The team‰Ûªs two-time AORC champion Chris Hollis saw his series chances take a hit struggling to sixth and fourth outright places in the tight and tricky conditions which made it difficult for him to utilise the performance of his KTM450EXC.
Hollis was able to use his superb fitness as an ally in the fight as the conditions grew rougher and rougher. He won the final sprint to limit the championship damage as much as possible, but was unable to reign in series leader Daniel Milner who won both rounds.
‰ÛÏI struggled with the sand here." Hollis admitted. "I got faster as I went and won the last test but struggled with one big whooped section through the grass trees that wanted to throw you over the bars the whole time.
"Championship-wise Milner won both days so he‰Ûªll take a few points here, but there‰Ûªs not much I can do. I know I rode as quickly as I could the whole time so there‰Ûªs nothing else I could have done.
"The bike was really good and I got faster at the end. I‰Ûªve just got to keep my chin up; I‰Ûªve got Hattah and the 4-day now. Hattah I got taken out in the first 500 metres of the race last year so hopefully we can have a bit more of a positive run this time," he added.
KTM's E1 pilot Ben Burrell celebrated his birthday on the first of the two day event, but unfortunately he did not celebrate in the fashion he was hoping for on track.
‰ÛÏWell it was my birthday on Saturday and it wasn‰Ûªt really the present I wanted." Burrell commented. "I‰Ûªd have liked to be a bit higher but I had a few crashes which didn‰Ûªt help.
"I just struggled with one test in particular which was pretty hairy, you couldn‰Ûªt make any mistakes and I just pushed a little bit hard in a couple of spots and the bike spat me off.
"Luckily I didn‰Ûªt break anything, the crashes only cost me time," he added.
"Sunday was no better at all. The sand and the roots took a bit of getting used to but I can‰Ûªt really put my finger on what the problem was. You need a good flow to go quick but I just couldn‰Ûªt find mine. So we‰Ûªll come away, have a think about what we can do better and make it happen.‰Û
