KTM Australia press release:

KTM Enduro Racing Team rider Toby Price has a chance of wrapping up his fifth AORC crown when Australia’s most prestigious off-road racing series makes its way to Kyogle in northern New South Wales for round 9 and 10 this weekend.
The reigning AORC champion will take a 42-point lead into the penultimate weekend of the series, and on the back of a five-round AORC winning streak, looks on track to complete his title defence in what has turned out to be his farewell season racing in Australia.
The off-road and desert racing legend has achieved a “dream come true” contract with the KTM Factory Red Bull Rally Racing squad, to focus on the famous Dakar Rally and the world Rally Championships for season 2016 and 2017.
His KTM Enduro Racing Team mate Daniel Sanders has enjoyed a stunning debut to the senior ranks in 2015 and currently holds down third in the overall AORC standings aboard his KTM 300 EXC, as well as second in the E3 class behind Price.
His isn’t the only stunning debut season operating out of the KTM transporter though, with the team’s former pro motocross racer Tye Simmonds kicking goals every weekend on his KTM 450 EXC, despite the fact that every new format of off-road racing and every venue, has been a foreign one to him.
Simmonds currently holds third in the E2 class and fifth in the overall rankings, and is looking forward to taking on the challenge of Kyogle for the first time.
For more information on KTM motorcycles visit www.ktm.com.au or www.facebook.com/KTMAustralia.

Toby Price – KTM 500 EXC – “We’ve been putting in some good training so we’re looking forward to the weekend’s racing. It’s a fair ask, but it would be nice to try and see if we can wrap up the championship this weekend, but we’ll worry about finishing the race first. Excited though, and ready to go. I’m looking at my last four off-road championship rounds for the foreseeable future, so it is starting to hit home a little bit that I won’t be doing these much longer, so it would definitely be nice to try and wrap another championship up before we take off. It’d mean something pretty cool to get another one. We’ve got some testing coming up in two weeks, so we’ll be over in Spain at Barcelona for a week’s worth of testing in on the Rally bike, come home and finish off some bits and pieces here and then we’ve got some Rally racing to do towards the end of the year. They’re not expecting anything of me for those races, I’ve just got a try and get some seat time in and some navigation skills built up towards the Dakar in January.”

Tye Simmonds – KTM 450 EXC “Don’t know what to expect from the track but we do know what to expect from the format, so, looking forward to going racing, that’s for sure. It’s been three weeks since Hattah and barring a couple of days testing I haven’t ridden at all, I’ve just been working. I’ve been struggling with the tighter stuff, and the harder, and rockier stuff so we’ll just get there and take it day by day. We’ll walk the track Friday and see what it’s like, try to get a good set up for Saturday, and just take it as it comes. It’s always a goal to be in the top three, and if I have a go, and pull my finger out, and get some good results, I could get a bit further up the board.”

Daniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders – KTM 300 EXC – “We’ve done some testing to get even more comfortable on the 300 which has been good – after last week’s 150mm of rain, there was no way of riding at home – it was a slop-fest. After some good riding out at Penrith and Appin I’m looking forward to getting some good results. Looking forward to getting back to the cross country/sprint format. Also looking forward to getting some good start and trying to hold them all off. It’s a massive property they use at Kyogle and it makes for some interesting riding. You get up in real quick fast-track sections, but also the tight trees and technical stuff. It’s a good track.”

Ben Grabham, Team Manager – “We’re getting towards the end of the championship, but we haven’t slackened off at all, we just spent a few days with Tye and Chucky just testing with KTM Technician Danny Apro at Appin and getting their bikes spot-on. All three boys have been amazing in the sand, but we’re thinking pretty much from here on out it’s going to be a little harder ground. So we are just trying to perfect our setting. Toby is in an awesome position and if he has two solid rounds he could look at wrapping up the championship so that’s our goal there. Chucky is running third outright and he wants to move forward or at least stay there, and he’s been looking pretty good. With Tye it’s the same old story, every race he goes to is a new experience, but he knows the format now and every time he practices in the tight, hardback stuff he’s getting quicker.”