Price sets new AORC record with fourth Outright title
Champions crowned in final rounds of 2014 season.
Image: Fourohfour.
In a record-breaking season, KTM Enduro Racing Team rider Toby Price has become the first rider to win a fourth career AORC title, as the Australian Off-Road Championship concluded this weekend at Heathcote in Victoria.
Riding a KTM 450 EXC, Price took a 28-point lead into the double-header final and put the issue to bed on Saturday with an unlikely win that aptly illustrated just why he is one of Australia’s most respected off-road racers all time.
Price recovered from a poor start to slowly pick his way through the dust and the traffic, eventually breaching a 30-second gap to leader Beau Ralston (Active8 Yamaha) and wresting the lead away with just two laps to go.
With the number one plate securely in his keeping, Price finished second on Sunday behind Daniel Milner (CDR Yamaha) and ahead of Ralston to cap off an incredible year which has seen him contest both desert and off-road racing calendars, finishing second in the KTM Enduro-X series and A4DE, and winning at Hattah, Finke, in the WA Desert Tri-Series, and now, in the AORC as well.
“It’s awesome!” Price said. “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 Six 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.”
Saturday saw Price claim the Cross Country victory ahead of Ralston and Milner, while fourth clinched the 19 and Under championship for Daniel Sanders (KTM). First of the Husqvarnas was Lachlan Stanford in fifth, as sixth was enough to secure the E3 championship for Glenn Kearney and seventh for Tom McCormack (Active8 Yamaha) clinched the E1 title.
On Sunday Milner won from Price, which bumped him up to second in the Outright standings in front of Kearney, but he had to settle for third in the E2 ranks behind Price and Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha). Third for round 12 was Ralston in another convincing showing.
Other champions crowned for 2014 include Jessica Gardiner (Womens), Derek Grundy (Masters), Damian Smith (Vets), Wil Ruprecht (J4), Ben Kearns (J3) and Joshua Brierley (J2).
2014 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship
Rounds 11-12 – Heathcote, VIC
Saturday Outright results:
1. Toby Price (E2)
2. Beau Ralston (E2)
3. Daniel Milner (E2)
4. Daniel Sanders (19U)
5. Lachlan Stanford (E2)
6. Glenn Kearney (E3)
7. Tom McCormack (E1)
8. Peter Boyle (E1)
9. Geoff Braico (E2)
10. Broc Grabham (19U)
Sunday Outright results:
1. Daniel Milner (E2)
2. Toby Price (E2)
3. Beau Ralston (E2)
4. Daniel Sanders (19U)
5. Josh Green (E2)
6. Chris Hollis (E2)
7. Lachlan Stanford (E2)
8. Riley Graham (E2)
9. Broc Grabham (19U)
10. Glenn Kearney (E3)
Outright championship standings:
1. Toby Price 260
2. Daniel Milner 218
3. Glenn Kearney 211
4. Josh Green 208
5. Chris Hollis 191
6. Daniel Sanders 165
7. Lachlan Stanford 162
8. Beau Ralston 156
9. Tom McCormack 150
10. Geoff Braico 131
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