Mount Misery’s third and fourth rounds of the 2024 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) failed to live up to its name for KTM off-road racers this weekend, as Daniel Milner and Riley McGillivray stormed to the top of their classes, and Tom Buxton continued his impressive initiation to Australian competition with a pair of podium performances.Just three weeks after breaking his collarbone at a Victorian state race, Milner and his KTM 450 EXC-F couldn’t be matched in the premier E2 class, as the 32-year-old made short work of the tough, rough and technical track on both days to comfortably win by more than a minute.
The pace of the KTM DM31 Racing team owner/rider saw him narrowly beaten for the unofficial outright honours on Saturday, before bouncing back to finish fastest outright on Sunday in round four of the season – extending his E2 class points lead in the process.
Meanwhile, KTM-supported McGillivray was once again commanding in the E3 class on his KTM 500 EXC-F with round victories on both days. The 20-year-old Victorian didn’t have it all his way, but he was able to hold his more experienced rivals at bay as the track became more brutal with each pass, to remain unbeaten so far this year.
In the E1 class, New Zealand newcomer Buxton continued to impress many with his pace and consistency aboard his DM31 Racing Team KTM 250 EXC-F, ultimately finishing the weekend’s two rounds with P3 and P2 results. Now 26, the former EnduroGP racer called on his European experience to negotiate the rock fields and multiple off-cambers as he begins to slowly close the time differential between himself and the leaders.
Rounds five and six of the 2024 AORC season will be held at Edenhope, Victoria, from 18-19 May.
Daniel Milner:“I had a crash at a local state round three weeks ago and snapped my collarbone at the end of an existing plate. I had surgery and turned up here at Mount Misery, but three weeks on the couch took a toll on me and I’m hurting today, that’s for sure! I just had to make sure I stayed smooth and consistent, but the track was so technical and chopped up, that it made it very difficult. I didn’t crash all weekend and I was scared to do so, to be honest. I’m very happy to finish this weekend at the front, because a couple of weeks ago I didn’t think that would’ve been possible.”
Riley McGillivray:“It was another successful weekend, but I didn’t necessarily ride how I wanted to. Usually, we ride three different special tests over the two days, but we raced just the one track for two days, so it was really brutal by the end of the weekend. I had some close battles all weekend, helped by a few little stacks I had here and there, but the bike and body felt good and my outright results are starting to get better. I’m the highest-ranked guy who works full time, so that’s a good feeling.”
Tom Buxton:“I feel like I rode pretty well and am happy with how it went all weekend. The track was quite similar to what we’d ride at a Portugal EnduroGP round, so in some ways I had some experience on that sort of terrain. The biggest thing was to not make any mistakes, especially in the later sprints, as the track was that beat up by the end of the day that it was hard to push and make up time.”
2024 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) – Mount Misery, VIC
Round three results:
E1
1. Kyron Bacon (Yamaha)
2. Korey McMahon (GASGAS)
3. Tom Buxton (KTM)
4. Brock Nichols (Husqvarna)
5. Billy Bray (GASGAS)
E2
1. Daniel Milner (KTM)
2. Andy Wilksch (Beta)
3. Will Dennett (Yamaha)
4. Beau Ralston (Kawasaki)
5. Ben Kearns (Beta)
E3
1. Riley McGillivray (KTM)
2. Jye Dickson (Beta)
3. Fraser Higlett (Beta)
4. Billy Hargy (Husqvarna)
5. Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna)
Round four results:
E1
1. Korey McMahon (GASGAS)
2. Tom Buxton (KTM)
3. William Price (Kawasaki)
4. Brock Nichols (Husqvarna)
5. Billy Bray (GASGAS)
E2
1. Daniel Milner (KTM)
2. Jonte Reynders (Sherco)
3. Will Dennett (Yamaha)
4. Andy Wilksch (Beta)
5. Beau Ralston (Kawasaki)
E3
1. Riley McGillivray (KTM)
2. Stefan Granquist (Husqvarna)
3. Jye Dickson (Beta)
4. Billy Hargy (Husqvarna)
5. Fraser Higlett (Beta)