Port Macquarie racer Chris Hollis is looking forward to tearing up his home track at this weekend's round seven and eight of the 2011 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC).
The 27-year-old YZ450F pilot said he "couldn't wait" to hit the sprint-style tracks that have been set out at the Hastings Valley MX Complex, a venue he has ridden since it was opened in about 2003.
"I get to sleep in my own bed, I'm mostly stoked about that," Hollis said. "I've been on the road since before the last rounds of the AORC in South Australia - only been home for about two nights in the last two weeks.
"After South Australia, I went to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra to coach a Under 21's camp."
Hollis, who is leading the championship Outright by 14-points and the Championship E2 Class by 31-points, said he would be treating this weekend "like any other".
"I'll try not to think about things too much, I can only do what I can do," he said. "Just go ride smooth and fast like I always do."
The Ballard's Yamaha Off-Road Team member said he was also looking forward to racing a more technical track.
"Every round this year has been fast and open, which doesn't suit me as well as the technical stuff," he said.
"I know the venue pretty well, it will be tight and technical and it's also supposed to rain a lot over the next few days... there's a good chance it'll be a mud bath," he said.
"I'd say Stefan Merriman will also do pretty well... it will be a challenging weekend if we get as much rain that is forecast - the track turns to ice, it's so slippery."
On the charge in Championship E3 is Hollis's teammate, Tasmanian rider, Matt Phillips.
Phillips moved to fourth Outright and has been closing the gap to E3 leader, Jarrod Bewley.
The 18-year-old is now 22-points behind Bewley and 19-points behind Hollis (for the Outright) after winning rounds five and six overall.
The third Ballard's Yamaha championship gun, Stefan Merriman (Nelson Bay), leads the Championship E1 Class aboard his YZ250F by 17-points.
Merriman, 38, also sits second Outright in the championship.
Also competing in E1 will be YZ250F rider and Queenslander, Kirk Hutton, who is third in class and 10th Outright.
And Byron Bay racer, Tom McCormack, will be back on an E1 machine (YZ250F) after trying his hand on a YZ450 at the last round.
Other Yamaha riders who have been performing well in the championship are Victorian Daniel Milner (eighth Outright and fifth in E2), Stefan Granquist (fourth in E2 and 15th Outright), Josh Ballard (ninth in E2) and Ben Burrell (19th Outright).
In the Championship Women's Class, battle for the crown has reached fever-pitch, with Brisbane YZ250F rider, Jemma Wilson, leading Sweden's Emelie Karlsson by seven points.
Reigning women's champion, Jessica Gardiner, sits third, 16-points behind.
Rounds seven and eight of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) will be held at the Hastings Valley MX Complex Today and Sunday (September 10th and 11th).
Yamaha AORC Top-10 Outright (after round six)
1. Chris Hollis Points: 122
2. Stefan Merriman 108
3. Jarrod Bewley 106
4. Matthew Phillips 103
5. Glenn Kearney 87
6. Bartosz Oblucki 81
7. Toby Price 75
8. Daniel Milner 68
9. Ben Grabham 68
10. Kirk Hutton 55
