Prologue Upset In EJ Followed By Clean Sweep For Styke, Milner and Sanders

Welcome to Broken Hill and its signature red dirt. As the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) pulled into the historical town, our Senior competitors were warmly welcomed with high winds and plentiful dust that settled into every available space. As the Juniors battled it out for glory with a Prologue and three hour Cross-Country, the AORC Seniors watched on in keen interest to see who would be their future competition in the years to come.

Completing just the Prologue today, pole positions were claimed by Luke Styke (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube), Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team), Daniel “Chucky” Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) and Cooper Sheidow (Kessner Motorcycles) for E1, E2, E3 and EJ. Results from today’s Prologue now decide the start order for all four classes.

E1

Renowned now in the 2019 season as one of most competitive classes with the greatest concentration of talent, E1’s Round 7 Prologue was taken by defending Champion, Styke. Clocking in a time of 5:18.006, Styke held Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Racing Team) at bay, who took out second place with a time of 5:27.127.

After a successful time in Kyogle, Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) finished in third place with a total time of 5:35.397, ahead of Active8 Yamaha Yamalube’s Michael Driscoll, by just over six seconds.

2019 AORC E1 Round 7 Prologue Top 5 Provisional Results:

1. Luke Styke (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) 5:21.345
2. Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM Enduro Racing Team) 5:27.127
3. Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) 5:35.397
4. Michael Driscoll (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) 5:41.984
5. Lachlan Allan (Kawasaki Castrol Oil Off Road Team) 5:54.241

E2

True to form, KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Milner took out the fastest Prologue time for E2, with a 5:19.074. Coming in hot after Milner though after a difficult weekend in Kyogle, was Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off Road Team) with a time of 5:31.866, who stole away second place from Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) by nearly six seconds.

2019 AORC E2 Round 7 Prologue Top 5 Provisional Results:

1. Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) 5:19.074
2. Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha MX Store Ballards Off Road Team) 5:31.866
3. Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube) 5:36.758
4. Stefan Granquist (Yamaha) 5:39.304
5. Nathan Trigg (Motul Pirelli Sherco Team) 5:42.975

E3

Continuing on from his undeniable success from Toowoomba, Dungog and Kyogle, Chucky was in fine form today through the red dirt midst, taking out both the fastest Prologue time for E3 and for the day, of 5:18.006.

Second fastest E3 Prologue time was awarded to Beau Ralston (Shwarz Excavation Husqvaran JWP), who proved his absolute comfort and ease in desert racing after a hugely successful turn at the 2019 Finke Desert Race. Ralston finished his Prologue with a time of 5:33.789.

Third place was taken out by Andy Wilksch (Motul Pirelli Sherco Team), whose Sherco was completely comfortable in Broken Hill’s strong winds and low visibility. Wilksch closed off his Prologue with a time of 5:34.022, breathing heavy down Ralston’s neck.

2019 AORC E3 Round 7 Prologue Top 5 Provisional Results:

1. Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) 5:18.006
2. Beau Ralston (Shwarz Excavation Husqvaran JWP) 5:33.789
3. Andy Wilksch (Motul Pirelli Sherco Team) 5:34.022
4. Alex Bolton (Bolton Motorcycles) 5:43.442
5. Jesse Lawton (Thor MX) 5:51.778

EJ

There was major upset today in EJ, with current leader board holder, Kyron Bacon (MX Store, KTM), failing to clock in the fastest Prologue time. Instead, pole position for tomorrow’s Cross-Country race was stolen away by Sheidow, with a time of 5:48.921. Bacon conceded instead for second fastest EJ Prologue time, of 5:50.358.

Falling into third place after the Prologue was Nathan Howe (Bunbury KTM Suzuki), with a time of 5:55.101. Regular features of the EJ podium, Korey McMahon (KTM Australia) and Josh Brierley (Nowra Motorcycles), couldn’t meet the speed of Sheidow, Bacon and Howe, settling instead for fourth and fifth place.

2019 AORC EJ Round 7 Prologue Top 5 Provisional Results:

1. Cooper Sheidow (Kessner Motorcycles) 5:48.921
2. Kyron Bacon (MX Store, KTM)  5:50.358
3. Nathan Howe (Bunbury KTM Suzuki) 5:55.101
4. Korey McMahon (KTM Australia) 5:55.610
5. Josh Brierley (Nowra Motorcycles) 5:59.199

Upon the close of today’s Senior Prologue, the first 10 riders to run off the finish line are:

1. Daniel Sanders
2. Daniel Milner
3. Luke Styke
4. Lyndon Snodgrass
5. Jeremy Carpentier
6. Beau Ralston
7. Andy Wilksch
8. Fraser Higlett
9. Josh Green
10. Stefan Granquist

To view the full start order after today’s Senior Prologue, please click here.

AORC returns tomorrow for the four hour Cross-Country race for all four Senior classes. Stay tuned on all news, updates and results by heading to AORC.org.au, and following us on Facebook and Instagram.

Images courtesy of John Pearson Media