Milner completes brilliant AORC season

KTM Enduro Racing Team’s Daniel Milner is the 2017 Australian off-road champion for 2017, with the Victorian dominating the final two rounds in Omeo (Vic) on the weekend of August 5-6.

Milner and his teammate Lyndon Snodgrass went 1-2 on both days, as KTM 450 EXC-mounted Milner became the first rider in the history of the series to keep a perfect record of round wins across an entire AORC season.

Milner completed the championship on 250pts, ahead of Snodgrass (189) and Husqvarna rider Lachy Stanford (183).

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I was pretty nervous this week – I don’t know why, but as soon as I got the title yesterday (on Saturday) it was a big monkey off the back, that’s for sure," said Milner.

"Then to be able to win today (Sunday) and do the perfect season, which no-one’s ever done, that’s put a big smile on my face. I think tonight over a couple of beers it will all sink in.

"I’m a racer and I always want to win, so today I just went out there and did what I normally do, just tried to put together smooth and consistent laps – I wasn’t going to do anything stupid to put myself at risk.

"The tracks here at Omeo were unreal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a track as nicely set up as this was. It had a bit of everything and the club put a lot of time and effort in and did an awesome job."

It’s the second time in as many years the KTM Off-Road Team riders has finished 1-2 in the AORC, with Daniel Sanders and Tye Simmonds taking home the quinella in 2016. It’s also KTM Australia’s fourth consecutive AORC championship win, with Toby Price winning the title in 2014 and 2015.

Snodgrass and Milner also won the E2 and E3 titles respectively, with Yamaha's Wil Ruprecht doing the business in E1.

Omeo AORC results
Saturday
Outright
1 Daniel Milner (KTM) 2:45:01.972
2 Lyndon Snodgrass (KTM) 2:45:40.198
3 Lachlan Stanford (Husqvarna) 2:46:10.234
4 Wil Ruprecht (Yamaha) 2:48:08.117
5 Jack Simpson (KTM) 2:48:19.991

E1
1 Ruprecht 2:48:08.117
2 Simpson 2:48:19.991
3 Scott Keegan (Yamaha) 2:51:35.095

E2
1 Milner 2:45:01.972
2 Riley Graham (Yamaha) 2:49:02.906
3 Andrew Wilksch (Sherco) 2:49:18.430

E3
1 Snodgrass 2:45:40.198
2 Stanford 2:46:10.234
3 Tom Mason (KTM) 2:51:05.582

Sunday
Outright
1 Milner 41:08.977
2 Snodgrass 41:59.693
3 Josh Green (Yamaha) 42:07.555
4 Graham 42:34.515
5 Nic Tomlinson 42:41.856

E1
1 Simpson 42:46.960
2 Keegan 43:30.505
3 Brad Hardaker (Yamaha) 43:48.329

E2
1 Milner 41:08.977
2 Green 42:07.555
3 Graham42:34.515

E3
1 Snodgrass 41:59.693
2 Stanford 44:20.214
3 Jesse Lawton 44:42.149

Final AORC standings
Outright
1. Milner - 250
2. Snodgrass - 189
3. Stanford - 183

E1
1. Ruprecht - 232
2. Keegan - 198
3. Simpson - 178

E2
1. Milner - 250
2. Graham - 201
3. Green - 194

E3
1. Snodgrass - 235
2. Stanford - 235
3. Mason – 196