News 10 Sep 2014

Quotebook: 2014 AORC Rds 11-12 Heathcote

Riders reflect on their final round performances.

Image: Fourohfour.

Image: Fourohfour.

Toby Price – 1-2 Outright (KTM Enduro Racing Team):
It’s awesome! This year has just flown by that quick, and before we know it, we’ve done everything. I’m over the moon, the whole KTM team has worked really well, and helped me achieve my goals that I had, which was to get back on the bike after the injury last year and try to win races again. I didn’t think winning a championship would come again so soon, but that’s what we strive for. I definitely wanted to win that one yesterday and get everything done and dusted. And it worked a treat. The 6-day is next, but I’ll have a little bit of a break and let a few things heal up first. And then we’ll be good to go.

Peter Boyle – 8-TBA Outright (KTM Enduro Racing Team):
A bit sore in the head today. The track was good yesterday and I got a good start and was running in the top five which was great. But we just couldn’t keep up with those 450s around the track and I slipped back. I think I had to win today and Keegan had to come third, but that second loop I had a crash and hit my head, and bent my brake lever, and had to just finish off the day the best I could. I’d like to say thank you to the KTM Enduro Team and KTM Australia, for giving me the opportunity to compete on their bike.

Daniel Milner – 3-1 Outright (CDR Yamaha):
I didn’t care about the championship, I just wanted to win on both days. I didn’t ride that well on Saturday but I was able to turn it around and finish the championship off strongly with a win on the final day. I then learned that I had finished second in the championship, so that was a nice little bonus that I wasn’t expecting. I have some plans for next year that will be announced soon, but I have had two years with the best team in Australia, CDR Yamaha. They have played a massive part in my success for the last couple of years and best of all, I have made friends for life here. Craig and everyone on the team are great to work for and ride with and it’s been my pleasure to represent them.

Chris Hollis – 25-6 Outright (CDR Yamaha):
I just had a crap weekend all round. Crashes, some bike issues… everything you can think of happened and sometimes that’s part of racing. I’m not sure what I can learn from it other than to keep my head up and bounce back next season.

Josh Green – 11-5 Outright (Active8 Yamaha):
I knew this weekend was going to be tough as my ankle isn’t 100 percent, but I tried to do the best I could with what I had. I’m not too disappointed as a felt I did as well as I could over the weekend, although it would have been nice to finish in the top three Outright, as I had been in contention all season.

Tom McCormack – 7-TBA Outright (Active8 Yamaha):
The past 12 months have been a bit of a dream run for me and I have been able to meet more goals again today. This championship means a lot to me as I have put in an enormous amount of work to make it happen as have the people around me. The Active8 Yamaha team have been unreal and have been a huge part of my success. AJ Roberts is always there to lend a hand or pass on some advice and the 2014 Yamaha YZ250F is just an amazing bike. Thank you to everyone that has helped and supported me this year, Yamaha as our team sponsors as well as the series sponsors and everyone involved in the organisation of the AORC.

Image: Fourohfour.

Image: Fourohfour.

Glenn Kearney – 6-10 Outright (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team):
Really stoked to get the win in the class and wrap the championship up yesterday. It’s actually my first AORC championship, because it didn’t exist when I went to America. But to have everything come together with managing the team, finishing on the outright podium, and winning the class is great. Together with Lachy riding so well all year, and Scotty finishing second in E1, and Damo obviously dominating the vets, I think it was a really good first year for the team, and I couldn’t be happier really as team manager.

Lachlan Stanford – 5-7 Outright (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team):
I didn’t have the best weekend. I don’t really look forward to cross-country format, but surprisingly I did pretty good. And got fifth Outright, so I’m starting to like them. I felt really good in the moto, just real comfortable on the bike, and I had fun, just sat there the whole race. Today I felt comfortable and smooth, but I just didn’t have the outright pace; the boys were pulling big gaps on me. Disappointing, but it just gives me more hunger for next year.

Scott Keegan – TBA-TBA Outright (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team):
I’m pretty happy today. I came away with second in the E1 championship which is what I was hoping for. With the cross-country I probably struggled a bit in the first three laps with arm pump from being a bit tense. So I just had to find the flow, I could see Boyley yesterday but I didn’t go above and beyond trying to get him because I knew what I had to do. Then today I was pushing very hard because I felt good, like I had a win in me. I was close, but it wasn’t close enough. It would’ve been nice to finish with a win, but it is what it is. Glenn’s got a FE 450 for me for the six Day, which should suit my laid-back riding style a bit better I think. I’m looking forward to it.

Damo Smith – TBA-TBA Outright (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team):
I was pretty happy to wrap up the title yesterday and take the pressure off a bit, and then have a bit of fun today. I got the guard of honour as I came through the last round today, which was pretty cool. Pretty much all the pro-boys just made a big arch, then threw a bucket of water over me and threw me in the dam! It was one of the best things ever, like I had just won a world title or something. But it’s been great – to get the four-day and the AORC title for Husky. We’ve had a terrific season.

Geoff Braico – 9-TBA Outright (Husaberg Enduro Racing Team):
My weekend wasn’t too bad, I got ninth overall yesterday and did the fourth-fastest lap time which was pretty cool. Today I crashed twice in slippery conditions this morning and it just sort of ruined any chance of a top-10 so I didn’t get to give the ‘Berg quite the send-off that I wanted to, but we showed some promise. I want to say a big thanks to Jeff Leisk and everybody involved in the Husaberg Team for the fantastic support in the last four or five years, they put a huge amount of faith in me so I can’t thank them enough. Also a huge thanks to Drew for all his help; he’s gone above and beyond what I expected this year so that’s fantastic. It’s been a great period, and it’s a little sad to see it come to an end, but it was great to be a part of.

Team and privateer competitors can submit comments to [email protected] prior to the Wednesday after events for inclusion in the post-event Quotebook feature.

Recent