Image: Russell Colvin.

KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Toby Price has tightened his grip on this year’s Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship with yet another commanding round win in both the Outright and E2 class at Kyogle on Sunday.

Price’s fifth win from 10 rounds has set him up to clinch his fourth AORC crown in September at Heathcote, needing only a second place if his nearest championship rival Glenn Kearney (Husqvarna Enduro Team) were to win the final two rounds.

Now ahead by 28 points, even Price conceded that he was now on the verge of taking the title. Price ran away with yesterday’s victories, winning by 7.545 seconds over CDR Yamaha’s Chris Hollis.

“Today went pretty much according to plan,” said Price. “I just cruised along and kept the KTM on two wheels. The main thing is I’m all fit and healthy, so roll on the final two rounds in Victoria, at the moment it’s really hard work, everyone is on fire, the test times are really close. It’s good, it makes it interesting for the day and good for spectators.”

Hollis was once again happy enough finishing in second and regarded the track as a bit more ‘choppier’ than round nine. With two second place finishes over the weekend it has given Hollis an added bit of confidence heading into next month’s A4DE.

“The four day is a little bit like this, so this has given me a bit of confidence that’s for sure,” said Hollis.

Hollis’s teammate Daniel Milner rounded out the top three, finishing 1.524 seconds down on Hollis. The Outright podium was identical to Saturday’s ninth round.

A solid fourth place went to Husqvarna’s Lachlan Stanford, which has been his best result thus far. Stanford was much happier with his performance compared to Saturday.

“I had a terrible day yesterday, so I really wanted to come back swinging and put in an impressive result today which I did,” said the 23-year old. “I’m really happy with how I did.”

Rounding out the top five saw Active8 Yamalube Yamaha’s Josh Green, which keeps him in third place in the championship overall on 182-points and tied on 194 points with Hollis in the E2 class.

In sixth place and the first E3 rider home was yet again, Kearney who continued to steam away in the E3 title chase. Kearney beat JBR Husaberg’s Jarrod Bewley who finished 13th overall, while Stefan Granquist (Active8 Yamaluble Yamaha) was third and was 14th outright.

Granquist’s teammate Beau Ralston finished seventh overall ahead of another Active8 Yamaluble Yamaha rider, Tom McCormack, who also took out the E1 class in the process to hold onto a healthy 34 points margin over Scott Keegan (Husqvarna Enduro Team) who nailed down third in the E1 class and 15th outright.

Rounding out the outright top 10 was Peter Boyle (KTM Enduro Racing Team), who was also second in the E1 class, while Daniel Sanders completed the top 10 and took out the 19 and Unders.

Jess Gardiner (Ballards Motorex Off-Road Team) looks to be on target now to wrap up her third title in the Women’s when she went on to claim an eighth round win that sees her extend her championship lead out to 22 points over 18-year-old Tayla Jones.

Rounding out the podium was Emelie Karlsson, with Tamara Gray and Sophie Coldiutt who leaps up to fourth place in the championship rounding out the top five respectfully.

In the Masters championship it was ‘game set and match’ for TLR MX1 Australia Off-Road Team pilot Trent Lean when he went on to win, beating Geoff Ballard. Lean has an unassailable lead now of 55-points over Ballard who leap frogs Ian Jenner who finished fourth. Finishing third was Mark Cockerill.

It was all class by Damian Smith in the Vets class as he went on to win again. Smith finished 22.028 seconds ahead of Kirk Hutton with South Australian Rowan Pumpa coming home in third.

In the Junior Four class Will Ruprecht (TLR MX1 Australia Off-Road) made it back to back round wins and with that he tops the championship with 231-points, six clear from Lyndon Snodgrass, who finished third. Second was Queenslander Seth Muller. Stuart Holt and Neil Collard rounded out the top five.

Ben Kearns was once again too good for the field in the J3 class. Joshua Brierley won the J2 class ahead of Jarrod Ramsay and William Price.

The next round of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship heads to Heathcote in Victoria on 6-7 September.

2014 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship
Rounds nine and 10 – Kyogle, NSW

Round nine Outright results:
1. Toby Price (E2)
2. Chris Hollis (E2)
3. Daniel Milner (E2)
4. Glenn Kearney (E3)
5. Josh Green (E2)
6. Tom McCormack (E1)
7. Beau Ralston (E2)
8. Peter Boyle (E1)
9. Geoff Braico (E2)
10. Broc Grabham (19U)

Round 10 Outright results:
1. Toby Price (E2)
2. Chris Hollis (E2)
3. Daniel Milner (E2)
4. Lachlan Stanford (E2)
5. Josh Green (E2)
6. Glenn Kearney (E3)
7. Beau Ralston (E2)
8. Tom McCormack (E1)
9. Peter Boyle (E1)
10. Daniel Sanders (19U)

Outright championship standings:
1. Toby Price (E2) 213
2. Glenn Kearney (E3) 185
3. Josh Green (E2) 182
4. Chris Hollis (E2) 176
5. Daniel Milner (E2) 173
6. Lachlan Stanford (E2) 132
7. Daniel Sanders (19U) 129
8. Tom McCormack (E1) 126
9. Jarrod Bewley (E3) 118
10. Beau Ralston (E2) 114

Click here for detailed results