KTM's Toby Price won Outright in South Australia over the weekend.

KTM's Toby Price won Outright in South Australia over the weekend.

Only two rounds remain in the 2010 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) and reigning champ Toby Price is roosting away with the number one plate.

Price, of the Motorex KTM Off-Road Team, took back-to-back wins at rounds nine and 10 of the series, held yesterday and today at Kapunda in South Australia’s Barossa Valley.

The 22-year-old, who has won six of seven rounds (three rounds have been canceled due to rain), said he was pleased to have such a solid points lead going into the final two rounds to be held at Queensland’s Cherrabah Resort.

“This has been by far the best AORC yet,” Price said. “Conditions have been ideal all weekend and the track and venue is unreal.

“The day went really well for me. Got off to a good start in the first three heats on the northside track and then just carried on on the southside track – we switched tracks midway through the day.

“I had a crash in the third one, but other than that it all went really well – really happy with the day.”

Price won the Outright and the Yamaha Championship E2 Class by 1:01.00 over Ballard Wellard Yamaha’s Stefan Merriman.

Third Outright went to Price’s teammate Jarrod Bewley, who was 1:12.00 behind Merriman. Bewley also took his seventh GP Industries Championship E1 win of the series.

Fellow Motorex KTM racer Ben Grabham rounded out the top-four Outright, also claiming his seventh win in the Pirelli Championship E3 Class.

An E1 rider raced into the fifth Outright spot (and second in E1) – Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha’s Ben Burrell nabbing one of his best AORC finishes to date.

Victorian Daniel Milner (Christensen’s Off-Road) was sixth Outright and third in E2, followed by Honda’s AJ Roberts, New Zealander and Yamaha pilot Rory Mead, fellow Yamaha rider Kirk Hutton and Victorian Mitcham Harper.

The epic battle of South Australia’s best continued today, with Ivan Long again trumping Rhyce Ahola for the Expert Outright and Polisport Expert E1 Class wins.

The Endura Expert E2/3 Class victory went to Amiel Cavalier.

Clubman Outright was taken out by Ryan Featonby.

In Motul Championship Women’s, Ballard’s Wellard Yamaha’s Jessica Gardiner was the quickest by eight seconds ahead of fellow WR250F rider Jemma Wilson.

Championship Master’s was again won by Yamaha’s Geoff Ballard by an impressive seven-minute margin.

In RK Chains Championship Veteran’s, Shane Diener was the winner.

In the Junior stakes, Guy Parkinson was the quickest. Todd Barry was the Outright winner of classes J1 through J3.

The finale of the 2010 Yamaha AORC will be held 4-5 September at Cherrabah Resort near Warwick in Queensland.

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