Racing: Price wins AORC by 1.081 seconds!

Kawasaki's Toby Price has won this year's Yamaha Australia Off-Road Championship over Yamaha's Stefan Merriman by an impossibly slim margin -- 1.081secs.

After heading into today's finale at Young (NSW) deadlocked in first position, the duo again showed why they were the class acts of the field as they won all eight special tests between them.

Merriman won five, including a barnstorming finish when he was 8.428secs faster than Price.

But it wasn't enough for the four-time world enduro champion, who fell just 1.081secs short of adding an Aussie title to his already imperious CV.

Price, a former junior motocross star, has now won Kawasaki's first AORC title, and is the third champion after AJ Roberts (Honda) in 2007 and Chris Hollis (Yamaha) last year.

And he's a deserving champion too, having finished on the podium in eight of the 10 rounds, including four red-hot wins wins to finish off the title.

"Today went really good, up until about the fourth lap when I had a bit of a get off, Stefan caught back up a bit," Price said.

"I just had to play it cool and calm down and just get through and I'm stoked (with the win).

"I can't even describe what it feels like; it's the most awesome feeling in the world."

Price finished second in the E2 class behind Merriman, due to a different points' system being used in classes compared to outright.

"I'm really happy to have won the E2 this year and to be back in Australia," Merriman said.

"I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't win outright because I was pushing, trying really hard, but I missed out by one-second for the outright.

"Well done to Toby because he proved that he was faster."

Merriman also won four rounds in 2009, with Roberts (Honda) and Jarrod Bewley (Yamaha) winning one apiece.

Bewley was third today, the same position he finished in the championship.

In E1, it was Motorex KTM's Ben Kearney who triumphed in a heated battle with Ballard's Wellard Yamaha's Kirk Hutton.

Up-and-coming KTM rider Geoff Braico claimed his first national title in E3, ahead of Brad Williscroft.

Other class winners were:

OUTRIGHT RESULTS

1. Toby Price Kawasaki 214pts
2. Stefan Merriman Yamaha 211
3. Jarrod Bewley Yamaha 200
4. Chris Hollis Husqvarna 155
5. Ben Kearney KTM 147
6. Ben Grabham KTM 146
7. Kirk Hutton Yamaha 136
8. Peter Boyle Honda 128
9. AJ Roberts Honda 117
10. Geoff Braico KTM 106

Click on the following link for all results in the 2009 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship.